first peek....

at the new england sampler UFO in progress.  top is row 1, bottom is row 4.  the other rows are all applique replete with vines, leaves, hearts, flowers, etc.  the maple leaf row is the only patchwork row, which is why it's done.  the border, too, is vines, leaves and flowers.  ***** yesterday got the room all vacuumed...little fabric dog ears all over the floor don't you know!  no cutting today, for it's basting day!  i've 3 quilts to baste and the boston commons white borders will be marked (hopefully) using a stencil i got in nashua a few years back.  this is my first attempt after my quilt marking class, so anxious to see the result.  i'll keep you posted....i'm quite fortunate that i now have the time to fine-tune my quilting skills, going back to techniques i heard of previously but never had the chance to learn or perfect. ***** thanks to all who commented on my pineapple blossom!

a flimsy!

whew, here is my pineapple blossom top all done!  the picture really doesn't do the colors justice.  these are all batiks and it will be hand quilted.  i did the border different than bonnie's pattern because i only made 24 blocks and wanted it a little bigger.  so used the waste triangles to make broken dishes and also included a narrow white border to stop the action of the pineapple blossom blocks and show the pattern more distinctly.  i'm pretty happy with it.

a little finish

yesterday i finished this little square.  it's a jinny beyer pattern using her border print fabrics.  i had been wanting to try it for some time, since the 1980s really, when i first learned of this technique.  jinny blew the quilting world away with her "ray of light" quilt, which i got to see up close and personal.  she, along with a few others, are credited with the resurgence of quilting at the time of the bicentennial and it's exploded since then.  this square is going in the orphan pile for some use later on.  ****** today i'm putting the last border on the pineapple blossom, so watch this space for a look at the flimsy, probably tomorrow. 



what's in your trash?

if you are frugal at all, no doubt you've been eyeing what's going in the trash bin lately.  last night i was cutting out some more triangles for a scrappy pinwheel.  this morning i was prepping more strips for my pineapple blossom.  i was quite pleased when i took a look at the throwaways and didn't find one smidgen i could use in another project.  i know, those dogbed people are going to chastise me, but regardless of them, what i tossed wasn't what i consider usable fabric.  keep in mind this photo was taken close up so they actually look larger than they really are.  so, even though i don't regularly pay $10-12 per yard for what i buy, it's nonetheless valuable in terms of the specie of the realm.  from the pineapple blossom project alone, i've got lots of little pieces leftover.....great for miniature pineapples don't you think?

mmmmmarden's!

stopped in at marden's yesterday to pick up some fabric as a giftie...found a delish thimbleberries and a blender to go with it; they are already in their package so can't show those BUT, found these awesome pieces!  the cheddar plaid was a remnant, the end of a 2.99 bolt so grabbed that.  found some civil war reds/browns for my maine quilts workshop, plus a shirting background and a shirt-type stripe for an upcoming project.  most fabrics at marden's have gone up to about 4.49 per yard but still very good deals.  saw another shopper with a cart that was rapidly filling up.  we met in the aisle and just grinned at each other.  it's a sickness for certain.  i don't go there often for that reason and was deeply saddened to leave so many gorgeous fabrics behind, but i'll let marden's store them for me  <grin>!

tale of two wallhangings

this wallhanging was STARTED on the day of Charles and Diana's wedding back in 1981.  i got up early to watch the wedding and then spent most of the day at a quilting seminar at Stonehill College in North Easton, MA.  i was working for a shop selling fabric and patterns.  the vendor in the adjacent booth had some patterns and the feathered star caught my eye.  being a novice quilter, i simply purchased some fabrics from the booth where i was working and started to sew right then and there, completely oblivious to things like bias edges and such.  i chose these colors because amish quilts were my original passion.  flash forward 30 years. just this morning i FINISHED the bottom wallhanging from some swap squares, again on the day of a royal wedding.  how spooky is that?

stash bargains

hit the thrift yesterday looking for cotton shirts in good condition to add to my stash and i found 2, a plaid and a stripe.  these were half price, though i would rather pay less than $2 for them.  i'll be yard saling this summer looking for same.  going to the thrift is like a treasure hunt, never knowing what will be found.  i found (and bought) 2 English china soup bowls, 99 cents each, and also a summer cotton nightgown for $1.75.  i was going to sew one up but couldn't possibly for that price.  it was hardly worn if at all.  now if i could just find a good bargain on quality cotton thread.  ***** today's tasks?  some grocery shopping, some cleaning and hopefully to finish the pineapple blossom blocks AND bind the small wallhanging.  next week's plan is to get 3 quilts basted for quilting.  i've plenty of TV work at the ready for tomorrow morning's royal wedding. 

eaglet update

sadly, today the chicks were removed from the nest and sent to the wildlife center for continued care and eventual release.  it was determined that one parent could not provide enough food for the chicks whose appetite increases daily and one or more chicks would not survive.  skilled wildlife caretakers have speedily set up a similar habitat and say the outlook is very good, since the chicks are older than most they get and are all in excellent health.  an older sibling of the chick is at the center where he was sent and lives after contracting avian pox.  even the tree service staff who facilitated in the banding last week and the removal today were filled with emotion over the events of the past two days.  i am totally surprised how attached i have become to these wild birds just by watching them grow and be cared for by the adults.  the wildlife center has been overwhelmed by voluminous contacts of those who have followed their progress.  fortunately, it has resulted in significant donations to aid in their work and rescue efforts. ***** back to quilty stuff tomorrow, i promise.

p.s.

checked back on the eagle cam before heading to bed with my book and learned that dad eagle had been perching on a nearby branch all day and did eventually bring the chicks some food.  he's an experienced dad so maybe he will be able to keep up with the feedings for the next month or so until they start flying on their own.  even if he is successful, the fact remains that 50% of all eagle chicks die in the first year, mostly due to inadequate hunting skills.

sooo sad

the mama eagle from the pair nesting at Norfolk Botanical Garden has been killed by a landing US Airways plane.  from the moderator, i learn that this mother eagle lost her first mate from a plane strike.  it's terribly sad, especially since i've recently been watching her teach her 3 babies how to eat by themselves.  they are nowhere near ready to be without her.  it's possible the father eagle will step in, but not sure.  he has not been seen at the nest all day either.  waiting to hear from NBG what will be done for these little feathered orphans.  all of us who have been watching the progress of these majestic birds are in deep mourning.  i know, it's only a wild animal, but if you had seen her with her babies, you would be crying too.  after having seen this bird care for her young through only her instinct, i am truly in awe of their Creator.  God knows when a sparrow falls and i am sure this includes eagles as well.