sewing along...

these are the 2 latest of the farmer's wife sew-along blocks....both paper pieced as i wouldn't have done them any other way.   the 365 is up to date as well.  finished all the pink reel blocks i could, now waiting on getting more pinks from the big stash in storage.   tomorrow hoping to baste a couple of things for quilting.  the 12 days of christmas blocks also on the list, as this would give me a quick finish.  will also be cutting more scrappy bricks for that project.  working on several things at once usually gives me lots of finishes at once.  when i was a single parent had to juggle several things at once, so it's a method now used for my sewing projects.  silly me thought life would be less complicated with no children to care for, a house to maintain and 2 jobs....not sure what happened or if i'll ever get the satisfaction of an explanation, but thankful God gives me the strength and perseverance to keep on keeping on....quilting that is!

stash report & quilt cam

first official stash report of 2016....0 stash in and 0 stash out!  plenty of sewing going on but nothing quite finished yet.  during quilt-cam last night did some of this...

the little pink virginia reel blocks are coming along, there will be 24 in all and i'm about halfway there....and some of this...

scrappy 9-patch blocks from fabric that was gifted to me last year...70 were needed and they are now done; next is to cut the connecting squares and sawtooth border triangles...this will be a donation quilt at some point in honor of those who so generously shared their stash with me during my sojourn here in the desert (again!)....moses wandered in desert but died before entering the promised land...hoping my situation will have a different conclusion...of course am keeping up with the 365 challenge AND farmer's wife sew-along... on today's list?  the 2 FWS blocks and the 365 block and more on the 2 projects shown....a great day to sew!

5 for 5

day 5 and here are my blocks so far...have a bag of small pieces right next to phoebe and try to get these sewn up as soon as they are posted.  going all scrappy and so far so good!  also been working on some of these little paper pieced blocks for a january finish maybe?

the UFO list is officially at 41 so hoping that 2016 is the year of the finish...lots of them in fact....this will also help me focus on busting stash after shamefully accumulating nearly 100 yards (didn't count the gifties), more than enough to finish all my UFOs and generate several more, especially if i continue with small projects like these.  planning on donating 2 bed size quilts in october and also have a quilt of valor on my "hope to make" list...it's a wonder i have time to do anything else...LOL!  and if the start of 2016 is any indicator, likely to be the year of the new car, not showroom new but parts new as in frequenting the repair shop.  it's only january 5th but spent 3 of those days bonding with various car mechanics and incorporating a whole new vocabulary--calipers, rotors, differential, sensors, yokohama (tires)--and (gulp) attacking the bank balance.  fabric sales and quilt shops are definitely off limits for the time being.  it isn't that my car is in bad shape, it's just the nature of mechanical things (sigh)....but, as mrs. g says, life is still good!

first bite

so far so good!  and so it begins....doing the scrappy version....stay tuned for more!

it's here!

where DID 2015 go?  counting my blessings as 2016 arrives and hoping for another jam-packed year of sewing and quilty fun!  for auld lang syne!

snow day = sew day

it couldn't last, meaning no snow on the ground, have about 4" here, which isn't much but it's more that it heralds the beginning of real winter that is disheartening.  but a month's reprieve is way better than none, and what could be nicer than a 60-degree christmas!  snowy days mean sewing and this was the result....the 5 blocks of FWS that were waiting...

haven't pulled the papers yet but they are done.  this group is on hiatus until jan 6th so next up will be the start of the 365 challenge.  and my UFO list for 2016 is finalized so guess i'm ready for it to begin.  so blessed to see the start of another year!

UFO not!

did get this little piece finished just this morning, so off the list it goes....going to try and eliminate just one more small flimsy from the list. with not much else scheduled and bad weather finally coming (meaning snow), should be able to manage one more finish.  otherwise working on FWS blocks and some usual tasks. only 5 days to the start of the 365 challenge and trying to avoid that tiny voice in my head that this is simply too big a project for somebody in a state of flux.  trouble is, really want to take it on but would feel more confident if things were a bit more stable and all the stash was organized and at hand.  nevertheless, going to persevere and see what happens....can always abandon for a later date....meanwhile, gotta corral my warm clothes and get ready for real winter....yeeeccchh!

great sale-ing day!

although with temps near 60, it was almost a day for the on-the-water kind of sailing, but NH vic and i opted for the retail kind....the sun and fresh air was heavenly!  first up?  footprints in rochester, NH...

just inside the door 25+ bolts of kim diehl's new fabric line....and so difficult to choose but had to select only 4 quarter yards....lovely colors!   then it was our fave marden's!

christmas fabrics half price and found a few neutrals as well....total for this 2 yards was $4....really, only four dollars!  got a half yard of the red print, quarters on all the others.   then back to vic's for a delish lunch of turkey leftovers, some conversation and then hit the road.  due to holiday scheduling, have a couple of saturdays off for a change....made me feel almost human again! 

a christmas wish....

for dreams to be realized, for prayers answered, for hungry to be full, for cold to have warmth, for homeless to be housed, for jobless to work, for children to be safe and loved, for hope to endure, for health restored, for the aged and infirmed to have comfort and safety, for my own particular needs and yours too....and that the message of the manger will live in my heart always.....merry christmas!

and it's done!

not an official UFO finish by stashbuster guidelines, but it's done and won't be on the 2016 UFO list..

wasn't sure about this but i do like how it turned out, has a sort of primitive feel...glad i tea-dyed to tone down the white background.  now can i rack up another finish before january?  hope so....and since the new year is just over a week away, have updated my UFO list for 2016...can i finish them all?  watch this space!