delightful dilemma

unless you've been in an underground missile bunker the last two weeks, you know about our snowstorm wallop. as i write this early morning, the second wave has yet to hit but the wind is howling and the car is already covered over. so, being an industrious person i glanced around my sewing space for something to occupy mind and hands for the duration. i spied this overflowing shoebox full of 1.5" strips and thought about a pattern i've been wanting to try. the next few hours were spent constructing these little 5" pineapple blocks. i got the idea from bonnie hunter a while back and found the foundation pattern on a quilting website. being a predominantly left-handed (right brain) person, starting a new paper piecing project is always a bit clumsy; takes a bit to get a routine for the mechanics of the task at hand. but it was finally mastered and i was pleasantly pleased with the result. each little block has 37 pieces and, as per usual, the use was hardly noticed in my shoebox. i'd have to make a gazillion of these little blocks to use up all those scraps---NOT! i am going to try and make a small wall piece or table topper, though, because i am enthralled with these cute little pineapples. **** later in the day i worked on my lone star. today's project? plenty from which to choose, but definitely more lone star quilting and maybe work on the machine constructing another quilt top or maybe basting the 30s wallhanging.

the month of luuuuuuv

february is coming in like a lion, sitting here waiting for the 1-2 snowstorm punch. by the time the air clears, "they" say we could get anywhere from 13-22 inches here in coastal maine. fortunately our complex is well maintained with regard to snow moving and removal, but at some point i'll have to venture out and move the car. until then i'll don my "uniform" of cozy LL Bean slippers and quilt!

riding in style

thanks to a generous christmas gift from DD and DSIL, i was able to get this sewing trolley so viking's little brother could travel in style. took it out for a spin yesterday and worked like a charm! not only does little brother fit, all my accoutrements were snug as well and then it even zipped..how good is that? as far as the road trip, since little brother's "discharge" from the sewing machine infirmary, it runs like a charm. no, it isn't a featherweight but works and travels great just the same, and that's really what was needed.

finished flimsy

some time ago (last year?) i was in a swap with some quilters over at Real Women Quilt. I finally got the top together yesterday adding the paper-pieced letters in the bottom right corner. it was one of those projects languishing on my sewing table for what seemed like eons, and now it isn't. yesterday i also pin basted my 30s wallhanging, also paper pieced, quilted on my lone star plus reading my book....which is almost done. goody, goody, i can request the 2nd one, "the girl who played with fire."

a shameless plug

i am happy to announce that bonnie's new book (her third) is now available for order and will be shipped on or about march 1st from her site at http://www.quiltville.com/. as i am a self-proclaimed scrappy quilter, i find bonnie's patterns to be simply the ultimate in using up scraps. her many followers and pattern copycats can well attest to the excitement of her quilts and the info she offers free of charge to quilters everywhere. take a peek and you just might get hooked as many of us already are. thankfully, she is finally coming to maine this year and again in 2013.

cold week pastimes

the two things i'm mainly doing this week until the bitter cold temps modulate are reading this book and quilting my lone star. i've also done a bit of flinging from my room and working on another quilt top as well. the book has people waiting for it, so i have to get it read as i won't be able to renew. no matter, it's a goodie....

a finish/a flimsy

a busy week as you can see, and it's only wednesday! first, i finished my 30s tablerunner (left) so that makes 2 UFOs done this month. then i put together this christmas runner from a workshop in nashua a couple of years ago. i was actually sick with tonsillitis the day of the workshop and got the pattern from the teacher to make. i think i will bind it with red. hopefully it won't be a UFO for 2012. ****** both of these are hanging on my new design wall. it's only a piece of flannel with a dowel hanging from an over-the-door hook on my bedroom door, but it suffices and was quite cheap to fashion. i've saved the flannel for eons and just had to purchase the dowel for $2. pretty frugal i think, don't you? i'm using all my free time to think of ways to enhance my quilting fun for little cash.

first official finish

can finally cross off a UFO finish from my 2011 list now that this quilt is done. years ago i was in a four-patch swap where every month was a different color, so i used them up in this scrappy quilt. even the binding is scrappy as it's 2 different colors....why not, eh? i didn't hand quilt this quilt, only tied, as it will probably be a donation quilt of some kind. even so, it's pretty and warm and now off my "to do" shelf as well! how good is that?

a done duo

though the photo is poor, you can see what i accomplished yesterday; that is, finishing up embroidering these dish towels. the windmill was done already and was waiting on the little dutch girl to be finished. not sure what i'll do with them now, but i had bought them several years ago and they needed finishing. they belong in somebody's hope chest. i do have a beautiful Lane cedar chest but am not accumulating linens for the future; they will probably get stored there anyway.

sneak peek

the top fabric is my new curtains fabric. just a hint of color (matches carpet) but not too intense. will be great for filtering light, i think. the bottom two fabrics? followed me home, were in my bag when i got there...who knew?