God bless us everyone!

wishing all my blog peeps the most wonderful Christmas and holiday season....posting again one of my very favorite decorations--fabric rendition of an art project from my daughter's school days...

woodstock is ready for Christmas and so am I....already received some lovely gifts via the mail truck that i'll show another day....until then, keep calm and celebrate!

it's a tree!

whereas previously got my christmas tree in maine or massachusetts--a live one--this year had to venture a bit more south, like the amazon!   lol....like most congregate housing, live trees are not permitted so plan B resulted in this one. it was an easy choice...homeless or fake tree?  just big enough for all my lights that were new last year (and thus safe) and most of the ornaments collected over the years.  so homey revisiting old friends and christmases past....it's easy up and easy store and that suits me fine.  no more wrestling boughs and removing pitch from various limbs or dealing with saws/hatchets.  i do miss a real tree though, but again, the choice was a no brainer.  now bring on christmas!

on the sewing front, another horrific block got finished...took me all day inbetween other tasks....and then some hand sewing.  will be posting another finish for sure before the year ends.  and since the new year will be a downton year for me, you can practice calling me "your ladyship"....

first 2017 resolution...

resolve to relinquish my self-appointed job as fabric archivist and shop exclusively (if at all possible) to sew from my (ahem) extensive collection.   no reason to try and rival smithsonian here...

of course, this resolution in no way applies to jo morton collections, kaffe fassett releases or patriotic bundles (nordic stitches, april release)  oh, and those pam buda cheddars and always-gorgeous kim diehls either....otherwise, intend to fully determinedly firmly hope to comply.  course, some kona white and good muslin needed for backgrounds and backings need to be acquired for some current and new fun projects in the works.  can't tell you how freeing it is to make this decision...all this time thought i was just a quilter but turns out was preserving it for posterity as a learning tool...who knew?   in fact, think i'll get started now....

counting down

as of today at 9 am, only 22 blocks left, plus corners....already thinking about what will get sewn when this is done....first up is the farmer's wife flimsy and westering women....maybe....plus all those UFOs and WIPs....

the left side block was a real grinch...part of the issue is that when i print out the directions, i do them in gray tones to save ink and that can create an even bigger challenge....this was the december 9th block and the next, december 10th, isn't quite so difficult......and today's happiness?

 

my very own door to display christmas cards....seems like a small thing but to me it means so very much....that and NO SNOW!   if i get lonesome for snow, only have to travel about half an hour or so north and there'll be some and it'll come our way eventually, but for now it's great!

quick detour

although i did get one 365 block done on sunday, most of my sewing time was finishing up this little festive flimsy....hoping to get it quilted and done before 2016 is history....

these are so darn fun to make...now thinking of other color combos.  can barely see the tiny light gray rectangles meant to be the tops of the ornaments as that was all that was in the stash, so making another will require a tiny purchase of a darker value.   i might possibly have enough background left for binding, but if not, it'll be red print.  just goes to show, if you hang onto a piece of fabric long enough, a perfect use will "materialize"....oooh, no pun intended!   it's festive and not quite bright enough to be seen from space, just the north pole....   ***  today's hopefully the last day out and about doing holiday stuff.  the 365 blocks are never far from my mind.  and white christmas?  weatherman is predicting 50 degrees so i'd say no....just loving this maryland style winter!

25 to go.....

plus the 4 corner squares....hope to finish a couple more today and maybe even sew something different for a change!  

slippery weather kept me indoors all day saturday so binge-watched 'midsomer murders' and sewed up my own storm.   spent the evening with quilting hoop in lap working on another UFO.  most of my christmasy stuff is done, save for decorating the tree and one more party.  some time this week will pull fabrics for the corner squares.   the finish is becoming a reality....hoping will get time the week between christmas and new year's to rough out goals and do some organizing before 2017 starts....this year has been my own version of  'it's a wonderful life' even with all the challenges and disappointments.  betting you feel the same....

on to december!

these are the last of the november blocks and now to start december's!   this is exciting indeed as there are some fairly simple ones and a couple of  "corkers" to use an old phrase.  that light at the end of this year-long tunnel is getting brighter every day.   can't say enough that this has been a huge challenge, but pretty satisfied with the result.  doubting more and more that a regular batt will be used to finish, unless the destination is the arctic.  the flimsy is quite weighty and even flannel will make it more than warm for most winter climates.  nonetheless, that is a future dilemma.  for right now enjoying the almost success....and the finish can't come soon enough....

color me happy

everyone knows that happiness is contingent on happenings, and for right now am pretty happy...not only did i finish another block that went together perfectly and quickly...

but the paper doll fabric on the right is perfect for the bonnie hunter mystery and will finally get used up.  this goes back to about 2000 when i frequented a lovely fabric shop in downtown boston called "windmill fabrics" in the heart of chinatown.  though their supply of any one kind of fabric was limited, the buys were fantastic.  in addition to this fabric, bought several woolens for a coat, a blazer and a couple of skirts that all got worn frequently...the coat i still have, the blazer got stolen from a church (true) and the skirts ended up at the thrift along with my other business suits.  and even though the paper dolls will be gone, the memories, of course, are priceless.  while happiness is here for now, it is fleeting and fickle.  more blocks on the horizon and some for the next week are totally hideous.  and will not make me happy, i'm certain.  even so, am bountifully blessed and that is neither fickle nor fleeting, for me anyway.    

december finish

or it should be anyway....this is in my hoop today and anticipate it'll be OFF the UFO list for 2017, knocking me down to (gulp) 35 that includes a fair number of bed size projects.

love the fabrics in this piece and am thinking of a turquoise binding, but maybe it'll be navy instead.  and holiday decorating is done except for my tree, which hoping to find tomorrow....so instead will show you the tree seen at the Eisenhower farm adorned with 50s era glass bulbs and even some from nikita khruschev no less!   it was fake but the Eisenhowers had a real tree, of course.  now, though, cookie baking calls....

starting toward the finish

of the 365 of course....working on the final border of 6" (finished) blocks....plus bonnie hunter's mystery as leaders/enders.   is a terrific feeling indeed to know that it is entirely possible these blocks will be done come end of the month.  not sure if that includes the 4 corner blocks or not, but even so, the majority will be finished. 

first month of 2017 will be spent getting the flimsy together, finishing up the farmer's wife blocks (still 8 more to make) and the last few of barbara brackman's westering women.  have run consistently a tad behind on this due to diversions like friday when ventured up to gettysburg again for a tour of the eisenhower farm that was decorated for christmas.  crossing the threshold is like stepping back in time with its 1950s/60s era style and decor.  it is located adjacent to the battlefield and was delightful and very interesting.  of course i remember ike and mamie very well, but knew few of the details of their lives that included multiple moves, lost children, visiting dignitaries and prize angus cattle.  heartily recommend if you are in the area.  i'll sign off with views of the outside main house and one of ike's paintings that hangs in the home....