another box ticked

had a short list of small projects that needed finishing before traveling and this was one...

a case for my tablet....went to the stash shelf and pulled a colorful batik, but when it was finished, shazam!  it matches my backpack!  was not a deliberate choice, rather the colors jumped out at me.  not the most detailed or high quality case, but it has double foam on both sides and bottom and much lighter than the laptop for travel.  and the backpack?  last summer's find at the LL Bean Outlet store.  was still using cane then and it was just right for the few necessary items....and still is!  ***  while at bank drive-thru spied these lovelies....everything is in bloom now and tulips are up and budded...

had a 5-minute snow flurry today but could very well be our last flakes until december...more secret sewing rounded out my day....now bed and book!

friday fun

 with house chores done, it was my time for some play...first a little finish....

the last zipper i had made its way into another project bag...now i have 4 that'll do me for now...and yes, more daisy print underneath--a wall quilt back that is getting a sleeve and traveling north with me...then played with some of the lovely solids recently gifted.  had pulled these 3 pieces and was itching to make a bars wall quilt...

those 3 light strips were all that were sent, a putty color, and i just had to use them.  plain, yes, as it's meant to be....the magic comes when it's hand quilted...and pretty sure i'll be using more putty too.  next up today?  a case for my tablet and finish quilting the monthly mini.  *** only a couple more things for the suitcase; you can be sure the flannel pants and wool sox are already packed!

ADDENDUM:  Looked up "putty" but found that the light strips are actually Kona Cotton oyster...a delightful mix of gray/beige....might need to get some...

wednesday sponsor

today's post brought to you by the letter S for SPRING!  short jaunt this morning and these were seen...

i love autumn foliage but spring is my second fave.  lots of these around...this weekend is also cherry blossom peak in DC...trees are bursting with color but daisies still don't tell...

the monthly mini is in the hoop and once again pulled some of these daisy fabrics for the back.  all in all there were about 10 yards total of these 2 daisy prints flung to me by my pal marianne, gone now nearly 2 years...pretty sure she had quilt backs in mind when she bought them.  stay tuned next weekend for the big reveal.  and what else is going on?  now that s'mores is a top, an empty drawer in the UFO tower is filled with these...

the only new start this year is destined for a gift so since time is whizzing by, felt certain work had to progress.  also dug out this little pile of foursies started for 'carolina cottonball' a few years back...

they are getting deconstructed and have found a new purpose...won't be showing much more of this project, big reveal before 2023!  Just Joy was complaining a bit about all her hard work on s'mores and i found out why....

thatsa lotta lint!  she is much happier now i can attest...will have to pay closer attention to her whining from now on...LOL...

this week is housework 101...last cleaning of this level was april 2021 before a trip, and then the hip, so it's overdue.  cooked ahead yesterday so can just heat up the next few days, then not tempted with delivery.  got back to gym today after brief hiatus due to unpleasant behavior by neighbors.  constantly perplexed at how some people were brought up without basic things like courtesy and respect.  off to heat up lunch and then attack apartment.  have a spring-y day!

sunday post

can't believe another week has whizzed by while i've been sorta busy, with exercise mostly.  made it 5x again this week!  the culprit has been meandering....after finishing at the gym, the good weather has kept me outside just wandering and enjoying the spring.  today, tho, this finally reached the flimsy stage....

the s'mores top!  the pattern was shorter and wider, but when i added 2 rows, ended up with generous twin size, ok for me.  it will cost less for batt too, another plus.  thank you, jo morton, for this pattern and all your lovely fabrics!  happy to say used up half of my small repro scraps....whereas had 2 piles of them before started, now only these remain...

a few very small pieces ended up in the scrap basket but have started cutting pieces for another scrap top that'll get donated, so these should be gone soon as well.  while it's fun to sew with and use up these scraps, there is still plenty of yardage on the shelves waiting in the wings.  *** quilting on the scrappy trees continues.  i've one project bag packed to go and the other will be applique pieces for 'midnight at the oasis', hoping to get that top done on my return. 

this week must focus on house chores.  lots of little dog ears need to be vacuumed up, plus 2 small floors to wash.  maybe i can get my 2 fans cleaned before the trip.  

cherry trees just about to explode.  this is the nice maryland weather before the icky sticky hots arrive and it'll be indoor a/c days until late october.  don't like maryland but worth being close to my daughter and that makes all the difference....it's love you know!

saturday sewing

up early saturday, finished mundane tasks and then fired up Joy for a day of sewing...my goal was to finish the two halves of S'mores....

and here they are!  as the pattern is written, it finishes at 57" square....but my task now is to add 2 more rows making it just a tad bigger.  i do have enough of the sashing print but will have to bind it with another fabric, probably a solid....i KNOW i have enough repro fabrics for the additional rows...maybe by next weekend it'll be a flimsy as it's another week of only fitness and one quick lab appointment.  ***  my march mini top is assembled, so now baste and quilt and it'll be ready for its closeup.  ***  just this week, a newspaper article from Machias, Maine, revealed a recently unearthed quilt from 1922 with signatures....and was thrilled to find my great-grandmother as one of the quilters!

the purpose or group name is unknown, but the signatures are clear and include not only my great-grandmother, but other Whitneys and others to whom we are related by marriage.  This really brings me joy as now I know for certain of a solid quilting heritage.  I previously knew my other great-grandmother made utilitarian scrap quilts on her treadle that were tied.  Both of these GGM are maternal lineage.  

Spring is emerging slowly and, except for a weekend snow storm and very cold temps, it'll be near 60 all week with a possible creep to 70...i did see 2 ornamental cherry trees already in bloom.  hoping to get some serious chores done before trip north in just 19 days...so anxious to see my mom and family again and to breathe in some ocean air.  have a blessed day!

quick post

before dashing out to gym....road trip yesterday with a quilty pal to virginia and a new-to-me shop...my friend was dropping off/picking up quilts for longarming...delightful early spring day with pastures and fields greening up, plenty of cows/horses/sheep grazing and for me, sightseeing....a small shop but jam-packed with gorgeous fabric, of course!  

with no real stash need, browsed until i saw this print....a wide back but half yard gave me a yard of 54" fabric to go with some of the free solids...i've got a couple of ideas in mind...just screams SPRING don't you think? 

first up, must finish and attach the last 2 rows of s'more blocks....

proverbial drop in a bucket

https://donate.redcrossredcrescent.org/ua/donate/~my-donation?_cv=1

here is a link to donate to assist red cross in providing much needed basics to Ukranians.... i can do only a little but at least it's something...perhaps you can too?

ordinary day

 like most others....temps high 50s, sunny, fitness finished for the day, sat down at machine for s'more sewing...

coming along nicely...but then the mailman arrived....and this happened...

a generous care package of solids from a quilty pal...the quilty muse went wild with ideas of possible patterns and color combos...and then there's this perfect candidate...

titled 'postcards from sweden' which was a free pattern offered by designer kelly liddle...is this the one?  not sure...but something similar might materialize (ooh no pun intended)...already pulled a few for a couple of small amish style wall quilts...but s'more top first, then some solids play.  thank you to she who shared...and watch this space! 

like a lamb!

nothing but blue skies and moderate temps herald march's arrival...time again to post my One Monthly Goal for this month, which is....

fill in the blank!  busily cutting triangles and squares to make more blocks, pretty sure the top will get done in march.  can it get basted as well?  hoping so but will see....more daylight, warmer temps are beguiling temptresses for inside tasks.  my dream sewing space would have an attached screened-in patio with electrical outlets and an ocean view.  linking up with patty and the other OMGers....

and if you see this cutie pie today, wish her a happy 61st!  is that youngest sibling?  crikey, it is!  photo taken at my parents' 25th anniversary party...

february goals

in the nick of time....both the february mini AND the stars in a time warp got finished...first, the mini...

had to be hearts, right?  and used that lovely print posted earlier....i have only one valentine-y piece, so will be keeping this for myself.  linking up with wendy again this month....and here's the 'stars' quilt...

i think this was my oldest UFO, started back in 2014-15 i think...a barbara brackman sew-along...just needs a wash and its special label that barbara always provides.  a different repro fabric style was chosen for each week and i think i made 3 of each type, mostly all from stash but did have to get a couple of pieces from my go-to repro gal cyndi.  will be linking up with patty over at One Monthly Goal for this one...very time-consuming due to all the seams and per lori's definition, a most humble quilt.  generous twin size and densely quilted, as you can see from this...

this was nearly full when i started and wasn't sure i'd have any left but there are a couple of yards....and then this got put into the hoop...

my scrappy christmas trees....two rows done already.  this will go much faster than 'stars' as there are no seams and the batt is a poly.  can it get finished in march with 3 extra days?  we'll see...alas, no marathon olympics sewing time tho.   *** spring has almost sprung here in maryland so it was time to bring out my spring sox....

these were a christmas gift from my dear daughter...and horizontal stripes make even your feet look fat...LOL...which they aren't.  ***  it's an exercise vacation day so will catch up on a few tasks and more s'more sewing.  maybe that will be my march OMG, to get the top done and basted.  and i've already started the march mini too.  rising gasoline prices keep me pretty much within city limits, but i did get to lunch with a quilty peep this week, in a real restaurant with no masks...and lastly, 10 months today since the hip thing and am nearly back to "normal" walking.  it's been my primary work with a great payoff.  i do feel blessed indeed!