this and that

monday awoke with every good intention to tackle some housework....only takes a couple of hours and wanted to get it done for the week....but my quilty mojo had other ideas.  while tidying up to vacuum, spied this stack of leftovers of cheddar and indigo and wondered what i could use them for....recently saw a doll quilt done in a braid and decided to try it...

yep, these will do nicely and should almost bust this little pile, but back to vacuum....before could pull out the machine, checked email and once again saw my stickie note about "wild turkeys"....plus ads for christmas fabrics...yikes, christmas already?  better get my turkeys done first....so located the templates i had prepared and went to the stash for fabrics....found these nice plaids and some fallish cottons and next thing i know, here they are ready to applique....but back to the vacuum....finally! 

by evening after supper AND vacuuming was done, sat for some TV with this project...the senior center's QOV.   this quilt was in the frame when i arrived last year with the intent of everyone doing the quilting, which didn't happen.  before you could say "red white and blue" i volunteered to finish the quilting, so it's my early summer project.  have a good head start, and we are hoping for maybe a july 4th presentation or veterans' day if not....

today's plan is to finish up the housework--honestly it is--and then more sewing of some sort...so nice to have plenty of choices!

monday finish

it's the rambling rose wallhanging now ready to hang up in my apartment!  the institutional everything beige walls will set this off nicely....when i used the dark brown for the geese, i thought they were too dark in comparison to other shades in this layer cake.  but once the green border was on, they toned down nicely and i'm glad i chose to use that color sparingly.  i'm a fan of fabric designer sandy gervais and her color combos and this is no exception....

looks like summer is headed our way this week with temps at 90 on the horizon.  and hope your mother's day was as awesome as mine....just being able to be with my daughter and SIL was priceless!  no real plans for monday except household stuff and probably sew...how good is that?

worthy....

of all my love and honor today and every day....

since i was the first, aka the 'trainee' child, she'll tell you she was more strict with me than the sibs, and even now at age 90, she'll point out her mothering faults....but i've got no complaints whatsoever.  in fact, as we grow older together, i see more and more of her unconditional and unfailing love and devotion, wisdom and compassion.  as we honor our moms today, can't forget there are those for whom today is a heartbreak for absent mothers, for mothering dreams unfulfilled....makes me feel just a tad guilty for still being able to talk, chat, laugh and send blessings to mine....

easy peasy?

not by a long shot....the book describes this as a long-term project, not to be rushed, and after getting just one row done, i can see why.  it's probably made more so by how fabrics are placed.  and while i was ho-hum about this after a couple of blocks, am now starting to get more interested and can't wait to see row 2 finished when the first 2 gray/white accent designs will be complete. 

even tho pattern came from the book "modern neutrals," this in no way describes my version.  am already thinking about how it will look after quilting is done...again many thanks go to stashbuster pals who so generously shared their orange scraps with me; just wondering now if i have enough!!  will know better after another couple of rows are done.  now you know how i'll be spending part of my summer vacation....

sew along progress?

not sure progress is the right word...here we are nearly halfway into the year and only these measly arcs done...i keep them next to the machine for leaders/enders but also use whatever project i'm working on, so not many arcs get done. 

nice and scrappy as i'd hoped...have white for the background; maybe this weekend can get some centers and melons cut and start assembling blocks.  ***  the rambling rose piece is nearly ready to bind.  the orange mod is on deck.   that's enough for this weekend anyway.   can't believe friday has rolled around again...when i worked, the weeks flew by and i thought it was the job....nope!

bargain basement

pattern by bonnie hunter, fabric selection and construction by me!  have never seen this pattern made by anyone else on the net, but it drew me in, partly because of the name...who doesn't love a bargain!  many years ago in quincy, massachusetts, was a delightful shopping place called the bargain center...and it was chock full of bargains galore. my mother got my baby sister's entire layette there and it was always the first stop for back to school.   then there was filene's bargain basement, also a haven for the thrifty....prices there got marked down every 7 days and every item had a tag showing the date of the last markdown and the ever-decreasing price.  those were the days...both places now just memories.  as for THIS bargain, finally got to dive into my plaid stash and am really happy with the outcome.  the use of very lights and mediums give it a lighter look than bonnie's in her book, but it sure does brighten up a room.

this project was on my summer wish list and it now gets crossed off--and it isn't even officially summer yet!  the next 2 projects (in addition to more potholders) are the orange mod seen earlier this week and finish the amish style ocean waves flimsy.  or, maybe i'll tackle some little quilts from jo morton's club?  oh, and finish the rambling rose wallhanging too....the list keeps going, and going, going, and going.... ***  recently discovered the old viking's inability to zig-zag and am pondering how to proceed with this nearly 40-year-old machine.  aside from that function, works like new but do require the zig-zag and its partner, the buttonholer, from time to time.  parts are scarce and funds to repair even more so.  will do some research and maybe find the solution.  hopefully a fix can be found, keeping her from a new life as a boat anchor....

whoooo's birthday is today?

that would be brother #1....one of the smartest, funniest, sensitive, talented and occasionally rigid and annoying people about whom i care very deeply....we were built-in childhood playmates. like most of us, he's made some whopper mistakes in his life and also suffered terribly at times, but through it all we've kept him close and made sure he knows he's loved beyond words no matter what--that's our definition of family.  he's been there for me during some of my own incredible boo-boos and for that i'm always thankful.  wishing him a fantastic day, birthday or not.

this and that

how wonderful it is to have no sewing that HAS to be done and to just be able to pick up whatever feel like sewing....first up was these potholders....

my shoebox full of selvedges was overflowing so naturally potholders came to mind....will make great little gifties at some point....and then i spied this that has been waiting so long for some attention....

just one more block, but it whetted my mojo to make lots more.....

leaving me with these tiny waste triangles for some future fun..... today, though, it's finish the 'bargain basement' flimsy first and there is that vacuuming too.  quilting continues on the rambling rose project....plus have a stack of books waiting....and for those of you who enjoy the British mystery series "Vera," would like to recommend "Shetland" based on books by the same author.   The series has that same sort of eerie marsh atmosphere found in the "Vera" episodes and excellent quality mystery stories as well...now off to fire up the old viking!

in the hoop

a few years ago lucky enough to win a layer cake of sandy gervais' "rambling rose" fabrics. made up this little wallhanging with some of that and it is now in the hoop and should be finished by week's end.  goodbye another UFO!  i love the delicate colors in this fabric line....

this was the doll quilt i sent along to mary ellen in lori aka humble quilts' annual swap.  it was well received, which is always nice.  with a significant repro stash, it's easy to find ideas for small projects like this...

and a couple of more shots of the ocean venue visited recently....

the beach really is quite narrow and long and the one "in your face" view is the infamous bay bridge.  there are plenty of shady places to sit and grill and just chill out though....and today i do mean chill....it's only 48 degrees here now.  another lovely monday and a whole week ahead.   later on will pick up the senior center's quilt of valor and bring that home to finish the quilting.  other than a few household things, plenty of sewing time available....keep calm and quilt on!

offered......

this is a quilt top given to me by a friend who was collecting items for a church yard sale back in the early 1980s.  it is a TOP ONLY, hand pieced, broken dishes pattern.  a prominent new england quilt historian inquired about purchasing this back then, but had visions of repairing and completing it myself.  fast forward 30 years and i realize that will probably never happen. the colors are like new as it has never been laundered.  i have a ballpark idea of its value, but willing to consider any reasonable offer.  some repairs are needed, primarily seams.  an entire row was removed by me and separated into blocks for any fixes to maintain the integrity of the original and would be included of course.   it was made by a massachusetts lady who attended the episcopal church in brockton, massachusetts; no other information is known by me.  please e-mail if require further information, close-up photos, etc.