2018 tally

first of all...closest thing to a tiara i own, but the sentiment is real!  one of my tasks today is to make a hair appointment....about time!

spent sunday tying my postage stamp quilt, binding today, will be close but hoping to finish before midnight.  progress for 2018 was good considering my slow start.  my frankenbatt bag is nearly empty...

as far as UFOs go, managed to knock off only 6 (postage stamp will be 7)...eeeks....with 14 new projects started aka  UFOs for 2019.   regarding stash, due to generous donations, ended the year with acquiring 96 yards but used up only 29 1/4 yards...not counting the postage stamp that will give close to a 60 yard gain.  so even though i personally lost weight this year, the stash is now considered morbidly obese...LOL!  a few big finishes for the coming year will go a long way to slimming it down.  my charity efforts will ramp up slightly the beginning of 2019 but don't intend to let them get out of control like last year.  ***   a rainy new year's eve but the christmas tree lights are cheery....plenty of sewing to do and no real household tasks pressing....as always, delighted to have another day to bask in the love of my family, to love them back and spend time sewing up a storm....happy new year to all!

2019 Planning

Sshhh....don't tell God i have plans for 2019...you know what happens when you do!  seriously tho, it'll be more of the same...tackle UFOs, some new starts and plenty of scrappy sewing i hope...2019 marks 40 years of quilting for me and they have flown by in a nanosecond, it seems...would that i could do this for 40 more!  will be off on a running start new year's day and something new this year....the rainbow scrap challenge.  january is for reds and formulating a couple of ideas to be at the ready....

i'll also be joining in barbara brackman's brief sew-along paying homage to the children of queen victoria.  it's 9 weeks, 9 blocks, with a choice of 8 or 12-inch blocks...thinking i'll opt for the 8 inch giving me a manageable wall quilt size for an eventual quick finish.

she has recommended this palette of fabrics so before start date of january 5th will be diving in my own stash to get some...pretty sure have plenty on hand.

and thanks to a kind and generous quilter, was able to replenish batting and muslin from joann's with sales and coupons.   got only 10 yards of batting at present due to space limitations and 5 yards of their good legacy muslin.  also picked up batt and back for the 365 so can get that completed in 2019 as dear daughter has claimed it for her own and mom is happy to oblige. 

got thru christmas with some dietary slips but back to fish and vegs today.   had thought about splurging a bit on new year's but with plenty of cardio-approved things in the freezer and the forbidden sodium rampant in nearly everything, will just go with what's on hand.  back to sewing!

christmas wrap up

the brief break from blogging proved to be a boon to my creative muse....

a cross-stitch pinkeep for a special friend.....

a sporty wall quilt for my son-in-law.....

a stitchery nativity for someone with no available horizontal surfaces (ME)!

a couple of christmas "portraits" from preprinted stuff donated to the senior center....they were so cute and festive, just had to come up with a way to use them for decorating....

this was a gift from my daughter and her husband, my very own maryland blue crab ornament!  it's that coated papier-mache so just right for a small branch...i love it!   my celebration with family was over the top and just being with them was the best gift ever....got other nice gifts from family and friends, but it's the things that can't be purchased that are the most precious--my loving family, my physical health status this year compared to last, time to relax and enjoy the reason for the season, festive music, colorful lights...overflowing with gratitude and thankfulness at my many blessings....hope yours was the same!

merry christmas early!

definitely NOT my tree at all, but omigosh if it were!  the last package is on its way, one more sewing giftie to finish up and a bit of holiday cooking to come but doubt i'll be blogging before THE DAY arrives....there is housework to do (not much) and lots of sewing i want to do before january arrives, so blogging is pretty much on the back burner.  have done a few holiday events here in snow-less maryland...gawd, i LOVE these winters....and pretty much tackling the master list daily and feeling profoundly thankful and grateful for my health this year.  still exercising regularly, of course, and watching the cardiac diet (mostly), feeling totally astounded at how different things are this year from last.   wishing for all the merriest of a Blessed Christmas, ever mindful of those who won't and yet still dream.  the real gift is to be grateful for whatever situation is yours.....

almost.....

meaning most everything i need to make for christmas is completed...and still time to go...how good is that?  the tree is up AND decorated...

loaded down with ornaments with even more that didn't have room....the stocking workshop is now history and it went well with everyone taking home a festive stocking, some of my christmas fabric stash gone for good, and then came home and made myself another...

bought this angel fabric in lancaster some years ago and used it for the backing....at the time couldn't buy more than a yard and have been sorta hoarding it since then, but the time had come to play with it....and santa came a bit early to my place...bought this last summer and have been saving it for the new year, fresh start and all that...

it's bonnie hunter's new perpetual calendar/datebook that is chock full of gorgeous bonnie quilt photos including some from her new book.  years ago, like 12 or so, bonnie nudged me out of my matchy/matchy cocoon into color explosion and my quilting has never been the same, which is a very good thing!  she'd be happy to know i'm paying it forward, urging others to walk on the wild side of color....

round robin wrap

at guild meeting christmas party last night, the round robin reveal took place....and this was mine!

the feathered star was done paper piecing style by me and two of my quilty peeps added the other borders....aren't they terrific?  i used some fabric from the line "lexington" i'd been squirreling away as too pretty to use....and i believe i'll add one more border, maybe pieced but thinking something along the di ford style....it was a grand time and well attended.  pot luck was over the top and confess i slid off the cardiac diet a wee bit but avoided some big no-nos....our QOV block was revealed and this is gonna be another very pretty quilt for a june award. 

lastly, in addition to a table full of hats, scarves, mittens and sox for our local rescue mission,  several bags of quilty items were donated for the paradise, california, quilters.  of the 100 in their guild, 98 lost everything; these are quilters over age 60 so replacement costs will be a challenge, no doubt.  our guild is known for their generosity and willingness to share....makes me very proud to be a member!

off to paradise!

december scrap attack

my year of attacking scraps is winding down with just december remaining....have attacked quite a few scraps and scrap UFOs plus a few cross-stitch UFOs....even though i didn't manage to obliterate them completely...so what is up for december?  first, finish up some christmasy things that are mostly hand work and under wraps until later....

then, had some solid 4-patches on hand and soon they will be gone in this...

and this pile of blocks got completed, just waiting for assembling and finishing....40 pink polka dot blocks that might get called plenty good....

but the "official" scrap attack project is this....file under "been there, done that"....not as bad as earlier this year but well on its way, so want to start january and 2019 with it empty once more. 

today the turkeys and pilgrims will get put away and the christmas decorating tote and tree will make its appearance once more....if there should be time, hope to finish the scrappy trees blocks and put that flimsy together....plenty of sewing still ahead!

wednesday math class

while pondering the really important things of life like UFO and stash busting--forget immigration, climate change and gun control--pulled out this aging piece waiting to be finished...

it isn't large but holding me back was the wrong foundation paper, a fibrous thingie that doesn't wash out and difficult to remove by hand.  so what to do with it?  math to the rescue!    i took this 1 small and pretty UFO....added 2 flannel scraps taking up little but valuable shelf space...

add yards of bias binding on hand, an orange batik that was just right!

i store leftover bias binding strips on paper towel rolls for whenever.....and the sum of all these parts is....

a colorful potholder that'll make a nice bread'n'butter gift for somebody....and if you look close you can see a couple of pins where the stitching came out when trying to remove aforesaid foundation material....out of the parts got enough for 4 of these plus some leftover strips that'll get pieced together frankenstein method to make at least one for me....and that's a subtraction from the UFO list....win/win! 

post office closed!

happy to say this drawer got completely emptied when i used up ALL my inchies...every last one!  then had to cut a few more from 1.5" strips to finish the top...

what a grand sight to see....but this is even better....

a november finish?  gonna be close but just might, but definitely before december's over....but alas, nature abhors a vacuum and with UFOs overflowing to the shelves, the empty drawer got filled up quickly...

thus creating some space on the shelves for the 12 or so new things started this year and not done...of course....and while moving these from bag to drawer, realized where a good amount of my pins are...now on to the sewing to-do list, things that need to be finished by christmas or before...two of them by december 6th!

over the top

that's how my thanksgiving day went....my kiddos went all out and welcomed me with open arms and a simply delightful day all around.  there was a superbly cooked turkey with all the sides....but before the meal started, glasses were raised (sparkling cider) and they gave a toast to me for being alive and way better than last november....choked me up as you can imagine.  everything was cooked to perfection; DD loves to try out new sides and they were scrumptious!  most were cardiac-diet friendly, the culprit as always was salt, but i didn't overdo.  leftovers of the super moist turkey and others rode shotgun home with me , enough for the next few days....and she happily received these...

pillowcases made with mask fabric given to me by marianne....had just enough for the front of the cuff aka the part that shows!  before leaving yesterday, my mailbox gave up this wonderful package...

it's jo morton's 'spice it up' FQ bundle...holy repro batman!   gobsmacked by generosity of a friend....and they are all very gorgeous prints....drool factor of 10+ of course....these have been available for a while but was holding off for january and her 'hancock ridge' line  (whoops...hickory road i mean!)....jo morton is hands down one of my very favorite designers, as my stash can attest.   hoping your holiday was over the top as well!

a blessed Thanksgiving!

just love this artwork from my used-to-be 7-year-old channeling her inner Picasso! for many years we lived an hour from plymouth, so it became ho-hum to us.  we did the plantation thing, the rock and mayflower thing, the cranberry thing, the thatch-roof cottages tour, and seeing docents dressed up in all manner of puritanical garb was commonplace.  the local radio station bills plymouth as "america's home town" and it is.  that was then and this is now....in light of the california fire devastation, i look around my ordinary apartment and realize how truly blessed i am.  i look in the mirror and see my scar and know how God has touched, no....preserved....my life.  a home, good health, a loving family and kind friends, necessities of daily life and more than a few of the extras....blessed beyond measure and most likely you are too.   give thanks!

monday design wall

the snow only encouraged me to ramp up my sewing time....it's almost gone now and pretty sure we'll have a green thanksgiving...the inchie project is coming along....every effort will be made to get this done this month but it'll take a few days of nonstop inchie busting....the second scrappy short border is just about ready to add, then it's the 2 side borders and gasp!  i might even have to raid the strip bin to cut more....how good is that?

and another stocking got made lickety split....they take about an hour if all the strips are ready....i had pulled one fabric for the lining but changed my mind and had to go stash diving for another....

and more polka dot squares got assembled as well.  in fact, cut all the needed blocks so they can be used as leaders/enders inbetween inchies...

all the freezer paper pieces for my red/green wall quilt are cut out and ironed on, plus worked on the guild's round robin that can't show right now...all this plus some christmas cross-stitch and an embroidery piece made for a busy week's end and weekend....resumed my exercise and the housework, laundry and annoying cooking got done too!......number one on my list for santa is grocery stores that stock more low or no sodium added items that can be easily found......i think gluten free is covered by now but us cardiac patients need equal space!

let it snow?

what's this?   four inches of snow?  before thanksgiving?  thought i left that behind in new england, but noooooo!  with all my fun things cancelled, pulled out some christmas fabric for this...

i made just the one but like potato chips, pulled fabric for 2-3 different fabric combos....also worked on my guild's round robin project and (gasp!) started something new in red and green....wednesday evening was a guest at the Baltimore Applique Society meeting where the trunk show was vintage red and green quilts....mostly applique of course.  so inspired to make a wall quilt of 4 large squares and am planning on a swag border too, something i've never done.  ***  red letter day today as off exercise restriction and can resume my regular activities.  good thing too, as was starting to feel like a slug.  and once the warm temps clear off the car will be venturing out for a couple of errands.....countdown to turkey day begins!

confucius say....

big print hide small mistakes.....advice i'll surely take if i have to make another one of these...it's block #10 of the antebellum album sew along....

not bad....but will quilt down the glitches!  sunday was a serendipity day for me...doing whatever came along...a bit of housework, a bit of cooking and lots of sewing took up most of the day...

DD loves to cross stitch....sewing not so much so mom gets recruited for finishes like this....a piece she did eons ago is now a fluffy pillow.  she did inherit some of my DNA that took a bit of a side route...for instance, she does beautiful cross stitch but no traditional stuff for her....her latest endeavors are pirates, yep a collection of small pirate pieces that got framed and hung on the wall.  and while she loves to read, only non-fiction stuff....no romances, murders or historical stuff.  instead her inquiring mind is in overdrive and she knows a lot about iranian princesses, the british royal family, toxic waste dumps, organized crime etc.  needless to say, she'll be donating all my books to the thrift...LOL!......and finally, inching along (bad pun) is this flimsy, destined to be finished this month...linking up with oh scrap! today with this photo...

up early this AM and while under vow of silence restrictions, finished cutting the pink polka-dot pieces, did some on a brown bag challenge for the guild and started pillowcases for DD, thereby eliminating some piles of fabric on the so-called ironing table.  would love to have another long table, but that is a slippery slope indeed.....lots of things with deadlines this time of year and eliminating clutter seems to unclutter the mind as well...aha!  the organizing gene!

turkeys addendum

apologize for not giving credit for the pattern...it comes from country threads, altho now out of print....

gobble, gobble, gobble...

a label and sleeve and these wild turkeys will be up on the wall.....so glad to have this finished and another UFO off the list.   my only other thanksgiving decorations are these...

the cornucopia was made in ceramics about 40 years ago...never got around to filling it with anything....and of course, john and priscilla!   the wool mat was a gift from a quilty friend.  with few horizontal spaces, it fits just right on the end of the cedar chest...what would autumn be without some seasonal tastes?   this recipe came to my inbox from YANKEE magazine....pumpkin muffins from old sturbridge village's publick house restaurant....they are very dense, just right if you are planning on chopping wood or hauling water buckets all day...LOL!  nice spices, some walnuts and raisins....delish toasted i can attest!

getting downright cool here in maryland, like 40s for the weekend and beyond....yeah, that's cool for us!  it is amazing how quickly the body acclimates to changes in temperature....in maine, 40 is almost balmy!

a new challenge....

follow up with cardiologist today to go over recent test results....unfortunately, living in this toxic smoking environment has caused further damage to my heart muscle despite my efforts with drugs, diet and exercise.  to say i'm discouraged is an understatement.  the blame lies at the feet of the management of this horrific housing place for failure to do their job in making this what was promised to me in the beginning....a smoke free home.  i pity them for what they sow, they will eventually reap.  am strongly tempted to take my own revenge but am powerless to do much of anything.  without resources or vacancies that are readily available, have no choice right now but to remain here hoping that the offenders will die or move or even that people in authority will actually do their job.  am still restricted from the YMCA that provides much-needed exercise and the mental lift it gives.   even tho have had quite a few pharisee days lately, know that the God who protected me for so many years when my symptoms were ignored will continue to keep me in the palm of His hand where i am safe....but definitely not here.

monday update

weekend went by in a flash....thought when i stopped working they might be longer, but noooooo!  plenty of this going on though.....

the inchie blocks are picking up steam....and the turkeys are closing in for a finish, binding a little later this week....and for those of you of a "certain" age, who could forget this saturday hero?   today is his birthday, 107 years, and his physical presence may be absent, but he will never be forgotten, by me anyway....

happy trails to all today!

new photo

new header pix is of my farmer's wife sew along flimsy...not yet basted but have batting and backing side aside for it when the time presents itself....my friend nann received an obscene amount of free fabric recently, like 350 yards....yikes!!!!   so thankful it wasn't me but she is one uber-productive quilty lady so it'll probably be gone in no time....then guild meeting happened along with several boxes from a deceased quilter....feeling deprived (oh no!) picked up about 15 yards that included a couple of backs and some smaller pieces...

plans for a few of these already....our guild speaker was terry kramzar and if can get her to come to your guild, you really must!  a prize-winning quilter of course, but her adventures as artist-in-residence at national parks are riveting, humorous and downright thrilling....oh and her quilts....oh my! 

she is a pennsylvania gal, but her hiking tales prove she is willing to go just about anywhere!

happy heart anniversary!

despite the past week's events--echo, stress test and cardiac cath--along with medication adjustment issues, it's a great day indeed!   can't quite yet run like this gal, tho....but as the cath nurse told me this week..."you are so much better than last year and next year you'll be even better."   had not anticipated a detour this far out from surgery, but just have to sail thru.  i admit discouragement and the downright annoyance of more patient time, but knew it was necessary.  another quick test and two appointments, plus hiatus from the YMCA ahead.  but time for more important things like...

now that october potholders are history, time for november's project and the goal of an honest-to-goodness UFO finish....the inchies!  remember this?

only 2 more blocks and finish the borders; you can see the light and the next is scrappy, also 4"wide, and it can be tied and bound and crossed off the list....got a head start wednesday night.  some smaller projects for DD will be sprinkled inbetween this plus the turkeys and dora's quilt...a healthy list indeed!

potholders and a birthday!

first, if you see this happy guy today, wish him a happy birthday!  it's brother #2, the business owner/author and the second musician in our family.   the card's in the mail, but i didn't want him to think i forgot, or worse, didn't care.

and despite herculean efforts, the selvedge bin did NOT get emptied, not quite.

course i went to the stash 3x to find more to finish my potholders and this is what remains.  they'll get stored away in a pencil case for when there are more and probably more potholders will get made at some point...

almost done, these 26 will go to the fair hoping  to raise some christmas money.  already sold 10 others....a special gift is on for somebody is planned and it requires a small influx of cash....so fingers crossed!