friday night success

here is the friday night finish!  i know, it's tied and not quilted but it's done.  this was the first time i tried a buck-a-block from the quilt shop and it came out ok.  i did it because i loved the fabrics, not my usual color choices.  it'll get donated at some point with another quilt i have on hand.  so, now i'm going to work on the next UFO, the sewing machine applique with spools, another official UFO.  after a few household chores this morning, i might baste the lovers' links as that is to be hand quilted, a gift, and get started.  ideally i'd like to finish the links and another hand quilted piece before the end of the year.  that might be a modest goal, will have to wait and see. 

it's friday and that means.....

well, it could mean a lot of things, like payday or shopping day or fish day, but for a certain group of quilters it's FRIDAY NIGHT SEW IN!  yes, this very night i will be at home sewing for a change (NOT) since i sew most every day and evening too.  if it isn't done by then, i'll be finishing the binding on my buck-a-block quilt, but it might be done by then.  if it is, then it could be the hawaiian or the christmas scrappy or the spools or some other lucky project that gets chosen for this hallowed evening.  until tonight, i've got a few things to do of the household variety and, of course, more sewing.  i might even be inspired to get out the vacuum and suck up all the little threads on the floor!  did i say i hated carpet in the sewing room?  i believe i did but i'll say it once more!!!

binding day

today is the day this UFO gets bound and put in the done pile.  it's a buck-a-block quilt through a local quilt shop.  i chose to participate because of the colors, not my usual palette.  this quilt, along with another i have that is also tied, will get donated to someone/something at some point. **** thursday all ready?  it's amazing how the time goes when one does nearly nothing every day.  sure, we do hit the beach now that the weather is good (yesterday and today), but as for doing anything of consequence or importance, just don't.  the sewing stuff is fun to a point; sometimes it does get tedious and my life is cavernously empty of anything that feeds my work passion.  if all work and no play makes one dull, all play and no work makes one completely worthless.  i never was a workaholic, but i loved my medical secretary work.  it grieves me immensely and leaves a huge void in my life.  back to playing, i guess.....

spooling around

now this is an official UFO from my list.  it is in homage to the old viking, the machine that has served me so well for over 30 years now.  yes, the paint is a little nicked here and there and it's had more than a few tuneups and repairs, but it's still going strong showing no signs of getting retired.  my only issue with this machine is that it weighs a TON; it's a fully steel, swedish-made machine with way more bells and whistles than i'll ever use at this point in my sewing career.  sure, i used the fancy stitches--ducks, flowers, hearts, diamonds and zigzags, but not for quite a while now.  do i drool a bit over those newer, much snazzier machines?  a little, but until the old viking goes to the old machine folks home, we'll remain a daunting duo, giving the energizer bunny a run for its money.  like, why not?

a birthday remembrance

today would have been my dad's 88th birthday.  my mom would have made his favorite dinner, like she did for all birthday celebrants.  it could have been most anything as he was not a fussy eater, but no canned tomatoes and no chocolate.  dessert was often the same thing:  a plain cake in layers with fresh strawberries, topped with whipped cream and more strawberries or maybe a strawberry shortcake.  we're pretty certain his new residence is way better than maine, but we don't think there is any cake, though there is also no pain, sadness or tears.  can't say that for this residence, especially today. 

this and that weekend

this photo shows a smattering of things i accomplished this weekend.  i printed 2 quilt labels and sewed them on.  i made a huge stack of units for the christmas scrappy.  i worked on a small applique UFO.  i printed some foundation papers for an upcoming scrappy batik project.  i basted the patriotic wall piece.  i sewed some small dresden plates for another project.  not pictured?  i cleaned the lint out of the old viking and also worked on the red/white schoolhouse piece, plus worked on the hawaiian. ***** today the maine quilts piece needs a sleeve.  the pinks needs packing for mailing. more christmas scrappy tasks and maybe more on the applique UFO.  i also have a UFO quilt that needs to be tied, which will give me 2 finishes this month if i get industrious.   i also hope to get the lovers' links basted this week as that is an autumnal gift.  i think i'm going to need 2 cans of diet pepsi for this day....

see what i mean?

here is a photo of my progress so far.  i rechecked the 3/16 inch turn under, i checked the pattern and the other sections.  the majority of this quilt has only slits inbetween these fronds and some of the "fingers" are quite narrow as well.  i'll just have to wait until more "clusters" are done and compare, but i don't know what i can do differently,  i'm following the pattern, i'm following the DVD instructions and have an accurate turn under, so this is it i guess.  the back looks exactly like the teacher's stitches as well.  the basted-only version is misleading because it doesn't show the size variables in the individual "fingers" either.  **** rainy/cool again today so will undoubtedly make more progress, albeit slow.  this is a HUGE project and won't be done this year for absolute certain. 

food for thought

i saw this on susan branch's website and she kindly gave me permission to display here.  what you don't see is the lovely watercolor it accompanies.  her webpages are overflowing with beautiful art she creates, delicate watercolor graphics that make me green with envy....i simply cannot draw anything without a ruler, and even then it can be problematic.  when you have time, be sure and look at all her lovely pages. **** today i've spent a lot of time doing applique on the hawaiian.  it's coming out pretty well, i think; i watched the DVD 3-4 times and even went back for a refresher and my stitches look like those pictured.  my pattern has TONS of fronds which are all different shapes.  i think they look awkward, but i did cut out the pattern carefully so i'm hoping once the entire thing is completed, it will all make sense.  ***** we spent a lot of time at the beach this week; good thing as the weather is rainy today and tomorrow and cool all next week.  it is early in the season but we have been able to take advantage of the good days we have had so far. 

ideas aplenty

thanks to an email coupon, this book was 50% off!  i love lori smith's patterns and thought this would be ideal....lots of small projects rather than bed size quilts.  i think i had mentioned this previously.  i highly recommend this book, even at full price.  in addition to the designs in the book, i came up with some ideas of my own for small pieces to use up stash and satisfy my creative muse. ****  despite horrendous storms all around, we managed to mostly dodge the worst of them.  some rain, some thunder, some lightning, but no power outs or flying steeples that i have seen yet.  and the air is soooo much drier now, too.  the local TV station had an informal poll....heat or snow?  me, i think i'd take heat any day over snow.  winter jackets, boots, scarves and clothes take up soooo much room!  that is, as long as i can be on or near the ocean, especially in maine new england where the water can be icy.

pinks finish

yesterday i finished this commission piece.  though it isn't on my official UFO list for the year, it's another thing crossed off my "quilt to do" list.  last night i started on the hawaiian applique for a handwork project, you know, while listening to TV.  i'll do that as long as the weather allows, then switch over to smaller things.  for a machine project, i'm working on the christmas scrappy which won't be done (the top) right away.  still lots of pieces to cut out yet.