voice from above???

nope...romania!  LOL....seriously, sat down at the machine today and bonnie hunter's voice echoed in my brain...."almost anything works for strip piecing" is what i heard....and so i did.  

made this for flag day and upcoming july 4th too....the little star has block has been hanging around for some time (think years) and aha moment led to this project.   

of course it took more time than i thought it would, but it's done and happy with the result.  my cuffs are usually 3" long finished and this one is a bit more because the block was 4" finished....my door naked no more...

and these blocks got finished this weekend as well....

if i hadn't made the stocking, a flimsy photo would be here instead....might put them up on ebay as is...

more quilting on the baskets got done along with clearing off the sewing table that unearthed this project in the works...hesitated going forward as not totally happy with the background fabric...so pulled everything that was enough yardage to audition....these are the final 2...

kaffe 1:  some pieces cut, would drop the 2 lights and go with 36 squares (6 of each, 6" finished)... 

kaffe 2:  keep all 8 prints, 48 blocks (6 of each again, size 36x48)....

the colors are much richer in person...but the 2 lights still a washout in kaffe1...i've only 1 block made but think have decided to go with kaffe1, drop the 2 lightest and use the kaffe2 to make a smaller piece, 12 blocks, 4x3.  dilemma solved!  do you wake up with quilty thoughts?  i sometimes problem solve before getting up for the day...the benefit of lots of free time...

hot weekend included the movies with dear daughter to see "disclosure day"....a good movie although i need to see it again as it seemed a bit disjointed at the beginning.  spielberg doesn't disappoint, but i think he wrote this during covid when he could let his mind wander aimlessly...LOL!  wrapped up with a bit of tidying, bit of cooking and more quilting...all in all a pleasant two days...hope you are counting your blessings too!

(PS...new header photo Damariscotta, Maine...one of the many pretty villages along the coast)

monday again!

and the hots have abated for now....few days anyway....productive weekend with a small finish...

not an official UFO but now it won't be on next year's list either.....so darn colorful i think...the angle skews it a bit but it IS square...LOL!  

other doings.....

daughter loaned me her card table and even though it crowds the space even more, easy to get lost in doing puzzles....hours do fly by.....still not quite done but more hot weather coming so it'll keep....

and if you see this charmer today, wish her a happy birthday!  the light of my life and God's dearest gift to me....

here with my mom at the beach circa 1980s....she had attitude even then....LOL!  even though she's celebrating in an unexpected way today, it's still good....praying for many more!  

now back to that monday list....have a blessed day!

hello june!

now that quilty life is back on track, it's another chookshed challenge to tackle...

this is my project for this month.....baskets I and II quilting.  playing catch up with the UFO list and the soon approach of the horrible hots should be enough to succeed.  it's been an enjoyable week with no heat or A/C but it can't last. 

 

always interesting and inspiring to see what's happening in blogland....one that i read regularly is wanda hanson's "exuberant color"  she is a very prolific quilter and loves all things kaffe.  it's always a color explosion on her blog!  this recent design caught my eye...

a fresh idea on the kaleidoscope block, well one i'd never seen anyway....immediately brought to mind a snake trail quilt that's been on my someday list...a perfect marriage in my book, especially with a shoebox of kaffe scraps...at the senior center grabbed this freebie...

no, not started yet at all...it'll get put into the queue, but a perfect scrappy project don't you think?  

our weather has been glorious so enjoying every moment of no heat or A/C; alas, the 90s are coming end of the week the TV gurus say...but plenty of inside diversions--sewing, puzzles, exercise, books, videos and always cooking and house stuff to do.  

so you see, blessings abound and thankful for all my blessings...now go out and have a stellar day!

a divine finish

the scrappy DWR is finally finished but didn't happen just by myself...thankful to divine guidance that provided expert caregivers who got me back to quilty baseline and onward to more finishes!  i love it but need a break from it just now...

what else shakin'?  the closet herd has been thinned....DD chose some, others are getting rehomed, and space is now available for those waiting in the wings...

now in the hoop....baskets I....with baskets II soon to follow.....still playing catch up with the UFO list...

machine project for june will be to finish up the repro blocks and get to the flimsy stage....

summer clothes still waiting to be unpacked as it's been a 5-day deluge with chilly and very wet weather...sneaked in one last pot of clam chowder for now.....it was delish!  

and if when the sun returns, i'm ready for safe scooting with this snazzy umbrella....a mother's day present from dear daughter....nifty gift i'd say!  

while ogling all the beautiful garden pix on various blogs, my heart travels back to my little house and all the pretties that bloomed there....here's one...every year may is the month i miss my house and yard the most....

keep calm and quilt on!

never forget

may those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms always be remembered...

 no beach time here....rainy for five days....but paying homage to our heroes isn't dependent on good weather....

a blessed memorial weekend!

a friday finish

spent the dreary days this week finishing a small wall piece to boost my morale about the slow process on the scrappy DWR, which should be done before june arrives.   my spirits are buoyed, my mojo is in full gear and anticipating the horrible hots with finishes in mind.  

this is 'beaded curtain' my tiny kaffe tumblers.....small measuring 22x34 so wall size....my daughter thinks it look like tiny lava lamps...LOL...she was always fascinated by them.  it's a colorful, cheery piece that'll perk up my off-white walls...

this repro project coming along...nearly 20 blocks done at this post, so just over 10 to get a flimsy size...happy to say both projects made completely from the stash....that's the goal these days, sew up what's on hand....will i use it all?  doubtful but hoping to leave behind as little as possible...my head is positively swimming with scrappy ideas to keep me and miss sunny busy!

speaking of sun, summer is here for a week with a couple of hot days inside...a few scooting errands and some house chores that must come before sewing....better get cracking!  

last, today is a day to remember all our service men and women.....they are the front lines of defense for our country no matter where they serve.....may God guide and protect them all!

have a blessed day!

monday again!

new week and still stuck in spring-like weather....cool, cloudy, rain off and on...the summer clothes are patiently waiting to be unpacked!  hope your weekend was pleasant and enjoyed mother's day if it applies....my daughter and SIL arrived bearing gifts...

a lovely card and some custard tarts, after which we had lunch out and watched some of my dad's movies that had been transferred to MP4 files on the computer....sweet memories!  dear SIL applied his handyman skills fixing a curtain rod that was in need of shoring up....what a guy!!

the scrappy DWR is almost ready to bind so went to the stash for the blue fabric....did i find it?  but noooo!  did find another piece that is an almost exact match....more noticeable in person...but it'll certainly do fine for my needs....

and for a relatively quick finish picked up the kaffe mini tumblers...a small piece with simple quilting.  happy to say half finished already....

these photos taken with my phone and somewhat brighter than actual....finished the day binge watching mysteries.  

up early and made blueberry muffins...get bored with plain toast sometimes....and vacuuming and laundry top today's list.  hope to finish the tumblers and pull suitable binding to finish.  no scooting today because of weather....ick!  first thing, tho, it's the exercise bike.  hope you have a pleasant day!  

mother's day....

so thankful for the gift of being a mom....

to a beautiful, smart, funny, accomplished, compassionate woman with a strong faith and loving heart...

and that i had a wonderful mom myself....here we are circa 1953....

accident prone even then!  i had fallen on a large log and cut my chin requiring stitches and a very thick bandage, seen here after both....yes, there are still tears but also comforting memories of our long life together...

and if you see this dapper gent today, wish him happy birthday!  he was born on mother's day and this year he celebrates twice!  

have a blessed day!

it's mid week.....

and starting off with a huge note of thanks to all my followers and those i follow....being mostly trapped stuck confined a homebody, you all provide pleasant diversions for many otherwise boring days.  now back to the regularly scheduled program!

happy to say the creative muse is going full tilt....

got 12 of these blocks done...original plan was one per month but they are so gosh darn easy and, well, just "happen" to have enough fabric on hand, that these got sewn up PDQ.  plan is for 30 blocks, 5x6, top 60x72.  finished up some pieces of stash on these and others got used that have been waiting far too long.  i need a bigger design wall!

some applique got done on this, the May project....laundry time proved to be very productive!  

happy to report the DWR is almost ready for a binding....delightful thought indeed!

remember these?  a gift to me last december, some kaffe fassett's william morris prints?  pulled out this pattern been saving to try one block...

48 of these blocks in all, wall quilt size....pattern called "what knot" by heather over at www.quiltachusetts.com....a drunkard's path variation.  the only suitable background in the stash was this other kaffe print, not really my preference but frugal choice and it works.  no deadline for this at all.

weather continues to be somewhat see-saw--summery one day and cooler the next 2-3.  shorts et al waiting in the tote to be unpacked.   farmer's market open with strawberries...yum!  had a quick scoot to library for books and videos.  mother's day plans finalized with DD and DSIL...which i would miss if i lived in new england...trying to be more content here in MD without my independence, some days not so successful.....that's a job in itself.  

may already???

indeed it is....at least there was a UFO finish in april...hoping for another this month....or two maybe?  closed out april on the 'wensleydale' blocks....25 were finished, just shy of half what is needed.  some nice weather days slowed down my progress....

for chookshed challenge in may, it's the semiquincentennial project....hoping all the applique can be finished and basted...a july finish for this would be perfect!  (the R is done already!)

still quilting the scrappy DWR which might should WILL be finished in may.   big unfinished quilts lying around the room are mobility hazards for me

for machine work, it's back to tackling the repro scraps making some blocks for a top with as-yet unknown destination.  remember these???  miss sunny's timing is off a bit but been praying that she'll sort herself out

itching to start a couple of new projects but pulling the reins tight until some finishes get crossed off.  these are lofty goals but might get delayed somewhat if nice weather arrives and stays...plenty of icky hot days ahead to sew inside...i've made offerings to the weather gods hoping to stall it as long as possible...LOL