another squishie!

y 
the little swap stars arrived yesterday and aren't they adorable?  this could be my next round of leaders/enders, making another batch of these.  they are just THAT cute!  no project planned for them but oh! the possibilities.  ****  a cloudy, cool and wet saturday; no big plans, just some quilting and household stuff. 

seeing red

up bright and early this AM and first thing?  why, get out those reds for an upcoming swap!  so very many from which to choose, perhaps a bit of each one will be included.  some are christmas prints, some are leftovers from the north wind project and the rest are civil war repros.  don't they look cheerful?  ***** still in afterglow from a delicious day yesterday.  on tap for today is some R&R, some quilting, a few errands and not much else.  i am going to try my hand at some green tomato pickles, though.  it's a condiment i grew up with but have never made myself.  they are delish on burgers or as a side.  ***** now off to get breakfast and start the rest of the day!

a new old book

on this gorgeous fall day, we trekked to the quilt museum in lowell.  they have a fabulous exhibit right now which is actually a retrospective of quilting in the past 25 years.  a beautiful selection of quilts done in various methods tantalized!  then off to the used book section in the library where i found this.  i'm pretty sure i can squeeze this one onto the bookshelf.  was thinking i should probably do a "julie and julia" and make every one of these wonderful little quilts.  well, it's an idea anyway.  a bit of other retail therapy in tax-free NH and we arrived home late afternoon.  a perfect day!

swap squishie!

yesterday this package arrived; swaps...light/dark nickels and brown strips.  in the nick of time as it turns out because as all quilters know, i was running low...ROFL!  *** and if you are a fan of elly may clampett, wish her aka donna douglas a happy birthday...she's 80 today!  and without andy williams, the world is a little less bright.  RIP my favorite crooner.

quilting progress

here is the quilting progress so far this month.  because of the eye situation, there is a gap but trying to make up for lost time here.  it is still possible to finish my pinwheel before retreat, but no pressure so will just wait and see.  *** promises to be a very comfortable and sunny early fall week here in coastal maine....hope you can say the same!

down to days...

before this will be in my vision.  has it really been 8 months since i paid my money and secured my place for this ideal autumn vacation?  doesn't seem that long at all, which means that my week will fly by in an instant.  i really need a month instead of a week, i think, don't you?  **** spending my free time quilting on the pinwheel, hoping to finish soon. hoping your day is pleasant anjd enjoyable!

mail candy

mr. postman brought some eye candy yesterday and don't you LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this little quilt made by jo morton?  it's in the current issue of Quiltmaker.  i could make this no problem; in fact, i could probably make several as i seem to have some of jo's fabrics here someplace...<grin>!  **** it's a coool morning here, i mean in the 40s.  great sleeping under quilts weather.  and that means great quilting weather too.  that is on my agenda today, quilting on the scrappy pinwheel.  with cooler weather arriving, i need to get this on my bed ASAP.  can't wait to try out the wool batt.  it's my day off and i have absolutely NO errands or chores scheduled so a quilting marathon of sorts is on.  enjoy the day!

ssshhhhh...

some secret selvedge sewing going on in the studio, my lips are pretty much sealed but i can show you this much.  and isn't this the greatest thing?  took my paper piecing books by queen carol doak to staples and had them spiral bound.  now i can trace those patterns with ease!  other than the "just takes 2" project, which is languishing on the ironing board at the moment, i don't do a whole lot of paper piecing, but she has some patterns that work for a project i'm just starting for maine quilts next year.   *** wild, windy and rainy wednesday here, good for a change!   NOTE:  i think i have turned off word verification, so it will be easier to post comments should you desire.  let me know otherwise.....

monday sewing

in addition to my hour of quilting, managed to sew up these units for the ocean waves quilt.  there is no rush getting this flimsy together and, in fact, i might have to order another grab bag of those luscious solids from cherrywood in order to get the variety i need at a low cost.  this quilt takes an enormous amount of triangles, even at the size i'm making, which is giving me a 3.5" square when 2 are sewn together.  not nearly as small as bonnie's gorgeous, huge ocean waves, but because i hand quilt all my quilts, i tend to shy away from too many seams.  *** now off to start my busy day in gorgeous early fall weather!

away they go!

all done and headed for the swap hostess, these 5 little baggies of stars made with jo morton fabrics.  since being, shall i say "indoctrinated" or "exposed" to jo morton's fabulous fabric lines a little more than a year ago, i've jumped into the civil war repro movement with both feet right up to my neck.  there is something about this fabric style that tweaks the strands in my prairie woman DNA, although i don't think any of my ancestors got anywhere near the prairie.  mostly they are here in new england in extreme rural and even unsettled areas.  my great-great grandfather was at appomattox when lee surrendered, but he came back to new england.  anyway, this swap is history; now to wait for the returns....i can't wait!  and would you believe, snow in new england this weekend?