the beginning

last night during "dancing with the stars," i decided to try the applique portion of my hawaiian quilt.  i watched the DVD three times and felt confident enough to try it for myself.  the left is a photo of the back and it does look like the example on the video, except for the skipped spot....i'm impressed!  below is the front where the stitches are barely or not even showing.  good thread match!  this is aurifil 50/2 recommended by the shop.  i used a batik that i washed three times, also recommended by the shop, to make it soft enough for the applique and quilting later on.  so far i am pretty happy with the result.  this will probably be my TV project for some time, as there is no deadline for its completion and i do have other projects that need to be done for specific reasons.  i put a lot of thought into my choices and so far i am more than pleased.  **** weather continues dreary and drizzly, so could get a lot of sewing done this during its tenure.  already i've finished the 30s flimsy and started on the pinks project, which should be basted by week's end.  it doesn't take the place of meaningful work but a tolerable substitute for the time being.

flimsy finish

clipped this pattern from mccall's quilting magazine in 2000 and now the flimsy finally is done.  this is going to be a gift at some point.  the name is "lovers' links" and i used my 30s stash, which is now nearly completely gone.  there are some authentic vintage fabrics in this as well.  i've also started sewing together the pinks project and hope to get that to the basting stage this week some time.  pretty good accomplishment for a rainy monday.  since the entire week may be similarly solar challenged, i expect i'll get a lot of sewing done, if my pedal foot holds up that is.

here it is!

well, the lone star is finally finished.  it needs a cold water dip to get rid of the quilting marks, but otherwise it's a finish.  this is the second one i've made, both were made by hand.  this one didn't come out as well as the other and i sort of lost enthusiasm for it near the end.   regardless of the outcome, there is a lot of work here so it'll get hung up on the wall as it's not entirely displeasing to the eye but again, not at all blue ribbon status.  no matter. it's an accomplishment and that's better than leaving it or flinging it incompleted.  my quilting goal never was to be absolutely perfect, only to enjoy the process and the result. 

blast from the past

even before i started quilting in 1979, i was enamored with quilts.  when the bicentennial quilt frenzy was in full swing, i purchased this magazine to get an early "fix" of quilting, probably because of the amish quilts included.  there are also patterns for dresden plate, gingham dog/calico cat and other traditional plus a few patriotics with shields and eagles and such and even a new york beauty!  my taste in quilt styles has broadened a bit, but my fascination/attraction to amish and traditionals hold fast.  i wonder who else might have a copy in their book stash?  this is definitely a keeper.  **** still watching the eagle chicks grow but at this point, i get turned off watching them rip apart and eat rodents.  i try to check in frequently enough to catch the first mini-flight, which should take place in the next few weeks.  there's lots of flapping and short hops taking place inbetween gross feedings.

watch this space!

very soon i can show you the lone star finish as i am now working on the binding, yes!  another UFO will bite the dust this very week, i do believe.  my current machine project is another UFO, a 30s style quilt.  i also have a quilt basted and ready for tying so you can see, i am working fast and furious to finish up as many UFOs as possible. lucky for me i have lots of time to sew, which isn't always the case.

in the pinks!

in addition to doing a number of quilty tasks today, i also went to marden's to pick up some fabric for a commission piece.  as usual, i found some really lovely pinks and a background piece as well.  about half are $2.99 fabrics, the rest were $3.99 (that's per yard). from these i am going to get 2 quilt tops; one is the comission and the other will be a baby/carriage size.  and though i didn't specifically look for "name brand" quilt shop fabrics, as most but not all of marden's are, the end labels on these were RJR, robert kaufman, red rooster, free spirit and westminster.  they've been washed and dried already.  the yardage total is 4.25 yards for about $17, real honest-to-goodness bargains!  i did see a background online i liked a lot better, but it was $9.25 a yard and would have been just over $23 for the 2.5 yards needed....a definite no.  after choosing these i got out of there fast.....serious temptation!

Two Reasons to Celebrate

no doubt i have disappointed these two ladies more than once in my life, but i hope they feel as i do, that mother's day wouldn't be the same without either of them.  i know my life would be much different had i not been part of their lives.  on this day i wish to acknowledge both of them.  my own mother, raised by inattentive elderly grandparents when her own mother died while she was a toddler and who struggled with her own mothering skills and my daughter, who became a wonderful adult despite my own failures both deserve honor on this holiday, albeit a "hallmark" one.  i simply cannot comprehend what my life would be like without either. 

a favorite place

in all the 18 years since the horrific house-selling fiasco, i've lived dozens of places.  many were places i wanted to stay and settle down, but for reasons that i still cannot comprehend, i wasn't able to do that.  this is a photo of the place i liked most.  it was only an ordinary apartment, but it was 2 blocks from this beach where there was a terrific sidewalk and park.  i went there often, always daily and sometimes more, to walk, read, cry, pray, regroup, think and sometimes nap.  it was very close to terrific public transit (buses, train), great shopping, downtown boston, colleges, churches, potential employers, diverse neighborhoods and lots of great beaches.  for someone with salt water in her veins, it was ideal.  alas, i could not stay here either.  but if i moved back to massachusetts, this is the first place i'd go.  i hope before i die, someone will tell me what happened to my house and led to those very miserable 18 years.  forgive me this brief interlude of bitterness.

lists update

this morning did a little blog housekeeping and updated my project lists.  so far have finished 5 off the UFO list.  i started 4 new projects, all small pieces, and moved 3 from my WHIMM list to the STARTED list.  so it would seem i'm running in the negative with regard to the UFO list at present.  this, however, WILL change.  in addition to finishing more UFOs, i'm hoping to finish up some of the small projects and keep them from being 2012 UFOs.  while i love scrappy quilts and make a lot of them, sometimes i need a change from all those pieces.  havinig a mixture of projects utilizing different techniques (pieced, applique, etc.) gives me the option to satisfy my current creative muse on any given day.  many might not think this is a system, but quilters understand perfectly, don't you? 

when life gives you scraps....

after the pineapple blossom top finish, i had these little scraps left over.  many are 2" strip scrap pieces.  these are going to morph into some paper pieced blocks for who knows what future project.  i was thinking placemats maybe or a tablerunner or even a mini wallhanging of sorts.  maybe a pineapple or courthouse steps paper pieced tablerunner?  that would definitely work.  see?  i am actually using up my stash, scraps and all.  now on to the next project/UFO/finish.