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

another monday

had a busy sewing weekend.....more quilting on the DWR and more blocks on 'wensleydale'.....goal for the upcoming week is at least 5 more blocks....thought about 10 but that's pushing it....first off, tho, is to corral this pile....

there, better eh?  i've got 20 blocks done, maybe 36 to go....questionable if there are enough pieces for all but no matter, i'll just make blocks until it's gone and call it done.  there are 60 foundations in the pad and will use however many are left for something else.  

here are 20 all done.....

have tinkered some with color adjustment and this is sort of closer....some of the fabrics are just right, others not....but you get the idea.  for some reason the greens are difficult to get just right.  

and while instagram time has been significantly curtailed, did come across this photo....

reid state park in georgetown, maine, about 15 miles off bath's route #1.....it was our family's 4th of July place all my growing up years....so many heart warming memories ...

brother #2, about age 2 so 1959 probably.....can always pick him out of photos due to his nearly white blond hair.....

brother #1 on an overcast day....the weather almost never stopped us....

lunchtime!  it was always burgers and dogs first....then lobster and steamers....plus all that goes with....my aunt was in charge of grill--we had to bring our own wood....first thing coffee pot went on.  several different areas of this park...this was the picnic area and a short walk away was open surf.  a large bath house, snack bar, lagoon area for little kids (no waves)--shady pine trees, open beaches, rocky coastal areas...it has everything!  fierce undertow and frigid water....july 4th hovered around 50 degrees....we were the first to arrive and last to leave, squeezing every moment.  that's me bending over just beyond mom; my grandmother and aunts and youngest brother with that tell-tale hair.  precious memories....

back to monday.....aside from more blocks nothing really doing this week...but thankful still for free time and nice days before the hots arrive....life is indeed good!

the time has come....

and for a while i thought it might never.....for a finish!

autumn runner made with kaffe fabrics....caved and machine quilted it--not my preference at all--but it is for me and needed to get SOMETHING done!!!!  finally get to cross of a UFO finish....was hoping to get the DWR done as well but probably a may finish.  that'll get me back on track for one finish per month and even with those without, it is progress.  

now back to 'wensleydale' to see if 15 more blocks can get done this month...they'll be set 7x8 giving me a bigger quilt than i really wanted, but that should be the last big quilt i make...resolutely avoiding jen kingwell's website for fear my resolve will weaken....

back to see-saw weather with possible freeze tomorrow morning....say what???  93 the other day and now this???  thankful winter things not yet put away but never fear, day will come too quickly when must...

hoping your week is sew-pieceful and blessed!  
 

do you see it????

 

i do....hope you do, altho you see it thru eyes and i see it thru heart.....now it will be with me always....top to bottom....boothbay harbor, pemaquid point, reid state park and pine point beach...not necessary to visit ogunquit or bar harbor to see the prettiest places in maine.  so many memories of good family times, special times with my mom, flood my soul....life is indeed good!

that someday fabric

i've got some....you know, stuff picked up at a free table, flung to me, bought on a whim with no specific purpose...for someday.....here is just one

pretty nondescript but my colors....aqua, pale green, lavender....i knew i would need it someday....and i did! and it's almost gone too....win/win!

goal today was to make 3 more 'wensleydale' blocks.....i made 4!  i found it takes less time if the fabrics are chosen ahead of time and set aside...then it's just keep going from one to the next.  i have to say my blocks photograph terrible....i tried to adjust the color without success.  certain fabrics do not jump out at you....i have the benefit of being nearsighted so without my glasses i see the full effect and i am really happy with them so far.  once they are all done, i'll take it outside and photograph in daylight...

see the someday fabric?  there are some small pieces left that'll get incorporated somehow probably.  the layout will likely get changed when all blocks are done.  the bottom triangle on the bottom right block was in shadow....

wacky weather continues....below freezing past 2 mornings but warming now and near 90 first half of next week...will have to unearth some shorts for sure and any scooting will be done early in the day before hibernating in A/C....

our new washers have deep drums and bruised my rib while leaning over retrieving socks at the bottom...and burn on my back from heating pad healing nicely...home care nurse cleared me for shower...wahoo!  call me klutz!  

spring marches on!

ultra-quiet Easter for me....day spent quilting, fixing dinner, bit of laundry, watching library videos...here's one i can highly recommend:

based on true story about Hans von Meegeren, a player in fine art thievery during WW2...PBS had aired a special called, "Plunderer:  The Last Nazi Art Thief," another true story centered around Bruno Lohse...it is appalling how many museums own and display works with dodgy provenance and their shameless business dealings with people like Lohse.  

quilting on the DWR continues with seemingly endless finish in sight...

more wensleydale blocks....i am really liking how these are turning out....the sewing area is a hot mess...piles of fabrics, tiny scraps, paper pieces everywhere...but nobody ever said creativity had to be neat....

on my computer i have a folder full of beach photos and i've used them as inspiration....i so miss being near the ocean no matter the season....

monday another chilly day...the sun is warm but the wind is still icy...not complaining at all...too soon it'll be endless sweltering days....

have a blessed day!

He is risen!

 

wishing you a blessed Easter filled with all good things---faith, family, fun and last but not least, yummy chocolate eggs...LOL

chookshed challenge

the number drawn was 10 but since i have been a flunky most of the year, i chose to start my "wensleydale" project.  i doubt all 60 blocks will be finished this month but hoping a serious dent.  here are the latest ones.  

i am really like these blocks.  they do take a serious amount of fabric tho, and while i have a healthy stack pulled, might have to "shop" for more.  

God is good indeed....a new vacuum cleaner appeared at the apartment recently...now to take the old one apart and send it down the trash chute.  anything that can fit in a trash bag goes that way.  the new is cordless (no tripping), lighter and powerful enough for all those threads.  feeling very blessed indeed!

Back to early summer for a couple of days before rainy Easter....no plans so doesn't matter to me.  

finally, the late Tony Campolo wrote a book, "It's Friday but Sunday's Coming," meaning the darkness of Good Friday turned joyous on Resurrection Sunday...but it can apply to any dark day you might experience...Sunday is always ahead!  

quick april update!

hot couple of days so yes, it does feel spring indeed....no plans here except ??  if it stays dry might scoot around a bit just for fresh air...nice to have it bright in the mornings and late afternoon...

forging ahead on "wensleydale"....definitely not a fast project but actually eager to continue....3 blocks are done, biggie pile of fabrics threatens to overtake the studio area but variety is a must for this project.

so far so good but again, making an awful mess....

and the first photo of this was nagging at me to swap out the block that was too dark....so i did...

ok now it's done....will get it basted and add to the quilting pile...

back to the memory lab yesterday and digitized 3 more of my dad's 8mm reels....aside from a bit of landscape--dad loved the woods and always filmed trees, lakes etc--some funny bits....for a while they had a pony/small horse and one film showed various family members taking a turn on her including mom!  another bit showed my ex driving a motorcycle with my 4 yo along....so cute!  i've 1 more reel plus some negatives and slides i'll do next....this is such a great library benefit saving us a small fortune.  my dad would be thrilled to know his films that are 40-50 years old are still viable.  he always said we'd be glad someday and he was right.  

off to make the day's list and tackle...wishing you a delightful april fool's day...no foolin'!

color me happy!

a cold spring weekend inside mostly gave me impetus to fire up miss sunny to get re-acquainted and play in the stash....plus my library book needs to go back so it was time to sew.  pulled out some solids scraps about 10" or so and cut stacks....in no time at all this was ready for its closeup...

actually found it fun to whip these up and get it to a flimsy plus wipe out some scraps.  the hardest part is always the layout...i must have moved them around 5-6 times and finally quit.  very modern looking i think....would be easy enough to make more....do enjoy working with solids.   camera blocked out upper right but not in daylight...

with the chookshed challenge coming up again this week, pulled out the wensleydale foundation papers and got one block done.

the color palette is taken from the ocean....blues, greens, grays....only 59 blocks to go.  they are a bit fussy as paper piecing always is, but no rush and it does generate quite a mess of bits and bobs.  liking this first attempt and urged to continue.  a significant amount of stash should be busted by the finish...

our see-saw weather continues.....very warm during last week and chilly again over the weekend.  it was 61 today but the wind was icy as i scooted out for an errand.  our library has a memory lab where one can take VHS tapes, negatives, slides, 8mm reels and digitize them.  from mom's apartment i found 2 rolls of film never developed, 2 boxes of slides, some negatives and a bag filled with 8mm rolls my dad had taken.  delighted now that i'll be able to get these on USB for my siblings before they are lost.  

family holiday dinners in the past, will be focusing on the solemnity and rejoicing of Easter, but glad there are memories of them.  like Christmas, the real reason is the most important.  hope your week is full of spring's renewal and enjoyment!