done stripping

ok, another cross off from the list.  my red strips are cut and bagged and ready to go.  my red stash is equally christmas and civil war repros so i hope whoever gets them is "into" repro fabrics.  i usually don't include holiday fabrics in swaps.  there are a few batiks in there as well.  i would always take them back...<grin>!   ***  it's rainy/misty/cloudy/cool here on the coast.  and for lunch?  roasted brussel sprouts of course..mmmmm 

last call

 

 

i've closed a few bars in my time with the ex (what was i thinking?) so for a change made our last visit to the local veggie stand yesterday morning.  they are closing on friday.  we were able to get these fresh goodies plus 2 squash that are in the root cellar--AKA the car--until it gets a bit colder.  the apartment is way too warm to keep them inside.  the zukes are for bread, the brussel sprouts for roasting, the scallions for stir-fry and quiche, the eggplant for parmesan, the potatoes for roasting and the peppers for spaghetti sauce!  the cukes will be snacks...yumm!   while it's true i am overweight from snacky type foods, i love fresh veggies and they will be sorely missed from now until next june or so.  a few winter markets have popped up offering root veggies, locally raised meat, eggs and baked goods.  occasionally we visit one, but they are pricey and variety is limited of course.  our favorite lobster pound is also closed during the week now and seasonal businesses are boarding up.  it's like much of maine hibernates for the winter except the snow lovers.  halloween approaches with a bit of trepidation because our worst snowstorm last year was on october 31st..who would have guessed? 

 

on the lookout

one of my PA chores is to track down this line of fabric, if available.  plenty of luscious repro fabrics in this line and i've been waiting for it to arrive.  my list of "needs" is made and it's short...true!  the plan is to sew for most of the retreat and keep the shopping to a minimum.  there is a lot that i want to get done sewing-wise and cavorting around retail spaces won't get it done.  i just hope i don't drool too much during my brief sojourns into fabric heaven...LOL. 

jack's back

it's that time of year again and my beloved jack is back on display from his perch in the closet.  this was made way back in the 1980s maybe, possibly late 1970s, and it's been a favorite fall decoration ever since.   familiar things like this make it feel like home no matter where i am.  **** a cool fall day here in maine.  so far i've traced some paper pieced letters for an upcoming project and also gotten some quilting done too.  got my list for the week all written out; it's going to be a busy one!  next up is get red strips prepped to swap.  no holiday for me, so off to work later.  did i mention i love this fall weather?  yep, i surely do!

sometime project progress

progress on this sometime project, meaning it will get finished some time, is seen here.  and yes, it IS applique (see previous post) and pretty good so far i think.  only 3 more blocks to do and they do work up fairly quickly, done in odd moments inbetween other tasks.  some month in 2013 will be proclaimed "little quilt month" and i will try and finish up all the little quilts i've got so far.  ***  i dare not peek at my UFO list for i know it shall make me swoon in exasperation, for the progress thus far is not what i had hoped...whoops, slipped into my jane austen mode again!  even so, you get my drift.  the pinwheel is taking much longer than planned because i'm doing more quilting on it than originally planned.  2 more finished bed quilts this year?  i think not!  i have set aside the week between christmas and new year's for the just takes 2, realizing of course, that it probably won't be near enough time but it'll get a supreme effort anyway.   stay tuned...

aaaahhhh-ctober!

i almost think october is my very favorite month.  this month on my calendar is work by kim diehl, someone whose applique work i greatly admire.  so much so, that next year's calendar IS a kim diehl calendar.  it's a worthy example to which i aspire each and every time i sit down to applique.  ***  cool and sunny here today after an unsettled, rainy and cloudy week.  more quilting on the pinwheel as well as a final must do list for the month.  it is a real fall day, the kind everyone thinks of when fall is mentioned.  *** off to run a couple of quick errands this morning and then back to quilting the pinwheel!   

green tomato pickles

though canning is not on my top 10 list of fun things to do, i decided to try my hand at some green tomato pickles.  these were always on the table at my grandmother and great-grandmothers' houses and they are very quick to make..a pre-requisite for me.  simple, simple, just slice 'em up, soak overnight, cook for half an hour and then spoon into sterilized jars.  easy, peasy and done in a flash.  i did put some cut-up peppers in the freezer, some corn fritters and also some stuffed peppers...all for later.  our freezer space is minuscule, so difficult to freeze too much.  last will be some zucchini bread.  **** day off today so spent a rich 2 hours this morning just quilting...how good is that?  **** cloudy, rainy and cool today, so inside chores are on the list, more trip prep too!

baskets so far

so this is the little basket project so far.  as you can see, i've 1 more little basket to make and then head for the repro stash looking for something for those setting triangles.  i'll probably rearrange them as well, once i finish the last one.  i've also nearly finished another of those red applique blocks too.  **** the october little quilt project is the hexie flowers but i am spending most of my sewing time quilting on the pinwheel.  to get that to the binding stage before retreat would be great, but not critical.  i think i can get the pinwheel done plus quilt another before the end of the year.  i've got 2 basted that are a bit smaller earmarked as whenever gifts that are next in line for quilting.  *** cloudy but warm for early october.  no matter, today is my friday--off to get busy!

sewing month wrapup

no, i didn't finish quilting my quilt in september but i did make great progress.  i've still 3 weeks before i go so maybe yet....and thank you, bonnie, for this challenge!  *** home from work watching "dancing" and chillin' out! 

fair quilts

two photos of the quilts that were hanging at the fair yesterday.  it was raining as we started out, but our spirits were not dampened.  took my pinwheel quilt and got quite a bit done, even though i was "working" as ambassador for the studio.  because of the rain, the outdoor entertainment was brought inside, so we got to enjoy it up close and personal.  after a "must have" fair food treat, we trekked back to maine under cloudy but dry skies.  *** october is finally here and retreat readiness goes into high gear.  still lots to do but lists are fine tuned!