corona-cation, episode 37

it isn't that i haven't been sewing for the past week, but most has been quilting on the orange scrappy...it might be done by august but might not also...sunday sewed lap robe tops for the guild and was on mom duty earlier this week--i'm in the motherhood national guard--meaning now and then get a call for some assistance which i happily provide.  i did finish another 4 little blocks for this project...

and i cut out a whole bunch more of the tiny melon pieces for the side border blocks....these will be one of my vacation projects...along with the eagle applique.  i've seen some scrappy quilts on blogs recently done in kaffe fabrics and they are ALL just plain gorgeous! 

there are enough melons in this pile for the 12 blocks still needed....the next border is wide-ish with baskets and flowers appliqued...i've made good sewing progress this year but dang, there just aren't enough hours to do all i'd like... *** we've had thundershowers and lightning past couple of hours and temps are now down to mid-70s from high 90s, so quick opened the window to get some fresh, moist air inside.  *** keeping busy working out regularly, sheltering from heat and tackling UFOs.   a little over a month to vacation and plans are in full swing.  keep cool and quilt on!

corona-cation, episode 36

short post, too hot to type...LOL!  well of course the a/c is on but it is hot outside and will remain so thru beginning of next week.  most everything i'm working on right now is what has been previously posted....but there is progress on this...

another one of those mistakes design elements....i traced the eagle from a civil war book by pam weeks...she's curator at the new england quilt museum....but when i went to add it to the wall quilt, what's this??? too big?  oh noooooo as mr. bill used to say.  what to do?  start over?  pare it down?  nope, decided to leave as is....go big or go home right?  actually i think i like this better than one that would actually fit on the blue rectangle.  it's basted now and ready to applique, which i am finding is oh so relaxing in these chaotic and turbulent days.  ***  and with my american flag proudly flying, thought i would share this....

a new book about downeast maine's revolutionary war escapades and my ancestral contributions.  my patriot, Lt. Joel Whitney, was an active participant and the republic was the ultimate victor.  caveat: i have not read it yet.  i know of no ethnic aspersions or racist overtones.  i wasn't there nor can i now condemn or change what is now viewed as politically incorrect behavior that might have occurred.  i had no part in how my ancestors acquired their land holdings.  now, nearly 250+ years later, i would think all that should be blatantly obvious by anyone who passed 4th grade...

corona-cation, episode 35

another weekend winds up and life is a bit more normal...aside from the mask of course.  so that means lots of sewing got tackled......i'll bring you up to speed....

first, another row on the scrappy triangles...oh i do like this very much but it's slow going as being frugal and tracing my own foundations.  i've got another row of papers ready so only 114 left to trace....egad! 

then, got all 12 of the cake stand blocks done....no rush on this....i'll use the mustard print for the alternate squares and setting triangles and have a pieced border in mind....

the scrap basket is overflowing but no room in the shoeboxes, so made a feeble attempt to use up some 2.5" strips for scrappy squares that'll be a donation quilt at some point.   got several of these 6.5" blocks done.....they sew up lickety split...

and this is what's left of the strip tote....notice the difference?

a lot like bailing a leaky rowboat with a thimble....probably enough for 3-4 of those scrappy quilts.  tonight it's quilting while watching tv...with july not quite half over, hoping for a finish by month's end....starting to put things together for my september vacation and, most important, reconnecting with my yankee kinfolk....lol....and i hear lobster prices are way down....thank you COVID!

corona-cation, episode 34

a mostly boring week here what with the unwelcome duo of unrelenting, oppressive heat and corona virus limitations.   so when boredom strikes, my overheated brain thinks i've nothing to do....solution?? acquire more stash...does that make sense??  a fellow guild member was thinning her herd and picked up about 6 yards and a nice little kit.

with sweltering temps, naturally thoughts turn toward autumn and relief...found a couple, then a very nice neutral and a couple of blues for a special project....yes those are dolphins....cute, eh?  the fabric next to it reminded me of water.  and tho i almost never go for kits, this one for a small wall quilt had everything included--batt, back and fabric--in my favorite colors too.  oh, and picked up a few kits for guild's charity efforts too...

if next week is half as boring as predicted, just might finish quilting the orange scrappy....it's 72" square and i am loving those super size baptist fans....the binding is orange and all set to go.  

event cancellations for autumn and beyond are piling up and it seems like 2020 is going to be a total bust.  maryland situation is very good thanks to a common sense governor.  with the exception of quilty functions and my DAR meetings, life goes on pretty much as usual.  the heat keeps me hunkered down mostly....after 2 days of being out and about, am totally zapped, as i try to ignore the "new normal"....so today it's a recover day with more quilting and sewing, maybe some laundry to wash the new fabric (great motivator...lol) and keep cool while counting the many blessings in my life...join me?

PS new header photo boothbay harbor....

corona-cation, episode 33 - independence edition

my unfinished patriotic wallhanging....thinking to applique an eagle in the middle as it definitely needs more.   inspired by a pattern in a jo morton book called 'remember me'.  in spite of the surrounding violence, turmoil, anger and unrest, it is very good to remember and honor the day of our independence....not a perfect union yet, but a more perfect union than before July of 1776.  praying fervently that common ground can be achieved so all not only are free but feel free, as americans every one.  not to destroy monuments to past flawed individuals, but keep them as a reminder from whence we have come.  i'm afraid i fail to see the benefit in applying 21st century norms to individuals long gone and punishment for deeds that cannot be undone.  hindsight, as my divorce lawyer admonished me, is always 20/20.   ***  and even tho my UFO list is still very robust, just had to play with some new fabric....

have always wanted to make cake stand blocks, and decided would use the new jo morton to make a small quilt....6 in green and 6 in red.....might call it 'fruitcake' since it' christmasy colors.....i just love that mustard print.....

got my fitness in early and now a/c on and the apartment cleaned with the whole day to play....fresh peas on the menu.   God bless America!!!

corona-cation, episode 32

this is a very short and hopefully sweet post....the amish honeycomb is done!

don't have to tell you i was quilting and not vacuuming....inadvertently left a kleenex in the wash and now the bits are all over the rug...tomorrow maybe....

and lickety-split, this got marked and put in its place....

my marking pen just barely made it to the finish....it's getting quilted with big baptist fans courtesy of barb vedder who had a blog giveaway a while back and yours truly won!  they are reallllly big fans!  check out her blog...she is one of the quilters who really inspires me a lot...

took photo while it was hanging on a peg.....

the 90s are here in full force...tomorrow especially, so ran and did errands today....fitness center, auto mechanic, groceries and farmer's market....got corn, tomatoes, cukes, summer and zucchini and more fresh peas.....gonna be a delicious, plant-based 4th!   next week....THE HAIRCUT!!!!

corona-cation, episode 31

if anyone had told me that july would still be sheltering in place, wouldn't have believed...yet here we are.  i admit am starting to feel the isolation despite fitness center open and zoom quilt meetings...the good news is the UFO list is the benefit....hopefully this is the last photo of an incomplete you'll see....shooting for a friday finish....

and by some weird meteorological twist, friday will be 96 degrees, definitely NOT quilt weather!  but very happy went for the cross hatch....next up is the orange mod scrappy....

recently shared some fabric with an online quilter and received this cute little sewing machine pin and a FQ yesterday....

pretty sure those are real diamonds too....LOL!

lastly a shout out to my local library and its fantastic efforts to serve their patrons....in this hot weather usually exercise, come home, have lunch, then either quilt or read.  and my fave magazine from the north arrived too....nope, no housework this weekend....LOL!

corona-cation, episode 30

in the newspaper world, '30' means end...done....kaput....finished.  but, sigh, when it comes to corona, it's just a continuation of same old, same old.   aside from a couple of additional openings, things remain static for now.  at least the fitness center is open and should make my cardio quota of days this week...and have to say it feels terrific.  it has definitely been a friday kind of week but i know sunday is coming....bringing hope and a new start.  so what have i been doing???

the amish honeycomb is getting a cross hatch border.  i love the look of it but it is a time consuming process.   and what with the navy thread on navy fabric, tough to work on at night even with good light.  hoping for a june finish but might slide over into the first part of july.....

for change of pace, pulled this out for some marathon basting.  and ooohh the more i get done just energizes me to do more and more.  nearly all the leaves are basted--need 4 more--and some of the flowers.  there might be some cross hatching on this piece as well....

i think i like applique much better than piecing....sometimes anyway.

another week has nearly ended....another hot weekend ahead, but that just means the late summer vacation is getting closer....family hugs ahead!

corona-cation, episode 29

short but sad post....dear friend marianne struggles no longer....with multiple comorbidities she sadly passed the other day.  i never knew anyone who fought so hard with so much determination to stay alive and be an active participant in life.  if i was having a down day...really a self-pity party...one chat with her would have me counting my blessings....her dear family and the grands she loved so much will miss her dearly no doubt....rest in peace my friend....and no money required in heavenly quilt shops!

this was just one year ago--the gang of four--marianne, nann, barbara and i convened for an impromptu quilt meeting at her home.   we laughed and talked and had the best show and tell.  she was the hostess with the mostest.....a precious memory for all of us....

she already had wings....at the quilters' unlimited show 2018 i think.......i was just starting to walk more at that point...she was faster than me!

corona-cation, episode 28

another week in pandemic land....seems as though it "might" be slowing down and getting back to a more normal routine....last week had a lunch and show-n-tell with a quilty pal and this week another small get together...yesterday, tho, my daughter and her super chauffeur husband and i traveled to lancaster on a recovery retail mission.  the only fabric stop i made was here...

for more of this i had ordered online for pickup....i am liking this method!

am vowing here and now--and you are my witnesses--to NEVER ever buy less than 4 yards for a background ever again....i was lucky with this as it's a stock kona color but that isn't always the case....

and no trip to Lancaster is complete without one of these....

my favorite flavor of peanut butter filling and chocolate outsides....when i was a kid, my baker grandmother made the regular kind often and they were my all-time favorites.  amy bouchard of "wicked whoopie" in maine makes one with a raspberry creme filling that's very good too.  must have more exercise days in before ripping it open!

it was a long day made more so by the oppressive heat.  we vowed never to go again in such weather...i would have cancelled but my dear SIL took the day off especially and so we went.  arrived back to the village to powerful thunder and rain.  today it's hot again but overcast and thick fog.  we saw plenty of fields bursting with new growth and lots of cows outstanding in their field...LOL!  we'll go again in autumn when it's not 90 degrees!