half success

cold winter days foster daydreams about warmth and surf...hoping i can get there this summer or early fall some time...i do have salt water in my veins....definitely my happy place...

planned to get both quilts basted in january but due to a batting issue, only one.  even so, january wasn't a total washout....did some frankenbatting and now have one for wildest dreams, so that's the weekend project--close enough

• finished waterfall UFO
• basted scrappy DWR
• 'mathemagical' top 
• finished stitchery 'sleigh bells'
• 2 christmas placemats and a hot pad
• lap robe top and baby quilt for senior center projects
• basted and quilting 'detour to oz'
• 'love bug' flimsy

PLUS.....

• put away christmas, revamped living/storage space
• all quilted items moved to closet shelf
• cooked for freezer
• exercised regularly
• read 2 books
• only one routine medical visit

this is the baby face panel top made for the senior center...another quilter chose the backing and quilted it, then bound by me...isn't it adorable?  can't you just imagine some new mom wrapping her precious in it?  i can....

started another little cross stitch stuffie...this is 'winter saltbox' by pinker n punkin designer...she has free patterns for a series of saltbox littles....remind me of new england...

this came up on instagram and choked me up....the other day for one fleeting nanosecond i thought i would call her, then caught myself...she was my only confidante and BFF...

and yes, it's friday, but sunday's coming!

next?

the next...and last...biggie to baste is 'wildest dreams' at 72" square.  remember this?  i am going to quilt every light triangle and then do cross hatch in blocks and setting triangles...should give it a really vintage look.  

on the to-do list is the 'wensleydale' but it's 60" square so not really bed size.  

saturday daughter ferried me to wegman's and then the weekend focused on 'mathemagical' which is nearly a flimsy....if you are thinking of making one, i'm listing a couple of tips that helped me. first is this....the construction diagram can be confusing so i use little post-its to block off finished sections...my ex-boss, the neuro brain, would likely say i have some sort of deficit but he had a penchant for diagnosing everyone from the paperboy to grocery clerks.  probably goes with the territory...

the second is these prepped units...i counted up the twosies, sewed them together and pinned to the design wall so they were ready when needed.  i am working on the last section now.

aren't those kaffe fabrics wild?  don't tell him, but the gray print came from joann's...i bought a couple of yards at $3 per so a good deal and a good quality fabric.  i thought it looked sorta like a kaffe. 

clam chowder got made sunday...a taste of home indeed...enjoyed some fresh air finally now that temps have warmed, promising to creep up most of the week.

last but certainly not least, today is Holocaust Remembrance Day....80 years since Auschwitz was liberated....never, ever forget...especially now that the wannabe dictator-in-chief is in the white house.

one down....

 the scrappy DWR is all basted and marked, set aside until i finish the wall piece in the hoop currently....

busted 6 yards for the back alone...took most of 2 days, now taking a few days' break until tackling the next one....that'll complete my chookshed challenge for january.

still bitter cold, 5 degrees here this early morning going up to 34...thankfully sun is shining which warms up my apartment considerably.  i pay my own electric here and so every bit of free energy is a plus.  

after grocery delivery midmorning, rustled up a big pot of my mom's beef veggie soup....

i used about 3/4 pound of stew beef and veggies aplenty--carrots, parsnips, onions, celery, cabbage plus a can of diced tomatoes, unsalted stock, herbs and a splash of worcestershire...containers were frozen for future meals but it's on the menu again today...mmm mmm good!  

working up motivation for getting to the mathemagical top.  i should be able to get most of it done today, the rest friday morning.  friday afternoon and saturday taken up with activities but next week is another week free of appointments and such.  might be time for a couple of small pieces on my wish list to stave off midwinter boredom.  keep warm and sew on!!

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