winding down

the week, that is.  summer was here yesterday, nearly 80 and quite enjoyable.  a pesky medication glitch interrupted but didn't detour...gave me time to decide.   

for the Quiltmania mystery...i know, i know, plenty of UFOs and such but i can only resist temptation so long....thinking about what was on hand and what combo would work.  i purchased this solid yellow some time ago for some sort of yellow quilt.  i can get more if need be.  i can bail at any point as well.  so yellow background and blues it is.  i've lots of them in different fabric styles--batik, repro, kaffe etc.  so an eclectic collection.  weekend start it is....camera is subpar in color representation.

and in the moving things along department....

2 more starbursts cut and ready for hand sewing.  thinking should make them all before hunting background pieces...and another golden print is needed as well.  

the lozenge/shuttle wall quilt is half quilted so probably won't be a february finish, no doubt soon after.  plenty of diversions for the weekend and upcoming week with no appointments except my old pal Gym...LOL!

in the interest of keeping the quilting community informed, publishing this page to some FREE Kim Diehl patterns...I am not responsible for any or all you choose to download and/or drool over.  http://quiltinspiration.blogspot.com/2023/02/free-pattern-day-kim-diehl-quilts.html

have a good day!

midweek sewing

one of those days....up early and usual tasks done before 7 am...time to sew!  the first thing on my list was to baste the spider web wall quilt....done!  then, since i was basting, pulled out these to get them done as well....

the lighting is horrid but you get the idea.  my stash santa gifted me a whole bunch of christmas-theme squares....a couple of stockings were made and then these 2 placemats.  not only got them basted but busted a couple of ho-hum red prints besides...

once machine quilted, will bind in a pretty holiday red and off to the thrift!  next?  

the 'blue lanterns' wall quilt UFO, barely started.  now fully committed since i cut up the entire piece of background into strips.  when they're all used, it'll be done.  *** and in the 'blame it on bonnie' department....have you seen her solids quilt 'butterfly kisses'?  well i was hooked immediately but have tried to ignore in favor of my UFO list....but no longer.  the stash santa also gifted me a bunch of hand dyes in various rich colors...

they are corralled in a square container and just had to try one square....

oh yeah, these will go together fairly quick.  no size determined as of yet but these are 8" unfinished.  speaking of temptation, quilty muse drawn to the 2023 Quiltmania mystery.  now i mostly NEVER do mystery quilts but seen so many awesome blocks so far so went ahead and downloaded step 1...

thinking about colors/prints/style so not definitely in yet, but i fear it's a matter of time!  next?  i'll be cutting binding strips for the spider web and placemats.  the spider web wall piece is UFO #5 for this year and #6 is the shuttles/lozenges in the hoop.  *** aside from sewing and gym visits not much doing.  bookmobile comes today so have to go thru my kaffe books once more and copy what i want before returning.  ***  in closing, another cardio test earlier this week came back with good result...ejection fraction, which measures how efficient the heart is functioning, is now 60-65% with normal being 55-70%....it was 45% just before surgery, so color me very delighted.  firmly believe the exercise has made the biggest difference--great motivation to continue!

the finish

the twisted star wall piece is now done and another UFO crossed off...

only 22" square and busting just under a yard, even so....one less UFO lying around in wait..besides, i like it a lot.  what else?  this became a flimsy just this morning...

i like this one too but gotta say Miss Sunny is not terribly fond of the corners with so much bulk.  we came to a truce and got it done.  thinking machine quilting on the featherweight will finish it up.  another small one at 24" square so another yard and skosh will be used when finished.  *** UFO #5 is in the hoop, the kaffe lozenges or shuttles; 2 rows quilted with 8 to go.  done before march?  could be...

no new starts yet this year but may cave soon with bonnie hunter's luscious solids quilt "butterfly kisses"....mine won't be bed size and have already drafted an 8" finished block.  a stack of hand dyed fabrics gifted to me are ideal to use.  

friday night zoom with the chookshed gals played with another UFO.  it's "Alaska" by Edyta Sitar.  Had pulled fabrics--all from stash except one--and now kitting up blocks for traveling. 

pieces for 12 different blocks, 4 of each, are cut and put into baggies with directions to tuck into carryon bag for airplane waiting and family visiting.  this is a no rush project but perhaps a flimsy by year's end...

that's about it...another day with no plans, like most of my weeks.  aside from gym and one lab visit, my week's wide open.  thought about trekking to lancaster but weather is going to be unsettled most of week so postponed.  we are on the cusp of spring here with flowers up and budded, just waiting for the signal from Mother Nature that winter is truly over.  have a blessed day!