not extreme makeover....

those batik blocks?  originally thought about placemats but eureka!  my chair needed a makeover...requiring just 2 blocks.  

today the other half gets finished....definitely an improvement....

what else is going on?  a quick scoot monday to store before deep freeze...tuesday AM was 17, wednesday early only 11,  which is like 40 below to marylanders, but not this yankee gal.  my sweet knitting mom and LL Bean have me well supplied with warm stuff.  even so, ocean dreams have been forefront in my mind...summer IS coming!

with a weekend storm brewing, lining up tasks...a mega basting day is on tap....can't finish if basting isn't done.  these are next in queue....i might even machine quilt a couple to hurry up the finish list....

and what is better on cold days than warm, comforting soup?  my repertoire is limited to a few, but this is a cold weather staple....chicken noodle!  a 5# bag of drumsticks given to me resulted in a big pot, most going in the freezer for quick thaw meals later.  

and with january over half gone, chookshed challenge of  the "semiquin" is progressing....basting is nearly done and applique of this and quilting of the DWR will be taking up remainder of month.  photo deceiving but dates at bottom are even and, more important, equidistant from edges...

prepping for a few days hibernating....remains to be seen how much actual snow we get and doubt we will lose power, so all that is needed (and on hand) are meals, snacks, sewing supplies, binge watching schedule and exercise bike...LOL.  so thankful to be warm and cozy inside without a real care about extreme weather...definitely a blessing!  

catching up

confined to quarters temporarily due to weather...so what's a quilter to do but surf the net?  i confess to spending too  much time on instagram, which lured me to this website...she was working on a simple black and white quilt on instagram but the pattern is not yet on her website...

this is just perfect for a certain gal with a shoebox full of 2.5" strips....there are plenty of ideas there for good scrappy projects....there you have it, i'm an enabler...

so did the housework get done?  but noooooo!  instead more of this--the tumblers is now a flimsy....

and nann, another like-minded enabler, showed some batik squares on her blog that sparked my mojo...i have some batiks (no surprise)...might try just one, you know, for research purposes...my squares are a bit bigger than hers tho....

there is a project for these that i might get to today.....used up 3 pieces of fabric with these...bit by bit it's going.....

and today, like every day, dreaming of days at the shore....

even in winter, the beach is never far from my mind....i thought i was writing this at 9 pm but nope, it's nearly 9 am....the hours are undistinguishable when it's gray and gloomy 24/7....wishing you a sunny and blessed day!

busy weekend

winters in maryland are mostly cloudy, dreary, but we've had sun for a couple of days, always welcome in january (but not always in august!)...no snow of course, we seem to miss when snow falls south or north of us...

if you need a jolt in your mojo, i can recommend this...

a short film from the 1980s featuring some interesting quilters....watching it at different stages in my quilty life has prompted different reactions, but always entertaining

so about the weekend....sewed up several tumbler rows until i ran out of light value ones...maybe today this will finally be a flimsy...

next, my personal challenge of using repro fabrics...two squares made, one more for january...shooting for 30 in all for a top measuring 60x72..the most difficult part is choosing which fabrics..simple blocks, few pieces, quick construction

and peeking out behind them is this....

that's the welcome sun shining on the design wall...these are pinned....have to tweak the bottom numbers a bit to make sure they are even...not sure if it's how it's hanging or what...then it's baste down the design and begin applique...the eagle is from a lori smith pattern...i've nixed a large quilt but love the pattern, so this fit the bill...

and sorry, lori, but make every effort to stay away from your pattern site and quilt show vendors who stock them...i'm a pushover for so many of them...LOL

and sunny sunday scooted down to the library to pick up this....

recommended to me by librarian peep...but being a mainer, quite familiar with the eel, or elver, industry.  like most seasonal work, it can be fraught with tension, rivalry, even violence,  it happens with fish, shellfish too....hard to establish boundaries in a vast ocean and the pathways of its creatures amid governmental controls and sometimes nefarious behaviors...so definitely a very good read!

a bit of independence and tweak in the daily meds has perked up life considerably...life is indeed very good...but i still want a car....have a delightful monday!

goodbye Christmas!

tree, lights, decorations all packed away for 11 months....have reclaimed my ironing table and tackled underneath..

found 7 shoeboxes with fabric but no lids in sight...hmm now where could they go?  with 340 square feet, not many places to hide....did manage to fling one, the slide out type, in the process.  

while spaghetti sauce simmers, working on the tumblers.  plan is to use up the ones i've cut, since the goal was to bust stash.  

now that i can "motor" to the library, can reserve things more easily....my name came up on this new book and scooted down to get it....have read all the others...like meeting up with old friends...

except for monday shopping shuttle, trapped all week waiting on replacement keys...good time for serious housework....or maybe not? everyone knows, housework only comes before sewing in the dictionary....LOL!  have a good day....me i'm praying for sunshine!

new year = new start right?

 

after an uber busy gap week when all manner of tasks got completed, time to get back on the sewing and quilting track.  you've seen my list and while #3 was chosen, must work on the semiquincentennial project.  would like to have ready for july but contingent on unexpected detours.  the applique pieces have been cut and background chosen...i tried lots of different neutrals, but this one seemed the best. it's a muted olive green...not enough white on hand but not sure it would work.  

miss sunny was oiled, lubricated and glammed up ready to work....we played with these....added 3 more on right side as afterthought...plenty of fabric of course...these are the tiny tumblers, about 2" height....

the stash shelves got re-orged as well....some uglies were pulled and are getting flung...the back wall is more visible now and re-acquainted with exactly what's on hand...jotted down some ideas to use more.  top shelf left is a tote of all plaids/homespuns....on the right is shoebox with whites/muslin scraps and next a few commercial patterns i've saved...

the bottom shelf has finished things that are going on the closet shelf soon i hope. 

that leaves this annoying situation...these are under the ironing table.  some things to be basted, project bags with UFOs, precuts in plastic containers.  box is poly stuffing.  some will go on the stash shelves but don't think it will all fit...yet that is.  

so the goal this year, as you can see, is.... 

have a groovy, far out, awesomely blessed day!