midweek sewing

one of those days....up early and usual tasks done before 7 am...time to sew!  the first thing on my list was to baste the spider web wall quilt....done!  then, since i was basting, pulled out these to get them done as well....

the lighting is horrid but you get the idea.  my stash santa gifted me a whole bunch of christmas-theme squares....a couple of stockings were made and then these 2 placemats.  not only got them basted but busted a couple of ho-hum red prints besides...

once machine quilted, will bind in a pretty holiday red and off to the thrift!  next?  

the 'blue lanterns' wall quilt UFO, barely started.  now fully committed since i cut up the entire piece of background into strips.  when they're all used, it'll be done.  *** and in the 'blame it on bonnie' department....have you seen her solids quilt 'butterfly kisses'?  well i was hooked immediately but have tried to ignore in favor of my UFO list....but no longer.  the stash santa also gifted me a bunch of hand dyes in various rich colors...

they are corralled in a square container and just had to try one square....

oh yeah, these will go together fairly quick.  no size determined as of yet but these are 8" unfinished.  speaking of temptation, quilty muse drawn to the 2023 Quiltmania mystery.  now i mostly NEVER do mystery quilts but seen so many awesome blocks so far so went ahead and downloaded step 1...

thinking about colors/prints/style so not definitely in yet, but i fear it's a matter of time!  next?  i'll be cutting binding strips for the spider web and placemats.  the spider web wall piece is UFO #5 for this year and #6 is the shuttles/lozenges in the hoop.  *** aside from sewing and gym visits not much doing.  bookmobile comes today so have to go thru my kaffe books once more and copy what i want before returning.  ***  in closing, another cardio test earlier this week came back with good result...ejection fraction, which measures how efficient the heart is functioning, is now 60-65% with normal being 55-70%....it was 45% just before surgery, so color me very delighted.  firmly believe the exercise has made the biggest difference--great motivation to continue!

the finish

the twisted star wall piece is now done and another UFO crossed off...

only 22" square and busting just under a yard, even so....one less UFO lying around in wait..besides, i like it a lot.  what else?  this became a flimsy just this morning...

i like this one too but gotta say Miss Sunny is not terribly fond of the corners with so much bulk.  we came to a truce and got it done.  thinking machine quilting on the featherweight will finish it up.  another small one at 24" square so another yard and skosh will be used when finished.  *** UFO #5 is in the hoop, the kaffe lozenges or shuttles; 2 rows quilted with 8 to go.  done before march?  could be...

no new starts yet this year but may cave soon with bonnie hunter's luscious solids quilt "butterfly kisses"....mine won't be bed size and have already drafted an 8" finished block.  a stack of hand dyed fabrics gifted to me are ideal to use.  

friday night zoom with the chookshed gals played with another UFO.  it's "Alaska" by Edyta Sitar.  Had pulled fabrics--all from stash except one--and now kitting up blocks for traveling. 

pieces for 12 different blocks, 4 of each, are cut and put into baggies with directions to tuck into carryon bag for airplane waiting and family visiting.  this is a no rush project but perhaps a flimsy by year's end...

that's about it...another day with no plans, like most of my weeks.  aside from gym and one lab visit, my week's wide open.  thought about trekking to lancaster but weather is going to be unsettled most of week so postponed.  we are on the cusp of spring here with flowers up and budded, just waiting for the signal from Mother Nature that winter is truly over.  have a blessed day!

game day fun

football?   nahhh, not me.  my fun was of the needle and thread kind.  i think football is dangerous, players overpaid and over-idolized, poor role models for kids and just plain ho-hum.  it was another dreary weather day, so brightened up with colorful fabrics!  early morning sewing yielded progress on this project...

just 4 more starbursts and acquisition of the all-important background to move this project along...then spent some time with Sunny on this UFO....

leading to this....

the empty drawer....yay!  even had to pull out some plaid FQs to get enough to finish....hopefully a flimsy before week's end.  *** then there's this UFO....

this was a wall kit bought from a guild member who was thinning the herd.  see those feathers?  i marked them on soluble interfacing with a yellow pencil, which is ok but now that the quilting is done, i didn't want to risk the yellow pencil staining the piece, so gently cutting interfacing from each little teardrop...2 corners are done and no rush on others.  finish this week maybe?  *** only 45 days into 2023 and i've crossed off 3 UFOs and maybe 2 more this month.  pretty satisfying....might be time for a new start?  bonnie hunter has 'butterfly kisses' on her blog, all solids which always call to me.  i'd go smaller of course, but just might cave for this one.  

our craft room has a gazillion puzzles and i try and choose complicated ones....keeps the gray matter percolating!  well that's the sum total of my weekend...plus gym visits and a smidgen of meal prep.  another week has started with temps hovering around 60, so spring approaches! 

a new development

that would be mister fassett's neighborhood!  lots of fancy houses from which to choose...i hope kaffe would approve.  these wildly colorful fabrics are such fun to use in any project.  i've got more than a few and i love them all.  

nice to have another finish so early in the year.  maybe another can get crossed off before march winds blow.  *** and what else is going on?

strips in the drawer dwindling....and these are on the design wall....

i am hoping to squeak out 16 blocks so might have to raid the plaid stash.  i really like these blocks as well.  miss sunny is grousing a bit as she is working too hard....LOL!  i just ignore her!  *** my friendly bookmobile came by yesterday and brought me these.

i almost never buy quilt books anymore, much easier to borrow and return.  so many lovely ideas swirling around for possible future projects.  but no new starts for me just yet.  my motivation to finish UFOs hasn't waned yet.

before starting another UFO to quilt, plan to sew up some "tuscan starburst" blocks, and after finishing my puzzle, will baste "wildest dreams" before table is stored.  i think i have enough to keep me sewing for 47 days 'til i fly again...

A Sunny sewing Sunday

today's the day many are waiting for...a day when temperatures rise!  it's gonna be 50 here today for us and sunny too i hope!  but it'll be sunny inside with Miss Sunny whirring away on a UFO project, another that got put aside.   I have been quilting on the Kaffe wall quilt to get it done when i spied this....

this is the "sidewalk" in the neighborhood and SOMEONE cut it too wide....like who??  must have been binge watching Vera that day.  then SOMEONE sewed it on without a second thought....so out came basting, picked up ripper and took it off, trimmed to the correct size, then had to adjust length of 2 connecting sides, resew everything and rebaste....took a few hours but happy to say quilting the border houses is nearly half done and a definite finish next week....stay tuned! 

after lots of hand work last week, a machine day is needed.  pulled out this UFO to see how far it could progress.  these plaid strips got cut for another project that was abandoned but rather than toss the strips, printed off foundations for small spider web units.

don't plan to cut more strips, just use what's in the drawer.  and this time, i was sure to set aside plenty of navy blue for all that will be needed.  have always liked this block but passed on a full size quilt.  will see how much gets done today....after exercise and some dreaded cooking, then washing up.  

february in full swing....counting the days til my family visit late March...this month we celebrate our mother's 96th birthday....we--the sibs and I--are beyond blessed to have her with us, still living independently, still that youthful countenance, still sound mind and able to care for herself...a true gift from God.  soooo, keep warm and sew on!

wednesday doings

getting ready for uber-cold here, which in maryland speak means 30 or less...LOL!  well i guess it'll be very cold with wind chill.  my maine family getting much worse....take a look.

the only good thing about temps like that is the likelihood of sea smoke, which is just beautiful!

have fully recovered from my stairway spill and walking pretty good again...also managed to get caught up on household stuff.  ***  a few UFOs getting closer to finish....pulled this out and now hate to put it aside...

finished the first of 4 blocks with planned border of swags, that's IF i can find the matching green.  it was set aside but now appears to be long gone, got used i guess.  i do have some of the maroon fabric but not enough i think.  this got started after a visit to BAS (baltimore applique society), a meeting on vintage red/green quilts. i think i'm hooked on applique now....

valentine piece done and ready to deliver.  happy to infuse some delight into DD's life, one that's had many more heartaches than most.   Miss Sunny was introduced to the walking foot and performed just fine.

and have auditioned a few fabrics from the stash for "tuscan"....still no aha so will wait for lancaster.  have postponed my trip to a warmer day, better for moseying.  am leaning toward a yellow gold rather than the light...but will depend on what is available.  this one here is too dark...too bad as i have about 3 yards on hand.

another housing interview...if the next move is another disaster, just might resort to a hemlock milkshake...not really, but it is more than wearying and annoying.  revolting how many of these housing people are totally dishonest in what they say....sigh

thursday chat

yes thursday already!  after 45 minutes of winter yesterday--yes, a bit of snow--spring has returned this morning...my maine relatives are getting walloped with it tho....oh no!!!  i've been busy playing with Sunny....

i made her a cute little cover busting some of those strips on hand....wild but will keep her dust free.  totally free sewing, no lining at all, just sewn on batting.  still on the prowl for a cabinet but no rush.

got this little wall quilt into flimsy....DD has indeed claimed it for her front door, will get it finished and off to her in plenty of time.  

blood thinner issues persist but slowly improving.  i've got 2 wall quilts nearly finished quilting with binding prepped, so should cross off at least one before january's gone.  ***  the sun is out today which should fuel my mojo.  some mandatory scratch cooking to be done and gym visit.  seriously in need of a day trip and mini-vacay from village dreariness and the hunt for fabric for 'tuscan starburst' background.  will wait until after cardio visit to make sure all is well.  i've become the dreaded high-maintenance woman it seems!

before dawn

up early while still dark, tho it's an overcast day so will be dreary anyway....after tedious larder supplies yesterday, dabbled in a few things....a sometime project on my UFO list....repro broken dishes....a twin size quilt....

great for busting some neutral FQs so no matchy-matchy alternating squares... still pondering setting fabric for 'tuscan starburst'....came across this piece and tried it out...

better but still not quite right....the search continues.  in that effort, stopped by joann's for a couple of notion things...my christmas gift card went toward a couple of batts and joann nicely tacked on a $5 reward.  was browsing and saw this pink solid in the remnant bin, 50% off...more browsing and saw display of keepsake cottons 70% off....some quick but challenging math meant $3 per yard...

chose some valentine-y prints and quickly went back to snag the solid pink for a project swirling around the gray matter.  for less than $5 will have a festive midwinter splash of color--all on joann's dime...LOL!  ***  still no snow here tho tonite might bring a bit, if any.  have a couple of ideas that'll provide much-needed diversion from hum-drum days...UFO attention continues and might have a couple of finishes before january closes out...despite nearly fatal boredom, many blessings fill my life...hoping the same for you!

introducing Sunny!

finally settled in her new home, Sunny, the swingin' 60s vintage Singer (she NEVER inhaled...lol), is ready for her closeup!  I remember the day my mother bought this machine.  It's one of those workhorse machines, weighs a ton, few moving parts, that will keep going as long as parts are available.  

she took to Aurifil thread right away....was used often in the past but not so much lately.  that is about to change and she is definitely out of semi-retirement.  lots of memories of home ec projects, clothing, curtains, mending....oh yeah she's got a history!

and another starburst is done and on the wall....

yep the toile has definitely got to go.  it's a fabric i love but just not right.  too much white i think...

it's spring here all week, daffs are peeking out of the ground.  trying for a gym day today and get back in my routine.  vacation planning in full swing....now on the hunt for some kind of diversion to shake off the midwinter ho-hums....

design wall

quick post to show the progress on "pervenche"....altho it doesn't look french at all so it has a new name...."tuscan starburst"...got 2 blocks done so far....have to say they don't take too long to sew, even by hand...

the jury is still out on the blue toile...i don't think that's the right fabric for those setting pieces...will wait until all blocks are done and then audition several to see what works better....

if you love a good mystery, i can strongly recommend louise penny....this is her latest and 18th in the "three pines" series and hands down, the very best in my opinion.  

still under the weather from my harrowing week, started the book friday and spent saturday in bed (mostly) and finished it...just what doctor me ordered!  i like good whodunits, avoid paranormal, slasher or psychotic-type themes, and this did not disappoint.  *** now bring on the week!