done and done

whew, the feathered star block is done!  and not too shabby either, if i do say so myself.  next up is some flying geese strips and a few more blocks--2 are applique and are in progress--and then i can put this quarter of the quilt top together.  the little quilt top for my yahoo group acted as leaders
/enders for the feathered star.  so i got both done in nearly the same time with almost no thread waste.  i do use a lot of thread but the amount that goes into the trash is almost nil, thanks to this method of chain sewing.  **** i am so enjoying this "just takes 2" project as it is a bit of a challenge with all the different blocks and construction methods.  not puzzling to the point of frustration but interesting.  i have no idea what i am going to do with a 90" square quilt top or even a finished quilt that size, though.

heartful handmade gift

..
ran to the PO first thing to pick up this giftie from megan in michigan who has actually been to maine!  such heartful gifts including a finger pincushion, a birdie pincushion that will sit on top the old viking quite nicely, a nail kit and this handmade basket.  thank you, megan, for such wonderful gifts.  you should be here now as there is a bit of a glut of lobster around; shedders (soft shell) are in abundance due to early moulting and they can't be shipped, so there are lobster signs everywhere and prices are quite reasonable.  i know where part of my paycheck is going this week.....mmmmm!

count me in!

michele over at quilting gallery has posted info about this challenge and i believe i shall rise to the occasion!  in addition to finished scrappy quilts, i have basted ones and scrappies in progress also.  probably won't win, but it'll be fun to see them in a group as well as see what others make.  i almost never make matchy/matchy type quilts, buying yards of a certain fabric, though sometimes they are controlled scrappy.  *** monday again and a few housekeeping things to start the week.  other than that, will continue on with my quilty projects.  **** it's finally summer in maine and this is the season people think of when they say to me, "oh, i love maine."  they hardly ever think of february in maine fondly but then, even we who live here don't either. 

so far so good

this 15.5" feathered star square is coming along nicely, if i do say so myself.  some days when i sew, i really feel like a quilter, you know, when things go together slick like this after careful reading, cutting and preparing the fabric.   and i think i have finally conquered the feathered star phobia.  i might just have to pull out some of those patterns i've been saving from marsha mccloskey and tackle another.  now i can't wait to see this finished, perhaps today or tomorrow.  **** in addition to piecing this, i'm also assembling a little quilt from kathy tracey's yahoo group.  it's simple but with repro fabrics, really looks vintage.  i might tea dye it when it's done, too.  **** these 2 along with quilting the scrappy pinwheel and some miscellaneous sewing are taking up my allotted sewing time these days.  with triple-H weather looming later this week (hazy, hot, humid), i'll be tackling more of the small things that are basted and waiting to be quilted.  these plus a goal of finishing 4 big quilts from now to new year's is a lofty but possibly achievable goal.  the scrappy pinwheel is about 1/3 done, the center diamond just needs the last border quilted, then i have a gift quilt (autumn change) to be done and just maybe "amish in the city" too, the latter being more sofa size than bed size.  ahhhh, so many quilts........

addendum

can you tell i was miffed and tired?  no doubt.  i am guessing my message hit home because last night he parked someplace else and it was serenely quiet all night.  in a bit of fairness here, i am a light sleeper during the early morning hours.  my mother tells me when i was a baby, all she would have to do is walk across the floor near the crib and i would be sitting up with eyes wide open ready for the day.  so maybe i wouldn't slash his tires and break his windows, but the superglue on the windshield is a tantalizing vision.  thankfully i am a person who acts out with only words nearly all the time.  and i am not down on apartments per se; i've lived in some inner city housing that was never this noisy or intrusive...go figure!

short gripe

one of the tenants in our building is a complete moron.  he comes in at 3 am or so and parks right in front of my bedroom window.  he activates his car alarm and it makes the headlights flash and the horn beep twice; this he does at least twice.  it always wakes me up.  he only does it mornings on days i have to work, never on days i have off.  today i have left a nasty note taped to his window with lots of tape.  i also called the complex office and complained.  his car has new jersey plates. i wish he would go back there ASAP.  unfortunately it doesn't help me for today.  i hate his guts.  i'd like to spray super glue on his windshield.  i'd like to bang on his door and wake HIM up.  i'd like to slash his tires and break his windows.  i'd like to trip him when he's coming down the stairs (i think he lives on the 2nd floor but i'm not sure).  i hate him.  i despise him.  i loathe him.  he is a vile human being.  he is a lousy, senseless, self-absorbed idiot whose mother never taught him anything about courtesy. 

today it's back to "just takes 2" and the somewhat large, 15.5" feathered star block.  riding high on my recent success with the wallhanging, i am going to forge ahead and tackle this smaller version.  i've chosen a dark brown with the muslin to give the section some balance.  more blocks get posted today and i can't even entertain the illusion of being anywhere caught up with this project.  i am seriously persevering on busting stash and i am getting things done, albeit in a rather lombard-street manner.  as i've said before, by working on several things at once, i tend to have a flurry of finishes at once also.  off to get dressed for the day and comingle with the old viking.  how good is that?

a maine summer breakfast

what's not to like?  fresh, juicy fruit (no sugar added!), a fluffy biscuit and a dollop of sweet dairy....a delish pyramid!  today is my dad's birthday and though he is no longer with us, we always honor his memory by enjoying fresh, sweet strawberries.  i can take or leave strawberry shortcake, but i love the whole fresh berries when they are a bit over-ripe, sweet and juicy.  that is how i enjoy berries best, plain all by themselves.  ***** on tap today?  physical appointment, long overdue, and sewing of course! 

quilting detour

though my quilting time is focused on the scrappy pinwheel, i took a short detour to this small piece yesterday.  it was service day for the car, 2 hours' worth, so i pulled this out and put it in the frame to take with me to pass the time and, hopefully, close in on a june finish.  in the time i was waiting, i got this nearly half quilted.  it's free form, no marking, and i can definitely finish this in june....the scrappy finish is iffy due to weather and warmth of working on the wool quilt batt.  **** since retreat is getting closer, i need to make up a couple of kits to take with me, in addition to the civil war diary quilt project.  **** i haven't worked on "just takes 2" for about a week now and in 2 days more blocks will be posted.  in a week filled with errands plus work, i've been hard pressed to find much sewing time at all.  between the car mechanic, doctor, dentist and a bit of grocery shopping, not to mention a few household chores, the old viking and little phoebe have been found wanting.  i hope that changes soon.

escape from the comfort zone

this quilt is based on one i saw in the book "city quilts" by cheri harris.  i call mine "amish in the city," and it is certainly not my usual style of quilt.  now that i see it all together (and the shoebox empty,  yay), i wish i had a large wall so it could hang rather than drape over the sofa which, by the way, will soon be gone...no room!  it will be hand quilted and then bound with the turquoise, see in the 2 bookend blocks, although the one in front left corner appears off shade due to camera flash.  not sure yet how it will be quilted.  **** monday again so soon?  hard to believe july is a little over 2 weeks away.  funny, when i wasn't working at all, there were endless days with nothing to do.  now that i'm working only part time, it seems every day is packed with tasks.  i am still managing to get sewing or quilting into every day and the pinwheel just might be done this month!