back at ya!

whew....it's been a looooong 11 days without internet access but thankfully the drought is over!  if you got a strange text or email from me, it was my fat fingers on the tiny phone keyboard...and what--you might ask--have I been doing instead of surfing???   here's an update.....

first, started hand sewing the setting triangles and squares for 'wildest dreams'....just to get an idea how easy it would be and what kind of time it would take....have decided to assemble the 8 diamonds by machine and hand sew the pink squares and triangles....plan is to make all the scrappy stars first and then put together a portable sewing project for the finishes...and more diamond units got pieced as well...

i'm getting better at points, hoping not to sacrifice too many...lol!

then this small piece of diamonds got sewn by hand, borders to be added and then bound for a very small finish.....it's a betsy chutchian pattern originally done in her book with repros, but I had this paisley that was begging to be used....and lastly

have finally reached the border of flying geese on the blue and white....one side and part of another is done.....might not be finished by march's arrival but not too soon after...all this sewing plus exercise time and the cooking of cardiac-friendly dishes have kept me occupied...finally, happy to say my dear mum celebrated another birthday a few days ago....God has blessed our gang of four with her wisdom, love, nurture, humor, caring and presence for many years--me the oldest for 70--and wish it could be 70 more....

glad to be back to blogland!

 

happy valentine's day!

just a couple of "heartfelt" photos of past projects.....this was from a patrick lose book of holidays, gifted to my mom....and this little stitchery heart was made for a dear aunt....probably went to goodwill long ago....doesn't matter as she enjoyed it when she was alive...i certainly would NEVER hang the thing here in this deathtrap....sidelined again today after a smelly and suffocating night from one of the nasty tenants....have to skip fitness and bail on a volunteer commitment.....thankfully God is watching over me; otherwise the neighbors would have killed me long before this.  some time ago i was told the staff lets this behavior slide out of fear of retaliation and that has to be the case....way past time for new management and a firmer hand. 

monday sewing

aren't these cute?  it's the guild's block of the month.....they sew up pretty fast and used up some of the 2.5" strips....some lucky recipient will get them....i like to make the monthly blocks but would rather not win them...LOL...and the pizza monster was gnawing away at me so whipped up this uber-low salt version that was tasty and satisfying...yes, i did notice the missing salt and in a perfect world, there WOULD be pepperoni, but still good and healthy....

besides, cardiac RN says NOBODY should be eating pepperoni....

pajama sewing

no, not sewing pajamas but IN my pajamas...lol!  without any formal schedule that's what happens sometimes.  today's agenda is light and decided to work on my second inspiration project...wildest dreams.  all the pieces have been prepped for some time,  just a matter of the sewing.  triangles with bias edges are a bit fussy but this looks ok from the back of a galloping horse....

wasn't sure about this pink, but purchased over the internet where color is often skewed.... had always planned to hand sew the finishing squares and triangles but may opt to hand sew the 8 pieced diamonds as well....will see how they go....it's always the center point that is tricky.   this top consists of 16 blocks plus a border....it's another reproduction scrappy project and a few more are on the UFO list...guess i'm just a traditional gal at heart despite occasional forays into mod territory.  ***  friday night spent quilting away on the blue/white after got in my 30 minutes of cardio.  and thursday night was spent appliqueing circles on the joseph's coat.  with the addition of new stash, not a moment to waste!

fall freebie

yesterday at guild meeting the free table was piled high with some fine and funky offerings....i found this autumn panel just begging for a nice pieced border...again, panels are not my "thing" but sometimes they are just too cute to be left behind....

then i found these.....

and lastly one with my name clearly printed on it, so it was meant for me obviously...

many people tell me how much they love my name and sometimes i have to cringe as there are times when i am none too graceful or grace-like....but other times i just smile and think of the grandmother i never knew who was deeply loved by her family.  ***  so it's been a week of adding to the stash, an exception rather than a norm.  i could tell you it is shaking me out of the winter doldrums, but winter has hardly been here....just the other day i spied this at the local post office.....and our daffodils are up about 6" too...

lastly a teeny tiny confession, hoping cardioman and/or food police aren't reading....i spent 140 of my precious 1200mg of sodium on these...the smallest bag of chips that Utz offers...way less sodium than anything frito-lay puts on the shelf....and just enough to squelch the craving....

try 'em! i am pretty sure there are potato chips in heaven....there HAS to be!

spring but no fling

today was a serious spring teaser day--sunny, high 60s, light breeze--wishing it would stay this way....perfect day for a road trip.  dear daughter and i trekked north to lancaster for a bit of shopping and sightseeing.  first stop was old country store and 2 surprises!  met up with a quilty pal from my retreat days and while we were chatting, a guild friend walked by.......i had preordered a few things for pickup...then it was on to zook's across the street where a sale was in progress and cheryl (retreat pal) was there too!   we took a selfie to mark the occasion...

even tho it was a bad hair day for me, it was delightful with signs (and smells) of spring all around....quick stops at the meat market and produce market rounded out the day.    my total acquisition wasn't too bad....a few things to fill a stash void and some repros for projects in progress....the 2 blue pieces are mary koval prints and the pink is a di ford-hall...and of course a kaffe print just because....

the fields are starting to green up and we--DD and i--had to keep telling ourselves that yes, this was february!  not like a new england february at all...   ***  after exercise friday morning stopped in to the senior center where 3 boxes (copy paper size) of fabric were donated recently.  the boxes were chock full and it was all lovely fabric.  some pieces were large enough for backings and others were just, well, calling to me.  some solids, a cute pink print enough for shortie pj bottoms, a few nice solids. 

i don't know if the donor reads my blog, but thanks to their generosity and that of other quilty pals,  have plenty of stash for sewing fun, not to mention it being a huge budget savings.  we'll enjoy one more spring day and back to maryland winter, which isn't so bad either.....

sew along progress

nearly time to enter month #2 in cecile's star sew along....may is the finish deadline and i've a good head start....i had this pinned to my design wall yesterday morning and then went off to exercise...when i returned, 6 of the sashing pieces had vanished!  cannot imagine the IQ of anyone who would take them, but he/she with the key to my apartment is a repeat offender serial thief.  or could likely be a designee, which might be the same person who sprays my apartment with some heinous air freshener when i'm out...not many here follow the golden rule.  so pathetic for seniors to act like kindergarteners but you'd be surprised at how many here do.  if you are looking for lousy housing and/or rotten roommates, give me a call.  i seem to have found more than my share.  anyway, i recut the missing pieces and have started assembling.  it'll be hand quilted with an indigo binding.  thanks jo morton for your inspiration!

inspiration satisfied

this was the original article torn out of a magazine for this project....designed by darlene zimmerman who used flannels and wool (for centers) from october 2015...yikes, nearly 5 years ago???

and just this morning got all my rows sewn together....

it isn't really bed size, only 60x68, but will work for my mom who'll be the lucky recipient....just applique circles, then baste and quilt.  not bad for a project i couldn't give away....and now i'm glad it stayed.   ***  it's a lovely early spring day here, great weather for january....this kind of day doesn't arrive in new england until march.  the medication demons were mostly quiet this morning so got out to exercise early and back before lunch.  since working out at this new place that is fully paid by my supplement insurance, have made pretty good progress.  today i was able to last 10 minutes on the treadmill and then 20 more on the recumbent elliptical.  most days strengthening is included, but the 30 keeps cardioman happy.   it's so enjoyable that have to watch not to overdo that requires afternoon napping.  this gal has sewing to do!

almost....

done with row #5, which is the last row to sew for this top...

each row calls for 9 applique circles and with 7 spots done, a bit more time will wrap it up...next is to sew the rows together and applique the centers....the circles are all cut and basted and are all a cheddar print.   a january flimsy?  probably not but not long after.   meanwhile, quilting on the blue/white is coming along equally fine...

i'd estimate the top is over half quilted...the narrow blue border is going to get 2 rounds of quilting and then there are all those geese....binding with an indigo of course.....this quilt is staying right here so whenever it's done doesn't matter...no anguish because neither of the january goals were met, after all..i do this for fun!  the other UFOs are used to patiently waiting for attention....

bad weather = great sewing

the snow queen passed us by, but cold rain and slippery spots made for a weekend of great sewing!

finished another 1.5 rows for this project....with 11 days left in january and only 1.5 rows to make, it just might get to the flimsy stage.  the rows need to be sewn together and the circles appliqued so it'll be close...am truly liking this more and more....it'll be hand quilted of course and will be a nice scrappy when finished....first, tho, have to go and cut more pieces.   it's a bad habit of mine, i confess, to start things without calculating the exact number of pieces needed.  i've reformed somewhat in that area but not entirely....