never forget

 

tough week where hearts have been broken and forever changed....in my soul i scream STOP!!! but it never does...the loss of those who serve selflessly is more than enough grief to bear without more senseless killing.  a recent lunch at Mission BBQ the national anthem was played at precisely noon as is their custom, but there were those who refused to stand, which angered me.  don't they realize that it's what the anthem represents that gives them freedom to disagree at inequities?  so many scream disrespect, but it's those who snub the symbols of our freedom disrespecting those who died defending them.  America--love it with all its flaws and failures, or leave it.

lotsa sewing and book reviews

friday was an uber-productive day sewing-wise...

you are probably tired of seeing this but the more that gets done, the more enamored i am of this beauty....all the checkerboard borders are attached now...next comes another narrow lime and then the final border of these....

the squares measure 5" so more little ones....every other block has the color scheme reversed, i.e. center starts and finishes with print.  i only have to make 44 (43 now)...i can see already got to be super careful with seam allowance, especially since joy balks at those that are a tad thicker.  **** then the scrap basket got tackled...always problematic as often get sidetracked.  there was a fair amount of batik scraps and some HSTs, so used up all the smaller pieces making more....and then cut a pile of 1.5x4.5 strips for a scrappy quilt designed by amanda nyberg...

the pattern is below except the color strips are replaced by rows of small strips...i made one before, a top, and donated it.  thinking of making a couple more and donating them as well.  they make up fast, are colorful, 30 blocks that finish measuring 60x72...

as for the little HSTs, no plan for them, couple of ideas percolating...then back to task at hand, cutting up the rest of the scraps.  except for a few other larger batik pieces and a few solids, the basket muffin top disappeared...

found in the basket were pieces of the bird house background, so off came the aqua strip and replaced...

now all that remains is applique, some embellishment and bind with the aqua...again, i am no designer and altho this came out mostly as i had in mind, it wasn't as much fun.  i think it'll be cute when done and somebody will like it, plus a few pieces of stash are now gone.  

so, weekend sewing?  more blocks for my secret project piled in various stages all over the sewing table.  then more of the "midnight" blocks, could finally be a flimsy by the end of next week.  next, hope to tackle the purse for my mom.  weather is predicted to be hot all week, so plenty of inside A/C days.  ***  so far this year busted just under 25 yards of completely finished things, so definitely reducing the stash even with a few new additions, two were kaffe fabrics--no surprise there!

afterthought...i meant to add these....a couple of book reviews you might like...

lots of background behind-the-scenes reveal about movie women from the 30s to present...robert wagner is no choir boy and is honest, though a bit veiled, about his own conquests.  starts out with him as an 8-year-old boy meeting norma shearer, dishing mostly kindly about the greatest and not so great.  i don't like him simply because of the natalie wood death debacle, but he is an insider speaking graciously without malice.   then, if you love a good whodunit...

two young girls disappear from a mall and two detectives with very different styles must learn to work together to find them...no graphic violence or gratuitous sex, just an interesting journey to truth and resolution....worthy of hercule poirot!

wednesday work, may mini

 

whew....wednesday was a wide open day and spent the ENTIRE day sewing 2 more borders on the "midnight at the oasis" piece....it was almost like work, really a labor intensive task.  but love the outcome and only one side left to do...those little squares finish at 1" so there are a LOT of them! ...and here's the may mini!

this being may, saw TONS of basket quilts etc. all around the 'net....got me thinking about the basket stamp block, which i always liked, remember when it was issued even!  someone had mentioned about striped sashing that immediately brought this stripey fabric to mind.  with patriotic holidays on the horizon, went with red/white/blue, well not exactly white.  anyway, i like it and can use it for a table topper.  will be linking up with wendy and the other monthly mini gals!

it's an un-holiday weekend for me with a possible zoom party...what to do?  well, there is this...

already pulled and cut up batik scraps for a planned donation top...the rest will go in their respective shoeboxes for more tops that can be donated.  at nearly 73, have to pick and choose which ones to finish and keep for myself.  ***  going to try and elude the despairing TV fodder by exercising, sewing and reading....

monday report

with sweltering temps, the weekend was spent inside a/c and sewing resulting in a UFO finish!  here is the back....much too pretty to chop up and it was just right for this project.

it was a fling from marianne....so happy it's found a forever home with this....

hexed stars, pattern by marcia hohn, also used up the purple batik in the border and binding.  i think about 3 yards was busted total, not much but every yard counts!  what else got sewn?

bird house is coming along....have to remove the top aqua border, it's just not right.  pondering a replacement.  when that's corrected, just hand work remains for this with applique and some embellishment that should finish it.  i love the triangles but alas, no more of the white print--another piece used up.  ***  and one more UFO got some attention....

my june OMG is to get this basted, so border construction in full swing.  one done, 7 to go.  working with kaffe fassett fabrics is pure delight!  ***  the may monthly mini (say it 3x fast!) is also done, will post next week AND pattern/fabric is pulled for the june mini as well.  hint:  it's red/white blue!  *** heat wave brief and delightful weather all this week.  i'm desperately in need of some fun and might cave to the gasoline grinch and take a short road trip.  had an appointment today, but rest of week only fitness visits scheduled.  *** have done well on my list.  what's next?  more secret blocks as hope to baste in june.  more quilting on 'batik splash' that should be done in june.  this weekend hope to finish more 'wildest dreams' blocks--9 left that need setting squares and triangles.  you might think so much sewing time is great,  but keep in mind it's in direct correlation to the amount of free time i have, sometimes not a good thing.  if not for sewing, life would be catastrophic!

checking the list

with only 10 days left in may, mentally listing what would like to do with the time....now that 90s have arrived, the a/c will be on full tilt and lolling around outside curtailed.  first off, this is in the hoop now...

the 'batik splash' measuring 64" square.  this is for dear daughter and want to be able to fling it.  i pre-washed the batiks so easy to quilt thru...nothing fancy to interfere with the in-your-face colors.  and did someone say churn dash???

the biggest blocks in the quilt are 16", need 14 of them.  decided to use lightest background for them as the others are planned for bright, saturated colors.  we'll see how it works out...also quickly sewed up a few more of the smallest, 4", which are like m&ms...one just isn't enough!  *** and the rest of may?

•  bind monthly mini
•  bind hexed stars
•  next border on 'midnight'
•  finish pieced part of bird house
•  more quilting on 'splash'

that should keep my mind of sweltering temps....needless to say, the countdown to the beach has ramped up considerably!  today, tho, dear daughter and i will be taking tea with the Crawleys and trying to wangle an invite to Tom Branson's wedding...bringing my hat just in case...LOL!

it's sum-sum-summertime!

mowing man is busy at work early this morning so it's officially summer!  temps around 80 today also a definite sign...but i am ready for it.  finally finished the last basting job...

it's the butterflies...and they will get added to this pile, which should keep my hoop occupied until leaves fall and maybe beyond....

this means after 2 weeks, the folding table is back to the closet and the living room returns.  next time i baste, the DWR will get done plus the secret gift project...and maybe this patient UFO...

this is from APQ magazine 2008....love churn dash pattern and this really makes it wow.  i've started the smallest blocks--4" finished--and might be basted this year.  designers are sarah maxwell and dolores smith.   *** so what else?  the hexie stars are just about ready to baste.  original pattern from marcia hohn over at quilterscache.com and she titles it "hexed stars"....the finished piece will debut later this week!  otherwise is a free day....no cooking, laundry or outside appointments...storms threatening so exercise tomorrow.  four half-hours per week seems just about right for me without getting too tired.  with lots of free time to ponder, overwhelmed with gratitude at how blessed i am....

'round midnight

that's when i caved and signed off chooky's zoom party last night...i spent the time doing applique on 'midnight at the oasis' and got it finished!

photo sub-optimal but you get the idea....really perks up the viney border i think....next border is checkerboard...

ooh i feel a flimsy coming sooon!  ***  in the Plan B department, laid out the scrappy DWR to baste and realized the backing was wrong size....oh noooo not again!  turns out it was the backing for s'mores, so off came DWR and on went s'mores....now to baste....

still have antennae to embroider, made more blocks for secret project....hand quilting on wall UFO almost done, doing the border now....respite from boring rainy weekend TV thanks to the library....

next up in the hoop is the 'batik splash' as it's headed to dear daughter's when finished....and speaking of my only child, tickets on board for 'downton abbey: a new era'....so traveling east next week for a girls day out and a side trip to trader joe's...the muggies are on the way so will be cranking up A/C, first time this year...102 days to the beach vacay!

tuesday already?

for someone who doesn't do very much, the days still manage to fly by somehow...so i try and keep busy doing fun things...few and far between these days. 

years ago made this purse for my mom....she has used it a lot and on my recent visit, replaced zipper but noticed it was nearly on life support...faded and fraying....so a new one is in the works using these fabrics...

shape is the same but design a bit different...the two are a perfect visual of how my style has evolved...and basting blitz continues but not at lightning speed.....the scrappy DWR is next with plenty of projects waiting for quilting ....

may is warming up here in the old line state...finally!  it's the month i miss my house the most because of all the flowers that bloomed in my yard....

dear daughter came monday for belated mother's day lunch and brought me a sweet figurine to express her devotion....nagging regrets of motherhood failures that would like to haunt me were derailed for the reality of being human and overwhelming pride in the woman she has become...

this week's plan?  more blocks for the secret project, the DWR baste, the antennae on the butterflies so that can be basted, the exercise and finally shorts all week!

A Legacy of Mothers

Yesterday as I was doing nothing special, pondered about the women whose shoes I now fill and how they shaped my life...Quilters?  I've got some including Josie (gr-grandmother) ...

and there's Mary (gr-grandmother)....

I made cinnamon rolls for breakfast channeling my legacy baker, Mabel, a grandmother who was the pastry cook at a small hospital....

my education legacy, grandmother Grace, first in her family to graduate high school....sadly, I never knew her as she died when my mother was a toddler....

and my own mother....faith teacher, guide, nurturer, friend, confidante...still youthful twinkle in her eyes at 95...introduced me to a sewing machine at age 8, sparking a life-long passion...

so there they are...no olympic athletes, no Rhodes scholars, no rocket scientists, just pretty ordinary people of strong mind, faith, integrity and wise beyond their years....pretty lucky eh?

wednesday report

most of today's sewing--well all of it really--was spent on my secret gift quilt project.  i did some quick fuzzy math and realized in order to have the top done by june, will have to make 22 blocks every week....EEEKS!  a great motivator and so just joy has been working hard today.  but i have also worked on the bird house project....

definitely a work in progress, but while rummaging in the stash for something else, came across 2 prints that thought would work as birds and they do.  no rush on this one....

last week bookmobile lady gave me a starter pot with something planted....given out free for national library week.  mine had no tag so it was a mystery, but i think it's either cilantro or parsley....plants don't do well here in summer because it's either too hot or too cold (a/c)...so we'll see how long this one lasts...

and my dearest daughter sent me this for mother's day....she has to work sunday but we'll celebrate after...it's nice to be spoiled a bit but really the joy is all mine...

and me and my mum are again counting the days until our next visit....first must endure the blistering summer here in maryland....now back to those blocks!!