saturday sewing

up early saturday, finished mundane tasks and then fired up Joy for a day of sewing...my goal was to finish the two halves of S'mores....

and here they are!  as the pattern is written, it finishes at 57" square....but my task now is to add 2 more rows making it just a tad bigger.  i do have enough of the sashing print but will have to bind it with another fabric, probably a solid....i KNOW i have enough repro fabrics for the additional rows...maybe by next weekend it'll be a flimsy as it's another week of only fitness and one quick lab appointment.  ***  my march mini top is assembled, so now baste and quilt and it'll be ready for its closeup.  ***  just this week, a newspaper article from Machias, Maine, revealed a recently unearthed quilt from 1922 with signatures....and was thrilled to find my great-grandmother as one of the quilters!

the purpose or group name is unknown, but the signatures are clear and include not only my great-grandmother, but other Whitneys and others to whom we are related by marriage.  This really brings me joy as now I know for certain of a solid quilting heritage.  I previously knew my other great-grandmother made utilitarian scrap quilts on her treadle that were tied.  Both of these GGM are maternal lineage.  

Spring is emerging slowly and, except for a weekend snow storm and very cold temps, it'll be near 60 all week with a possible creep to 70...i did see 2 ornamental cherry trees already in bloom.  hoping to get some serious chores done before trip north in just 19 days...so anxious to see my mom and family again and to breathe in some ocean air.  have a blessed day!

quick post

before dashing out to gym....road trip yesterday with a quilty pal to virginia and a new-to-me shop...my friend was dropping off/picking up quilts for longarming...delightful early spring day with pastures and fields greening up, plenty of cows/horses/sheep grazing and for me, sightseeing....a small shop but jam-packed with gorgeous fabric, of course!  

with no real stash need, browsed until i saw this print....a wide back but half yard gave me a yard of 54" fabric to go with some of the free solids...i've got a couple of ideas in mind...just screams SPRING don't you think? 

first up, must finish and attach the last 2 rows of s'more blocks....

proverbial drop in a bucket

https://donate.redcrossredcrescent.org/ua/donate/~my-donation?_cv=1

here is a link to donate to assist red cross in providing much needed basics to Ukranians.... i can do only a little but at least it's something...perhaps you can too?

ordinary day

 like most others....temps high 50s, sunny, fitness finished for the day, sat down at machine for s'more sewing...

coming along nicely...but then the mailman arrived....and this happened...

a generous care package of solids from a quilty pal...the quilty muse went wild with ideas of possible patterns and color combos...and then there's this perfect candidate...

titled 'postcards from sweden' which was a free pattern offered by designer kelly liddle...is this the one?  not sure...but something similar might materialize (ooh no pun intended)...already pulled a few for a couple of small amish style wall quilts...but s'more top first, then some solids play.  thank you to she who shared...and watch this space! 

like a lamb!

nothing but blue skies and moderate temps herald march's arrival...time again to post my One Monthly Goal for this month, which is....

fill in the blank!  busily cutting triangles and squares to make more blocks, pretty sure the top will get done in march.  can it get basted as well?  hoping so but will see....more daylight, warmer temps are beguiling temptresses for inside tasks.  my dream sewing space would have an attached screened-in patio with electrical outlets and an ocean view.  linking up with patty and the other OMGers....

and if you see this cutie pie today, wish her a happy 61st!  is that youngest sibling?  crikey, it is!  photo taken at my parents' 25th anniversary party...

february goals

in the nick of time....both the february mini AND the stars in a time warp got finished...first, the mini...

had to be hearts, right?  and used that lovely print posted earlier....i have only one valentine-y piece, so will be keeping this for myself.  linking up with wendy again this month....and here's the 'stars' quilt...

i think this was my oldest UFO, started back in 2014-15 i think...a barbara brackman sew-along...just needs a wash and its special label that barbara always provides.  a different repro fabric style was chosen for each week and i think i made 3 of each type, mostly all from stash but did have to get a couple of pieces from my go-to repro gal cyndi.  will be linking up with patty over at One Monthly Goal for this one...very time-consuming due to all the seams and per lori's definition, a most humble quilt.  generous twin size and densely quilted, as you can see from this...

this was nearly full when i started and wasn't sure i'd have any left but there are a couple of yards....and then this got put into the hoop...

my scrappy christmas trees....two rows done already.  this will go much faster than 'stars' as there are no seams and the batt is a poly.  can it get finished in march with 3 extra days?  we'll see...alas, no marathon olympics sewing time tho.   *** spring has almost sprung here in maryland so it was time to bring out my spring sox....

these were a christmas gift from my dear daughter...and horizontal stripes make even your feet look fat...LOL...which they aren't.  ***  it's an exercise vacation day so will catch up on a few tasks and more s'more sewing.  maybe that will be my march OMG, to get the top done and basted.  and i've already started the march mini too.  rising gasoline prices keep me pretty much within city limits, but i did get to lunch with a quilty peep this week, in a real restaurant with no masks...and lastly, 10 months today since the hip thing and am nearly back to "normal" walking.  it's been my primary work with a great payoff.  i do feel blessed indeed!

s'more sewing

 

this is the latest on the second half of the s'mores quilt flimsy....3 more rows to the pattern, but hoping i have enough of the sashing fabric to add at least one or two extra.  coming along quite nicely i would say....

unearthed a zipper that was a rescue from something so one more project bag is on the to-do list...

and with temps see-sawing into the high 60s, the daffodils on the south side of the building are up about 6" now...there aren't anywhere near this many but i just had to post for all you winter weary readers...

somewhere along the coast of maine perhaps....and couldn't close without a tribute to my dear mom who arrived at 95 today....for nearly 73 years she has been my caregiver, confidante, disciplinarian, teacher, faith model, referee, champion and best friend...our family knows how blessed we are that she is still our touchstone....

olympic success

 

on this closing ceremony day, my first task was the binding for "stars in a time warp"....with just a few stars left to quilt and then the setting triangles around the edges, planning on a finish by week's end.  which will give me next weekend to quilt the mini in time to see march come in, like a lamb i hope!  and this got worked on today as well....

most of my time was spent making lots of setting flying geese units and binge watching a 'murphy brown' DVD.  thinking that light blue block will have to go.  *** time passes at a supersonic rate even though life is pretty much mundane.  masks have once again been dropped for indoor locales with skittish optimism.  i believe the governor has opened all state offices as well.  anxious to do some fun things despite rampant gas price elevations that are keeping me close to town.  sporadic days of spring warmth not yet consistent enough to eradicate winter blahs.  eagerness building for family visit in just over a month.  so hurry up and wait is where it's at.  *** two weeks now of a full 150 minutes cardio each week, trying for a third if the tylenol holds out...LOL

st. valentine's day

 

pattern by patrick lose....

olympics break

the superbowl has provided a brief hiatus from olympic watching and a chance to do something besides quilt....today made 2 project bags for my upcoming travel....went to the stash and chose 2 of the spring-iest fabrics i could find for these....and one project i'll be taking is this one....

these will be appliqued onto borders of the dutch tree of life wall quilt....anxious to move this project along a bit....the other i'm taking is the 'midnight at the oasis' to do the applique on the viney border, then i can go ahead and sew up the final 2 borders, baste and quilt.  i might also take a cross stitch something.

quilting on 'stars' continues and i confess, is a bit tedious at times.  it is densely quilted and going to be iffy if i'm able to finish it as my february OMG as i'd hoped.  will get back to it later today when more olympics are available for viewing....

had a dusting of snow this morning that is now just about gone since sun came out.  we're having more and more days of 50+ temps so spring is on its way.   milestone week at gym getting in 4 days in a row, then a day off, and then another day giving me over 150 minutes of cardio.  oh what a feeling!