FTOOB part 3

part 3 of Fat Tuesday On Orca Bay consists of HSTs or half square triangles, but did she say 350?????  say again????   350?  i'm wondering if i have enough green fabric for these; well, i probably do of course, but really....350???  i still haven't started part 2 yet....yikes, better get going!

a portent

wondering if DD put up her advent calendar today? 

2 triangles done

just this morning i finished the 2nd of 4 triangles on this amish center diamond quilt.  only 2 more to quilt and i can move "out" to the next border and corner squares.  i've got the pattern for the corner squares already but still deciding on the border sections.  meanwhile, back at the old viking, i'm still working on the hourglass blocks and they are slowly getting done.  part 3 is posting tomorrow and i've still part 2 to do yet.  like where does time go?  for somebody with an empty life, it still just evaporates.  ***** speaking of that, it's december 1st today with only 3+ short weeks to christmas.  our warm weather seems to be on the wane.  except for our freak halloween snow, it's been green grass here so far, not christmas weather at all.  **** since worrying is considered a sin, i'll just say there's a situation of concern to me, could or not be justified, but at this moment it does weigh heavy on my mind.  if you are a praying person, my petition is for resolution and restoration to peace for this particular issue.  **** and last, kudos to my brother and his blues band members.  they have scored top place in the maine contest and are off to nationals in january; this is a real dream come true for one with the love of music in his veins.  congrats to them!

keeping on

yes, i am  still working away on the hourglass blocks for bonnie's mystery.  i'll get there, i really will, especially with the help of my diet pepsi!  and i've renamed my version...fat tuesday on orca bay, because of the mardi gras colors.  ****  just 3 days out from visiting my chick and her hubby and i'm seriously missing them.  in fact, it was a lonely trip north on the train saturday, feeling like i'd left my heart behind.  i'm working hard to be a good mother-in-law and hope i am succeeding in this new role. **** last night me and mom took in an early christmas concert by the USM (alma mater) chamber singers...always an excellent event.  but with these warm temps, it's difficult to feel christmas-y.  time to get out the holiday CDs i guess.

orca bay progress

back to our regularly scheduled project!  before turkey day (actually it was ham day) break, i had finished this many of the quarter square triangles for part 1 of orca bay.  bonnie has now posted part 2 so i've a bit of catching up this week.  i think there about 100 in this small pile, not even half of the required 224, so the old viking is going to be smokin'!  i've a few errands today and a few household chores as well, but after that it's clear sailing sewing-wise.  **** while in maryland, i looked over some senior housing possibilities.  yeah i know, i don't feel senior and certainly don't look senior either, but my birth certificate says otherwise.  course my actual years are immaterial in today's ever-youthful culture; why, even my mom at nearly 85 still drives, keeps active and would be working if she had her choice.  i, too, would be working if i could.  my hope for a career is nearly gone, a real heartbreak for me.  i got a taste and wasn't permitted to dive in to the full banquet of a career i really enjoyed, for reasons too numerous and nefarious to list.  i never had dreams of corporate ladder ascension, only of doing a job i really enjoyed, was fulfilling and rewarding.  so, when life gives you scraps.....

1 down, 2 to go...

holiday that is.  had a wonderful thanksgiving with DD and DSIL and DSIL's parents. wonderful family time, great food....can't beat it.  i was near baltimore and it was 70 degrees on thanksgiving day....super gorgeous day!

blog break

recently i found this stunning piece of priceless artwork in among some school papers of my daughter's, just in time for thanksgiving too!  i'll be taking a brief break from blogging until after the holiday.  i'll still be sewing and enjoying our unseasonably warm weather here in coastal maine.  i wish everyone an enjoyable, thankful Thanksgiving. 

feathered star update

so, as of yesterday (friday) i've gotten half the star sewn together.  it's all set-in seams and i had to take a break.  today i must do some garment sewing tasks so it'll probably be monday or tuesday before it gets all sewn.  i have to cut the corner squares and setting triangles also for the next step.  once they are in, it's just the border that remains.  it probably won't be all assembled as an official flimsy until after the holiday.  it looks pretty good so far, though, i think.  ***** last night for quickie sewing whipped up more of bonnie's mystery QST (quarter square triangles) or hourglass blocks.  i am going to try and get these done by tuesday before the holiday and the next installment is posted next week. 

so far so good...

here is square 1 and yes, i do have more than this itty bitty QST done.  i spent most of the day on the feathered star, however.  the pattern calls for setting in all those HSTs and the larger triangles they are attached to.  i got half of the star itself pieced today and then had to quit for the day.  no point in sewing more when it becomes a tad stressful.  then i turned to bonnie's mystery.  i had cut strips earlier in the day after pulling what i could from my strip shoebox.  i'm new to the companion angle ruler, so it took a bit to get acclimated and then i got to sew.  bonnie's black is my green.  not sure how long i'll be sewing tonight but i'll show them as i go along.  i still have to get a few more green fabrics for this project as i've pulled all i have and there simply isn't enough.  how are you coming along?

it's mystery time!

that's right, today is the start of bonnie hunter's mystery called 'orca bay' in homage to her most recent alaska trip.  i'm still in my jammies but not for long.  normally i don't do mystery quilts but this one has a friendly-for-me size and i've nothing else really pressing (no pun) to do, so i'm going to see if i can keep up.  that whirring noise you'll hear a bit later on is the old viking at full tilt....care to join me?  **** last night i started quilting in the large brown triangles on the center diamond quilt.  i had to scrounge around the kitchen to find a circle the right size for my clamshells, which i'll probably start later on today.  i'm also hoping to get the feathered star assembled before turkey day plus i've got that garment item to whip up too.....good thing i got the laundry all done.