aaaahhhh!

the Canadian cold front is here...days are balmy--warm, breezy, dry--and idyllic.  no matter the weather, sewing goes on anytime.  pulled out a UFO in progress, some strip pieced spider blocks...

but before resuming, there were 4 small, ancient orphan blocks in the drawer and decided to use them in a "rustic" topper for the table near my chair where I spill put things...

yeah it is a bit wonky partly due to the homespuns, but it's functional and used up more backing scraps and some flannel scrap as batting.  quick machine quilting and binding and done! 

this is the drawer with far more plaid scraps than i'll probably use, we'll see.

what else?

a cute little summer stitchery, free on the internet, and when it was done, hopped right into christmas...

this will be tree-shaped when finished....2 more christmas thingies waiting.  *** now that I can venture outside, back to the fitness center and some driving to nowhere just to soak up the fresh air and delightful days.  joann's sent me a generous coupon for my birthday month, so will have to visit and see what's what.  hoping that with new CDC guidelines, the senior center will fully open without masks....

downsized

this block will be easily recognized by many...it's 'beaded lanterns' by christaquilts...a freebie on the internet.  her block measures 6x12" but i've downsized it a bit and final finished size is 4.5x8.5"....i'm calling it 'blue lanterns'.   

i've about 1+ yards of the gray print so uncertain how many blocks i'll make...ming tsai, the boston chef, has 2 restaurants--blue ginger and blue bamboo--perhaps he will establish another and call it 'blue lanterns'?  i just made one block to get the measurements right....maybe before vacation i'll get all the pieces prepped....lots of different blues of course as the stash is overloaded with them!  the september mini is basted, too!

lots of people seem to be downsizing.  when i was forced out of my little house, i was fierce and now miss some of the things i jettisoned.  since then i've lived in far too many places, certainly not by choice, only feeling at home in a very few.  so it is with this senior complex, definitely NOT my idea of home at all.  perhaps the next place will be...or perhaps i'll never have home again.  i keep hoping as there is something to be said for the comfort of home, an oasis, a sanctuary, a place that fits, to claim and belong. 

it's monday again!

another scorching one as well but relief approaches!  confined to quarters means a sewing blitz!  here are all 18 of the 10" churn dash blocks...

hmm that purple one might have to go....the key to this project is similar value all across the board, at least i think so....pulled out the 3 of the 16" blocks i had previously made for a look see...

nope nope nope....backgrounds way too light but the biggest problem is i don't really like them that big.  and that purple sticks out again!  it's history for sure.  someone asked me how big this will be and i rechecked the pattern.....80x68.5"   oh oh....too big for me.  so, on to Plan B.  thinking of scrapping the 16" blocks, take what i have done and do a re-design with them.  minus the purple one of course!  so watch this space....

what else got done?  august mini basted and to be quilted before vacation.  september mini is also ready to quilt that'll get done after vacation.  picked up some cross stitch plus quilting on the gift quilt.  i also did a big shredding project.  next 2 weeks focused on last minute cleaning, laundry, change bed, returning books, emptying fridge.  now down to counting the hours!!!