a busy sewing week

with most of the apartment clean done, could sew with a clear conscience...LOL!  first, this top got finished...was on the fence about it but with all borders on, plan to keep and finish...

next, got this off the sewing table...was waiting to get a pillow form but had a few pillows with plain backs so voila!  now one has two fancy sides...

then this small wall piece got finished...hoping it has a new home very soon....no more melons!

and of course was tempted with a new sew along...dove into repro scrap shoebox...barb/wendy are making 42 blocks but not me, number yet to be determined but they are really nice blocks...

also in the shoebox were some small scrappy squares started last year some time...had a stack of muslin strips already cut to sew these up...arranged on design wall to see how many were done....thinking will end up being throw size...

ongoing decluttering produced these 3 patterns....will offer to anyone for postage, just leave a comment or email me privately...thinking $9-10 should cover from recent mailing experience...

now that larder is stocked, must get back to apartment cleaning tasks....just a few left.  got my turkey in freezer (legs to braise) and contributing pies to dinner (pecan, banana cream).  the humble quilts sew along is in the hoop, then it's back to the red/green applique, hoping to finish this and maybe one more UFO before starting 2027...as someone said, every day is one less and trying to make the most of every one.  

a cloudy rainy day but without rain, flowers don't grow....have a delightful, thankful one!

gearing up

true, not even thanksgiving yet but thoughts of the holidays has moved up in the gray matter. lining up sewing from now until new year as well.  maybe it's the cooler weather?  spent the weekend taking stock of the sewing and quilting accomplished and in the works.  october saw long-waiting UFOs moved up to the flimsy and quilting stage, 3 shoeboxes emptied and receipt of some needed neutrals and inspiring kaffe fabrics.  last 2 borders on holiday wall quilt done.  did some frankenbatting and finished this little hot pad....

and the weekend?   basted the sew along from humble quilts....will hand quilt, shouldn't take long.  this flimsy got basted as well....

a quick hop over to grace's fabric shop for the backing...just perfect!  even cut the binding strips for it and set them aside---doing better at this...LOL

emptied the scrap basket and ready to pass along, just a few remain...

pulled some repro strips from this tote for a NEW sew along with barb and wendy over on instagram.  have long admired these two expert quilters and hugely inspired from them over the years.  how could i not join?  

did some prep work for a new project, kaleidoscope pattern with unique design, thank you wanda hanson over at exuberant quilter...my frugal self in high gear as also drew the foundation pattern for it.  haven't quite decided on fabrics but there is that shoebox of kaffe scraps, plenty of solids scraps too...since higher math escapes me, will make a test block to see how much is needed for each and then decide.

last but by no means least, sunday celebrated 9 years post-open heart surgery.  the most brutal surgery but life saving for all the days since and to come....cannot be more grateful or humbled by this gift.  "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights...."  James 1:17

have a blessed and grateful day yourself!

trick or treat!!

hahaha....everyone in maine has a snow shovel while not all may have a broom!  a squishie of treats came my way this week...

some needed background fabrics and a few new kaffe fabrics...sure does give one a lift and pleasant diversion for those dreary winter days when life seems pointless and empty....

speaking of winter....

switched out the dark tan background for something lighter as winters here are gray and dreary nearly every day..  just pinned for now until exact measurements taken...

showing thru is this piece....

just waiting on top/bottom borders (today) to move on to the basting pile.  lastly, the little sew along from humble quilts is now a flimsy as well...blogger being pesky as you can see...

while blueberries are blue, in autumn the plants on the barrens turn beautiful red...aren't they gorgeous?

viewing recommendation....on youtube, 'wyeth's world' with michael palin....one hour, very interesting, and in rockland, maine, the farnsworth museum has an extensive collection of works by all 3 wyeth artists.

don't forget tonight, after all the treats are gone....good thing as i need that extra hour for more sewing and quilting!

the best is the following day, november 1st...my 9-year anniversary of open heart surgery...beyond thankful for each and every day since and to come...a very good gift from God!  

in these challenging and turbulent days, imperative to keep one's focus on hope...

have a blessed and hopeful day!

this and that...

had enough of fall foliage?  nope, me neither....this is the cog railway in NH white mountains...mt. washington in the background with snow already of course...

and another jamie wyeth painting....love it, don't you???

two things in the works....this holiday piece...

and a sew along with humble quilts....

if you see this guy today, wish him a happy birthday...it's bro #2...a talented singer/songwriter...

last but not least, some wise words.....

have a good day!

saturday stuff

with no scooting errands today, working on my to-do list....firstly, this is in the hoop!

and the quilting has begun...finally!  what else?  this is next in line...

it's sideways but wanted to show the backing found in the stash....just the right piece for this project! and this got basted....will become a colorful pillow...love those kaffe stripes!

all this got accomplished AFTER finished dear daughter's project....a birthday pillow for her student...

her cross stitch is perfect as always.....my daughter is a one-on-one nurse for a student with multiple disabilities in a handicapped school, nonverbal, but my daughter finds ways to communicate with her and vice versa.  she falls in love with each new student and showers them with extras....the first, a boy, got a special field trip day to an air museum and dinner out...the second, a little 5 yo named paris so my daughter spoke french to her...LOL...and now elizabeth....she reads to them, is heartbroken when they move on, but always falls in love again.  so while i hate maryland, this is the competent, compassionate, intelligent and funny woman to whom i've entrusted my future...oh yeah, i'm in safe hands.  

up early because when life gives you produce....eggplant (cooked), apple slices (made sauce), green beans (cooked), tomatoes (fresh sauce done), brussel sprouts (up next)...it's a chop and cook day...then dishes...lol!  life is indeed good....

a fall finish

yes indeed, the streak of lightning throw is done....started out as a sow's ear and while not a silk purse, it's better than anticipated.  recliner ready for fall!!

and fall cleaning has begun in earnest....slowly but progress has been made.  with every day free pretty much can spread it out according to whim...took a break from chores to do this...

library has free puzzles so i bring them home, put them together and take them back.  i've sewing to do of course but needed a wee break....

and this popped up in my instagram from downeast, maine....my maternal ancestral home....definitely ahaaa vista....

today must baste the red/green and start the quilting...have a sewing project for daughter i'd like to finish by weekend and a sew along with humble quilts on the list as well....plus more progress on the fall cleaning and some usual cooking.  so it's keep calm and sew on...have a blessed day!

summer again

for a couple of days anyway....haven't finished putting away summer clothes quite yet....but almost time.  it's been exceptional weather for just about anything including sewing.

the challenge put forth by my online peep is now a flimsy....and busted one more piece of fabric...the stripe that kept surfacing is now gone.  just enough left for the binding...

and another UFO is getting some attention for a hopeful finish in time for the season...

my apologies to the designer of this wall piece.  i saw the pattern eons ago but no funds to buy at the time.   i searched high and low on google a few times but only found it was out of print.  so i fashioned my own, which i think is a tad larger than the original but the message is the same.  more applique in my future.   

while rummaging thru the stash, found a lovely red/green print that looked eerily familiar....sent me to the project bags where this got unearthed....

it got missed for this year's UFO list but a UFO it is....six more blocks and the found print will make an excellent border and binding, which should use up most of this piece.  

all these plus quilting on the current streak of lightning have kept me busy, plus the usual mundane things of everyday inland existence.  regular culling of no-longer-want things continues....and daughter has a special project for me later this week.  speaking of inland....

but even exiled inland, life is still good...God provides, protects and cherishes...who needs anything more??  have a blessed day!

that time of year

painting by one of the wyeths...jamie maybe???  we've welcomed cool days and cooler nights...no doubt day or two of hots left but thankfully not many...so what's doing???

more quilting is getting done and should be an october finish....then finished the applique on these vintage melons and put together this small piece.  background fabric in squares and sashing was gifted to me some time ago, downton abbey line...nice prints---puzzled as how to use them, but they were spot on for these vintage melons.  this will be hand quilted and donated to senior center to sell i think, unless they refuse it...

someone in my yahoo group challenged us to pull a fabric that was nice but again, a puzzle as how to use it....had this stripe for some time, a kaffe fassett, so selected some very light prints to jazz up the ho-hum snowball block.  thinking 25 blocks maybe.... a binding of the stripe diagonally will finish it off...i might keep this one. 

larder stocked, some cooking done, flu and covid shots obtained.  apartment inspection november so have made a list and will spread out the tasks.  been a stressful week as several items given to me by my mother have gone missing.  no monetary value whatsoever, but their loss is like daggers to my heart.  hoped this complex would be a fresh start from the last but not so and i'm disappointed.  never expected so many old people without respect, courtesy, moral compass whatsoever.  i've instructed my daughter to remove every scrap of paper from my apartment and not leave one speck of anything for these greedy, selfish, nasty people.   i hate it here now...

on a positive note, instagram is crammed with gorgeous foliage photos from my home state and particularly down east where my mother's family has deep roots...i can almost hear the rustle of leaves and whispers of winter's approach...

so thankful blessings outnumber the unpleasant things....

october already???

 indeed and it's the last month of the chookshed challenge for the year....

i've failed miserably with my list this year....

1) baste and applique semiquincentennial wall quilt (new!)   still needs basting
2) W-I-N-T-E-R  wall quilt (new!)   didn't touch
3) wensleydale  half blocks finished
4) mark and baste whole cloth WQ (new!)  didn't touch
5)  hearts/wreath applique  didn't touch
6) alaska blocks   one row done, other blocks pieced
7) vintage melon blocks/applique/baste   DONE!
8) tree of life WQ border top and baste   still needs basting
9) alaska blocks  see above
10) red/green applique WQ top finish and baste  still needs basting 

in my defense, i did have a pesky eye infection that sidelined me about six weeks...and then july and august were spent sewing for the craft fair, which turned out worthwhile.  and i ran out of flannel for basting that'll get replenished this fall some time....next year?

1) finish quilting the streak of lightning

2) baste tree of life, eagle wall quilts

3) work on 'alaska' blocks

4) finish 'wensleydale' blocks, assemble, baste

5) quilt amish wall quilt, already basted

6) quilt amish bar wall quilt, already basted

7) baste/quilt red/green economy wall quilt

8) baste/quilt baskets II

9) stash shelf reorg and pull scrappy pieces

10)  catch up month OR design my whole cloth wall quilt and start quilting...

all this is fluid of course.  not sure whether we'll be doing the craft fair again next year or not...ambitious list and would be awesome if all of it got done...better stock up on wheaties!!!  

monday again....

 at least it has stopped raining.....a wild and wet weekend it was!  but i kept busy...sorta....doing this...

scrappy plaid blocks....nearly half done of the 42 needed....easy to sew up and use up that healthy stash of plaids.   

and this!!

the tree of life is a flimsy!  finished the last applique border....the colors are a bit darker....i've got the binding all cut but thinking i might go with the dark blue instead of the dark pink....have to try it out.  this one i hope to finish this year, along with the red/green.  these are 2 long waiting UFOs that need to be done.  

aside from these two, stocked the larder with meals and polished off another whodunit.  as for the week ahead, an errand later that should help to resolve the ongoing feud with the cable company, who have accused me of fraud.  fired off an unpleasant letter to the CEO of Comcast as dealing with the entry level lackeys is nowheresville, who have called me several times and spouted a pack of lies and useless company speak.  i confess to uttering a few discouraging words over it i can tell you.  

but it's a new week, not raining, so the scooter and i are soon off on a couple of errands, thankful that God forgives and gives me new joy every morning...a blessed monday to you all, or tuesday if you live down there...LOL