A Quandary

When Bonnie Hunter published her pattern Maymont, I fell in love with the picture, and bought the pattern.  I still love the picture with its riot of colorful scraps and on-point setting.  When I began work on it, my one criterion was to only choose fabrics which felt “happy.”  I also decided to use a single fabric for the sashing.  However, as I’ve completed blocks and randomly put them on the design wall, my enthusiasm has lagged. 

 

On a whim, I decided to pin one high contrast color fabric in the small squares in the sashing, adding another touch of design uniformity.  I like it better, but I’m still not happy.  I even took a magnifying glass to the pattern picture and determined that my blocks are no more random than Bonnie’s.

 

I think I will leave this up on the design wall a bit longer before deciding whether or not to move forward, and if so, how.  I’ve made 40 blocks and would hate to move it to UFO status.  On the other hand, right now I have little enthusiasm for continuing, and I’ve caught myself browsing the Web for new project ideas.  Perhaps, I simply need a break.

 

One of those weeks

Since my post last week…

Two dental appointments to deal with a broken tooth.  There will be a new crown in my future.

Family visiting, and the house cleaning chores in preparation.

Wicked hail storm.  There will be new roof in our future too.  Grateful for home owners insurance.

AND, an unexpected visit to the quilt store in Fredericksburg where it's possible some retail therapy may have happened.

 

Otherwise, no quilting or stitching related activities to report.  I'll try to do better this coming week.                                                                       

It Got Dark

Our afternoon has been very cloudy, but fortunately there were a few, brief breaks in the clouds so we could glimpse the eclipse’s totality and see the corona.  We had totality for about 4 minutes and 20 seconds.  The viewing was a little disappointing, but much better than we feared it would be.  Perhaps because of the weather forecast, the expected crush of visitors to our area has not been as problematic as predicted.

On a whim, I dug through various drawers and gathered some of the quilting related enamel pins I have accumulated since 2007.  I decided to display them for a while on this banner in my sewing room.  I found a number of tutorials for banners by doing an internet search and this is what I came up with, again using well aged fabric from my stash.

South end of a north-bound armadillo.

This little critter has become a regular visitor to our yard after dark and is the explanation for my flower beds being so churned up.  He was not interested in posing for me and it was hard juggling a flash light and cell phone.  I am just happy he is not a skunk.  Those have been known to visit our yard too, and dogs never learn.

Bluebonnets are well past their peak, but you can still spot some fresh-looking ones.

I spotted this mail box planting on a recent neighborhood walk.  These blooms are very short-lived but sure are pretty.

More Red and White

I’ve been fussy cutting some of the new fabrics I found on our trip to South Texas, and another row is ready to be added to my red and white thimble/tumbler project. 

 

While I was sewing with my Tuesday group, I spied this remnant in the scrap bin next to the cutting table.  Of course, I had to pick it up as well.  The motif is too large for my templates, but the colors are right so I don’t have to do any fussy cutting.  I guess you could say I have no shame.

 The big news in our part of the world is the eclipse Monday.  Our area will have 4 plus minutes of totality.  For weeks we have been urged to fill our gas tanks by Wednesday this week, stockpile several days of meals, and expect interruptions in cell and internet service.  Our hotels and camping sites have been booked up for months and local authorities are warning about traffic jams.  Schools will be closed.  Now they tell us the weather forecast is for clouds and possibly thunder storms.  It will be interesting to see how all this plays out.

 

A Small Finish and Wildflowers

This afternoon I finished a quilt carrier.  I had admired a similar carrier that a friend made and decided I had to have one too.  I used batting and fabric that had been “maturing” in my stash for years.  The batting is not my preferred type for quilts and I really wanted to use it up.  As I considered the fabric and batting to be “sunk” costs, the only expense in this project was for the dowel that was cut into two lengths for the handles, less than $4.  Maybe I’ve satisfied the bag-making bug for a while and can resume work on my quilting projects.

 

We took a country drive today in order to see the wildflowers.  While the El Nino weather system this year has resulted in more moisture in the ground and more blooms, it has not been robust enough to recharge our aquifers and lakes.  But right now, the countryside is especially pretty.  The pictures below came from our excursion.

 

And, happy Easter.

Happy to be Home...Ahhh...Chooo!

 

Last week was our annual trip to visit with family in South Texas.  It was a good visit, except for both of us coming home with colds.  I expect to be laying low this week so as not to share it with others.  I did test negative for Covid.  

Unlike previous years, I did not take my machine for hotel stitching.  Instead, I only took handwork and managed to baste 100+ tumblers for my red and white quilt.

 

There was also a brand-new H*L* close to the hotel, so a little retail therapy happened both there and at a vendor’s booth at the Don-Wes Flea Market in Donna. 

 

My loot included a coffee mug, thread catcher for the chair I use while watching TV, a project box and several cuts of novelty fabrics for inclusion in my tumbler quilt.  After I got home, I realized that the red print was a duplicate I had purchased a previous year, sigh.

Yesterday we received a very welcome 1/2 inch of rain and today is breezy and cool.  I made an absolutely unavoidable quick trip to the grocery store this morning and am settling in to work on projects between sneezes.

National Quilting Day

March 16 is National Quilting Day and I thought it would be a good time to share a picture of the completed group project I participated in last summer.  Kits for the guild’s donation quilt blocks were distributed in June.  Some were for applique blocks and the others were foundation paper pieced.  I chose the latter because I thought it would be the quicker finish since I had just completed paper piecing my log cabin project.  Per usual, it didn’t quite work out the way I expected, but I did finish it and turn it in.  The post about that adventure appeared June 12, 2023.

 

Here is a picture of the completed quilt.  I think the block I made may be third block down on the left side.  I can’t be sure, however, because the committee handed out duplicate kits just to be sure they had all they needed by the deadline.  Those not included in the donation quilt were incorporated into smaller projects that will be offered for sale at the next guild quilt show. 

Since it’s National Quilting Day, I wanted to share the following response to the “Why do you quilt?” prompt from day 5 of Instagram’s annual IGquiltfest hosted by Amy Ellis.  The quote is taken from Elaine Poplin’s post and used with permission.

Day 5 of #igquiltfest2024 is “Why do you quilt?” So many reasons.

I quilt to silence the noise inside my head.

I quilt to silence the noise outside.

I quilt to process my feelings.

I quilt to respond to the world.

I quilt to pray.

I quilt to celebrate.

I quilt to grieve.

I quilt to remember.

I quilt to ask questions.

I quilt to answer questions.

I quilt to play.

I quilt to challenge myself.

I quilt to explore.

I quilt to amuse myself.

I quilt to find hope.

I quilt to express what I see.

I quilt so that the anger and frustration swirling inside has somewhere constructive to go.

I quilt so I don’t implode.

I quilt so I don’t explode.

I quilt to breathe.

I quilt because it’s important.

I quilt because I need to.

#messygoatsews

 

Taking Stock

It’s been a few months since I posted about my thimble/tumbler quilt and, quite frankly, I have let it rest for a while.  It’s time to take stock and make some decisions.

Currently it is 47 1/2 by 49 inches, much too close to square and not as big as I would like.  At the very least I want to add another five to seven rows which would get it close to 60 inches long.  There are 1,008 thimbles in it now and I will need to baste quite a few more as my inventory is getting low.  I’ve made no decision as to whether I will add a border.  If I don’t, that will make it narrower when I trim it after quilting.

It’s been fun incorporating novelty prints when I can find some that will fit a finished template that’s 1 ¾ inches tall and 7/8 inches at its base.  Here is one a Tuesday sewing friend gave me from the project she was working on that day.

And a couple more I've accumulated…

Needless to say, this is a very, very long-term project.

A Close Up of Sorts

Wanda suggested that I share a picture of the quilting I did on the log cabin quilt. 

 

I decided to go with a small edge-to-edge meander using a King Tut variegated thread called Nefertiti on top, and a neutral thread on the backing.  I’ve started using pre-wound bobbins as much as possible because I seem to be jinxed when it comes to using the bobbin winder that came with my Capri.  It took a little tinkering to get the tension between the two threads right, but I managed.

 

My patio pansies have been putting on a show for us this week.  The pink flamingos are sentimental keepsakes from a surprise birthday party a few years ago.

A Finish

I began work on this log cabin quilt late in 2022 and put the last stitch in its label last night.  It was paper pieced and the logs are just slightly wider than ½ inch.  It contains 154 4 ½ inch blocks and a total of 2,002 pieces.  Final dimensions are 49 X 63 inches and I logged about 11 hours on my sit-down quilting machine.

 

This was a project I turned to when I wanted to do mindless stitching.  My other current projects require too much attention, so I’ll need to think about what my next therapeutic machine project will be.  I certainly have enough scraps to keep me busy if I just make some decisions and get them cut up.

 

We are enjoying lovely weather here and things are beginning to bloom including our Mountain Laurel bushes.  I noticed the pollinators were happily feasting on the one in front yesterday.  We may have a chance for rain this week, but it is predicted to be very light in our area. 

Another Quick Project

A recent post by Linda at Texas Quilt Gal inspired me to work on a project I have been putting off for a while.  When we moved to our current home almost 18 years ago, I purchased an inexpensive vanity chair.  I never did like the original fabric, and the years had certainly not improved it.

 

While at a hobby store a few weeks ago with my daughter, I spotted this upholstery fabric marked down 40% and decided to make the leap. 

 

The hardest part was getting all the old staples out.  It isn’t perfect by any means, but I’m pleased with the way it looks in our bathroom.

Slight Detour

While I waited for my thread to arrive, I pulled out a tote bag pattern I’ve had for years and made a new one to use in a class I’ve joined. 

 

I reinforced the outside fabric with fusible fleece and quilted it using my walking foot and one of the templates I purchased last summer.  Fabric came from my stash.

 

The thread has arrived and I should be able to resume quilting my log cabin project today or tomorrow. 

 

Wishing my blog friends a happy Valentine’s Day.

 

Progress Paused

Quilting on my log cabin project has come to a halt while I wait for the arrival of more thread.  This was a brand-new spool that I received as a sample.  I thought it would be enough but checked Superior’s site to be sure that more was available if needed.  I’m glad I did.  I usually avoid variegated threads, especially on projects made with reproduction fabrics, but I like the way this blends in.  It’s a King Tut thread called Nefertiti.

Meanwhile, I took advantage of a perfect weather day last Wednesday and drove to a quilt shop in Llano for an outing.  I got to catch up with a friend, learned about a monthly group I might consider joining and, of course, came home with some goodies.  The flowers were a gift from my daughter.

 

This and That

This log cabin quilt is currently under my needle and I would very much like to have a finish in February.  I guestimate that I’m about a fourth of the way through using a small meander.  For some reason I cannot work on it more than hour without my shoulders hurting, so I am pacing myself.

Taking my cue from Karen's post on  January 26, I started some moss rose and tomato seeds this weekend.  Nothing tastes better than garden fresh tomatoes and I have had some luck with these tiny ones in the past.  Also, I love moss rose for its colorful blooms and ability to cope with our hot summers.  It would certainly be nice to have both without the expense of shopping for them at garden centers.

 

My orchid’s blooms are coming along.

 

And, in other news, January 31 is National Hot Chocolate Day.  Now, that’s a day I can really get into.  I understand there is a difference between hot chocolate and hot cocoa, but I’m not letting that get in my way.  I played with a recipe Donna at Brynwood Needleworks published in December for cocoa.  It is much better than the store-bought variety that comes in those fiddly little envelopes.

 

 

Kind of a Messed Up Week

Thursday and Saturday were two “lost” days filled with lots of running around and decision making.  Friday and Sunday ended up being recovery days during which I tried to rest and catch up on some of the household chores I would normally have already done.  Consequently, the only sewing related activity was prep work getting the backing and batting prepared and pin basted for the next project to be quilted. 

A friend actually asked for the jar of orts I showed in my last post.  She plans to incorporate them into a contraption she is putting together to supply birds with nest making materials. I was happy to oblige.

In the last 48 hours we have received .87 inches of much appreciated rain with a possibility for more tonight and tomorrow.  Fingers crossed!

 

A Good Day to Sew

I am so happy there is no situation so important that I have to leave the house today.  Yesterday the high was in the mid-20s.  We woke up to 18 degrees this morning…not nearly so bad as some of my blogger friends are dealing with.  We were also fortunate that the icy precipitation missed us and the power grid (so far) is holding.  It is definitely a wear-fuzzy-socks-all-day kind of day.  Tomorrow is expected to be just as cold and my Tuesday sewing group is skipping a week.

I quilted the Cynthia England project over the weekend and finished binding and labeling it today.  I used a small meander to quilt it with invisible thread on top and a light neutral on the bottom.   

It’s time to retire this jar filled with orts from my handwork.  It looks like it is filled with geological strata, and represents 2-3 years of stitching.

It's Pieced

I finished stitching the last long seams in the Cynthia England project on Saturday, removed the pattern pieces and began giving it a good steam pressing.  But several errors popped up immediately when I got a good look at it.  I had used a wrong fabric in the lower left corner as well as a few other areas.  One of the flower stems disappeared into nothing while the join for the other was messed up.  The bottom border was wonky.  So, work continued to correct these problems.  Given the intricate piecing, I mostly removed the pieces with wrong fabric and reverse appliqued them with the correct fabric.

Not Good

I think the piecing may finally be finished.  At least it looks much better to me.

Better

My cactus with red blooms and my orchid have started making a show.  It is such a treat to see blooms in January.

Last Thursday, Bob killed a copperhead snake on our front sidewalk.  This was rather unexpected given the temperature was in the mid-50s.  We think it was probably disturbed when Bob removed a Christmas decoration from the flowerbed. 

Today was National Clean Your Desk Day.  I think I may need an intervention.  Anyway, I'll be working to improve the situation this week.