inching toward a challenge

since starting quilting 40 years ago, there are now national teachers who have stopped teaching and traveling.  among those that i wish i had taken classes with is ruth mcdowell.  at the beginning of my quilting career, her instruction was way beyond my expertise; later on she was doing only 3-day workshops that were way beyond my budget.  i got her book from the library recently and am poring over the details of her technique....

 why you ask?  for this...

this photo was taken in boothbay harbor a few years ago....this garden was on the corner at a bank and snapped the pix as the beauty of these snapdragons and the color combo were just stunning.  i want to make a wall quilt using ruth mcdowell's technique.  the fabrics are on hand already (Marden's) but until now too timid to attempt.  first step is to enlarge photo...next to fedex office for a bigger version.  freezer paper is on hand as well.  from time to time will give updates...this is out of my quilting comfort zone but just have to try anyway.  first tho, gotta renew my book....

bevy of bows

monthly bee yesterday yielded this smallish bevy of bow tie blocks for the UFO in progress...

while hesitating to solidly (no pun) commit to particular goals, there is a sort of plan for the snail-like dwindling pile of projects in process and this is one...it's my busy box take along and think still need around 150 or so of these little bow tie blocks.  my conundrum is that i want to work on ALL the UFOs every day, humanly impossible though it may be.  few more necessary tasks and the day is mine....peaceful quilting to you all!

vicky and bertie

barbara brackman's 2019 sew along is "stars in her crown" referring to the 9 children of queen victoria...each block is named for one of the children....the sew along is 2 weeks old and happy to say am current....

late start was partly due to fabric selection but once i found one, the rest were easy.  chose some of my faves including a blue (naturally!) and am really liking them so far...these are 8.5" blocks for a smallish wall quilt with sashing yet to be chosen....with plenty of jo morton fabrics on hand, should be easy peasy!

snow sewing

hunkered down in the apartment for the weekend proved to be quite productive....first got my 'antebellum album' blocks sewn into a flimsy...

a narrow border is next...had hoped enough of one of the pinks would be on hand but doesn't appear so....that is the drawback of buying half yards or FQs....but have a couple of other options to try....then have to start on barbara brackman's new sew-along, already 2 blocks behind....next, the donation quilt binding is ON....yes, do believe will have a big quilt finish this month....that'll make 2 official UFOs gone which is 2 more than got done last january....so now the hoop is holding this...

one of 4-5 amish style quilts on the UFO list that is just about half quilted.  will this get finished in january too??  remains to be seen....oh and i've planned another for that scrap bag of cherrywood solids i've been hoarding...but concentrating on NO MORE STARTS until more get finished.   ***  both sun/mon mornings got woken up by snow plow....imagine!  that seldom happens here in the south...but lucky to be able to turn over and go back to sleep....thinking today will be another snow sew day...isn't it grand!

first finish!

a small one but done nevertheless...it's my thrifty hearts, so named as i found the precut hearts in a baggie at goodwill plus some plaid nickels and the white background fabric...only $2 so it had to be mine...

i had made 2 other small quilts with this find, one tea dyed and it's my mom's...the other got given away but this one i'll keep....and a belated christmas gift arrived the other day.  a stashbuster member asked me if i would like to receive some things from a quilter who had to relinquish her stuff due to health reasons...i always feel a bit ghoulish as i can't imagine how difficult that must be.  no doubt it is a very real concern in the back of any quilter's mind....the "what if" possibility....but have vowed to either use myself or share with others to honor the gift and the giver....

the book is needed for this fabric kit, which i've requested from the library...also included were several charm packs, 2 EPP starter packets, 2 layer cakes...all delightfully received and appreciated.  it perked up my week immensely as it included a brief hospital admit, a couple of unexpected doctor visits, more prescriptions that discouraged me a bit.  all is well now....not cardiac related but that will always be a concern... *** this snowy weekend dedicated to finishing a big quilt and moving on to the next UFO....

house block update

if you are on facebook, hop on over to see some that have already arrived....

https://www.facebook.com/Debbies-Quilt-Shop-638954046160056/

sunday sewing

got an early start once silence curfew lifted here at the reform school...first up was to get the plenty good pink dots to a flimsy...

plan to set this aside as it needs more blocks and a decision on the final size.   colors are much brighter than the camera picks up.....my donation quilt aka dora's quilt is ready for binding, so chose a fabric and got that prepped....then this little project has been moved around several times and it was time to finish....found these hearts all cut in a baggie with lots of plaid nickels at the goodwill....so i'm calling it thrifty hearts...

the binding for this is ready as well...a muted red plaid....small but cute i think....last but not least,  finished up the house blocks for california....they'll be on their way tomorrow and will brighten some quilt for one of the fire victims....

working under a handicap as the horrific neighbors have been suffocating me with their perfume or air fresheners or whatever they use to cover up cigarette smoke....my eyes have been burning and watery for two days now, leaving me hoping smallpox might make a swift and resolute return.  the smokers have had 3 years to stop but multiple warnings, idle threats and no consequences have been ignored of course....word is the manager is afraid to confront and follow thru...when i complained she told me there would be retaliation and i guess the suffocating fumes must be just that....another day in the taney village torture chamber....

seeing red

christmas stuff has disappeared and it's valentines everywhere....so whipped up this little fabric box for a possible workshop...

then it was on to the rainbow scrap challenge for january, also red.  decided to make 4 blocks every month that'll give me a total of 40 at year's end.  the pattern chosen is a bonnie hunter pattern that i've not seen done anywhere...it's crayon box, fitting for a challenge that uses crayon colors.  

and have you made any houses yet?  got 2 done with 2 more to go...with my scraps could make several entire quilts but UFOs are beckoning....

knowing what it's like to be completely displaced from home and goods, my heart goes out to these fire victims and happy to do what i can and spread the word.  i never suffered thru a fire, which has to be so much worse...another day of overflowing blessings!

new year, new quilt, new PIF

got all my 2019 calendars up....this is susan branch's yearly offering.  she is a wonderfully talented watercolorist who lives on martha's vineyard and california (a new england transplant).  warning, be careful when you visit her website for you will be tempted beyond your credit limit...LOL!

and just before 2019 arrived, finished my postage stamp quilt!   have yet to trim all the ties but it's done and on the bed, waiting for its inaugural sleep.  a great feeling it is to finish a long-term project, meaning years i hauled around those small pieces, always cutting up more for this day.  and now i don't have to cut up any more that size...win/win!

and with the new year comes a new opportunity to pay it forward.  you remember lori of humble quilts?  she posted a photo on her blog of a quilt shop owner who is collecting house-theme blocks to make into quilts for fire victims.  lori offered these directions for a quick block, 10" finished, that won't take a bit of your time today while you make plans for the year ahead!

this uses 2.5" strips and i'll "see" if can rustle any up....do you think?  this was karma indeed as my plan for the RSC was to hack away at this overflowing bin of 2.5" strips.....

hoping to reduce these with planned projects and whittle this pile down significantly....now that the postage stamp is done, turning my attention to finishing up the red/cheddar donation quilt that needs to be out of here before the month is over.  quilters, to your machines!

2018 tally

first of all...closest thing to a tiara i own, but the sentiment is real!  one of my tasks today is to make a hair appointment....about time!

spent sunday tying my postage stamp quilt, binding today, will be close but hoping to finish before midnight.  progress for 2018 was good considering my slow start.  my frankenbatt bag is nearly empty...

as far as UFOs go, managed to knock off only 6 (postage stamp will be 7)...eeeks....with 14 new projects started aka  UFOs for 2019.   regarding stash, due to generous donations, ended the year with acquiring 96 yards but used up only 29 1/4 yards...not counting the postage stamp that will give close to a 60 yard gain.  so even though i personally lost weight this year, the stash is now considered morbidly obese...LOL!  a few big finishes for the coming year will go a long way to slimming it down.  my charity efforts will ramp up slightly the beginning of 2019 but don't intend to let them get out of control like last year.  ***   a rainy new year's eve but the christmas tree lights are cheery....plenty of sewing to do and no real household tasks pressing....as always, delighted to have another day to bask in the love of my family, to love them back and spend time sewing up a storm....happy new year to all!