yeah it's cold...

it's 11 here this morning and what?  going DOWN to 2 degrees overnite?  in maine my brother is reporting -9....snow in florida and alabama?  and my peeps in the southern hemisphere are sweltering with heat.  crazy weather indeed...what's a gal to do but baste???

this biggie is on the table, now half basted and marked...will get finished today.  that's one of two for my chookshed challenge...the second is only 72" square where this one is a bit wider and longer...glad to know my days of crawling around floor to sandwich are nearly done.  

murphy's law says work expands to fill the allotted time and that has been spot on for me this week...the necessary stuff is getting done at a snail's pace.  with nowhere to go for the week i've been coasting a lot.  

these 2 little things also got finished....

so 3 things to finish in january....basting, oz wall quilt and mathemagical...with 9 days to go...plus 2 med appts, couple of fun things, delayed grocery order today and some cooking...

and if you're really bored, watch deer eat here....https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJ6Jq82qhGI.

and above all, try and stay warm...i had a down coat when i moved to maryland 9 years ago but gave it away...another winter like this and i'll be replacing it for sure!

the week ahead

first off, this is UFO #2 done and still january!  it's the 'waterfall' wall quilt...was given some large hexies but only a few were this blue print...i had the stripe on hand and then a fellow quilty peep sent the small piece for the binding.  it is not the same print but hardly noticeable and it was just enough..nothing left over.  

next in the hoop is 'detour to oz' that got basted just this morning.  that's this week's must do project. one yard was used for the backing.  

also in the works is 'love bugs'..not much to see yet but there is a plan....

and this week got a second care package in the mail...like what's better in my mailbox???  fabric of course, but all lovely kaffe fassett fabrics...serious drool time here....already ideas are percolating...

and included were some soft shot cottons....nice spring colors too...i was totally surprised and am hugely thankful for such a gift...

this week it's back to mathemagical...should be a top before the end of the week, maybe even today! and another lap robe for the senior center...headed for vets' hospice of the chesapeake..after my personal experience with hospice, i am honored to do all i can for them and our veterans

as you can see the folding table is up again...for as long as i can tolerate, as it takes up nearly 1/4 of my entire living room.  i've barely a path to walk thru now.  there is basting ahead this week...i've 2 waiting and have pulled yardage for backings--one sewn already--these are the last 2 bed size quilts to baste.  once they are basted i might pull out a puzzle.  we have a nice library with tables for puzzles, but doing it here is more convenient and i don't have to get dressed!  just right for those broken sleep nights too.  

no, i won't be watching swearing in the bully-in-chief and i am trying to put the peanut gallery cabinet members out of my mind as well.  as a christian, i know God is in control but i surely wonder how HE plans to keep America free and a bastion of democracy for the world.  i envision there won't be much ahead except playground-level bickering and endless legal wrangling.  perhaps this time will be spent preparing God's man for the next election?  off the soapbox now...have a blessed day!

monday's mail

the previously mentioned stash of FQ winnings arrived monday....a nice little bundle of 26 FQs, all very nice....birds, butterflies, blues, purples, neutrals...

as i fondled them, a few project ideas came to mind...for now they will get acquainted with their fellow FQs on the stash shelf...

and these bodacious prints arrived for the mathemagical top....

now to wash and then cut up to get 'er done...and what's in the hoop now?

that would be waterfall...the color is off considerably but these are royal blue background giant hexies from the gifted pile....it's a small piece so quick finish....using sulky 12 wt blue thread to quilt...next up will be 'detour to oz' as it's for a show later this year and registration is coming up...

monday was seasonable meaning 40s but still cold overnight making for 3 dog quilt nights and more on the horizon...even so prefer this over heat index of 100 or so...the lined drape i made for a kitchen window has served well, so before summer arrives another for the remaining 2 windows will be made.  

our complex now has a regular monday van that goes to local grocery stores.  this is indeed a great benefit making it more convenient to acquire needs.  up until now i've been buying ahead not knowing when i would shop again...we live in a transportation desert otherwise.  

time to jot down tuesday's to-dos and then on the bike!

snowy sewing saturday

heard the snowplow at 4 am so you know we got more, about 4"...ok mother nature, that's quite enough.  no plans for today so sewing on tap...first up, showing this finish....solids on steroids!

busted a whopping 11 yards of fabric on this and so delighted it is done, done, done!  just a wee later than i had hoped but close enough..so what else?

assembled this pretty little baby quilt top for the senior center...the babies were a panel that i cut apart and then used up this piece of pale yellow, which i'll bind it with also.  next up for our group are quilts for the veterans' hospice at walter reed, red/white/blue.  oh i think i have some of those!

and since christmas is over...or is it?  saw these little present blocks on somebody blog and i just happened to have a pattern bought maybe in the 1980s?  pulled a few pieces from the stash and made these placemats....and used up 2 more pieces of fabric here as well.  

and since there were a few scraps left, sewed up this little piece to finish as a hot pad...

last, but not least, pulled some yardage and sewed up a backing for one of my basting projects...took 5 yards total and there's a bit to trim, but more fabric gone from the shelf...

all in all very productive day.  now maybe put another UFO in the hoop and get going on that. 

all around lots of people have concerns, worries, apprehensions about life today...the change of year, in government, world situations, economic challenges and the price of eggs!  living with low income seniors i hear it every day.  my Lord commands me to NOT worry...brings to mind alfred e. neuman...what me worry?  no head in the sand, rather rely on God's promises...consider the lilies...how beautiful they are!  God created and maintains that beauty.  God holds me in his palm, shelters me from storms, protects me in furnaces...what me worry?  some days it's easier than others to remember those promises...He knows when even a sparrow falls so must be assured He can take care of me....have a blessed day!

the reckoning

january is a great time to take stock, clean, rearrange and start fresh...for quilters that is ALWAYS analyze and summarize the stash.  last year i did a deep organization of the stash shelves and it served me well.  fast forward nearly a year and it was time to tidy the shelves a bit after several months of sewing.

do you see what i see?  color me happy indeed as the wall is much more visible meaning only one thing....serious stashbusting in 2024.  additionally, there is one less shoebox that used to be above the 2 beige ones on the left....alas the bottom shelf still quite jammed with blues and solids...and the plaid stash on top shelf didn't budge at all, in fact a few pieces were added.  note to self:  use some up in 2025!  the bedroom has now been spiffed up and things moved around, leaving a space for the cedar chest to come later.  

this was an urgent task as mr. postman is bringing me a squishie of 26 FQs very shortly....my name got drawn over at the stashbusters group for 2nd place...anxious to see what comes! and the new kaffes will be here shortly as well to finish up the mathemagical top...love those squishies!

but there was a sorta downside to the organization...pulled fabrics for 2 WHIMMs that are planned....

at first glance the gray/blue is an ugly fabric...but do you see those bugs?  i do believe they could be love bugs...see the hearts!  anyway with valentine's around the corner, had an idea for a small piece to use this up and have a pretty to hang on the door.  

for a long time i've wanted to do a christmasy piece about a partridge in a pear tree...i bought the pear fabric eons ago and now have a plan for execution....the cream will be the background, have to pull some greens.  

our weather is still bitter cold and windy...lots of inside time...so thankful i went ahead and got the exercise bike.  bow ties should make its debut very shortly.  today a baby quilt assembly for senior center.  i was going to make a pizza for lunch but it's a time consuming task and sewing is luring me...but first the bike!  keep warm and sew on!

thank you angel!

 remember the angel i spoke of in my last post?  turns out i was wise to heed her whispers...

fixed the horizontal strip but while deconstructing, found that one of the side strips was also inside out...eeek!  so i fixed that one as well.  now it's done done and i won't hear those whispers...

what else got done saturday?  after finishing the project bag, moved right along to more units of 'mathemagical'....tried to get as many assembled as possible so when the new pieces arrive, can get the top done lickety split.  tempted to make another 'mathemagical' top as i've a stash of muslin strips at the ready and perhaps use up some greens.   sunday moved on to this...

today this will get finished as a stuffie and added to my other small stuffies...have also started another small winter theme one, winter saltbox from pinker n punkin blog....

january's first full week has brought winter to maryland....this morning woke up to about 5" of snow and still snowing...bitter cold temps to follow like single digits...a good week to stay inside...thankful i have food delivery set up already, PBS' passport and plenty of sewing to do...might even get to that christmas puzzle...today, tho, few non-sew tasks await.  it's keep WARM and quilt on!

friday sewing

bad weather held off and i did make it to quilt group friday...i took this with me...

a donated quilt top that required a bit of applique in each of the four corners...aside from me, there isn't anyone else that does hand applique so i raised my hand to finish....got 2 of the 4 tulips done...from me gets handed over to the machine quilter to finish and sell.  funds buy batting and other supplies for us.

in the morning i pulled this out, well rather was going to put away but the angel on my shoulder again told me i should fix it...so a bit of ripping ensued.  if you recall, the horizontal strip was put on wrong side out and it haunted me.  no other choice but to rip out and fix...

it'll get finished today and put away and conscience will be clear...lol

as mentioned, i'm known for hand applique at the senior center so was gifted this...

no, not making a full baltimore album, but the book has some great patterns suitable for hawaiian quilting...i have a lovely print and the plan is to make 4 blocks to use it up...eventually...

calendar is clear for a week or so...aside from finishing apartment clean, have several sewing projects to keep me busy...finish christmas cross stitch, get one of the biggies basted, finish mathemagical top, then sort shelf with finished items, sleeve on 'midnight' and get hung up...i keep telling myself these are the endless free days i dreamed of when working 2-3 jobs and overwhelming responsibilities...but still miss my independence and my car...sigh

clean slate

new year a great time to organize apartment...repurposed couple of things to make better use of space, did a serious clean (kitchen next) to clear holiday detritus, vac'd up gazillion threads and a few pins, got ducks in a row for a busy sewing year ahead.  in 2024 kept my empty spools to see how much i actually sewed...

not all were new, some had been used a bit but still respectable amount.  have been gifted some so plenty on hand....aurifil 28 wt is the kind i usually have to buy as it's my go-to hand quilting brand.  

today back to quilt group after holiday altho a snow/rain mix expected later so might get tabled.  monday is shaping up to be a snowstorm day but groceries coming today and plenty of sewing to do.  binding for bow ties gets prepped so on the home stretch this quilt finally!  waiting on new kaffes to finish mathemagical top.  exercise and a bit of cooking on tap for weekend.  

it was a hard christmas holiday and relieved that it's over...grief demands determinedly moving forward, which is difficult, but God got me thru the furnace and now the steps are just a bit easier.  have enough diversions on hand to hold me until warmer weather and can escape outdoors before horrid hot arrives.  the wilderness is still ahead but God always leads me thru.  have a blessed day!

the challenge begins!

it's january 1st and time for me to post my 10 challenges for the year...can i meet them?  will i cave?  what number will get selected first? stay tuned......here they are:

1.  A is for Alaska....a gorgeous pattern by Edyta Sitar...was gifted the templates and i've got the pieces cut and sorted into baggies...a great take along project but needs attention!

2.  tree of life panel wall quilt top....this too was a gift and needs to get to the flimsy stage, perhaps even basted...i've got as far as next-to-last border to use some tiny hexies on hand from an abandoned project, so a win/win to achieve this goal

3.  the repro triangles top...this needs to get done and outta here....10 rows to go....

4.  wensleydale...these foundation papers were a christmas gift last year.  i know i want to use homespuns but still decisions needed as to what else....time to decide

5.  the perennial solids drawer...true, it's only half full but it needs to be ALL EMPTY!  i've been collecting ideas and hoping this year will find them gone....

6.  big quilt basting....i have 2 big-ish quilts that need basting...batts and backs are on hand, just need to put on big girl panties and do it, especially since i'm no longer focusing on projects this size...

7.  dargate baskets....the plan is to assemble a few smaller wall quilts from this stack...should be do-able....

8.  red/green applique.  a visit to the baltimore applique society initiated this project--i'm making 4 blocks (2 done) shooting for a finish next this Christmas...

9.  have been eager to make a small wholecloth piece for some time...this year i would like to get it designed and in the works...the thread does match just poor photo...i've pulled a couple of stencils already, just need some motivation here....

10.  last but not least, big hexies project...these were gifted to me...lovely kaffe prints...and i've gotten the solid gold for connector triangles...hoping to assemble a few small pieces out of this hefty stack...

a pretty ambitious list...deana is our call girl (the monthly numbers, that is) and has announced #6 for january...so a basting day is on tap for this month once Christmas packed up.  gotta finish the bow tie quilt as well...

tree down today, always bittersweet....thorough apartment clean and re-org started....holiday events over and now shut in mostly until warmer weather arrives in a couple of months or so.  no wheels means no opportunities to connect with people with common interests and sensibilities except online for which i'm thankful.  

i've a couple of sewing tasks for the senior center to do, finish mathemagical and the bow ties so january is fully booked.  so thankful for another year ahead for all things quilty!

zooming into 2025

monday was NYE down under and spent time chatting with my quilty peeps there and in other locales...many of us zooming have had mega challenges this year and zooming gives us a fun oasis! chooky leads the pack and many exciting projects and tips were shared.  what did i sew?

mathemagical of course!  i was spelling it wrong and beg your indulgence...it does have an "e" that i've been leaving out....

section 1 is finished!  wow i am liking this very much...holding off on sewing more until i get a couple more prints...i don't have quite enough and don't want to put all the new ones at the bottom.  lots of units got prepped and it should be a quick top finish when the newbies arrive.

moved on to this block...this is #2 of 4.  the applique is a bit difficult as the backing and the appliques are both older kona cottons, very dense weave that don't needleturn easily...but 'light dawns over marblehead' and i tried beeswax, which is keeping my fine thread from fraying and moves thru the fabric easier...

the background square isn't square, so no need to adjust your screen...lol..so respectable progress.  

new year's eve anywhere is always better with quilty friends.  today cookies to bake, exercise, laundry to do, progress on the big clean...tune in tomorrow for my chookshed challenge list...it's a hefty one...so have a happy, safe and healthy NYE wherever you are and whatever you do!