up to date...almost....

with the farmer's wife sew along now that these are done...

finally got the papers all out of these blocks, each with lots of little pieces.  been working on the 365 as well as currently about 2 wks behind on those blocks...but have cut the pieces and once i sit down and sew for a bit, will be caught up as they work up fairly quickly.   busy with settling in issues and finding my way...thank you mapquest!  making lists of where to go once all the unpacking is done, which is still on hold for the van to arrive.  while i love having a professional mover, working within their timetable is simply awful.  and one of the places i found first was this....yep, chick-fil-a...my all-time favorite chicken place.  the day i visited it was school vacation and the restaurant, parking lot and drive-thru were all mobbed. 

this town is so quaint and historical.  the downtown area is chock full of little brick rowhouses that must date back at least 200 years, plus 2 huge park areas, a modern library, an arts center, and plenty of unique stores.  it is so easy (relatively) to find one's way despite the glut of one-way streets and alleys that also surely date back to colonial times.  and francis scott key, the author of our national anthem?  he would be glad to know they have named a mall after him...LOL!  ***  still hugely sleep deprived due to my non-bunk while waiting for furniture.  caffeine only works so long and then it's nap time again.  ***  senior center quilting this morning despite pouring rain.  phoebe and i ventured out with the 365 blocks for some quilty sharing....but no chocolate (hear that vic?)!   then home--love that word home--for a quick lunch and a few errands.  did i mention i really love it here? 

secret sewing

signed up for doll quilt swap and that is what is currently on board, that plus catching up on farmer's wife...yesterday made 4 blocks in 4 hours and have only 2 more to go.  as for 365, well that is another story.   about 10 days behind on that one, but it's a matter of spending a few hours to get current....as for life in maryland, am loving it!  hoping this is the week of the van's arrival....am still giddy as a school girl at having my own apartment.  at night just sit and look around, placing things and thinking about how it will look.  have connected with a church very close by as well.  mail is arriving in my mailbox, so guess that means i'm sorta settled.  the craft room is being well used by me, as i can sit and sew, spread my stuff out and watch TV as well...hoping to have photos tomorrow of my blocks.  maybe will get some 365 done today as well....weather is cooler and windy and wild.  had to actually wear my wool hat and jacket this morning.  am told this will change soon, tho.   now off to spend the day!

surprise finish...

the little wallhanging found in a box used as packing material is now done, washed and ready to hang on my apartment door....

colors are a bit brighter than actual due to sunlight pouring in but it's a keeper for now...has to be 3-4 years old anyway due to fabrics....so that's 2 projects this month that are finished and with the moving van coming within the week, all my UFOs will be in plain sight to nudge me on to more finishes...not much doing until then.  another gorgeous day for finding my way around and picking up few foodstuffs.  went in to my new bank and the woman told me about a terrific greek restaurant close by....mmmm greek salad, i am ready for that!   still flying high on having an apartment with my own bathroom, kitchen and sewing studio.  have diagram all ready for when stuff arrives so can get up to speed on sew alongs ASAP....wishing you all the very best day! 

getting settled...sort of....

my cable isn't in yet so posting from a public computer aka nothing here to upload, just a brief update.  been exploring some and made only a few wrong turns so far.  have found important places like grocery store, library, chick-fil-a, walmart, gas stations, etc....just past day or so have gotten down to sewing on the surprise wallhanging used as packing material in a box.  glad to say it is ready to bind and will be a march finish, yay!  movers coming in about a week so remainder of unpacking is on hold until then.  have managed to apply for a few jobs as imperative to find work of some sort to support my quilty habits and pay student loans.  and the complex?  very lovely, lots of friendly people, lots of amenities and comforts.  feels strange having my own little kitchen again!  coming here from gray  New England was like stepping into Oz...everything in living color and lots of green!  hoping to have pictures next post.  have contacted a couple of guilds and planning visits soon, and quilting at the senior center is Thursday, so lots of opportunities to sew!  and even tho I live in senior housing, didn't feel "senior" until today when reading that Patty Duke had died...oh my....until next time!

the street where i live....

yes, have finally arrived in maryland at my new senior housing complex (thursday) and signed my lease friday so homeless no more!  nobody is happier than me, i can tell you...

of course there is NO SNOW here at all...spring is in full swing and loving it! my apartment is newly renovated and very nice...lots of amenities like many senior digs. just today got the car finally emptied, a huge task! had a nice trip down over 2 days, my brother came with me and drove.  he is a keeper, i will tell you!  things will improve once the moving van arrives with bed and rest of my household and sewing things.   for now roughing it and taking ibuprofen regularly...LOL!  of course parting with my maine family was tough, but closer to my one and only peep who has been in touch and is visiting soon.  feels so strange living alone again after so long, but have connected with senior center close by and next week library and guilds.  do not plan to hermit in the room by myself all the time if it can be helped.  course, a little job of some sort is on the agenda too as student loans always loom large.  ***  traveling through PA my brother desired to stop at the martin guitar factory and i was happy we did...it made him beam from ear to ear...a short visit but a life-long memorable one....i took this photo of him....he is my hero this week for sure.  made the trip fun and seem shorter than usual. *** posts will be sporadic until comcast and i touch base. and did i mention?  there is a craft room that was said that nobody uses....until now that is!  

a finish!

couldn't let march go until a finish was posted....the summer sampler sew along from last summer is done!  the blocks are small at 4" finished and it is a bit larger than first realized.  it'll hang at mum's and pretty up her place, along with the table topper and valance, both with red.  more little blocks done but still lagging behind a bit.  lots of nonquilty things going on this week, so not sure how much sewing will actually get done.  *** winter is back and it's a SNOW day, 3-6" the weather guru says, but won't last due to longer, sunnier days and warmer temps.  it's the last gasp, no doubt---we hope anyway. 

let's celebrate!

definitely NOT a hallmark holiday but one to celebrate regardless...

and expect all the faithful will gather round the machine or hoop or cutting table to play.  alas, today is a work day for me, but most days i do get to play with my quilty doodads and beautiful stash fabrics.  sewing on the 365 blocks continues as well as farmer's wife blocks.  now that have rebounded from the late winter crud, hope to sew play even more.  ***  and even though THAT WORD aka SNOW cropped up again this weekend, looks like it is swerving out to sea and spring can officially begin tomorrow.  has been a blissfully brief and warm winter with ice out earlier than usual and even opening up fishing season much earlier than normal.  now all that is needed is a place to live....sigh....today would be good!

luck of the irish?

even though i am not personally of irish descent, perhaps some of the luck of the leprecaun was with me today.  2 months ago the binding for the summer sampler was cut and rolled for today, when it was time to pin it on.  now, binding is something i almost never measure, rather cut by eye and add a bit for insurance.  so wasn't worried as i started pinning it on, and then this happened...

got to the end of the binding, which fit perfectly except for these 2 little ends...that's all that was left.  would never happen again in a million years no doubt, but today, thanks to those leprecauns maybe, i was a happy quilter.  now off to finish and cross off a UFO!

throwback thursday

while doing some file housekeeping of the laptop, saw this photo taken at the gerald roy exhibit in NH a few years ago and wanted to share with you.  it's a pattern that has caught my eye recently and might be a future project.

in the meantime, just about ready to start binding on the summer sampler, so should be a soon finish.  no new stash and it's getting easier to delete those fabric sale emails.  of course, all bets are off when at retreat later this year....lol!   no green beer in my day's agenda, just some block sewing and quilting, which is way better in my mind.  wouldn't turn down a green bagel tho....top o' the morning to you!

in good company

catching up on blogs early this monday spring morning and find that several are in the same boat....that is, experiencing some sort of illness that, while not serious, has resulted in sewing hiatus.  did manage to get together one FWS block last night and also cut pieces for several 365 squares.  despite the slow down, enjoying super spring temps that are breaking records nearly every day here in lobsterville usa!  also like several bloggers, have added NO new stash this week, so maintaining the status quo which is good indeed.   included this photo taken by me 2 years ago on a trip to maryland...it was april and this cherry tree was in full bloom...isn't it gorgeous?   and if it's monday, then it's a work day.....lucky me!