gearing up....

for scrappy week sewing starting christmas day!  but first, gotta move the wedding quilt forward.  friday nite and today (sat) resolved to finish all blocks....i think i can, i think i can!

doesn't look like much but stay tuned!  and while hunting around for an unfinished cross stitch item, not seen since the move, found this....

another UFO!  arrrrrrgh!  even woodstock is horrified....lol!  muslin pieces all cut, plenty of repro scraps on hand so gets added to the 2024 list, making total of 22 so far...hope no others are lurking in the deepest corners anywhere....and the cross stitch piece?

all that was needed was to stitch the stars and find a backing, now ready to sew up and be put into the display duck.  it's a little bigger than most of the stuffies i make, but it was such a nice pattern....

most of my holiday stuff is done/over.  bathroom even got a serious clean.  i've 3 scrappy projects ready for monday, well i did have 3 until saw this in one of the gifted magazines....a bonnie hunter column/pattern.

a simply little scrappy block using 2" strips....oh yeah, i've got a shoebox full!  why not try a couple of blocks....bonnie, the uber enabler, was right...it is difficult to stop as they are sooo scrappy and sooo quick!  my only consolation is that i have nowhere near the amount of scraps she does....LOL...but plenty to keep me busy all week, now with 4 projects on deck!  

off to the gym!

Test drive

the theme for the corinne et cecile sew along is 'animals'....i found this pattern on the internet called 'happy cats' designed by stacey day....pieced block...few pieces...ideal!  so pulled a few scraps for a test block.  the pattern makes a 50x50 quilt but wanted mine smaller....quicker finish you know.  here's the test block...

identified a few tricky areas--those triangle ears for one of course!  block ends up 8 3/8" inches wide and about 10" long.  gotta make 16 of these--fabrics pulled and ready to go when january arrives!  what else?

finished up a few potholders, some for me and some for mum.  busted some batting scraps in the bargain.  great thing is when they get grungy can just toss and make a few more.  

wedding quilt sewing is full steam ahead.  on track for top construction early january...

most of my holiday doings over and done.  i'll be celebrating solo, so have the day planned and a list that probably won't all get done, but will start on scrappy sewing week.  if i could assemble 3 scrappy tops, i'll consider it a success.  ***  PT on hiatus until next week but even after 2 visits have seen improvement, so won't be ordering the electric scooter just yet.  *** i'll leave you with a couple of holiday pix; first, spode mug and dish gifted to me 20+ years ago by a roommate when i lived in boston.  always takes me back to working 'in town' and feeling of belonging and quite cosmopolitan...one of the happiest times in my life.  truthfully, i haven't felt at home anywhere since.   second is another of those giveaway CVS ornaments from 1999...24 years ago!  surely they must be worth a mint by now....LOL!

keep calm and soldier on!

Soggy sunday sewing

for those of you who live far away, there are actually two marylands...divided by the west virginia panhandle....the eastern side gets rain and floods, the western side gets the snow.  sunday, for us, was wet and gloomy--outside.  inside, miss sunny sewing machine was whirring...to finish this flimsy.  and with careful cutting, did get all the sashing out of the scrap, now gone.  all but a few strips of the cheddar was used up as well.  next....

these two stitcheries got done a while ago but not finished until yesterday.   the big one, pin cushion size of maryland, is a gift.  the other goes in my display duck with other stuffies.  

our senior center quilty group had their little party friday and gifts were swapped.  i got this terrific item, a kitchen buddy!  hangs over the neck with towels on either end for handy hand wiping...plus a joann gift card that'll go for batting/backing for the wedding quilt and a few needed notions.  some of my pins were sacrificed fixing the jacket.  

also sunday a major frankenbatt session for the 'advent sky' top.  took several small pieces but mission accomplished AND they are gone from the stash.  pulled this piece for the back and it's just the right size--another piece gone and now it can get basted.  it's a 2024 UFO.

joined up with corinne et cecile for their annual sew along, starting january.  it's only 16 blocks--i've participated before--so pulled fabrics for that sunday as well.  shaping up to be a busy winter, especially squeezing in 6 weeks of PT that has already garnered improvement in mobility.  now that most holidays events over, can turn my attention to some needed house chores.  as anticipated, i'll be home by myself on Christmas so i've got a plan for the day that doesn't include cleaning...or laundry...and it might even be a pajama day too....LOL!