a "busy" day....

as mentioned, among other plans for the day was a visit to cyndi's shop "the busy thimble."  as you can see, it is oh-so quaint and country looking with a nice picnic table out front for warmer days.  on the porch were some sale bolts but nothing called to me as i walked by.  inside the little shop was full of shoppers and many bolts of lovely reproduction fabrics.  i had pre- ordered my "indigo crossing" so just browsed while others were served.  along with the ordered fabric, i selected a couple of jo morton fabrics, some "new colonies", some FQs earmarked for projects and 2 cheddar solids....photos to follow another day.  good thing i spent the time before leaving sewing up and cutting up....i need the room!  on the wall was a log cabin done in barn raising style; blocks were about 3.5" finished.....simply gorgeous!  cyndi's love of small quilts is evidenced by the many on display.  i'll be making another pilgrimage in early april to see new goodies not yet arrived.  if you love reproduction fabrics and are ever in maine, you simply MUST go here. 

baby emma progress

ok, so this is my baby emma center block so far.  i admit the applique intimidated me just a tad, but proceeding carefully resulted in a pretty good look.  still a bit more to do for the finished block; then on to the patchwork part.  i think these fabrics are totally gorgeous, they are jo morton's "spice market" and such rich hues.  this project is for odd moments and it just proves how much can be accomplished in time that might otherwise be wasted or frittered away.  **** slow start this morning due to a serious bad habit of mine....reading too late.  finished "gone girl" and it is scarier at the end than in the beginning.  have to find something not so intense for late night after work wind down for sure!  **** now on to the ironing station for some boring but necessary tasks.  

finished blocks

all 12 blocks for the scrappy indigo are done!  here are the 2 piles--6 of each.  i'm now working on the flying geese border and thinking about using those little bonus triangle HSTs...or not.  during quiltcam bonnie remarked about the beauty of blue and white quilts and i totally agree!  in addition to machine work, i've been quilting on the autumn change, hoping for a finish by the end of march.  **** boston commons has returned from the longarmer and is basted, waiting for quilting as well.  one day soon must put up the large folding table and tie the batik/plum and baste a whole stack of the little quilts.  i am thinking to spend one whole month finishing up the little ones some time when the weather is much warmer, which is definitely NOT february.  after our brief sojourn into spring, it's back frigid and very windy.  **** and if you read, you MUST get "gone, girl".....a completely riveting and "can't put down" book.  now back to the regularly scheduled sewing!

busy blading....

in addition to some machine piecing here and there and some hand quilting in odd moments during TV, i've been kitting up some projects.  to the right of the rotary cutter are pieces for my laptop bag and the kim diehl tablerunner; to the left are pieces for the plus quilt and a batik stars project.  they're boring, repetitious tasks that i can do when watching TV mysteries.  my next blading task is to finish pieces for a bag workshop coming up before the end of the month.  i also got the binding ready for "christmas wishes" for whenever it gets quilted.  **** speaking of quilting, autumn change is about 2/3 finished and soon i'll have to find a binding for that.  i also got the back ready for the batik/plum quilt, hoping to get that finished and gone before the end of march....or sooner!  *** yesterday it was actually spring here with temps above 50 degrees.  mom and I had lunch at Billy's Chowder House....fresh haddock and maine shrimp....simply delish!  if you are in Wells at any time, you MUST go there for the food and the view overlooking the bay.  even in winter it is beautiful! 

now it's february

just yesterday finally got my little heart wallhanging up for the month, or what's left anyway.  i did flip the calendar on the 1st, which i really hated to do because this kim diehl calendar is soo, sooo gorgeous!  this month's table topper is from her book "simply scraps," which denise kindly loaned me for a bit.  **** got my little washed batik strips all packed and ready to go for this month's swap.  *** and yes, we got more of that awful snow yesterday, can you believe?  today, though, temps are in the 30s already, it's clear and sunny, so it's going to be a melting day for sure! 

the bonus round

sunday's sewing focused on the scrappy indigo flimsy.  after sewing a gazillion (well about 200) flying geese units, i had a stack of bonus triangles left over.  i used to toss these in the trash but the price of fabric and my own inner frugal self just wouldn't let me.  so chain piecing took up a bit of my time and resulted in this stack.  more little HSTs that make me quite happy!  i am hoping to incorporate them into this quilt somehow.  so this project is well on its way to flimsy stage.  **** last week i caved and added 4 more clear shoeboxes, i simply had to, so some reorg was in order to find space for them.  **** sunday i also cut batik strips for an upcoming swap.  **** winter continues here in coastal maine with more precip coming; we're oh-so hoping it will be rain, which will wash away a few snow himalayas....hurry up spring!

batik backing

hoffman's "a year in the meadow"

while denise and i were shop-hopping, i found this pretty hoffman print that will be used to back the batik and plum flimsy.  i agree, it is too pretty to use as a backing but it was the end of bolt, nearly 3 yards at a whopping $3, and even with my fuzzy math, that's one dollar per yard so the price is definitely right.  i am hoping there will be some scraps leftover as it is such a pretty print.  back when i was first starting quilting, hoffman prints were the rolls royce of quilting fabrics and for me they still are.  **** all is calm and bright here after the storm with a sliver of orange on the horizon heralding the coming sunrise.  still very cold but clear is good.  **** today's task is to tidy the sewing space and get in some sewing time before the week starts again.  and i've got to hang my february wallhanging, finally!

marshmallow world

it's winter and it's a blizzard; to be sure a bit worse than we've seen in oh 35 years, but they do come now and then.  we are in full disaster mode here--provisions at the ready that can be consumed at room temp, plenty of warm clothes, windows packed to keep out fierce winds--now we just wait....with power luckily!

mod sewing

during quilt cam tonight, sewed up these little 3.5 inch kansas dugout blocks from the mod fabrics i picked up in lancaster last october.  i have a project in mind and will need a few more, like 40 or so.  but they sew up quick as you can see.  they are from a stack of 25 FQs i got at burkholder's and, after getting them home and washed, grouped the ones that had similar colors to think about what i might do with them.  i think they are kinda cute; there are a couple more fabrics i haven't used yet, one being a neutral geometric print, which i think should give the eye some rest from these.  the turquoise swirly print was from my stash though.   the project is a bag for my laptop.  **** and yes, we ARE in the midst of a HUGE blizzard here.  so far today it wasn't THAT bad, but supposedly the worst will be thru tonight and tomorrow morning.  i am pretty sure i have enough UFOs to keep me busy, providing the power stays on.  

an unexpected gift....

from a new face-to-face friend.  today denise was able to take time from her busy country life showing me around to some new-to-me shops.  it was cold but sunny and, more important, clear roads.  she and i just finished our "christmas wishes" flimsies and hers is soooo christmas-y with gorgeous green and red prints, like mine, but different of course.  she gifted me with these special items...the book, scissors, some FQs and her delish home-made jam!  i know what i'm having for breakfast tomorrow!  a yummy lunch was enjoyed with lots of girl chat and getting to know one another.  i got to see her adorable chickens as well.  we ended the day early afternoon to get ready for our coming blizzard, each with plans to get some sewing done while housebound, no doubt.  ****  now i'm making a quiche and cooking a pizza, foods that can be eaten at room temp should the need arise.  i might have to have my breakfast jam tonight just in case....