lazy wednesday afternoon....

but did manage to get the latest "westering women" block done, not too soon either as the next will post in a week....not sure what will do with these blocks when done, but love the colors. this is penny rose's "indigo and cheddar" line...

first up, tho, was to remake the 365 block--done and added to the border--and then tweak the block top left, which somehow came out just a smidgen too large.  refused to go on until it was done and the right size.   the center block got cut just a tad too large, no doubt it was "pilot error"....lol....shouldn't drive and rotary cut at the same time!   ***  yesterday was simply delightful warm day with NO humidity, making it downright pleasant.   windows open for a change, soaking up fresh air before the big heat arrives friday.  almost feels like a touch of fall, if only for a day.  ***   no blocks today as senior center this AM and a wake this afternoon...and tomorrow is road trip day but saturday, sunday and monday are indoor days...i'll be cool but the old viking will be hot, hot, hot!  so very fortunate to be able to stay in cool a/c with no job responsibilities.   and don't worry, stocked up on diet pepsi too!

coming together!

it's the 365 and even tho one more border needs attaching, couldn't resist showing it....one block was waaaaaay too small--not sure how THAT happened--so it's a do over, and there are 2 more hiding someplace before i can sew on the final border.   but this is definitely a WOW project!

wasn't sure i'd like the different colors, but really they are mostly very light and in this photo not too distinctive.   just 4 little blocks for getting current; tend to sit down every so often and do 4-5 at a time.  and gotta hunt up those 2 errant blocks....so nice living by myself with NO roommates means they are definitely here someplace and didn't grow legs.  and if they can't be found, will just hold off until the next round of light blocks and make 2 extra...easy peasy!  only 5 months left and have to say, being involved in this has made the year go pretty fast.  rough plan for the remainder of 2016 is some charity sewing that will go to the top of the list, finish out the farmer's wife blocks and get to the flimsy stage, pull out brackman stars and get those into a flimsy, finish as many things as possible from the UFO list....think that's enough???   ***  enjoying brief respite from a/c with nice 80s temps and windows wide open for a change--if only for a day!  now go out there and quilt something!

done on monday!

always good to start the week off with a finish, even a little one like this...

even a little scrappy project like this is sooo pretty i think....everything came from the scrap basket, even the binding that was already cut and wrapped on a paper towel holder.   but if you look close at the back--a neutral print--it's wrong side out...LOL!   can only tell if you look close as it's a light tan print so it's staying that way.   this got started a few years ago when a different 365 challenge was going around...that of making a little paper pieced house block every day.  i wisely deferred but couldn't resist making up a few.  ***  decided to put the pink reel piece aside and continue quilting on a donation quilt.  with quite a few charity projects in the works, think probably should concentrate on getting those done.  plus after quilting on this, eager to continue doing the part i like the most--the hand quilting!  ***  heat continues here but hey, it's summer right?  with august only 2 weeks from today, many say it'll starting cooling a bit in another month or so.  and it's another busy week for someone who has no real job; makes me feel like a malingerer or some kind of slug...so i've had to ignore those feelings and keep busy doing meaningful things....aside from surfing the web, that is!

a quick finish?

swapped out the quilt in the hoop for this little house wallhanging hoping for a quick finish....july is half over and must make sure at least one UFO gets done...it's an homage to my first quilting teacher who had a shop called "the red door country store," and still have scraps of some of her fabrics someplace, whether as cut up units or scraps in the basket. 

waiting in the wings is the pink virginia reel all basted.  these 2 little items don't rack up much in yardage used, but do make the to do list shorter. did bust 2 yards of nonquilty sewing this week, so that about evens out as picked up 2.75 yards in sauder's sale of some very lights for those i've used in the 365 blocks. 

the fabric on extreme left--white with gray clouds--was a freebie FQ from sauder's.   ***  new issue of QUILTMANIA arrived and pleased to see an article on gerald roy and some of his antique quilts, many of which were crib or doll size.  vic in NH and i went to his hometown of warner, nh, last fall for an exhibit of over 100 from his collection--a real treat indeed!  ***  and speaking of blocks, just 4 little ones to sew up today and then it's farmer's wife.  first up is giving the old viking a break to cool off!

see what i mean?

barely 9 am and already 4 little blocks done leaving me with 7 to get caught up....i might even have time today for my 1.5 hours of intense housework...lol!

course, still wearing my pjs but that'll change as soon as i post this....next up is catchup with the farmer's wife sew along...now that i have the background fabric (see earlier post), can soon start to put that flimsy together.   ***  whew...whirlwind year with lots of memorables, not the least of which was the big move from new england here to maryland.  it's been a hot week and if it weren't for volunteering at vacation bible school, would not have ventured out much.  plenty of projects lined up for indoor sewing until temps modulate...and glad to say on the downside of the 365.  it has been a HUGE commitment and have to say machine piecing skills have improved, but is a big time involvement as well.  thinking ahead to 2017 now and then and what projects will be tackled....have 2 UFOs in particular that still need a lot of work, and there is stashbuster talk about a double wedding ring quilt sew along as well.  and to paraphrase a popular idiom, "teach a girl to sew and she'll have pleasure for a lifetime."  

switcheroo

just 2 more light blocks and it'll be back to the small, dark blocks--that'll be 72 in all that will be finished.  this is the most recent batch...and that pink/white bottom middle...oooohh vicious to piece i tell ya!  and my first block to do will be july 5th so one week behind....can't believe it!  have been sewing my fingers to the bone....seriously!  and the little blocks are so much quicker to piece obviously....even tho some of have lots of pieces.  ***  busy week here for a change with hot weather continuing every day.  in maine we have occasional hot days but never more than a week's worth, so it is a matter of just assuming that every day will be so.  have given up poring over the weather channel...lol!   nothing much to do but stay inside and sew, not really a hardship for me!   

lancaster acquisitions

so here is what i bought...first, background for the farmer's wife sew-along....got this out of the bargain room at fabric shack, few color choices so some of the blocks might blend in too much; can always swap them out but the price was right

and a remnant (top fabric) and some FQs; not pictured a yard of a particular blue for binding for a donation quilt.

the bottom is a jinny beyer and such a lovely red paisley....as you might know, most of my stash is half yards or FQs, so occasionally must purchase something for a binding.  for myself i go scrappy, but for a donation, looks better if it matches all the way around.   the total yardage came to just 6 3/8 yards so still ahead for the year.   most likely will make another trip or two before year's end....after the new jo morton is out and some of the christmas stuff is available too.   finishing up some of these donation projects should give me a significant outgo of fabric for the year.   at some point, will have to pick up some wide muslin yardage for backs.  only went to the one shop as i found all i needed; no point in flirting with temptation.  other purchases were veggies, some meat products and the required whoopie pie.  all in all, it was a very nice excursion.   best part was being with my daughter and son-in-law in the beautiful pennsylvania countryside....priceless!

quilty news from the hot zone

my DD keeps asking me how i am tolerating the heat and humidity now that it has arrived to stay, like every day...LOL!  well, so far so good, and especially good for sewing and quilting too!  this has now been placed in the hoop and the quilting has begun.  it has a destination so it must be completed before end of summer.  vic in NH gifted  me with this jelly roll--fabric line aptly named "grace"--so put this twin size together.  the white central squares set the colors off very nicely.

also got the milky way masquerade (aka batik stars) basted and ready to quilt as well.  my summer job of quilting a queen size DWR is no more, so can get back to my own stuff.  course, this means there are no funds for my fall retreat in lancaster either, which really disappoints me a lot.   this is the 2nd year i've not been able to go and really going to miss it a lot.  even though i can hop on up to lancaster myself, it just isn't the same as a week-long sleepover with like-minded pals who are totally fun!  *** speaking of lancaster, DD and her hub and i went today and admit i fell off the no-buy wagon just a skosh...except for a few FQs and a remnant, everything was needed so that nearly eliminated the sting of buying.  will post photo later.  ***  busy quilty week here with plans to get some quilts together to aid the WV flood victims, a quilt of valor all basted and a couple of lap robes in process.  nothing to do but keep cool and quilt on!

bit o' playtime...

another UFO, and the one with the least amount done, is a bricks and steppingstones quilt done in plaids.  i have twin nephews and decided to make them each a quilt.  their older sister already has one.  had cut a bunch of strips and the center squares for this but until the other day, hadn't actually sewn anything.  hence, this first block. 

think it looks pretty manly made from cut up shirts and some plaids bought at marden's.  just the first block, but once the strips are cut, should work up pretty quickly i'd think.   might use a red for the centers on the 2nd quilt, but i do like the cheddar!   ***  with the 365 project and now this, the very lights stash is dwindling so will add that to my lancaster shopping list.  those plus a background solid for the farmer's wife, a bit of solid black and the new jo morton "gratitude" and maybe some of barbara brackman's new blues....oh and that adorable alpine christmas line by pink chandelier too....better stop there!  ***  it's guild week here, managed to join 2 guilds that meet a day apart once a month, so it's quilty feast week for sure.  ***  and our senior center group has decided to do a QOV and make a presentation on veteran's day, hoping not only to honor a local vet but perhaps generate some new quilters to our group.  ***  it's a hot week here in maryland with days over 90....ideal for cranking up the a/c and sewing!  

from every mountainside....

let freedom ring!   proud to say i am a descendant of revolutionary patriots, even though their decision to fight was defense of their livelihood and not any great desire to be free from England; until British ships came into port to commandeer their lumber, they were loyalists!!!!

in college, i took a course called "literature and culture of the early republic," studying printed materials like newspapers, pamphlets and books.  an assignment was to visit the library's special collections and take a look at some examples.  my choice was a book by john adams....what an awesome feeling it was to hold such a tome in my hands (with gloves) and actually read the words of such a great man.  have ridden by the adams "farm" (now in the middle of a bustling city) often but never actually took the tour...and of course, he and abigail are buried in a quincy church...lots of history in that area.  can only say i am grieved by so much of politics today...what would our founding fathers say?  would they think it had been worth the cost?  they were not perfect men, but courageous visionaries trying to extricate this new land--and keep it--from tyranny...   ***  pondering these thoughts by sewing on the current projects, the 365 and DWR....   finally took a break from blocks to attach the inner dark border of little squares and am pleased with the result.   only 8 blocks from being current too!   once up to date, going to sew on the next border, the lights made of 6" finished blocks.   will be anxious to tally the yardage used when top is done....here is a photo...

so glad decided to do this sew along....and seeing it coming together fuels my quilty muse....been keeping a pile of scraps on the ironing station to use for these blocks and it is actually diminishing....good news indeed!