they're heeerre!

despite lingering cold - for us for april - the cherry blossoms have reluctantly popped.  no doubt they were hesitating, waiting for warmer temps, but it'll be late this week before that happens...

you can almost see the half-hearted attempt at blooming in this photo, but traffic prevented me from taking others....and despite a lackluster saturday, did manage another block finish...

it was fate as all 3 fabrics happened to be on the sewing table....also got my doll quilt swap project ready to baste and worked on 2 donation lap robes for my WV group.  i only have to make the tops as somebody else will machine quilt them.   ***  still recouping from last week's jam-packed schedule, but did make a pot of tuscan tortellini soup....very delish, low in calorie and totally heart healthy.  still have a full to-do list for today, though....funny, still feel a bit of panic when sunday comes when had to finish all house chores before the work week started...but then relax as realize can take my time and even goof off if desired--a terrific realization! ****

and i love this quote from annette funicello, a woman whose fame and financial comfort did not insulate her from many years of severe disability; it always humbles me--

 isn't that the truth?

post script...

the book has been taken...

whew....

the end of a whirlwind week has finally arrived.  the first week of the month is always busy but now with rehab added, it's positively jam packed.  my 2 guild meetings are over for another month and, as a reprieve, the thursday meeting is going to be switching to the 2nd week of the month next year, so that'll spread things out a bit.  we had a fabulous workshop on ribbon embroidery...

too brief but very inspiring....all the while was thinking about how to build on these feeble new skills and, being an idea person, came up with lots of options.  there is definitely a learning curve and new fine motor skills to be acquired, but like eating m&ms, could get dangerous...LOL!   the speaker was a woman named teri young and can highly recommend her.  ***  at the meeting, delivered my gardening angel block and picked up 2 more.....

so the remainder of April is all mapped out....angel blocks, donation quilt, 2 lap robes, civil war blocks and assembling a quilt of valor plus antebellum album blocks.  the needle will be flying and betty will be burning the midnight oil for sure.   and lastly.....have pulled this from my library to offer for sale....no drool marks at all, mint condition, but i don't feel as if i'll ever get to making any of the beautiful projects in this book.   it's selling on Amazon for $65, but my price is $55 and includes media mail shipping from here, maryland.....

inspiration is a huge understatement for this book, jam packed with gorgeous medallions, patchwork and applique projects.  beautiful color photos on glossy paper and full patterns for each project; includes 3 large pattern sheets as well.  drop me a note at gracemth@yahoo.com if interested.....

two down....

despite having a very full plate of tasks this week, managed to squeeze in some machine time and made 2 civil war diary blocks.

the bottom square looks wonky but actually is not laying flat...it's accurate though...and with these 2 finishes, realizing that april might not be long enough to finish all the blocks....aside from the foundation blocks waiting, there are about a dozen others that can draft myself to construct and so far only have (gulp) 25 finished of 121...and there may be others haven't prepped yet.  no matter, this isn't a project to be rushed and prefer to enjoy the process rather than "git 'er done" quick.  ***  it's the first week of the month and with grocery tasks, bill paying, 2 guild meetings plus rehab, it's chock full so onward!

out like a lamb...

sunny and breezy altho on the cool side, but still with flowers blooming and lawns greening it IS really spring!  and even better, my scrap attack for march is finished! it was close, down to the wire, but all 240 DWR arcs got sewn and several hundred scraps got busted....

was hoping to get the melon pieces cut as well but ran out of month!  this means that starting tomorrow, it's the civil war diary project for the entire month of april.  so far, scrap attack has been a great success.  betty has hardly cooled off but no time for slacking.....will be taking a brief break from sewing for some house chores, then it's back to the machine and the civil war!...happy easter and passover to all!

it may be friday....

but sunday's coming!  on this the darkest day in the Christian religion, we have hope in the promise of the resurrection.  as a Christian, it doesn't mean i'm any different than anyone else, in fact i prefer to consider myself a recovering Pharisee....with human responses and failings.  one of my favorite sermons was given by Tony Campolo and he wrote a book as well...no matter what burden or seemingly insurmountable issue, i take solace in knowing that sunday always comes....here is the book....

as for quilting on this holy day, my friday (insignificant) burden is to finish the scrappy DWR arcs in march...can i do it?  well i can certainly try....here is the done and to do progress....

and great minds always think alike, don't they?  this arrived yesterday with--what else--a scrappy DWR with a dark blue background!  who knew?

this is "american patchwork & quilting" june issue....this dark blue is a print and more of a navy than royal blue, but isn't it stunning?

side job

while still mourning the loss of my library job and my needed little paycheck, another opportunity came my way....a guild member approached me about an applique quilt she wanted finished.  it was a long ago kit gift to someone who has a busy job, home and husband and no interest in applique.  i agreed to give it a try.  she would assemble the log cabin foundation blocks and draw the face details and the applique task was mine.  the first block went easier than expected, even with about 40 pieces....this is block #2, also less daunting than it appears. 

not quite finished but plan to be in order to take on another block.  it's a long term project but it'll be good to get 'er done. ***  on the DWR arcs front, i've printed off all the foundation arcs except for 3 when my printer ran out of ink.  today hoping to knock off another 30, giving me a total of 170 finished.  the blue background is washed, dried and ready for melon cutting.  the vacuuming will just have to wait a bit.  ***  cardiac rehab is going terrific.  slowly upping the intensity which is very noticeable in my daily tasks.  the temps outside are warming a bit, just in time for some outdoor activities. and for all of you still buried in snow, forgive me for posting this photo taken just yesterday....

the rehab isn't just about exercise but also dietary choices.  had some ground turkey and green peppers, so experimented for some stuffed peppers and the result was pretty tasty, although have to say never quite loses that turkey taste.  a bunch of herbs, stewed tomatoes, some chili powder, a dash of worcestershire, some frozen sauteed corn from last summer and a handful of orzo pasta produced these....approved by AHA and palatable as well.  turns out you CAN live without potato chips...LOL...

off to dress and start sewing!

over the hump

with 140 scrappy arcs done, more than halfway finished with only 100 left to do.  the blue background arrived today and it's perfect!

it's actually kona royal, not cobalt...hmm finnish fairies or irish leprecauns in my computer?  don't think so this time, checked original order and it WAS for royal.  the flash has lightened it a bit, but it is perfect for this project.  with only a week or so to go, should be able to finish the last 100 and get the blue washed and ready for cutting melons and other background pieces.  *** arrived home from rehab to again find my apartment enveloped in smelly perfume odor.  one of my neighbors, a quite elderly woman, buys the cheap stuff by the gallon and takes a bath in it every day i do believe....she may be trying to mask unpleasant body odors, not sure.  and she isn't the only one, unfortunately for someone like me who is sensitive to many overpowering scents.   it's like those overpowering magazine samples only 3 rooms' worth.  *** it's the weekend and if i can breathe, it's some house chores and more sewing of course....bring it on!

well-aged fabric

as any quilter can tell you, fabric--like fine wine--improves with age.  today while sewing up more of my scrappy arcs, came across this piece that took me back 35 years.  it's the dark teal piece with the light aqua tulips....i think i originally bought a yard....

it was august of 1983.  me, the ex and daughter were camping in lancaster county.  we went to hershey and dutch wonderland, explored the countryside, went to the farmer's market, ate homemade ice cream with pretzels and swam every night in the campground's pool.  it should have been an idyllic family time, but the ex was aloof, distant, uncommunicative--the portent of dark days to come--but we pretended and endured despite the tense undercurrent.  one morning after breakfast, a hand-drawn sign at the edge of a road advertised quilts, which led to a mennonite family home.  at 9 am everyone was already busy working in the field and the house.  not a breakfast dish in sight, not a speck of dust anywhere.  the sewing machine was set up in the kitchen and whirring.  the lady of the house led me upstairs to an empty bedroom and a bed piled high with quilts for my own personal bed-turning show.  she was amazed that i knew all the pattern names.  the workmanship was mind boggling to this newbie.  she had about 20 bolts of fabric on a shelf and this print was one that i bought.  it's all used up now except these few pieces, but i am so glad to include it with the rest of my fabric memories, even though it wasn't a particularly happy time.  it's the patchwork of my life.....

snow day equals sew day!

yep, it's day 2 of the start of spring snowstorm here in maryland! in fact, at 6 or so inches plus more today, it's the most i've seen in 2 years.  once the sun comes out and temps inch up a bit, it'll melt faster than the wicked witch....ok by me. 

whereas in maine the noisy snowplow came by every hour, here it came by once yesterday and not even yet today so far.  everything is closed, of course, so no cardiac rehab today for me.  also unlike maine, there are no cars on the road at all....so, what's a girl to do but sew!

been working on this project and making good progress.  hoping for an april finish on this donation quilt, a reproduction of a 19th century quilt seen hanging on a prairie soddy while one of those resilient women had her photo taken by a traveling photographer.  it's being free form quilted--meaning no drawing lines--but looking totally authentically antique.  ***  and for a change of pace, cut up a bunch of squares for the DWR arcs.  first pulled 2.5" squares from that shoebox then went over to the 2.5" strip shoebox for more.  it's the life cycle of the stash...from the shelves to the scrap basket to the shoeboxes to the blocks with very little waste and a whole lot of enjoyment. 

and though was planning to use kona white for the melons and background, instead decided on a solid cobalt blue.  had seen a scrappy pickle dish with a cardinal red background and it made for a bold look, which i expect the blue will as well.  plus a whole lot less boring too.  *** and if it's wednesday, it must be bookmobile day....NOT!  library closed of course and bookmobile off road, so get to drool over quilty books a bit longer.  this was one i found and see those little post-its?

those were blocks had planned to copy for future reference but after mulling over the UFOs on hand and the WHIMMs (works hidden in my mind), decided more inspiration was not needed at all.  so, i'll look them over once more and then return the book.  lots of great patterns and inspiration, but have enough now for the remainder of the millennium i do believe....lol!