Checking in

August is progressing--not entirely sure what I have been doing but the days go by. Ready or not!

Let's see---I picked up the Charming Boxes quilt from Wendell and Valerie Thursday morning but have not put the binding on yet. I haven't done anything more to the binding I am supposed to be hand finishing either but that's understandable as it is never my first choice of things to do, LOL. I sewed on Friday afternoon in spite of Skyler wanting to help me/keep me company parked right next to the machine. Then it took all day on Saturday to get the blocks pressed--that Garden Gate idea I had with the white charms and the fun Jolly Bar in the last post. Actually I had planned to sew the other half of the Layer Cake Lattice "arms" on a project I had set aside while I was chaining bits through the machine.  I had forgotten that I had already DONE that so the blocks were finished but needed pressed also.  I swapped out the quilt I had hanging for the vinyl tablecloth and put these up on the design wall.

The fabric was a Silk Road from Benartex layer cake I had picked out as part of my Christmas money spend-down from DJ one year.  Pattern is available from Fat Quarter Shop  and the link will take you their jolly jabber blog which includes links to their you tube video and the pdf file.   There is one more row but I don't have enough room to pin it up.  I really should move the hooks up another foot or so but that is NOT an easy proposition by myself especially since the level is not long enough and the things have to be at least 50 some inches apart.  I know what order the blocks go in so row 7 is in the project box.  That'll work!

So far I have resisted the impulse to move these around much since I fiddled around with this for over an hour Saturday evening.   I'm living with the result before I actually fire up the machine.  Yeah, really what happened is I have not been able to get back in there to sew them.  The pile finished up with 10 of the zigzag print, 9 of the paisley one, 6 of the ones that look like ribbons and 3 each of two different florals.  I struggle with the limitations of the same colors in different prints even though layer cakes are convenient.   Kind of a fall vibe going on though.

The other day I was asked what we might have planned for the Belles meeting that is coming up.  LOL, I never plan much of anything for the others as I never know who all is coming.  As individuals, we usually bring some hand work if you don't want to haul our machines in.  I could go either way as I always have a machine in the car so pick a project.  There is almost always a quilt or two to pin, though sometimes not.  Generally unless we are having sew day and a potluck,  it is your day so do what you want!  However, I replied that I would like to go through the blocks from the LAST sew day and group those into the 4 quilts I know we have in the stack.  I am referring to those 4 patch pinwheels I showed you in THIS POST from late July.  I am figuring on 2 quilts in a sashed and stoned horizontal set and 2 on point. One of those will have sashing, the other not.

At the JOY meeting earlier this month Jane had brought some yardage rolled on the bolt that she had picked up at Jackie C's estate sale last fall that she was donating to the cause for setting triangles, backing, whatever for the quilts.  I still had the muslin bolt she had bought for us at home for the sashing, more blocks, the next sew day, whatever.  I cut this afternoon--sashing for 3 of them, setting triangles for the two quilts that need it.  The cornerstones will be scrappy on 3 of them and those are already cut.  Then other one will look more planned so I cut them.  Borders are cut for the two on point.  Backing is cut for all four of them.  A little of the binding for one of them that was leftover from one of the Ribbon Candy bindings I had prepped.  I ordered a 1/2 yard of it just to be sure there is enough and some yardage that I hope will go with the 2nd "bolt".  THX so much, Jane.  There is a little left over of the Lotus piece but not much! Now to decide which blocks go in which quilt.   I'll haul my No Bake Jolly Bar quilt with me as well and who knows?  I might finish up the side I started two weeks ago!   Stranger things have happened.

What have I been doing?  Washing something, seems like.  Dishes, laundry, me---even the dog got a bath and all his bedding.  Either washing or doing something with the floors.  Always sweeping!  Or walking me or walking me and the dog.   I still need to hang the new blind in the bedroom but the battery got changed in the bathroom clock.  I still need to unload the dishwasher from yesterday.  That was DJ's job and I tend to procrastinate that one till I have stuff piled in the sink.  I had some computer problems with the tablet on Friday so did my geek thing.   I did a little bit of binge cooking, minor though, and a yummy batch of Shrimp and Tofu Pad Thai.  I had told Paul I planned to make some and did he think he wanted any.  He had sampled it the last time I made it and liked it while Miss Kathryn didn't really care for it.  "Yes, that's good stuff" but I know he'll need some extra chile paste with it and packed up some condiment containers for him. His friend Charlie was over when I delivered it and he sampled it as well.

I started reading Higher than Yonder Mountain that Susan had lent me but have not really had much time to read in the evenings for some reason.  Some days I can barely read the paper!  I've also been listening to a lot of you tube videos chromecast to the TV--mostly Peter Hollens, Evynne Hollens, Home Free, some Pentatonix, Phil Coulter, Secret Garden (Brian Kennedy's version of "You Raise Me Up", the first public performance of the song  is one Dad played for me on CD when I was back with Tracey Campbell-Nation performing some backup vocals was one I stumbled on---loved it!).  Then I was back on a Celtic binge with Paddy Reilly and the Dubliners, more of Brian Kennedy (good version of Fields of Athenry!)  and my beloved Celtic Thunder lads but Phil Coulter is a bit of an extension of that!  Dad, you might want to hear the version of "Grace" by Jim McCann as he explains the story behind the song on Coulter's "Timeless Tranquility" -Grace Gifford and Joseph Plunkett and the Easter Rising of 1916.  Hear what the lyrics are anyway to the lovely tune though the Paddy Reilly version is more tuneful but minus the explanation.  The "Inspector Lewis" finale on Masterpiece is about all I have watched on TV other than the videos and that is more listening that actual viewing.

Yesterday I got a phone call, after a few earlier attempts from a pal in Florida.  Muriel is a friend from the aCozyQuilt Bee list days in the 90's.   We had met in person when she and some other friends came from various places for a sew-in at my friend Joy's house--back in the early Wrap Them in Love days.  After reading some of my blog posts, she had messaged me on Facebook about calling and could she have my number.  Sure!  I was fixing a late lunch when she called the first time.  She said go ahead and eat and she would try later.  Then I missed the 2nd attempt when I could not get to the phone in another room quickly enough but we finally got to chat!  Good to catch up a bit.

I was out walking Oscar when my neighbor Glynda flagged me down.  She and Robert are still dealing with estate matters for her SIL Linda/Robert's sister and going through boxes.  She was working on some china, crystal and dishes yesterday and found a Linda mug and handed it to me.  They are making some progress and things are being dealt with.   They pointed out a Singer sewing machine that had probably belonged to Robert's mom since Linda did not sew.  It came home with me for the price I offered contingent on whether it actually would sew/run.  It is a Singer Merritt model escapes me at the moment but I think it is from 92 from what I read in the manual I downloaded.  I got it cleaned up and cleaned out as best I could--no dust cover.  The pictures are too fuzzy to be much help with threading and such but I think I have it figured out with the possible exception of the tension knob which keeps falling off.  I'll be talking to Wendell about that part when he comes to do the belt for the treadle.  Nice mechanical machine with a pretty stitch once I got things figured out.   No, I don't need another machine but there are some new sewers at the Tuesday group who might. ( I had given away my Kenmore to one of them not long ago to one of them.)  There is also a machine in a cabinet back in the storage space behind some other furniture, not quite unearthed yet.  I told Robert to be on the lookout for the machine accessories which could be with the other machine.  There was only the one foot on the machine and no built in storage bin like most machines have.   I guess I did sew yesterday after all but just on scrap pieces to test the machine, not on any exisiting project.  Not sure where to set up for a 1/4 inch though you can change the needle position to obtain one--right, left and center position.

I've not been sleeping well again and I hope that trend will end soon.  I'm tired!  I'm tired anyway from the prolonged heat but 4 hours is not enough.  I do not like being awake till 2 and 3 in the morning and have the day start at 6:30 or 7.  I'm also stiff and sore for some reason on my backside, maybe from walking??  Shoulders down to my rear end--feels like I got hit by a truck.  I keep plugging on the laps.

This past Friday some of the Public Work dudes started knocking down what was left of the foundation of the old Senior Center house.   The fire department had used the building itself for a training burn like they often do but it had remained with yellow crime scene tape around it for several weeks after that till this week.  By Saturday morning the crew had it all cleared off and bulldozed flat.  Today, they must have spread grass seed and straw.  The town is preparing for Heritage Days on the 2nd Saturday in September so they may need the space to set up vendors or parking.  The crews were doing other prep work today, installing another water source in the area they had used for the food court last year.

Okay, I've got to check the dryer.  Yep, I washed my walking clothes up this load and trust me, they needed it badly!  Tired of sweating.  One of these days it will be cooler than 76 when I get up.  Has to!  Thanks for stopping by------