the studio is open!

at last, 8 days after landing, the final box is in the recycling dumpster and *MOST* everything has found a home.  sadly, the bulletin board was DOA but a replacement will be made at some point.  clothes are clean, folded/hung and in the closet....and yes i have plenty of sox again!  printer arrived with toner intact--after a year in storage i was impressed!   FWS foundations were printed and managed 2 block finishes yesterday....Left to right, Em (for misery no doubt) and Fanny for your viewing pleasure!

and it WAS a monumental task, all that unpacking, left to be done are things to hang on the wall and find more places to display quilty items.   big thank you to Marge at Delaware Quilters...this little tool was invaluable in my success!

this is the flathead side, the other is phillips....the larder is next on the list.  some of my herbs replaced but all other staples still waiting.  once the bookcase is arrived and organized, will post the formal photos of the new studio....sometime next week....until then keep calm and quilt on!

egad!

add 2 more UFOs to the list....these were lurking in the bowels of a box among scraps don't ya know....

the snowman candle mat and these batik scrap star hexagons....getting put aside while the binding on the hawaiian continues.....and it's summer here in maryland!   84 yesterday and 80 today....they call it spring but in maine it doesn't get this warm until late june or july....the gals at the complex tell me to wait a bit, summer will come.   ***  the old viking is set up and was so fun this morning right after breakfast to sit and sew a bit....the transition has been smooth as silk and almost everything has a place now.   trudy is still waiting for her belt, then all the sewing gals will be operational....as mrs. goodneedle always says "life is good"!

making progress???

already feeling overwhelmed, quilt project wise....ok far left is a stack of yardage for backgrounds and some garments, clear bag is muslin/white scraps, green bag is batting scraps, middle pile is basted items, far right is flimsies, and lastly the print bag holds large muslin and white backings....tired yet?  I sure am!  and by special request, am showing again the milky masquerade flimsy aka sparkle pattern...

still putting things away and trying not to think about the UFOs calling my name...and yesterday took a break and watched "Brooklyn" while quilting on the Hawaiian, which is just about ready for its binding....april finish maybe?  I hope so.....

unpacked but....

this was taken with flash but there is no lamp in that room yet....well, there is a lamp but no bulb...but this will give you an idea of how the stash organizing is coming along.   yes, those are PILES of fabric but really, looks like a lot more in this photo.  the reason it is just tossed about is that a lot of fabric was used as packing material, and so to get at other stuff, just flung the fabric aside for the time being.  a bookcase will arrive next week to get it off the floor.  actually, for 3 days out, the apartment is looking pretty good...the kitchen is almost all done, 2 of the sewing shelves are done and the cedar chest is now packed with its usual stuff.  still a lot piled around for which am slowly finding spaces.  first up had to assemble the elfa drawers, then the other set where my UFOs reside and get the antique sewing table up that is currently being used as a desk.  printer is functional (no internet yet), drawers are full.  surprised that toner cartridges were not completely dried.   found 3 packages of computer paper, 2 of carol doak's foundation PLUS the ream from amazon.  clothing is mostly in the closet now and nice to have something other than fleece pants to wear.  my 2 pairs of sox that have worn over the past year are getting a much-needed break!  Tuesday night after movers left and I had spent the day unpacking, slept an incredible 10.5 hours without waking at all!  that is unheard of for me.  last night another 9 hours, a testament to how exhausting this process has been.  even so, thrilled to be here and to have an apartment in such a lovely place.   ***  today's quest is to find a source for herbs by the ounce.  usually whole foods or organic markets sell them and my collection that was in storage for an entire year are gonzo.  ***  lastly let me sing the praises of Allen & Coles moving company out of Portland, Maine.  everything--and I mean EVERYTHING--arrived in tip top shape save for one shelf of an old side table that is easily repaired and the plastic cover to a stoneware pie plate that cracked.  it is only used in the refrigerator so some wide clear tape fixed it good as new.   things that were old and fragile and of huge sentimental value all arrived in pre-move condition.    

up to date...almost....

with the farmer's wife sew along now that these are done...

finally got the papers all out of these blocks, each with lots of little pieces.  been working on the 365 as well as currently about 2 wks behind on those blocks...but have cut the pieces and once i sit down and sew for a bit, will be caught up as they work up fairly quickly.   busy with settling in issues and finding my way...thank you mapquest!  making lists of where to go once all the unpacking is done, which is still on hold for the van to arrive.  while i love having a professional mover, working within their timetable is simply awful.  and one of the places i found first was this....yep, chick-fil-a...my all-time favorite chicken place.  the day i visited it was school vacation and the restaurant, parking lot and drive-thru were all mobbed. 

this town is so quaint and historical.  the downtown area is chock full of little brick rowhouses that must date back at least 200 years, plus 2 huge park areas, a modern library, an arts center, and plenty of unique stores.  it is so easy (relatively) to find one's way despite the glut of one-way streets and alleys that also surely date back to colonial times.  and francis scott key, the author of our national anthem?  he would be glad to know they have named a mall after him...LOL!  ***  still hugely sleep deprived due to my non-bunk while waiting for furniture.  caffeine only works so long and then it's nap time again.  ***  senior center quilting this morning despite pouring rain.  phoebe and i ventured out with the 365 blocks for some quilty sharing....but no chocolate (hear that vic?)!   then home--love that word home--for a quick lunch and a few errands.  did i mention i really love it here? 

secret sewing

signed up for doll quilt swap and that is what is currently on board, that plus catching up on farmer's wife...yesterday made 4 blocks in 4 hours and have only 2 more to go.  as for 365, well that is another story.   about 10 days behind on that one, but it's a matter of spending a few hours to get current....as for life in maryland, am loving it!  hoping this is the week of the van's arrival....am still giddy as a school girl at having my own apartment.  at night just sit and look around, placing things and thinking about how it will look.  have connected with a church very close by as well.  mail is arriving in my mailbox, so guess that means i'm sorta settled.  the craft room is being well used by me, as i can sit and sew, spread my stuff out and watch TV as well...hoping to have photos tomorrow of my blocks.  maybe will get some 365 done today as well....weather is cooler and windy and wild.  had to actually wear my wool hat and jacket this morning.  am told this will change soon, tho.   now off to spend the day!

surprise finish...

the little wallhanging found in a box used as packing material is now done, washed and ready to hang on my apartment door....

colors are a bit brighter than actual due to sunlight pouring in but it's a keeper for now...has to be 3-4 years old anyway due to fabrics....so that's 2 projects this month that are finished and with the moving van coming within the week, all my UFOs will be in plain sight to nudge me on to more finishes...not much doing until then.  another gorgeous day for finding my way around and picking up few foodstuffs.  went in to my new bank and the woman told me about a terrific greek restaurant close by....mmmm greek salad, i am ready for that!   still flying high on having an apartment with my own bathroom, kitchen and sewing studio.  have diagram all ready for when stuff arrives so can get up to speed on sew alongs ASAP....wishing you all the very best day! 

getting settled...sort of....

my cable isn't in yet so posting from a public computer aka nothing here to upload, just a brief update.  been exploring some and made only a few wrong turns so far.  have found important places like grocery store, library, chick-fil-a, walmart, gas stations, etc....just past day or so have gotten down to sewing on the surprise wallhanging used as packing material in a box.  glad to say it is ready to bind and will be a march finish, yay!  movers coming in about a week so remainder of unpacking is on hold until then.  have managed to apply for a few jobs as imperative to find work of some sort to support my quilty habits and pay student loans.  and the complex?  very lovely, lots of friendly people, lots of amenities and comforts.  feels strange having my own little kitchen again!  coming here from gray  New England was like stepping into Oz...everything in living color and lots of green!  hoping to have pictures next post.  have contacted a couple of guilds and planning visits soon, and quilting at the senior center is Thursday, so lots of opportunities to sew!  and even tho I live in senior housing, didn't feel "senior" until today when reading that Patty Duke had died...oh my....until next time!

the street where i live....

yes, have finally arrived in maryland at my new senior housing complex (thursday) and signed my lease friday so homeless no more!  nobody is happier than me, i can tell you...

of course there is NO SNOW here at all...spring is in full swing and loving it! my apartment is newly renovated and very nice...lots of amenities like many senior digs. just today got the car finally emptied, a huge task! had a nice trip down over 2 days, my brother came with me and drove.  he is a keeper, i will tell you!  things will improve once the moving van arrives with bed and rest of my household and sewing things.   for now roughing it and taking ibuprofen regularly...LOL!  of course parting with my maine family was tough, but closer to my one and only peep who has been in touch and is visiting soon.  feels so strange living alone again after so long, but have connected with senior center close by and next week library and guilds.  do not plan to hermit in the room by myself all the time if it can be helped.  course, a little job of some sort is on the agenda too as student loans always loom large.  ***  traveling through PA my brother desired to stop at the martin guitar factory and i was happy we did...it made him beam from ear to ear...a short visit but a life-long memorable one....i took this photo of him....he is my hero this week for sure.  made the trip fun and seem shorter than usual. *** posts will be sporadic until comcast and i touch base. and did i mention?  there is a craft room that was said that nobody uses....until now that is!  

a finish!

couldn't let march go until a finish was posted....the summer sampler sew along from last summer is done!  the blocks are small at 4" finished and it is a bit larger than first realized.  it'll hang at mum's and pretty up her place, along with the table topper and valance, both with red.  more little blocks done but still lagging behind a bit.  lots of nonquilty things going on this week, so not sure how much sewing will actually get done.  *** winter is back and it's a SNOW day, 3-6" the weather guru says, but won't last due to longer, sunnier days and warmer temps.  it's the last gasp, no doubt---we hope anyway.