june's chookshed challenge

it was the shed's birthday this weekend with a gathering of some faithful at the down under headquarters.  i was able to join in and catch up with fearless leader and others to ooh and ahh over a variety of world-wide projects.  

without further delay, here is the june challenge from my list...

10.  tidy the stash shelves...a one-day project that will go a long way to assessing what's on hand and corral wanderers

so here's what it looked like in january....and, confession here, couldn't wait until the challenge to create order out of this chaos. pieces were flung everywhere and finding something i knew was there nearly impossible.  it's in my bedroom and was the annoying first view every morning when awakening.  

isn't that better?  and yes that is the wall you see behind....so stashbusting is in full force here at happy village....plus i sleep a lot better too.  

more inspiration....someone brought in a stack of mags yesterday and saw this....

new issue of Ameican Quilter, a quilt by kimberly einmo with roos!   the down under peeps loved it and so do i, well the roos anyway.   little gray cells percolating thinking about yes, a new project with these adorable  creatures....chooky says they are cute until they run into your car...not unlike the maine moose i'll wager.  

it's my turn as reigning queen of the stashbusters so this has come my way for an all-too-brief week....

actually it's a blingy badge of failure for not having a UFO finish when my name hit the top of the participant's list...just couldn't be helped this time around but long hot summer ahead so not for long.   off to tackle the weekend to do list!

chookshed challenge may wrap

despite significant detours in may, managed to meet the chookshed challenge of using some blue stash and here it is...

for lack of a better title it's blue lotus...the sides will get evened off and it'll be hand quilted and bound.  it's hand pieced too....thinking waterfall maybe?  

and hoped to move the dargate basket project forward as well...this is the design wall today....

there are a few more finished not yet up on the wall, but it's because the wall is too small.  and the self-challenge to finish one every day?  nope, not today....

actually got 4 done....then counted up what's left and there are 88, one for each piano key or just a smidgen under the days in june/july/august...means top to assemble in september?  that makes me pretty happy....

measured tops for scrappy DWR and the solids bow ties, so hoping can squeeze $$ out of the budget for backs and one batt to get them basted this summer as well. 

word is out that deana has pulled challenge project #10 for june....that would be tidying the stash shelves...tune in tomorrow to see what needs to be done.  *** finished cutting blocks for the blue album and happy that 4 small pieces got used up as in not going back on shelves.  along with finishing the baskets, hoping to make a dent in the UFO list as i'm woefully behind.   time to make that summer list i guess.

and juvenile delinq-cats has gone to its new home...have been promised it'll be well received.  that always makes a quilter happy.   still struggling, though, to get out of bed and go forward each morning.  

throwback thursday

decluttering?  no doubt surprises will emerge, like this....

long ago in a galaxy far, far away (massaschusetts) i belonged to a quilt group in plymouth called cranberry quilters.  ever year they had a nice small show at the carver library.  one year there was a mini challenge.  this was my entry--amish of course--hand quilted, 10" square.  i was a newbie quilter of 3-4 years at most, but realized then and there my chunky fingers were not designed for tiny quilts.  

in the on-a-roll department, 2 days and 2 baskets done...washing machine cycle takes the exact time to finish one...and it does help that was gifted a delightful project bag--with handle no less--for portability.  a flimsy before 2025?  in my dreams for sure...

header photo shows cemetery where mom's ashes will be taken.  she had the yellow flowering bush planted just behind the stone of her parents' grave.  we went nearly every year to check on it, to revisit the area and reminisce.  the first couple of years it didn't do well as apple tree branches blocked full sun, which it required.  the caretaker cut back the branches and the bush flourished, which made mom very happy.  anxious to see how it is this year.  soon all three--grace, dewey and carolyn--together again to rest in its cheerful presence.  

oops...i slipped

not going to start another project....said no quilter ever!  fondling my liberty fabrics and auditioned for a background and found these 2 pieces, probably each FQ size...

just right to highlight the delish libertys!  these were gifted to me---thank you so much mystery peep!  tucked all the parts away in the liberty bag for now.  

did some sewing, more album/chimney sweep blocks.  i am going to need 63 in all, only 30 more to make, so more blocks and backgrounds need to be prepped.  

first up, laundry....basket overflowing...than back to the blues!

quiet holiday weekend

 

isn't that the truth?  as our nation looks forward to voting, preservation of the freedoms so valiantly and sacrificially won should be uppermost in voters' minds.  it's the very least we owe them.  let us remain, "one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."  

Just a few in my family....

Charles F. Thorne Jr., WWII at Utah Beach, July 1944

Joseph F. Thorne, Civil War, 17th Maine Regiment, at Appomattox Lee's surrender

Calmon White Jr, WWI, injured in explosion on USS Trenton; WWII off coast of Normandy rescuing the living and documenting casualties on D-Day

Ansel White, WWI, mustard gas exposure with permanent health issues

Lt Joel Whitney, Revolutionary War, Battle of Margaretta

many more served honorably and faithfully....I salute them all