batik flimsy

yesterday finally got the batik blocks assembled into a flimsy.  i am sooo loving that plum solid, thank you Janet L.!  this will be tied and is spoken for already, so hopefully another finish soon?  i hope.... **** our frigid weather continues with wool socks and fleece pants in constant use.   we do usually get a short spell of this every year, except last winter, so it isn't uncommon and is tolerable.  **** quilting continues on the autumn change quilt, a perfect pastime for this time of year.  maybe 2 finishes at once?  perfect! 

first fabric find

well, nearly got through the month without bringing home any new fabric.....nearly.   was cruising around on ebay and found these FQs at a good price.  always drawn in by paisley fabrics and anything blue as well.  i bid on several other items but got outbid quickly beyond what i felt was a good deal.  **** today is "love your local quilt shop" day and i simply cannot choose just one.  it isn't like there is one closest...that would be marden's....and while there are good deals there, they don't always have what i want or need.  while it's true i sometimes order online, often it IS from a local quilt shop.  this is maine and often it's a trek to get there, so shipping is the economical method.  ****  not exactly enjoying the frigid weather, but at least the roads are dry and clear.  am living in my warmest clothes and sleeping snug under my quilts.  that said, i'm off to put the wool socks and fleece pants on!

baby emma

now that embroidery is done on christmas wishes, i pulled these fabrics to start the applique on jo morton's "baby emma" wallhanging.  i like to have a small applique project handy to travel with for odd moments.  not all of these will be used, but love those dark cheddary orange fabrics!  the pieces are traced as of now and might get ironed on today, we'll see.  **** in the deep freeze here but it does keep the snow away, so it isn't all bad.  as long as one has plenty of fleece pants, wool socks and comfy quilts, which i do!  *** for keeping warm while TV watching, quilting on the autumn change and also just about done with the little house project.  i made a total of 12, which is enough, but they are so darn cute.  now to get out those socks.....

book recommendation

not often do you see book recommendations here, even though i read regularly for relaxation.  this one i got from oprah's book list and i am so glad i requested it.  written by the daughter of B-movie actor Lyle Talbot, it isn't strictly his story but rather that of the rise of movies in his lifetime, spanning nearly all the 20th century.  there are hysterical tidbits about some notable people in the business plus plenty of historical information about how hollywood came to be the famous movie town it is.  when 3 unknown actresses appeared on his doorstep, director mervyn leroy predicted bette davis would not succeed and joan blondell would be the big star.  and how edison, when shown a preview of the first talkie, was convinced it would never succeed because people loved the drama of the silent movie.  he failed to jump on the bandwagon and was then instrumental in driving moviemakers west to escape his wrath when talkies became standard.  i'm halfway thru and eager to read the rest.  if you like the movies, you might find it interesting as well.  **** sunday spent sewing on little houses and also quilting on autumn change.  oh, and downton abbey of course!  *** seesaw temps are down again this morning, so it's back to wool socks for me!

about half done

that would be this little christmas wallhanging designed by gail pan.  the patterns got downloaded free back in 2006 for some future time, which appears to be now.  the embroidery part is done, now to piece together and quilt.  thinking about maybe HSTs for the sashing.....thinking, i said.....so will let it lounge on the design wall until i'm sure.  now you see why i deconstructed the other christmas piece, for this will take its place.  **** another day off today after an unusually late work night.  there'll be a nap, some chores and quilt-cam with bonnie this afternoon to work on little houses, perhaps finishing the 12 i've planned to make.  then will cut more pieces for the next section of "just takes 2" and later tonight during TV will quilt more on autumn change.  **** yesterday started prepping applique for jo morton's "baby emma" piece, which i soooo love.  idle hands, you know... 

some nerve

another hancock's catalog arrived the other day...and while i was able to ignore nearly all the glossy fabric photos tempting me to order with wild abandon, this line is seriously calling to me.  it's "indigo crossings" and it should be obvious my favorite color is blue.  these are soooo nice and i want 1/2 yard of every one.  problem is, already have an indigo scrappy quilt in progress and am making fewer bed size quilts.  will have to ponder and think about what to do with it before taking the plunge. oh, and where to put it IF i do decide to add to the stash.  that's the real elephant in the room.  **** snow has finally stopped and we got about 4-5" total i think.  now comes the cold temps, to be expected in late january.  **** time off to be spent on just takes 2, houses and quilting autumn change.  that frees my mind to think about "indigo crossings".....

gone.....

but not really; a new exciting life awaits these scraps from the christmas wallhanging.  i realized after looking at it for some time that the pieces were too large to be a successful scrappy.  no matter, these pretty scraps will morph into other projects.  **** and just underneath the scraps are foundations for "just takes 2" which is coming along, now starting on the 3rd section.  this project plus a few more little houses are on the sewing table today.  for hand quilting, the autumn change is in the hoop.  it is a gift for someone special, so the sooner it's done, the sooner it's out of here and on to its new home.  **** woke up to snow again today; not much, but any that makes the roads messy is too much in my opinion.  good thing the days are slowly lengthening!

the neatest thing!

found this pattern free online for an earbud case and except for buying the zipper, it was totally free!  keeps those pesky earbuds from tangling up when loose in the purse or tote bag.  **** sitting here listening to the foghorns blowing their mournful tones.  it's very foggy and warm, an extension of the january thaw. 

un-quilting

if you are thinking, "hey wait, didn't she finish that," then you would be right.  it often got hung during december as one of my wallhangings of the month.  but this year it got taken to work for my cube during christmas.  while looking at it these past 2 months, i realized i don't like it much, but i do love the fabrics sooooo it has been unquilted and will get unpieced next.  the fabric will get washed and put into the scrap basket for another project (see lower right corner).  currently working on gail pan's "christmas wishes" wallhanging that will take its place every december. how about you, have you ever "unquilted" anything?  i thought it would be painful but it wasn't. 

first finish!

and on the overcrowded design wall this morning is this first 2013 finish!  this is the wallhanging made of jo morton's "variety" line of luscious red reproduction fabrics.  and did you know that this year, this very spring, there will be a new line of "variety" in blue?  i did and i am waiting as patiently as i can for it to go on sale.  my no buying resolve will be cast aside when it's available.  not that i haven't been sorely tempted so early in the new year by e-mails and websites to add to my stash, but when i do get tempted, i simply pull out an elfa drawer and take a long, very long, look at the fabric i already have.  it usually banishes the temptation....well up to now, that is.   **** spring has flung, back to the 20s this morning, and sorely missed for sure.  i'll be commiserating with the old viking.....