auditioning day

still confined to quarters due to oppressive heat but shut off TV weatherman aka voice of doom and settled at the machine.  my christmas gift of 'wensleydale' foundation papers had been swirling around my mind wondering what fabrics to use...decided to try these....

that's a lotta cheddah!  it's a strong color to be sure but think if i stick to dark plaids, all will balance out.  have tried others in its place that are on hand, but this was the winner.  this was a try-and-see so will get set aside for another day.  other priorities call, like this.

liberty crossroads aka the wedding quilt.  i've done it like the pattern with the solid gray in the X blocks, but thought i would try scrappy instead.  the bride likes color so we'll see which she ultimately chooses.  

staring at me on the ironing table were these huge kaffe hexies left there purposely to play with....first tried a kaffe polka dot but too washed out....

next another kaffe light with a bit more saturated color....

better but still too light....nothing else suitable on hand so once budget is healthier will scout around for something just right.  this is a someday project so give it time to age appropriately...lol!

now it's back to UFO busting.  a bit of cooking on tap for today otherwise.  may have to resort to vacuuming as well.  whatever gets done, it'll be in the cool apartment for the next couple of days.  hope you are cool as well...as the Bible says, 'this too shall pass.'

not quilt related

Eureka!   we have closure!

 

quick brag....exciting day here in the city!  took bandage off after 3 days and no dripping whatsoever!  i am truly over the moon with delight.  yeah still bit of swelling but part fat, part weather and part wound.  some numbness persists but waning...cancelled wound center appointment and discharged from surgeon last week.  aaahhhh.....

 

weekend progress

basting weekend over for now.  everything but 'tuscan starburst' got basted....ran out of fleece.

blue lanterns, blue bricks and another wall quilt non-UFO now ready to quilt.  also all 3 red/green blocks ready to applique.  my livingroom isn't quite as big now and having the folding table up requires moving out a piece or two, so happy i'm done for now.  busted easily 6 yards on the backs.  next, pulled a piece for the nativity....

not quite a half yard but enough for the block borders....

more progress on this gives me the oomph to get the remaining blocks done--they are basted as well and rolled up ready to travel.  but being the forward thinker i am, making plans for a new project--what else!  

from the book 'quilts in ireland' by kaffe fassett, this jump started my quilty muse....won't be using stripes but plenty of other choices on hand.  will have to be put off for 'liberty crossroads' tho. 

doesn't look like much got done but these were time-consuming tasks.  quilting also continues on 'midnight' but doubt i'll have another finish before vacation.  did cancel one medical appointment and stocked up pantry this weekend, spaghetti sauce in the freezer.  dog days firmly in place with a scorching week ahead, just right for a marathon sewing home retreat.  keep calm and stay cool!

midweek tally

happy to have been woken by thunder and lightning, signaling a change in our weather, yay!  probably short lived, but any respite is welcome.  being sequestered has been beneficial for my UFO list, though...tackled these blocks....

all pinned and ready to baste--today's task.  impetus is, of course, a new applique project firmly planted in my mind but others must be done first.  what else?

the nativity blocks are also ready for basting...i changed out the dark blue under the kings and also shortened my shepherds a bit so they'll fit, quite satisfied with the results.  this, too, will get basted today.

also in the basting pile are 4 small pieces--tuscan starburst, blue lanterns, bricks/blues wall quilt and another that'll be donated to a local church as a bingo prize.  backs had to be pulled for all four.  happy to use up more stash, and a few smaller pieces completely.  good thing too.....

my neighbor--the one who made the zipper bag for me--came by with some fabric pieces.  did i want them?  i took this one, a lovely neutral-ish repro print....about 1.5 yards.  nature abhors a vacuum...lol!

and what's this?  laundering money?

yes indeed.  got some quarters for laundry and they were icky sticky with some putty-like residue and one was completely obliterated with some substance.  could be they were found under a car seat or such.  machines can be finicky so decided to give them a bath--at least they look like quarters now.  

bride-to-be has selected a quilt design for me to make.  called 'liberty crossroads' designed by anorina over at https://www.sameliasmum.com/.  my bride wants lots of color but "no red".

 

while it looks like not much accomplished, these tasks sucked up a lot of time.  today is all day basting probably and might even pull out a larger piece while the table is up.  leg coming along slowly.  cardioman said lengthy recovery and ongoing issues due to fact that bypass vein was harvested from the same leg in nearly the same place.  i had completely forgotten.  itching to get back to regular gym visits, impossible in this weather.  my previous housing had a fitness room but not here.  anyway, hope you can stay cool where you are and it's a day filled with blessings!

this week's to do

soldiering sweltering on in the oppressive heat while not as severe as some, it's way too much for my liking.  i've given up watching weather reports--even my maine family are in the throes of this heat wave.  aside from a few quick morning errands, it's indoor fun, not necessarily a bad thing.  

tuscan starburst is now a flimsy, waiting in the basting pile for some day this week.  i honestly wasn't sure i'd like it but now that it's done, i quite like it very much.  blue lanterns and 2 other small pieces also in line for basting. 

with one block done, pulled out some vinyl to make a template for the remaining 3 blocks.  the original plan was for a swag border--the purpose for starting originally--but alas, find i used some of the fabric on something else and not enough left....ay caramba, not again!  thought had set aside what would be needed--well now i have done so with what's left hoping something can be fashioned.  

an entire morning spent on getting this moving forward.  had to modify the 3 kings a bit so they would fit on the background piece and shepherds will get the same treatment.  not sure the 3 kings background is a final, so will rummage to see what else might work better.  i did have to resort to a few tiny dots of glue, which i almost never use, but happy to find that mine was still usable even after years of being sidelined...it's roxanne's of course. 

another week of stronger antibiotic and leg is now much improved.  anxious for surgeon's impression later this week.  *** daughter's best friend getting married and i will be making a quilt for them, queen size, and i couldn't be more honored to do so.  no rush so should be able to whittle down UFO list quite a bit and maybe even sneak in another new project whispering to me daily....lol!  ah the temptations we quilters face....hoping you'll be cool and safe!

speaking of christmas...

sunday night while watching PBS, finished cutting appliques for this penn dutch wall quilt and thinking of starting yet another applique project...but this popped up in mind....

jan patek's nativity...only 2 blocks left....new start on back burner because this one MUST be finished for this holiday season.  the black strip is for the sheep legs...the other block is 3 kings and a lot of tiny pieces are stalling me, but will have to resort to an occasional drop of glue to get it done...

and here is 'spectrum' top finish....renamed crossroads...destination unknown

what else?  made a little table topper for my unsightly kitchen table previously used with the big board on top.   now out in the open and not visually pleasing..a win/win since it used up all those muslin 2.5" squares as well.

lastly, 'tuscan starburst' top cruising in for a finish.....

seems like a lot accomplished, but the crossroads top and table topper were just about finished before the weekend....once this is done, a basting day will happen.  and of course, quilting on 'midnight' continues. 

weather has turned abhorrent so forays outside will be minimal....96 tomorrow....yeeech!  dreaming daily of cold maine ocean waters and crisp september nights.  only 3 medical appointments remain in july.  thankfully freezer stocked with ready or minimal meals.  it's either clean or sew, hmmm no contest there. so keep cool and sew on!

weekly post

firmly into dog days of summer, so confined to quarters mostly--good for the UFO sewing!  other pleasant diversions came up during the week--finally some fun!  monday night is BINGO night here and one of the ladies made me this adorable little zipper pouch for my change...

very nicely done so i asked if she needed more fabric...she said maybe a piece or two...i of course said come on over and take your pick!  and on that subject, a bulging box arrived yesterday containing--what else?--fabric!  a generous and kind quilter sent along some solids, a few repro prints and these beauties...

yes indeed they ARE kaffe!  the hexies are giant size, about 7" across maybe?  look like they came from a kit or a charm bundle...a plan is in place and it will be my 2nd new start this year.  fear not, though, UFOs will not be abandoned....here is blue lanterns flimsy...

and last night while ZOOMing with my peeps down under, got started on the 'tuscan starburst' flimsy as well...

liking the setting fabric more and more as it gets incorporated into the block setting....the colors are off here.....must plan a basting day sometime soon.  quilting continues on 'midnight' with the center medallion finished. 

friday night ladies from church invited me for a game night...never rolled into bed until 11:30 which is unusual but it was loads of fun and just the tonic!  saturday braved heat and nearly 100% humidity to hit farmer's market....veggies nearing abundance now....

got these plus summer and zuke squash, scallions...not quite ready are peppers, eggplant, green beans...i receive the lowest amount of food stamp benefits, but maryland has a program where certain markets double them, so helps the food budget--thankful as prices around here are pretty high.  most markets have become gourmet shops selling everything from alcohol, beer, soaps, textile items, gourmet mushrooms, flowers.  i know only one regular farm stand that sells just their own produce but they don't take my SNAP--one thing i miss from Frederick.  

the only downer of the week was the leg--ER visit and consult concluding likely a seroma...antibiotic changed and different wound care specialist recommended.  it is better and all providers agree it looks much, much better but still not totally healed--draining.  MRI later this week should elucidate further.  

pleasant diversions jump start lackluster mojo, so looking forward to some serious sewing!  as always, I thank my God for every blessing and 42 days to Maine!

july so soon?

only six months to christmas!  holy holidays batman!  can't say i'm not getting into the spirit already....

the first finish of july....a christmas wall quilt....simple, traditional, lovely fabrics, hand quilted of course...ticks all my boxes.  thanks to icky hot and humid weather, it's been a week of much sewing progress.  what else got done?

settled on this print for my tuscan starburst wall quilt....one of the few that was enough to use and has a bit of a mediterranean feel to it...tones down all those bright golds a bit as well i think...

and this project is moving along as well...

blue lanterns....blocks all done.   it's 5x5 as that used up the background fabric, plus big enough to hand quilt for a fairly quick finish too.   perhaps a july finish as well maybe?  

no holidays plans here, unless you count laundry...LOL!  will be putting these blocks together, also the last 2 rows on the 'spectrum' top, maybe basting a few small UFO projects for quilting and might pull out a kaffe puzzle i've been hoarding...i've about 5 medical appointments already booked for july (groan) and ms. leg continues to be an annoying enigma.  did sneak in 2 gym visits last week but on hold again until leg status clearly defined...rats!  

"long may our land be bright, with freedom's holy light, protect us by thy might, great God our king!"

got blues?

yeah blues, not THE blues....blue fabrics....sure, got stacks of them.  pulled out five to sew up these squares for the senior center's donation quilt.

 

ramped up endorphins this week from gym visit giving me mojo for just about anything, even in this wicked heat.  first thing, miss phoebe's in the house!

she's so glad to be back where she belongs...for now anyway.  also got this done....

all nine starbursts are done....this weekend will start on setting pieces and put it all together....

only 2 rows left to add to the 'spectrum' top to be finished and a wall quilt UFO got its binding sewn on, so that should be a weekend finish as well.  will show later...also started cutting applique pieces for the penn dutch wall quilt since dear daughter gifted me this fancy tin for the UFO...

no cookies, just the tin...LOL...a future roadshow item no doubt!

now that back to exercise, can sit and quilt without guilt, so it'll be back to 'midnight' as the next UFO to cross off.  and for all you carbo lovers, new book borrowed from library....

nearly every recipe drool worthy...i'd love to make a lot of them but a fair portion have ingredients taboo for the cardiac lifestyle...asian sauces, bacon, pancetta, feta and other cheeses.  there are a few i can try without provoking the ire of cardioman tho...lol

no plans for holiday weekend except sewing and a few house chores...just fine with me.  few more medical appointments upcoming with the leg. had to remove unna boot as simply too tight, for which i'll be scolded.  wound nurse helpful but honestly, she makes me feel like an 8-year-old who wet their pants in school.  and the $35 compression stockings are too tight as well...bye bye that money.  so keeping busy is helping to mostly ignore it.  that's the latest from this lake woebegone....

last but not least, a tribute to my dear friend vic....just last week learned of her passing...had tried to contact her several times in the past couple of years without any response, so was concerned.  we were crazy quilters in crime when i lived in new england.  her home was overflowing with fabric everywhere--over chairs, in baskets in the kitchen and a big pile of priority mail packages in the living room...LOL!  she lost interest when her husband died a few years back and probably succumbed to a broken heart...rest easy my friend.  

vic, janet and me in 2013 at--where else, a quilt shop!

machinus interruptus

 was sewing merrily along sunday when whoops!  this happened to miss sunny!

immediately surfed over to youtube to see the how-to of replacing it...which i did find, but a bit hesitant to tackle so may have to call on repair guy....it's an inexpensive fix but with the budget on life support, there'll be some very creative juggling.  in the meantime, phoebe featherweight has been called in for duty.  fortunately, plenty of other tasks to satisfy the mojo....like this

tuscan starburst getting closer to flimsy....working on the last block now, the red, and then rummage the stash to see if there's an ok setting fabric.  i did find one i like but a bit more looking just to make sure.  

then there's prepping for these blocks...

senior center is making a quilt for the local hospital to raffle at their anniversary celebration.  i've 5 blocks to make using blue fabrics...another opportunity to bust some stash.  

finally, a UFO is needing binding so more stash diving and found this, another pretty that's been ignored but no longer....

the spectrum top will be finished once phoebe is in the house--need to pick up at daughter's--a good feeling indeed.  did manage to bust all the 1.5" and 2.5" squares in the baggie that had been cut eons ago; now left with 1.5" and 2.5" strips that are quite user friendly.  

it's a hot day so inside tasks on the to-do list...plenty of scraps to cut, DAR member training videos to tackle, a custard pie to make.  the annual DAR convention later this week will be live streamed, so more hand work on tap.  thankfully the apartment is low maintenance as I try very hard to be.  a few medical visits still scheduled but winding down.  the leg?  wound care nurse working wonders, but the pesky thing is still draining and there is still a pinhole opening stubborn to heal.  every week it gets wrapped tighter.  at least walking improved and gym on the horizon.  slowly feeling more settled and knowing my way around more, but hasn't quelled the homesickness always under the surface.  will soldier on doing my best to fit in and feel at home--for now.