it's mid week.....

and starting off with a huge note of thanks to all my followers and those i follow....being mostly trapped stuck confined a homebody, you all provide pleasant diversions for many otherwise boring days.  now back to the regularly scheduled program!

happy to say the creative muse is going full tilt....

got 12 of these blocks done...original plan was one per month but they are so gosh darn easy and, well, just "happen" to have enough fabric on hand, that these got sewn up PDQ.  plan is for 30 blocks, 5x6, top 60x72.  finished up some pieces of stash on these and others got used that have been waiting far too long.  i need a bigger design wall!

some applique got done on this, the May project....laundry time proved to be very productive!  

happy to report the DWR is almost ready for a binding....delightful thought indeed!

remember these?  a gift to me last december, some kaffe fassett's william morris prints?  pulled out this pattern been saving to try one block...

48 of these blocks in all, wall quilt size....pattern called "what knot" by heather over at www.quiltachusetts.com....a drunkard's path variation.  the only suitable background in the stash was this other kaffe print, not really my preference but frugal choice and it works.  no deadline for this at all.

weather continues to be somewhat see-saw--summery one day and cooler the next 2-3.  shorts et al waiting in the tote to be unpacked.   farmer's market open with strawberries...yum!  had a quick scoot to library for books and videos.  mother's day plans finalized with DD and DSIL...which i would miss if i lived in new england...trying to be more content here in MD without my independence, some days not so successful.....that's a job in itself.  

may already???

indeed it is....at least there was a UFO finish in april...hoping for another this month....or two maybe?  closed out april on the 'wensleydale' blocks....25 were finished, just shy of half what is needed.  some nice weather days slowed down my progress....

for chookshed challenge in may, it's the semiquincentennial project....hoping all the applique can be finished and basted...a july finish for this would be perfect!  (the R is done already!)

still quilting the scrappy DWR which might should WILL be finished in may.   big unfinished quilts lying around the room are mobility hazards for me

for machine work, it's back to tackling the repro scraps making some blocks for a top with as-yet unknown destination.  remember these???  miss sunny's timing is off a bit but been praying that she'll sort herself out

itching to start a couple of new projects but pulling the reins tight until some finishes get crossed off.  these are lofty goals but might get delayed somewhat if nice weather arrives and stays...plenty of icky hot days ahead to sew inside...i've made offerings to the weather gods hoping to stall it as long as possible...LOL

another monday

had a busy sewing weekend.....more quilting on the DWR and more blocks on 'wensleydale'.....goal for the upcoming week is at least 5 more blocks....thought about 10 but that's pushing it....first off, tho, is to corral this pile....

there, better eh?  i've got 20 blocks done, maybe 36 to go....questionable if there are enough pieces for all but no matter, i'll just make blocks until it's gone and call it done.  there are 60 foundations in the pad and will use however many are left for something else.  

here are 20 all done.....

have tinkered some with color adjustment and this is sort of closer....some of the fabrics are just right, others not....but you get the idea.  for some reason the greens are difficult to get just right.  

and while instagram time has been significantly curtailed, did come across this photo....

reid state park in georgetown, maine, about 15 miles off bath's route #1.....it was our family's 4th of July place all my growing up years....so many heart warming memories ...

brother #2, about age 2 so 1959 probably.....can always pick him out of photos due to his nearly white blond hair.....

brother #1 on an overcast day....the weather almost never stopped us....

lunchtime!  it was always burgers and dogs first....then lobster and steamers....plus all that goes with....my aunt was in charge of grill--we had to bring our own wood....first thing coffee pot went on.  several different areas of this park...this was the picnic area and a short walk away was open surf.  a large bath house, snack bar, lagoon area for little kids (no waves)--shady pine trees, open beaches, rocky coastal areas...it has everything!  fierce undertow and frigid water....july 4th hovered around 50 degrees....we were the first to arrive and last to leave, squeezing every moment.  that's me bending over just beyond mom; my grandmother and aunts and youngest brother with that tell-tale hair.  precious memories....

back to monday.....aside from more blocks nothing really doing this week...but thankful still for free time and nice days before the hots arrive....life is indeed good!

the time has come....

and for a while i thought it might never.....for a finish!

autumn runner made with kaffe fabrics....caved and machine quilted it--not my preference at all--but it is for me and needed to get SOMETHING done!!!!  finally get to cross of a UFO finish....was hoping to get the DWR done as well but probably a may finish.  that'll get me back on track for one finish per month and even with those without, it is progress.  

now back to 'wensleydale' to see if 15 more blocks can get done this month...they'll be set 7x8 giving me a bigger quilt than i really wanted, but that should be the last big quilt i make...resolutely avoiding jen kingwell's website for fear my resolve will weaken....

back to see-saw weather with possible freeze tomorrow morning....say what???  93 the other day and now this???  thankful winter things not yet put away but never fear, day will come too quickly when must...

hoping your week is sew-pieceful and blessed!  
 

do you see it????

 

i do....hope you do, altho you see it thru eyes and i see it thru heart.....now it will be with me always....top to bottom....boothbay harbor, pemaquid point, reid state park and pine point beach...not necessary to visit ogunquit or bar harbor to see the prettiest places in maine.  so many memories of good family times, special times with my mom, flood my soul....life is indeed good!

that someday fabric

i've got some....you know, stuff picked up at a free table, flung to me, bought on a whim with no specific purpose...for someday.....here is just one

pretty nondescript but my colors....aqua, pale green, lavender....i knew i would need it someday....and i did! and it's almost gone too....win/win!

goal today was to make 3 more 'wensleydale' blocks.....i made 4!  i found it takes less time if the fabrics are chosen ahead of time and set aside...then it's just keep going from one to the next.  i have to say my blocks photograph terrible....i tried to adjust the color without success.  certain fabrics do not jump out at you....i have the benefit of being nearsighted so without my glasses i see the full effect and i am really happy with them so far.  once they are all done, i'll take it outside and photograph in daylight...

see the someday fabric?  there are some small pieces left that'll get incorporated somehow probably.  the layout will likely get changed when all blocks are done.  the bottom triangle on the bottom right block was in shadow....

wacky weather continues....below freezing past 2 mornings but warming now and near 90 first half of next week...will have to unearth some shorts for sure and any scooting will be done early in the day before hibernating in A/C....

our new washers have deep drums and bruised my rib while leaning over retrieving socks at the bottom...and burn on my back from heating pad healing nicely...home care nurse cleared me for shower...wahoo!  call me klutz!  

spring marches on!

ultra-quiet Easter for me....day spent quilting, fixing dinner, bit of laundry, watching library videos...here's one i can highly recommend:

based on true story about Hans von Meegeren, a player in fine art thievery during WW2...PBS had aired a special called, "Plunderer:  The Last Nazi Art Thief," another true story centered around Bruno Lohse...it is appalling how many museums own and display works with dodgy provenance and their shameless business dealings with people like Lohse.  

quilting on the DWR continues with seemingly endless finish in sight...

more wensleydale blocks....i am really liking how these are turning out....the sewing area is a hot mess...piles of fabrics, tiny scraps, paper pieces everywhere...but nobody ever said creativity had to be neat....

on my computer i have a folder full of beach photos and i've used them as inspiration....i so miss being near the ocean no matter the season....

monday another chilly day...the sun is warm but the wind is still icy...not complaining at all...too soon it'll be endless sweltering days....

have a blessed day!

He is risen!

 

wishing you a blessed Easter filled with all good things---faith, family, fun and last but not least, yummy chocolate eggs...LOL

chookshed challenge

the number drawn was 10 but since i have been a flunky most of the year, i chose to start my "wensleydale" project.  i doubt all 60 blocks will be finished this month but hoping a serious dent.  here are the latest ones.  

i am really like these blocks.  they do take a serious amount of fabric tho, and while i have a healthy stack pulled, might have to "shop" for more.  

God is good indeed....a new vacuum cleaner appeared at the apartment recently...now to take the old one apart and send it down the trash chute.  anything that can fit in a trash bag goes that way.  the new is cordless (no tripping), lighter and powerful enough for all those threads.  feeling very blessed indeed!

Back to early summer for a couple of days before rainy Easter....no plans so doesn't matter to me.  

finally, the late Tony Campolo wrote a book, "It's Friday but Sunday's Coming," meaning the darkness of Good Friday turned joyous on Resurrection Sunday...but it can apply to any dark day you might experience...Sunday is always ahead!  

quick april update!

hot couple of days so yes, it does feel spring indeed....no plans here except ??  if it stays dry might scoot around a bit just for fresh air...nice to have it bright in the mornings and late afternoon...

forging ahead on "wensleydale"....definitely not a fast project but actually eager to continue....3 blocks are done, biggie pile of fabrics threatens to overtake the studio area but variety is a must for this project.

so far so good but again, making an awful mess....

and the first photo of this was nagging at me to swap out the block that was too dark....so i did...

ok now it's done....will get it basted and add to the quilting pile...

back to the memory lab yesterday and digitized 3 more of my dad's 8mm reels....aside from a bit of landscape--dad loved the woods and always filmed trees, lakes etc--some funny bits....for a while they had a pony/small horse and one film showed various family members taking a turn on her including mom!  another bit showed my ex driving a motorcycle with my 4 yo along....so cute!  i've 1 more reel plus some negatives and slides i'll do next....this is such a great library benefit saving us a small fortune.  my dad would be thrilled to know his films that are 40-50 years old are still viable.  he always said we'd be glad someday and he was right.  

off to make the day's list and tackle...wishing you a delightful april fool's day...no foolin'!

color me happy!

a cold spring weekend inside mostly gave me impetus to fire up miss sunny to get re-acquainted and play in the stash....plus my library book needs to go back so it was time to sew.  pulled out some solids scraps about 10" or so and cut stacks....in no time at all this was ready for its closeup...

actually found it fun to whip these up and get it to a flimsy plus wipe out some scraps.  the hardest part is always the layout...i must have moved them around 5-6 times and finally quit.  very modern looking i think....would be easy enough to make more....do enjoy working with solids.   camera blocked out upper right but not in daylight...

with the chookshed challenge coming up again this week, pulled out the wensleydale foundation papers and got one block done.

the color palette is taken from the ocean....blues, greens, grays....only 59 blocks to go.  they are a bit fussy as paper piecing always is, but no rush and it does generate quite a mess of bits and bobs.  liking this first attempt and urged to continue.  a significant amount of stash should be busted by the finish...

our see-saw weather continues.....very warm during last week and chilly again over the weekend.  it was 61 today but the wind was icy as i scooted out for an errand.  our library has a memory lab where one can take VHS tapes, negatives, slides, 8mm reels and digitize them.  from mom's apartment i found 2 rolls of film never developed, 2 boxes of slides, some negatives and a bag filled with 8mm rolls my dad had taken.  delighted now that i'll be able to get these on USB for my siblings before they are lost.  

family holiday dinners in the past, will be focusing on the solemnity and rejoicing of Easter, but glad there are memories of them.  like Christmas, the real reason is the most important.  hope your week is full of spring's renewal and enjoyment!  

monday report

look who's back!  

saturday after house chores done, pulled this from its waiting space and actually did some quilting!  color me happy indeed.  it's been two months since last stitch on this project and delighted back on track.  as eye not quite 100% have to limit quilting time, but no matter....couple of hours feels pretty good.  

we enjoyed a thoroughly spring weekend, ideal for some much needed cleaning etc.  getting back into routine groove is a great stress reliever.  dear daughter and i went to trader joe's, haven't been there for a long time.  they do actually have some products that fit in my low sodium diet...which will give some variety to my tried-and-true recipes.  

just as i was finishing up vacuuming living room, the vacuum breathed its last.  some creative budgeting will be needed to get it replaced.  without a car, problematic trying to get it repaired--issue for another day.  for now, enjoying settling in to life before this  most recent detour...praying the last going forward.

and plan for monday???

have a blessed day!

improved!

not quite gone but now-viral eye infection is better, drops schedule modified and voila!  i could even manage a bit of machine time this week!

after the steroid drops, i get about an hour of focused bilateral vision....i used the time to sew up the last remaining kaffe tumblers into a future potholder and a scrappy project to use up some reproduction scraps...an endless task as we all know.  reading and hand sewing still waiting more improvement, which may come in the next week or so.  

for national quilting day planning to baste an autumn runner UFO and get it quilted and finished!  way beyond time to cross something off the UFO list.  

see-saw weather here continues like it does in many places...sunny but cold today and warming, then cold again the weather talking heads say....can't go on much longer with april around the corner.

much needed apartment tidy is the hope for the weekend.  some laundry, cooking and some scooter time.  saw this on instagram and sums it up perfectly!

life is indeed good and getting better!

getting ready.....

went to the library today to return all the books that i couldn't presently read and picked up this one...fingers starting to itch!  the eye?

new doc equals some actual hope and glimmer of light ahead in this tunnel....ego and condescending platitudes gone replaced with real info and realistic prognosis. well worth trek to baltimore.  bacterial infection gone, viral has moved in....new antibiotics started and steroid to reduce swelling, hoping scarring will heal on its own.  if not, further treatment ahead.  since starting with UMD have gotten really good care that has improved health.  unfortunately, my daughter is chained to a health plan and is basically ignored by her providers...breaks my heart to no end.  if only she could switch.  

made a list of all that needs doing when both eyes back on the job.  despite all the detours and mis-steps, feel quite blessed for the many blessings in my life each day.  

not quite yet...

eye saga continues....turns out the "mycin" type of drops i'd been using around the clock were incompatible with my cardiac situation....allergic type response that caused lots of symptoms  finally culminating in event....quick ER visit....new savvy eye doc without the ego of the last....another specialist appointment upcoming....infection not gone but percolating with scarring present that may prevent complete restoration of vision....prayers ongoing by many to the Great Physician...met many internationals via lyft drivers at great expense i might add....two even drove teslas!  thankfully winter seems to have left the building and even a bit of sun now and then.  were it not for my faith keeping me going, would have caved long ago...dreaming of sewing projects and finishing my basted things, soon i hope.  

sewing soon???

could very well be....today the first day able to keep eye open for any length of time...ventured out into spring sunshine and temps...and a quickie zoom all made for an enjoyable day....in my dreams i travel but only just dreams....grateful for small miracles that keep me going....

and no broken dishes so far!  instead at 2 am spent time on bike with 40s swing tunes on youtube...far less messy and energy zapping...hoping i'll be communing with needle and thread very soon and this latest detour just a memory....my DWR is long overdue to be finished....life is indeed good!

4 weeks and counting....

four weeks today since first eye visit....no closer to regaining my eye function....plenty of drops, plenty of visits..starting to wonder if i chose the correct physicians for treating this...my insurance company is wondering also....the maryland medical misery train barrels on.....concern always when it'll resolve and if it'll be 100%....only God knows and i keep asking but no answer yet....

one eye reporting

no photos i'm afraid...still hobbling along with one eye....improving but snail's pace....cranky to the max as well....cannot book any follow up as county transit system again on the fritz, but not entirely confident in the care either..they offer a pricey Rx which any insurance doesn't cover, which seems dodgy to me....i have good health insurance and occasionally wonder if i am getting milked.....our governor promotes his "aging with dignity" campaign but one serious glitch...i am beyond furious.  only basics getting done....showers, simple meals, laundry, runs to pharmacy for more drops when it stops raining....it's been a month of monsoon and gloom here...another month from hell and away from the only pastimes that have kept me sane thus far...fearing padded cell not too far ahead if the eye doesn't hurry up....will end this post with message from inner self....SCREAM!!!!!!

quick update

 eye on limited use time so it's a quick post...yes infection hangs on...despite 2 drops around the clock...little use and definitely no reading, sewing, long movies...i had signed up for peacock to watch olympics and do manage to see a bit of them...before eye issue did redo on chair...seat was dodgy so just made a cushion instead...works fine...

obtained freebie king flannel sheet that provided batting for some small projects...got those cut and pulled backings as well, ow ready to baste when eye decides....

feel like 7 dwarves all in one...angry, mad, cranky, furious, scared, bored and despondent...if i had a car, i could have facilitated the care of the eye on a timely basis and might have forestalled this lengthy episode...and more bad news as state has cut my SNAP benefits yet again, 2nd time this year...what i get now wouldn't keep a sparrow in sunflower seeds very long...but God's eye is on the sparrow and hoping it's on me as well....nearly impossible for me to sustain even a meager lifestyle here in MD anymore...

had to sell little featherweight for a financial burden, now resolved.  it was a teary parting indeed, but no longer traveling and sat unused most of the time.  still i really enjoyed using it...the losses keep piling up...seems since mom passed, life has become more and more empty...or maybe that i just don't care anymore...oops vision time expired...will leave you with a shot of her favorite place...pemaquid point, maine....

catch up?

not yet....a fine winter day here with actual melting...but it isn't snow or ice or cold that has detoured me....it was this!!

 a nasty painful eye infection!  no sewing, TV or reading whatsoever...and yes i am THAT grumpy!  on a very slow mend so short post....life is still good....mostly

snow sewing

 i saw this on facebook...LOL

i've lived in MD for 10 years and never seen as much snow as we got over the weekend...no real marathon sewing for me as i've lots of free time to sew even without storms, so just more of the same really.

did some quilting on my double wedding ring quilt, hoping to finish february...i zoomed some with my quilty peeps down under (and elsewhere), doing some applique on the vintage melon squares.  applique half done on this project...these are twosies for now....

finished my chair (finally!).  done but definitely not perfect...back to upholstery school for me i guess....basting day planned for this week.  

was given another bag of drumsticks, so made small chicken pie and baked/froze the rest for future.  did make a batch of cinnamon rolls.  with another week of frigid temps--single digits every night--have pretty much slipped into hermit mode.  thankfully stocked up on library books.  

despite boredom so very thankful for warm, comfortable shelter, a real blessing.  so many in my complex gripe about every little inconsequential thing, one reason i avoid them.  though not my dream home, it is more than adequate for me.  counting my blessings every day...hope you do too!

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!