two for two

can hardly believe it myself, the queen of too many project starts!  it's week 2 of the sew-a-long and there are 2 blocks done!  block 2 on the right got sewn this morning after getting up early and having a quick breakfast.  my fabrics were pulled from stash rather than buying the kit, and truthfully, i wasn't enthralled with them, but now that blocks are together, they are working together just fine.  *** in addition to these blocks, also got some swap sewing done.  next up is to tie the baby quilt and continue on with the hawaiian.  also have to get cracking on some swap blocks that are due late september.  all in all, a most productive and enjoyable weekend that included some much needed beach time as well.  keep calm and sew on!

using it up

when life quilts give you scraps, gotta use them up.  today making yet another project from daydreams scraps.  and not done using them up yet.  those 2 layer cakes aka 10" square bundles i bought will be spread around plenty.  most of what is left will only yield inchies; that is 1.5" squares for a UFO in progress.  but there are still some triangles left for pieces a bit larger, probably 2.5" that will be ideal for most anything.  thanks to bonnie hunter, i visualize my scraps as being part of yardage that was paid for with real money, meaning scraps have plenty of monetary value.  anything that ends up in the trash can is money down the drain.  have you checked your trash can lately?  of course, more scraps means an overflowing scrap basket of which i have 2, so there will be plenty of scrappy sewing in my future.   **** this is my weekend and so far it's been wonderful.  a rainy day is  sewing day but hoping for some beach weather tomorrow.  gotta jam as much fun as possible into 2 days off! 

cabana daydreams reality

yes, it is a flimsy now!  it is 2 rows shorter than the pattern for reasons totally frugal....i like to keep my tops so i can use 90" muslin as backing and 2 more rows would be a tad too wide.  also, i ran out of yellow print triangles.  thinking of using a white flannel instead of a batt so it would be an ideal summer topper.  it will be hand quilted of course....probably a 2015 finish.  **** still working on the hawaiian, or i should say playing, because that really is the correct verb.  ***  now that CD is a flimsy, can move on to some swap blocks and a couple of small projects swirling around in the gray matter.  first up, though, is to tidy the sewing space, send the remaining triangles to the scrap basket and enjoy the rest of the summer.   **** retreat is a mere 80 days away--2 months plus--and have already started my list.  plan to devote september to finishing up a donation for B3--bob's blankie brigade--and cross THAT off the UFO list.  **** my weekend starts tonight and vacuum is at the top of the to-do list!  PS the new header photo is our nearby coast during the tail end of a hurricane a few years ago....10 foot waves....awesome!

brief nonquilty detour

a shocking detail became apparent to me yesterday....janet lennon, who is very, very slightly older than me, is now singing with her GRANDDAUGHTERS!  that's right, her granddaughters are now part of the singing lennon legacy.  while nowadays lawrence welk and his show are the butt of negative humor, the fact is that during the 1950s his show was very big.  as a young girl in the 1950s, i spent a lot of time at my grandmother's house and with my aunts, the younger two who were typical 50s gals.  there was a hi-fi there and plenty of records, many 78s of the WWII era and some pop 50s stuff like perry como, les paul and mary ford, etc.  that is where my love of music was fed.  and i totally adored the lennon sisters...so attractive, accomplished, talented, always every hair in place and pretty outfits.  my youngest aunt had this album and i must have played it a zillion times.  in the 60s and 70s i desperately tried to get a copy but failed.  now, though, mp3 is magical and it is available.  went to check on one of my fave gal groups and found out about janet and her granddaughters.  where did the time go?  how do i make it slow down?  the great thing is, when i play "christmas island", i can close my eyes and i'm right back there in 1958 playing the red  45s and singing along....

design wall monday

only 3 days into august and have made good progress on finishing up the applique for my hawaiian quilt.  the center portion (pictured) and 2 of the quadrants are done....can i get the other 2 done in august?  we shall see....icky weather weekend equals more sewing time, but beach weather is returning some time this week.  ****  yesterday had to do some resewing on the baby quilt top.  the stripe i used absolutely required that all stripes should go in the same direction, so required a fix.  the backing is on site....an orange with white polka dots...so after a wash/dry, can work on getting that tied and finished.  ***  today working on cabana daydreams for a while.  the flimsy top is over half done and hoping to get that completed between today and tomorrow.  ***** with handwork project lined up for the near future, the machine work can focus on the projects in my WIP storage drawers....plus an upcoming swap of blocks and the weekly sew-a-long.  enough to keep me occupied?  no problem!

daytripping to.....

steeplebush herb farm in limington, maine...about an hour NW of our coastal location.  it was another stellar friday weather wise, and we had a casual, meandering ride through rural areas to find this picture perfect place.  the owner was in the garden, and she and her two dogs welcomed us to wander and browse.  there were also some katahdin sheep grazing nearby, sheep that shed and do not required shearing...interesting!

the tiny shop was jam packed with all varieties of dried herbs, potpourris, herb mixes, hand made soaps and gifts.  i always enter shops like this gingerly (no pun) due to my sensitivity to certain fragrances, but here it wasn't overpowering.  the scent of a couple of her mixes didn't agree with me, but overall a short visit was tolerated.  the shop was surrounded by blooming, well-manicured gardens and potted plants for sale.  alas, we have no growing space at all, so we just admired.  after leaving the shop, we ventured to a new mexican restaurant for lunch, then off to the beach.  it was a jam-packed day away and oh-so enjoyable.  we like to take advantage of good days as much as possible as jan/feb are so very long and confining.  **** this morning i am tweaking the baby quilt top.  i had used a striped print and thought it didn't matter if all the striped squares faced the same way...wrong!  last night the hawaiian got more attention too.  once the baby quilt top is fixed, it's back to cabana daydreams, for a hopeful sunday flimsy.  **** FLASH!  minick & simpson's "lexington" is now in stores.   i smell an early birthday present for meeeeee!

my block's done!

on a roll!  first block of first day of the marcus bros. sew-a-long with pam buda and friends....pulled my fabrics out (they were close by) and got this little block all assembled.  i didn't get the kit, rather pulled from my stash, so fabrics are from designers jo morton, judie rothermel, paula barnes and pam buda.  so far so good!  ****  mom and i celebrated the beginning of august in style with a day trip...photos tomorrow...some beach time, a delish lunch out at a new mexican place nearby.  now in my jammies and the hawaiian is next!   a wonderful day all around....

a giveaway!

hop on over to sew and sow farm for a delicious HUGE giveaway!

later same day.....

ok so here it is nearly full....with only 10 drawers knew it wouldn't take long.  there are other WIPs in shoeboxes but they are packed, i know of at least 1 more, which  can't be all.  this is a great visual to remind me not to start anything new PLUS my leaders/enders projects will be at hand.....inchie blocks, scrappy log cabins, scrappy shenandoah log cabin...i had seen these units many times in joann's but walked by because i thought it was too small.  but for this purpose it works well.  oops, just thought of another and that is the indigo basket project, which will fit nicely too.  and there you have it....10 drawers full!  excuse me while i return to sewing.....

christmas present for UFOs....

before july is gone, thought i should open and assemble a christmas gift that has been hanging around, partly because i knew the drawers weren't THAT big and wanted to make the best use of the space.  have now decided this will be my UFO cabinet...so hopefully that will encourage me to LIMIT the number of UFOs i have; actually it's more like a WIP cabinet, for those that are currently stored in shoeboxes.  when i have a bit more space, it can reside next to the sewing table for quick access and, ahem, hopefully quick finishes.  it is smaller than i had thought, like who reads box info?  it will be easy to move when THAT happens, which is still the plan and i'm still more than half packed up for same.  anyway, thanks sis, for gifting me with this.  i know it will be used a lot.  **** been mostly working on the 2 machine projects, a baby quilt and the cabana daydreams.  ****  cool here for late july, actually been a cooler than normal summer, but sun is shining and temps are high 70s all week.  a taste of fall and delightful for doing just about anything.   

monday playtime

inspired by victoria findlay wolfe, spent time today playing in the daydreams scraps.  while it took considerably more than 15 minutes to assemble this piece for a little project in progress, i am satisfied with the result.  and i did use up a significant number of the little pieces of leftovers.  there are plenty left of course--that is how it goes with scraps--some did get used.  these colors are simply eye popping and i might just make more daydreams fabrics to use for other things.  ****  hard to believe this is the last week of july, summer 2/3 over, and so quickly.  now back to the machine and more play!

buying time

this is a quilt i made for my dad back in the 1980s......a hand pieced and hand quilted drunkard's path variation.  it has seen better days and plenty of use.  are the patches fraying? not at all, but the binding, which i did by turning the back to the front, has frayed.  with still some useful years left, my task now is to add a new, sturdier binding until it breathes its last.  repairing old quilts is not nearly as much fun as making new ones, but can't quite part with this one yet.  ****  all the baby quilt squares are cut and ready to assemble.  first, though, must finish the cabana daydreams flimsy.  ****  summer continues with plenty of fun inside and outside left to enjoy! 

eye candy male, er mail

yesterday's post included this....the calendar from sisters' quilt show!  it had been ordered some time ago and has been anticipated ever since.  well worth the wait too i can tell you.  aside from the "scenery" the quilts are gorgeous, inspirational and downright beautiful.  now i need a nice new sewing space fit for these hunks....LOL

2nd july finish

another UFO has bitten the dust, albeit a small one with hardly any stash busted.  adding this to my collection of little quilts that will be displayed at some point.  and guess what, victoria....you can't even see that ugly fabric she pawned off on me because it really isn't ugly....so thank you!  *** the just takes 2 has been washed and need to go back and repair a couple of spots, which i expected might happen.  no biggie....and the deck is cleared for cabana daydreams flimsy finish, my next project focus.  first up is to finish a little swap project, then the baby quilt for august machine project, the hawaiian for handwork.  before any of this can get tackled, the sewing table must be cleared off.  ****  hard to believe summer is 2/3 gone because even though we get wonderful summer weather in september, our minds tell us it's really fall.  for now, going to try enjoy every summer day possible.  now time to play!

looks who's here!

today the old viking came out to play!  recently i had read on the vintage machine site about the problems with this model and recalled my repairman telling me to be sure and turn the dials every day to prevent them from seizing up....a broken camstack was fixed for that very reason.  while i was homeless, the machine was in cold storage, the most likely cause of the broken part.  so, today i pulled it out and did some mending with the zig-zag and promptly cut up some fabric for a baby boy quilt, threaded 'er up and she is ready to roll.  though she isn't in pristine condition, for 35 years old she still runs like new and has traveled many miles, not the least of which was the horrid time in storage.   my magnetic poetry adorns her for inspiration.   if you can't read it, it says (from top to bottom)...my still sweet friend and gorgeous apparatus always"  and then "winter sings as tiny bitter diamonds".   **** had to make a marden's run for an upcoming block swap and was sorely tempted but was able to limit myself to 4.5 yards total, some of which is for some swaps and a piece for this baby quilt, so actual accumulation is very minor.  but oh the fun i could have there....so much beautiful fabric that i scooted in and out quickly.  **** a gray and dreary day here so not a beach day, which is good.  many other little things that needed to be done.  now off to play!

in the frame!

this little quilt is more than half quilted now.  the border is a molly b rust print and the binding will be the same.  it is free form quilted of course.  it doesn't bust much stash but getting it done gets it OFF the UFO list for good.  now i just have to move on to the large tumbler top, which probably won't happen right away.  **** july is nearly history and august is for applique on the hawaiian.  i've also to finish up the last few rows of cabana daydreams flimsy.  *** had a string of gorgeous weather and beach days, so sewing has slowed down.  must drink up these wonderful weather days while they are here....february is a loooooong month!  ****  though i am anxious to move from this unpleasant complex, the reality is i've been mostly packed for about 6 months now and am needing some sewing things; confess i was not good at all about labeling most of the boxes.  am in a quandary about whether to unpack and reorganize the best i can or purchase what i know will be duplicates in fabric for upcoming projects.  the frugal me says to unpack, but difficult to give up on the need to vacate this terrible apartment situation.  time to make a pros/cons list and come to a solution.  in the meantime, will continue on status quo and enjoy summer!

monday design wall

up early this morning to finish this little quilt flimsy.  just have to add the borders, baste it and quilt and i'll have another UFO finish soon.  no doubt victoria will be pleased to see i have used the little template she gave me last year.  she and i are civil war fabric twins....if you look at her stash and at mine, they might look the same.  we love the same fabrics, she heavy on reds and me with blues.  her large tumbler quilts are done whereas i am languishing far behind.  ****  and how good is it to be able to sew first thing in the morning?  priceless!

perfect storm sewing

when 3 elements collide, it's a perfect storm...we all saw that movie right?  sadly, george clooney wasn't one of those elements....but i digress.  there were those leftover daydreams scraps staring at me, then a dynamite project idea presented itself, and then there was time with phoebe and voila!  cabana chevrons!  aren't they cute?  yes, i think so too.  of course this is just the start; finish comes later...what else is new, but not too much later, i promise, and i'll show you all too.  **** meanwhile still basking in the glow of that big finish, thinking about summer being nearly at the halfway point, excited for plans for the remainder.  and lest you be worried, i have PLENTY more daydreams scraps to tantalize and tempt me for some other pretty little things to make.  those 2 layer cakes were a terrific investment, and anxious to see how many things i can make from them besides cabana daydreams.  ****  with these fabrics, my creative muse is veering off in a new direction of mod style quilting and fabrics.  i haven't abandoned my civil war fabric devotion, but i find myself drawn more and more to mod fabric designers and their wow colors.  it isn't the prints themselves but the glorious colors that make my muse's juices sizzle.  how about you?  has your quilty focus changed?  i'll be interested in your comments along that line.  ***** we did go to the beach today but it was quite windy and gray clouds were gathering, so instead headed for our favorite summer veggie stand and picked up our first fresh corn, cukes, peppers, summer squash, parsley and a fat tomato for the season.  the corn and cukes were delish and off to get out those summer veggie recipes!

woo hoo!

this behemoth of a BOM is finally done!  the "just takes 2" got finished last evening during the 6:30 news and what a great feeling it was!  not to say i didn't enjoy this project; i did.  it was a real challenge for me to take on more complicated blocks than usual, but thought it would be off my UFO list much sooner than this.  even so, i am a process person and did enjoy the process, not to mention the freedom of free-form quilting each and every block differently, except the geese and checkerboard units--those were all quilted the same.  anyway, it needs its finish bath and measure to see how much yardage got busted and then it belongs to my mum....and on to the next UFO.  **** first up is to repair a quilt i had made for my dad in the 1980s, a scrappy drunkard's path that needs some repair and new binding.  the little tumbler quilt should be the next UFO finish and i think august will be devoted to the hawaiian to see if the applique can get finished; then september to finish another donation UFO. **** the JTT was the 3rd hand quilted quilt that got finished this year so far....not to shabby! 

come along.....

starts august 1, have corraled my fabrics for this one already and ALL are from the stash except the black print....good stashbusting here!  hop on over to marcus fabrics' facebook page and get all the down and dirty details....would love to have you on board. 

here is my stack for this project....

i may or may not swtich out the light print, first i have to find my light stash in a box someplace.  pretty sure that the "just takes 2" will be history long before this sew-along starts.  and today is the last day of my weekend, so off to play some more! 

won't be long now.....

until this lovely line of fabrics is available to add to MY stash....the FQ bundle is too pricey but there are a few prints i simply must get.  what minick & simpson did for red (midwinter reds, swoon) they have now done for blues/tans....i love them!  *** it's my weekend and spending time this morning working on the JTT, yes STILL!  beach weather was a detour from getting this off my UFO list, but temps have modulated and so back on track today.  *** also on the weekend list--aside from some mundane stuff--is to possibly unpack and assemble the storage drawers my sister gave me for christmas....after all it's july and about time too!  this is going to house my UFO projects now stored in shoeboxes, then the shoeboxes can be repurposed.  i am also thinking of getting a tall cabinet for my stash to sort by color, but that will wait until the move takes place.  i'll show the storage drawers once they are together.  *** i've started my lists for retreat, what to take etc. it's coming up fast...every beach day is a day closer.  for now, though, it's back to JTT!

are you a kaffe fan?

these are duplicates that came in the mail yesterday, up for sale for $10 plus shipping from zip 04106....if you are interested, email me.  the colors are much brighter than my camera depicts; for instance, the lower left piece is bright orange....makes my internal juices zing!  how can you NOT be a kaffe fan?  my stripe collection is now complete and anxious to find a pattern for them and go to play for serious.  ****  already tuesday....today gotta spend more time on finishing "just takes 2" as i am closing in on the finish this week...how good is that? 

next UFO....

some time ago my friend vic gave me the template for these little tumblers and right away several got cut out and a few sewn together for a little quilt.  since the "just takes 2" is almost done, pulled out this project to get this UFO done.  have to do a bit of "unsewing" on this row and then put the rest together.  also working on getting the "cabana daydreams" to the flimsy stage and set aside; will be a UFO for 2015 no doubt.  keeping sewing busy despite entering mid-summer and its accompanying hot/humid days.  just can't believe how fast the days are flying by.  making as much progress as i can despite beach time.  yesterday me, mom and sis went to a nearby ocean campground for swimming and a delish buffet dinner.  **** the week starts again today...see, i told you time was flying!  now keep calm and sew on!

new header photo

this is my milky way masquerade....all batiks except background (to save $$$) but also because i thought the lighter dots might give the illusion of stars far away....anyway this is a giveaway quilt once it's hand quilted...but for now finishing up just takes 2.....very very soon!

hello again!

just think, if it weren't for all those brave men and women who fought and died so valiantly, who had a vision and a deep desire for freedom, who never faltered in spite of heavy personal loss and the daunting goal before them, we might be saluting this today.  happy independence day!

hop on over!

to my new blog....i caved and am fed up with blogspot; not sure what the problem is but not being ultra techno-savvy, cannot seem to resolve the posting photos problem.  have started a new blog here....will see how this works out; you can find me here...it'll take me a while to move over all the links, so please be patient!

http://acityquilter.wordpress.com

dwindling browns

blogger is behaving quite badly but i will try and get today's post....posted.  with work on JTT ongoing, my stash of browns is definitely dwindling.  this is a regular shoebox and it used to be overflowing with brown reproduction fabrics but no more.  what there is left fits nicely and the cover will even close....great!  i pulled them out to show a bit of the variety but the cover could be closed if need be.  **** only 2 short sides left to bind on the maine quilts project, so it'll get finished this week no problem.  and the little basket quilt is nearly all quilted.  tackling the little quilts in hopes of getting them all finished this summer.  *** hit the beach for a bit yesterday but clouds and cold ocean breeze finally forced us back to the apartment.  had thought about taking fleece pants/sweatshirt but didn't.  could have stayed if i had as i love the ocean even in less-then-perfect weather.  *** and don't feel too badly for me over the decreasing brown stash; one of my fave repro shops is having a sale and can always replenish, a tough job but think i can bear up under the task...LOL!

almost done?

i wish....there are about 20 more blocks to make yet for this flimsy to be done.  it's like a giant sampler quilt, with nearly every block different AND every nearly every block a different size.  yep, a real challenge, and have to say one that is quite ENJOYable too, but in my very small space it's taking over the room.  *** up early this AM to enjoy the sun and summer air before work.  popped some lemon poppy breakfast buns in the oven very first thing!  **** the maine quilts project is just about done, doing the binding now so it'll be a finish in the next day or two.  have already started quilting another little quilt, the baskets, for another june finish maybe.  ***  i spy some beach weather in the future.....

progressing nicely

the just takes 2 project, i mean.  here are 3 more blocks, not yet trimmed to size, but put together regardless.  i think i have only 1 more applique block to do, the rest are paper pieced and a few just rotary cut.  anxious to get this flimsy done for lots of reasons, not the least of which is to take stock of my brown repro fabrics.  i might have to replenish this part of my stash--remains to be seen.  *** woo hoo, it's my saturday and i haven't much else on my to do list except sew and a few household things.  *** hoping this weekend brings the maine quilts project to completion, not much left to quilt and then to bind.  and vic and i are sewing along on some tumbler quilts.  already have 3 rows together with 8 more to go.  mine will fit a 60" square batt i have on hand and will be sufficient for me...short, you know, or should i say vertically challenged?  *** retreat a short 4 months away, which means that summer will be pretty much gone by then.  but not wishing away the days at all, today is an early summer day to enjoy!

inching along

after many months of leadering/endering, this postage stamp project is starting to take shape.  these are 16" blocks of inch square finished pieces cut from leftovers, so it is also a memory quilt of sorts.  won't be hand quilting this one for sure, but the colors are sooo gorgeous and will brighten up any space on even the darkest day.  ***  working on just takes 2 (years) blocks this week and have 3 more nearly done.  would like to get this flimsy done even though haven't decided on how to finish or where it will go once it is done.  **** maine quilt show project a bit closer to being done and the little basket quilt is up next.  it seems no matter the weather, plenty of interesting quilting and sewing to be done, an ENJOYable way to spend any day!

sunday frolic finish

it's a small finish - 26" square - but a finish nonetheless.  it's called "frolic," a pattern by sandy gervais.  decided to use my small cache of watermelon print fabrics to make a summery wallhanging for the work cube.  now to finish quilting the maine quilts piece.  **** machine fun has been on squares for just takes 2 (years), which will keep me busy all week no doubt.  ****  and thinking of starting a new project using stash of dargate indigos, since i have all those blue/cream shirtings as well.  just at the thinking stage; as of yet no fabric has been harmed....LOL  *** perfect june day, ahhhh; would that we had them every single day, for a whole month anyway!

birthday girl!

hard to believe she is all grown up now, but this was her first formal portrait at 3 months old.  truly a gift from God, my most fun and important job ever.  happy birthday dear daughter! 

seeing stars

perhaps the october retreaters might recognize the batiks in these stars; we had a swap and my gift was a package of blue/turquoise/yellow batik charms and this is what i did with them.  these are 2 strips of 14 stars each for.....pillowcases!  my sheets are blue and yellow solids so these will go quite nicely, i think.  **** now that they are done, the old viking needs a bit of cleaning and then it's on to the next machine project, which is just takes 2.  this flimsy really has to get finished.  **** my little swap quilt is done and mailed, so now the maine quilts project is getting quilted.  this along with the other 2 little quilts that got basted the other day will keep me busy for a week or so.  by then hope i can finish the center diamond and then maybe pineapple blossom?  we'll see....  *** sun is shining but quite cool here today, lucky to see 60; rain is on the way for most of the weekend.  even with less than perfect weather, hope to enjoy the days....

addendum to earlier post...

the pattern is called "new england sampler"

perfectly portable!

hard to say exactly how long this project has been waiting for some attention.  at this point it is probably my oldest UFO, or one of them anyway.  it is a row quilt project and the maple leaf row is done...easy patchwork.  all that's left are the 4 applique rows and decided to tackle it in earnest.  so row 1 is now ready to applique down.  a good warm weather portable project, i think. it's a brandywine design pattern.  *** today is the june day the poet described along ago...perfect!  ***  got 3 little quilts basted yesterday, so that means could have

3 more finishes very soon, good news indeed!  and it's a good dry day so hoping to mark more on the amish border and get that done in june as well.  plus there are more scraps to be cut up into usable units...how they do multiply!  *** bon voyage to bonnie who is off to Ireland today!  ****  breakfast and the day are calling...enjoy!

thank you jiminy cricket

 

i've known it for a long time and that quilting guru, bonnie hunter, showed me how to put it into practice...that of using up every scrap.  jiminy said to let your conscience be your guide and in all good conscience, i couldn't just toss the leftover triangles from the pie birds runner.  so, like every loyal scrap saver, deconstructed them and ended up with a small stack of 1.5" pieces for future use.  and remember those little flying geese from baby emma?  yep, those are getting saved as well and sewn together for something or other.  it really pumped up my frugal gene to see these in the trash NOT!  ****  sunday sewing consisted of some quilting, some machine sewing and prepping another portable project.  yes, i was sorely tempted to start a NEW project but instead opted for a long-ago started project.  *** oh, and that green background?  it's the top of the laptop, which belonged to my late ex.  he loved everything green and almost everything he bought or wore was green.  *** it's another day to enjoy and first up is vacuuming; yes, i will ENJOY vacuuming because then i can sew! 

almost a runner

this is the flimsy for the "pie birds" runner by kim diehl.  note, i did remove the chrome yellow piece and it is much better in my opinion.  it looks a bit wonky in the photo but has been measured and is fine.  the design wall is a bit fluid!   it gets bound in black also.....love it!  didn't get to kim's workshop when she came to maine, but have one of her books and some other patterns from online...and the fabrics, oh my!  **** got thru our bit of hot weather, it changes again today of course.  some serious tidying up in the sewing space for later.  little swap quilt ready to go.  now to tackle the maine quilts piece.  those are official UFOs so progress is coming along on the list.  haven't worked any more on the new red/cheddar project, but it's a no rush thing.  **** sun is up and ready to go, as am i....enjoy the day!

not quite good enough...

to send out for a swap.  this little quilt is 24" square and made with my delish civil war repro fabrics.  it is hand pieced and hand quilted.  but, wasn't happy with the way the squares join together, i.e. the junctions, so it will stay with me and another will be sent in its place.  i followed the sewing lines but just wasn't satisfied.  i am no expert by any means, and no perfectionist either, but was afraid the recipient might be disappointed.  as mentioned many times before, i sew for fun and what might be acceptable to me might not be for somebody else.  *** that being said, the one that is being sent is getting its binding sewn down today.  i have a week to get this package out and have some other goodies being included.  a photo will be posted once it's been received and opened.  *** another summery day here and have lots planned for my 2nd weekend day, basting the maine quilts piece and another little summery wallhanging among other things.  plus have to find another portable project to take along and finish.  and with the churn dash blocks all done, the flimsy can now be assembled.  see?  plenty of ways to spend and ENJOY the day!

summer day sewing

 ok, trying this again.  scooted over to internet explorer and saw that many pictures got posted, not sure why.  it's blogger up to its old tricks, i guess.  so in the top photo is the magazine page showing the quilt in the background.  have no idea how big the original blocks were, probably smaller than my 4" finished ones will be; even so, i like the pattern and the fabrics, so we will see how it progresses. 

it is a summer day here in coastal maine and we did make the short trip to the ocean for a bit with many more to come, i hope.  the first day of my weekend is nearly over with the promise of another good day tomorrow.  i do believe summer is really here now!  

blocks are done!

20 little churn dash blocks, all in a row....and all done too!  these will be set on point alternating with solid green squares--for quilting obviously--into another gift quilt.  these are all hand pieced and will be hand quilted too.  **** our brief sojourn into sunny days has ended with rain all day today again.  no matter, beach weather is coming for the rest of the week!  so finally a reason to enjoy living in maine.  *** sewing plans for today, of course, and guess what?  it's my friday again, yippee!

sittin' thrifty

for some time been looking around for a new sewing/computer chair.  the one i have came from the thrift a while ago, has no wheels and is "on its last legs" (no pun intended!).  checked with several retailers, craigslist, freecyle...all the usual places.  then when at the thrift last week, saw this for the exorbitant price of.....$2.99...that's right just under $3!  it's a tad large for my tiny space but it's in good condition and quite sturdy for long-term use.  i've cleaned the upholstery but still appear to be a few minor stains.  i could recover it and may, but it's nearly perfect for my needs.  with carpet, it doesn't glide across the floor as easily as i'd like, but for the price and condition, can't balk.  **** looks like warmer temps finally headed our way.  that means my ears won't be cold anymore....LOL!  *** and sewing?  been quilting on a little swap quilt and doing some machine stuff that isn't ready for showing off yet, but soon. 

a rose is a rose is a rose...

after divorcing my first husband of 11 years, i was married to this piece of property for 10 years.  it was a typical dysfunctional marriage, me the giver and it the taker.  it took nearly every spare moment of my time, my funds, my energy and my youth.  the only people i associated with were tradesmen--hardware store clerks, oil burner techs, snowplow drivers, appliance repairmen, city tax clerks, electric meter readers and, of course, the bank loan officer.  but in may and june, when i was faced with the prospect of endless lawn duties, i would come home from one job or another and see this vibrant color and swoon with delight.  aaahhh, my little house on the drag strip, as i called it, being located on a busy city corner.  it was an oasis at times and a burden others.  i don't miss it, rather the personal freedom of owning a place of my own.  my dream life of a professional single gal living in a city condo never materialized, but if that's the worse thing that happens in my life, it will be of no consequence.  so glad i still have this photo of my "second marriage" and the beauty it still evokes of bittersweet days. 

notice anything?

was sorting out my shirtings drawer and realized it should be renamed the BLUE shirtings drawer.  over half of the pieces i have are various shades of blue on cream or blue on beige.  trouble is, when looking for a shirting for a project, almost always not looking for a blue one!  that's right, they are just languishing!  i just finished the scrappy indigo and am so not in the mood to make another blue/white (or similar) quilt top.  and not blue/brown either as i'm mired in "just takes 2" brown and cream, soooo will have to use them in a civil war scrappy somehow.  not that it can't be done, mind you, but it's the act of actually doing one.  *** weather is perfectly dreadful today and has been all week for that matter.  pity the poor souls who lugged those RVs all the way up the pike to God knows where for a holiday weekend of fun and relaxation.  it'll be cards and TV inside the RV all weekend i'd say.  my guess if it actually stops raining and the sun actually comes out on sunday, there'll be plenty of slots available wherever.  not a good start to the "way life should be" tourist season at all.  **** disclaimer:  the jo morton shirtings are in a separate tote, so there are a few more....

a thriftin' day

today found myself at a thrift looking for nothing in particular but saw plenty of interesting stuff.  sale was on pink and white tags and found this XL shirt in very good condition half price.  unlike some who get seriously cheap deals--like $1 per shirt or bag--none of those are common around here.  but for a pittance of $3 (in NH, no tax), this was a good deal.  must be at least a yard, the condition and colors are very good and not the usual blue/white stripe.  there was another i really liked--alas, not on sale--so it got left behind, but it was a salmon orange color with a stripe.   i can get plaids at marden's at a good price, so don't bother much with shirts and the deconstructing process.  if, however, they could be had for a mere $1, i might buy more as that is less than marden's per yard price.  *** it's a rainy, dreary weekend here so far, foggy in places, in the 60s with not much improvement predicted.  not a big deal for us as we don't have much planned.  *** tonight is quilt cam and i am going to work on finishing up the tablerunner squares.  some basting is also on the agenda. 

just takes....another

first, thanks for all the lovely comments on my hand quilting and other projects.  i don't reply to each out of time constraints, but they are sooo appreciated!  ****  though not trimmed to size yet, it's another block for "just takes 2" project.  thinking i should put this project on my summer list as well.  the shoebox of browns has been sitting on my ironing station for way too long and would be fantastic to empty another for more (gulp) fabric storage.  **** it's yet another cloudy/dreary weather day here in coastal maine but we do believe summer will come yet.  in fact, yesterday got my shortie summer haircut so now it has to arrive, doesn't it?  ****  my weekend starts now and i've a bit of a to-do list that needs polishing off, but sewing is definitely on it.  would like to work more on the border for my amish center diamond, but all this humid weather would cause my disappearing pen marks to....well, disappear, so it's on hold for a much less humid day.  and now to the list! 

a quilter's must have

that would be a design wall.  these fabrics are gorgeous, it's true, and i love the chrome yellow but it doesn't work in THAT place in THIS square, so tomorrow it'll get replaced.  i am trying to stick to mostly dark fabrics for this piece with a few lights thrown in here and there.  this will be "pie birds tablerunner," a kim diehl pattern.  there are 7 squares total, and the other 5 are almost done.  it's this week's piecing project and will empty a shoebox, which is the goal.  once all the squares are done and up on the wall, i may have to replace a few more, we'll see.  my design wall is quite rudimentary, a piece of flannel hung on a door, but it works.  i would love to have wall space for one, but there just isn't.  **** gray, cloudy, misty and dreary day outside but a sewing day inside is a good day, don't you agree?