what you do on New Years..........

I had to laugh at a comment from my friend Gene yesterday

You know he is right, LOL!  I'm retired but I would love to sleep in but the "boys" usually manage to not let that happen.  Skyler wants to be fed while the husband can take care of himself for breakfast anyway.

As it turned out we had the neighborhood pyrotechnics going on to ring in the New Year---every 4th of July for several days before and after and New Years for several hours before and after.  This year though they managed to keep firing  intermittently till about 2 a.m.  Since I had only gotten about 3 hours of sleep Tuesday night and had been awake for almost 24 hours at that point, I was NOT amused.  Thankfully, I slept about 7 hours straight last night in spite of Skyler's wake up call at 5:30 this morning.

But I stuck to my plan to sew something personal and something pro bono.  I even snuck in a little minor re-organizing and vacuumed most of the house (shudder---housework!).  Last night DJ pointed out that I had not done his floor.  Of course I didn't.   His doesn't get stringed up like mine or the rest of the house unless I drag a large top in to strike some measurements for borders.  I had not done that so I ignored it.  He is still on surgical restrictions or I would have told him to take care of it.  I do not live to clean, he knows that.

On the sewing front this is what how I spent my day doing "what you do on NYD, you do all year"

• Binding finished by machine.  Ongoing goal:  learn or perfect a new technique by practicing on Aline's pro bono quilt I had just quilted Sunday and Monday.

Conclusion?  Looks good on the front.  Looks better on the back than previous attempts.  Needs work as I overcompensated for the pull over factor. The corners don't look as good as they could.  Maybe next time apply it to the back and pull it to the front and try it that way?

• 2nd goal:  piece something pro bono.  I pulled out the 4 patch stacked posie from the fall sew-in and did up 13 blocks.  I think I counted 13 more to go?  I may finish that up today actually but I want these for the centers of another block  (inside a BQ 1 and maybe a Framed like Camille Roskelley)

• 3rd, 4th and 5th goals:  work on a UFO, handwork and a personal project.  Actually I meant embroidery but hand applique works too, LOL.

As background info,  I wanted just one hexagon rosette for my Farmer's Wife Sampler, untouched since Sept 2012.  At the time Brenda had completed her Grandmother's Flower Garden and I asked her what size the hexies were.  I thought that one motif might fit on a 6  inch finished base.  She handed me one of her leftover blocks with the plastic/mylar? pieces that you baste over still in with instructions not to remove them till I had it appliqued down.   Anyway, it stood in for all those goals yesterday.  I placed it on the base at this angle because FWIS is on point.   I am more likely to pull out my FWIS bins and at least remind myself where I left off now.  I KNOW that there is a block in there that needs to be re-done due to an iron stainage and wonky section.  That would not take long to complete.

It was about 9 p.m. when I finished this up and I was wiped out from the two nights of not enough sleep so my plan to knit a bit did not happen.  Whatever---I know I will work on some pro bono hats at some point this year.

Must get started on the guild newsletter at some point today even as I wait for something that needs to be included in it.  So do I be "good" and do that first or go straight to fun sewing???   The great debate rages, LOL.  I also want to do some sort of year end accounting or list of what I want/need to work on in coming months yet.  A reminder can 't hurt!

a little progress

Awwwww! Guess who I saw on the way into the kitchen a few minutes ago. He posed for a few more pictures but this was interrupted by a bath and a lot of rolling around on the chair to sun that belly fur. Gotta love it!

Baby steps, I grant you but here is some UFO progress from yesterday's sewing session. I bet that piece of redwork has been clipped to the shelving unit for at least 4 years? Long enough to become part of the rooom landscape anyway. The pattern is from APQ Dec. 99 but I did the embroidery way after the fact. My guess is that the Convergence top that needs some borders will take its place.

After nearly driving myself around the bend the night before printing out foundations for those pieced HST's in EQ, something clicked. I was finally able to print the pieced triangles I was looking for rather than skewed squares in two different sizes. I was trying to follow the directions in one of the EQ supplemental books for printing templates on quarter square triangles. I was able to draw them up and eliminate pattern lines but they looked entirely different when placed on the quilt. Apparently I am missing a step somewhere. I will re-visit that lesson down the line for another project I have in mind. Note to self---I wouldn't have had to do anything if I had not re-sized the center square and followed the printed directions (duh, seam allowances need to be added to EQ as that is the finished size! Recalculate after that) In other words it is all my "fault", not the software or the pattern designer.

I panicked at first when I laid out the top border row----it is way too big, I thought. Oh, no--now I have to scrap a whole days sewing? Then it occured to me that I had to miter the seam so yes, it might look that there was too much fabric but it looks to be spot on. I am not sure that I know how to miter seams but I guess I'll find out. Like at attic window block, right? But do I sew from the block out to the edge? Guess I better read those directions when I get to that point.

Mitered borders are NOT an entry on my "quilting bucket list" but it could be! Should be, LOL.

Wrapping up the year

Just hours away from 2009 at this point.  I cannot say that I am sorry to see 2008 head on out the door, more so than in other years.   As DJ is known to say, you cannot “wish” your life away but come on, ‘09!  Do the best you can with the time you have, I guess.  I am still thinking about resolutions and quilting goals for the year.  Does one even bother to set some reasonable goals?  It does help to have a little direction----like start walking again.  Nip some bad habits in the bud---make your bed when you get up and don’t stay in the bathrobe, jammies and slippers for hours in the morning would be a good start, LOL.   Quiltwise, I know I want to work on my redwork Santa project this year and start on the Be-Attitudes quilt---maybe one a month of those and pick one UFO or quilt kit to work on.  That’s would be do-able if I don’t get bogged down with donation stuff. 

Today’s picture is part of my picks for my Christmas present from DJ as one of my packages from Connecting Threads.  I thought that the quilts in the Quick Cozy Couch Quilts might work up for the donation quilts as such.  That cover one looks intriguing!  The Sew & Stow book has a bunch of really cool “green” projects for storage and such that might come in handy for gifties or for home use. 
The other part?  Ah,just to torment Norma a bit.  I have gotten a good start on my FAB challenge.  There is a bit of applique involved so I have some prep work to do.  I am doing this part over a piece of templar so I can turn the edges evenly and then set with a bit of sizing.  One down and umpteen to go, LOL.
DJ and I took down the Christmas decorations this morning though I still need to put the wall hangings away which will only take a few minutes.  The house looks so naked!  I DID leave out the lovely winter plate that Judy gave me as a gift and along with it, a hand painted Christmas card that a friend gave me.  Janet had sent them in a frame type card and I had one from last year as well.  I’ll get to enjoy that out atop the living room entertainment center on trips back and forth from the kitchen.

Both my boys are napping at the moment though Skyler did manage to squeeze at least one eye open for me.  Such a handsome boy, if I do say so, LOL. 

Yesterday I had occasion to run out to one of the Belles’ home (Hi, Lois!)  She has a black and white cat named Mittens that looks a whole lot my guy.  Even though he is a younger cat, Mittens far outweighs my little peanut.  I wish I had taken my camera so you could see him.  Les and Lois had to coax him down from the rafters in the garage so I could see how big he had gotten.
Not much else going on today.  The sun is out and about 60 today but gusts of wind.  There is a U-Haul at one of the houses across the road in back---we have been trying to decide just what is going on there, moving stuff in or out?  New Year’s Eve will be quiet---fix a nice dinner and maybe watch a DVD or two.  DJ tells me that the 4th of July fireworks that got postponed due to drought and fire potential are on for New Year’s Eve but I doubt we will go.  Just take kick back and enjoy the evening with my two boys instead.
Rather than prattle on about nothing, I’ll just wish you the best things possible for 09.

Retreat wrap up

A week ago I was preparing to "roll on outta here" for the quilt retreat. I picked up Aline Thursday afternoon. It was pouring down rain, and would for a good bit of the weekend, but that didn't dampen our enthusiasm for the getaway. We were up in Collinsville (AL) in time to drop our luggage off at Joy's house and stake out our sewing spot for the weekend before dinner. The Georgia girls, Debora , Kim and Patti were already there along with Joy. We made two new friends from the Birmingham area , Jewell and Unav.

This is a great sewing space since the quilt shop is right next door if you need anything. Plenty of tables to sew on, huge cutting table and pressing station set up, lighting is good too. The GA girls stayed upstairs in the small apartment area rather than Joy's house this time. Didn't have too far to go to crash for the night. Seeing as they were are used to the EST time, that was good idea. They were up and sewing by the time we got uptown at 8 or so.

The food was provided by Nessa in our retreat costs. How wonderful to just be called to the table! One afternoon they were baking a ton of cookies!! It smelled heavenly. She brought down a freshly baked berry banana bread that tasted even better the next day. We had tea cakes ( melt in your mouth sugar cookies to me), chocolate chips, peanut butter cookies the size of saucers----yum! The best was a pecan pie cookie made from a recipe Kim had brought Nessa to try. Kim said her 9 year old boy was telling his daddy "I can't believe Momma is going away and didn't even make us any cookies" Guilt trip?! She loves to cook and bake anyway so made them 6 dozen pecan pie cookies. When the daddy joined us for supper Saturday night and Nessa served cookies along with peanut butter cake for dessert, he said he was sick of eating cookies. Wonder why? I brought a few home for DJ after Sunday "leftover lunch".

I did get my bargello top completed at the retreat. That's it up higher on the page. The quilt shop had nice yellow that I could use for the first border. I also found the Jinny Beyer greeny-blue print to go with it. I couldn't decide if I saw more blue than green in the top but I have forest green carpet so was leaning for green anyway. Got the backing as well from the markdown bin and sewed it together as well as cut and joined the binding. As I said in my last post , if I had had a big enough batt on hand, I would have probably pinned this at our meeting this week. Closer to be being on my bed and big enough to cover the blankets and pillows with that oversized mattress.

Debora and Joy were both sewing on rag quilts Thursday when we got there. Jewell is fairly new to quilting and was working on a large nine patch block while Unav was cutting and working on a double Irish chain. Aline was stitching all weekend on a Peony quilt using a pattern from Eleanor Burn's Egg Money Quilts. She found a nice fabric for the alternating blocks so had started to assemble the top by Sunday morning. I didn't get a picture of it before she packed it up, unfortunately. That's Debora with her quilt at right.

She also whipped up this little rag quilt for her niece Rosie's dollies. After that she shifted over to a star project that she had been working on through 3 or 4 retreats, shown below right. I think she said it was called "Memory Star" and was from the Caffrey book Another Can of Worms.

Joy moved onto a miniature log cabin blocks for the rest of the weekend but I don't have a picture of it.

As my other project. I got all the 1/2 inch finished frames sewed around all of the 64- 4 patched stacked posie blocks. BORING!! And I have a hard time working with such skinny pieces accurately. Won't do that again. I think I was over-tired though when it came to making the cornerstone and sashing units. DUH!! Not every strip needs a cornerstone when you pre-sash blocks, Linda! Plus they were all too long. I had to pull the stones off half of them and re-cut. I set it aside and put the borders on the bargello instead. Didn't touch my Christmas Patience corners but found a nice piece of Moda "ho, ho, ho" fabric to add to it.

In looking over the pictures I took, I realized that I had a bunch of stuff I could not really share with you. Patti and Kim were both working ahead on the row quilts. On the off chance that one of the row group will be looking at my blog, I best not post them. I DID find out that I had made two extra blocks for Joy's quilt I could have sworn that Joy said her quilt was 72 inches, not 60 and didn't bother to measure it when finished with my part. It was 72.5 on the nose, LOL. I can put the extras in Sarah's memorial quilt so no harm. I also got to see what will be coming to my house before long to get some ideas.

The Georgia girls are doing their own Block of the Month of some Mariner's Compass blocks taking turns teaching each other the blocks. Patti had her finished block to show and somehow Kim convinced Debora's sister Teresa to try it. Now, bear in mind that Debora has been trying to tell Teresa how much she might like to foundation piece since she is already sewing and flipping making crazy patches. Off to the quilt shop to pick out her fabrics--nice brights! They have a washer and dryer on premises for the tea rooms linens as well as pre-washing fabrics so she was set. Teresa ended up borrowing some pjs and a change of clothes and staying over on a blow up mattress just so she could finish her block! Jewell and Unav were Kim's other pupils though it kept her from working on the handquilting on her husband's quilt as much as she would like. Two of Debora's students Sandra and Ann came to sew with us on Saturday. Sandra was working on a some "homework" from class and Ann, a pink rag quilt.

This is a top that Aline had recently completed after Janet Worley visited the JOY group in Jacksonville. All the quilts are named after food, not sure of the book's name but this is Aline's version of "Red Velvet Cake" Beading, ruching and so forth but hard colors to pick out a backing---she will keep looking. (I have a shot of the one Lois made but will show it in my Bama Belles note. )

We had spa lady come on Friday night after supper. Penny is a good friend of Kim We got a facial as well as a hand care treatment and ran around with some foot creams and spa socks on. Penny led us through a relaxation technique at the end and had product available for sale if we were interested.

Saturday a massage therapist came for neck and shoulder massages and then led those who wanted to, in a yoga session. It was billed as "gentle stretching" but I was a bit stiff the next day from doing it. Using different muscles, I guess. I don't think I better go into what I was thinking about "air on my toes, softening eyeballs and relaxing organs"---stop laughing, FABS!! I don't think I am quite cut out for some of this "New Age" mumbo jumbo though the exercises would be good thing to continue if I could remember what she had us do. One of my local friends teaches yoga but she said "soft eyeballs" was a little out there for her too but they call it the "wind position" for a reason, LOL.

So we had a wonderful time away last weekend. Lots of laughing and bantering, good food, good company and some production. Could you ask for anything more? Aline and I will be back in August when we have the "rowers reveal retreat" Arrangements are being made at a retreat house that is opening up in the country about 5 miles out--house sleeps 10 or 11 but we will still sew near the shop and eat at Nessa's, Debora said.

Actually, Aline and I plan on going up to Joy's again late next month with two of our pals from here who could use some time away. We told them we would kidnap them if we had to. It will be dialed way back though. We will sew if we want to--or not. Relax at the house, work a puzzle, play dominoes, watch movies, or do handwork. There is a quilt show not far away and a couple of fabric shops we could visit. Nessa will be vending at that quilt show so we will be on our own for meals but that's okay too. DJ can't say I didn't tell him I'm headed out again but will need to remind of the dates when it gets closer. Think I have to bribe him with 6 doz. cookies?

That's it for this note--I'll post about the meeting in another note.

getting ready to roll

I'm getting ready to roll on out of here for the retreat tomorrow afternoon. A load of laundry is tumbling in the dryer. The wardrobe selections have been narrowed down--some lighter clothes if the room is too hot and sweaters if it is not. The suitcase is on the bed ready to be packed. Pippi is not sure that she likes THAT idea since it is encroaching on HER space. The car trunk is emptied of non-essentials since I need to make room for Aline's luggage and sewing things too.

My sewing projects that I would like to work on are all set and packed up as of yesterday afternoon incorporating something old and something new. Do-able in that time that I have to work:

• Bargello--WIP
• 4 patch posie--UFO
• Christmas Patience Corner--PIM

We had thunderstorms and tornadic activity here in Alabama on Sunday and I had intended to get some bargello sewing done. Instead I had to bail from the computer and sewing machine for a good chunk of the afternoon. To make good use of the time, I cut bargello strips and paired them up for sewing the last two stratas. In the end, the only sewing that got done Sunday was joining the subcut sections for the 3rd panel and adding it to the two I had done already. Then on Monday, between errands, walking and a haircut appointment , I got the 4th panel done and the 5th panel up to the subcut stage---it is about done, in other words. I hope to find some border fabric at the quilt shop this weekend as I know I do not have any long enough dark green yardage--at least so far I am thinking green will work. I need it all to be spread out and look at it first.

I did some cutting yesterday trimming a pile of print Christmas squares to a uniform 5 inches for the Patience Corner I intend to make (like Finn's and Norma's). You see who had to test it out at least temporarily. Earlier in the afternoon I had cut a stack of squares from a scrap bag from the Christmas Cloth Store. I had purchased it a month or so back when Norma and I were talking about my making one of these quilts. (The website/store is merging with the fatquartershop.com site today and the site indicates that. ) So anyway, the Patience Corner is all cut and kitted up in the pizza box, minus the cat, of course. I also cut out the sashing strips for the 4 patch stacked posie UFO so I am ready! It won't take me long to grab my sewing supplies though I know I have to wind a pile of bobbins for the machine I am taking first.

I plan on quilting a bit this afternoon and tomorrow morning so best get the packing part done. In some ways it would just be easier to stay home and sew by myself like always but no way, no how would I want to miss out on this fun time with my friends! DJ is acting like I am abandoning him and pulling that "poor me" act but it won't hurt him to miss me a little. Good company, good food and shopping plus a break from the home routine? No contest. I'm there!

another Saturday check in

Well, here it is--another week has flown by and I have to wonder what I did all week, in retrospect. Early in the week I was finishing up my next row robin obligation--not due till the middle of February-- and got it out in the mail but can't show you that. I started on a Joined at the Hip pattern--one of those cute yard longs--but still need to do the borders so can't really share that yet either. All the machine embroidery is completed though/ Thursday was "lost day" as I was down in bed with a sick headache most of the day and yesterday I was knitting on my cardigan.

So what is a blogger to do? Well, Pippi was sitting up in an entirely new spot yesterday on DJ's bureau. I am used to her sitting on his desk looking out the window or his desk chair but up here made me do a double take and call him in to see. Later the goofy girl was up on the kitchen table sitting on the newspaper---now that is NOT allowed and she was promptly removed once she was spotted.


The biggest news flash is that it is snowing---rather an unusual event but that frigid blast of cold air from Canada is colliding just right with the warmer air from the Gulf. We had some sleet/flurries and rain mix on Wednesday and that did collect north of us about 30 miles and on Mt. Cheeha about 30 miles south and east-ish--it is Alabama's highest elevation and part of the Appalachian foothills to you would expect it in the higher elevations.

The weather wonks had predicted 1-3 inches for our band in the central part of the state from midnight last night till 7 but it didn't arrive here till about 9. By 11 this is what it looks like in my yard. Further south and towards Montgomery they said heavier snow was expected.

Now, I am from the Midwest, IL and some of my grade school years were spent in WI so snow is no big deal to me. DJ and I have been in AL now for about 10 1/2 years and this is only the 2nd (possibly 3rd) measurable snowfall and we weren't in the state for one of those. All the natives talk about the Blizzard of '93 and the weather wonks were being very careful to say that it would NOT be a freezing rain event.

The temps are going to drop to about 18 tonight so they are more concerned about refreezing, I guess though the pavements appear dry. It IS still snowing so who knows?

I took some video as well but my first attempts were sadly lacking in production value. First I forgot to turn the camera off standby and got nothing, LOL. 2nd round, I switched the camera position and all it did was make one of the bushes stand horizontally.

I'm staying home---maybe finish up my little wall hanging and find something to back it with though I doubt I'll quilt it today. I'm in sewing mode, after all and hate to change the feet and change horses in mid stream too. So I believe that I will instead finish up those Pioneer Braid strips that I started on NYD.

Ohhhh the mail guy just delivered some Christmas prints from Norma that I have been expecting all week. (Thanks, Norma!) Tempting to just veer off on another tangent. I told Cher earlier today the t-shirt quilt has got to be tackled next week. I best stick to that as I want that done and outta here! My version of the Christmas Patience Corner will be my reward for doing that perhaps? No shortage of choices, that is for sure!

not much going on

Really not a whole lot happening here. I have been mainly hand quilting this past week. Here is what the quilt looks like so far BUT I am only doing the heart motifs in the alternating blocks by hand; the rest was quilted on the machine and I already did the binding once that crosshatching was done. Two more blocks to go but my arthritic-y wrists and my "poked too many times fingers " are begging me to set this aside for a few days. After I finished some of the accent lines on block number 5 a little bit ago, I listened. BUT as soon as this is done and its picture is taken, it can be delivered down to the Presbyterian Children's Home In Talledega along with 15 others that are piled up in the bedroom and closet. A little reduction in clutter would help.

Other than turning on the machine this morning to fix the worn out in seam on a pair of pants I wanted to wear, I have not had the sewing machine for a week or more. Now that is a slump. Here is what I intended to work on---and truth be told, most of this was done last fall except for adding a couple more blocks on the left side of the row. As I said in my last post, I am piecing friendship stars into the sashing that are the same size as the signed blocks. I think it will be a nice remembrance quilt of the people who made the blocks if I ever get it done. Also I am using bits of fabrics that were gifts from quilting friends and/or using my stash fabrics in the sashing so it will be more scrappy. BUT and you know there had to be a "but", I really do not feel like working on it, ancient UFO and on my long neglected personal project Top 10 or not. Not gonna happen right now. Too much pin matching and having to pay attention to what is going on all around the block. Some days I would be up for that but when I need to get my sewing mojo back, this is not the project that will do the trick. I'm putting it up as well.

So how about getting back to something fun? 4 patch posie, it is. I started working with this pattern along with Norma in September but then got stalled out because I needed something for sashing in two contrasting colors. Actually. the piece of fabric I used to trial the technique was too short and I could only get 7 cuts made--eight would have been better. I found some more of the floral fabric at the Quilter's Yard Sale last month so I will be able to make some more blocks. Also got lucky and found the darker of the two sashing fabrics. My mom sent something that I can use for the lighter color sashing so it looks like I am "good to go".

I got a notice in the mail that A Time 2 Sew is having another Quilter's Yard Sale tomorrow. (Yard cuts for $2.50 and I assume that they are cutting yardage for the same price for one yard and more as they have done in the past.) One of the Belles called me about something else and asked if I planned on going. I was toying with it at that point and said so. Turns out the JOY quilt group is car pooling up there and were asking for volunteer drivers. I'm not a member anymore but would have room in the car after I pick up Fleeta so why not? I don't really need anything but if I find some of the fabric I used on the back on the quilt above, then I am getting some. Also Nessa is serving a quilter's luncheon for us. Girls Day Out, what's bad about that?

Pippi hairing up DJ's desk chair--her "new" old spot for napping and sometimes lately, nightly sleeping. Always something different with her.

Other than that I am making a more concerted effort to improve my health situation. I have been walking at least 5 days out of 7 since March but my triglycerides are still up even though the rest of my lab work is in normal limits with the current medication regime. I do NOT want to take an additional expensive statin if I can help it and the MD gave me 3 months to see if there is any improvement with what I am committed to doing. I do NOT want to say that I am on a "diet" but I am trying to be more aware of what I am consuming and cutting back a bit more than I had been doing. After all, I have a husband who needs to gain some weight--yeah, we look like Jack Sprat and his chubby wife---so I cannot make things too low cal as he doesn't get that he is supposed to eat MORE of it. Forget suggesting that the serving size for something is anything remotely what he IS eating. Anyway, currently I am walking 2.5 miles or 2.8 if I get really ambitious at about a 3, 3.5 mph rate and shooting for 6 days out of 7. On days like tomorrow where I have to be somewhere early, I take off but otherwise, I'm going. DJ says I am overdoing it and is afraid that I am going to booger up my feet or legs. Not trying to sabotage me, just concerned plus he thinks if they say 30 minutes minimum that is all that you need to do. Maybe some muscle strengthening should be added but I'm walking, honey.

Additionally, I am keeping a food and exercise journal so that means writing up the recipes in my cooking software to have some idea of the nutritional analysis for what I prepare so that it can be added to the software journal. It is a bit time consuming but makes it easier to see where improvements should be made. I have lost 26 lbs in the last 7 months and know that this is a long process---the weight didn't go on overnight and it sure as heck is NOT coming off any way but slow and hopefully, steady.

Guess that's it for today---our evening meal is a bit labor intensive so I'm headed out to the kitchen. DJ wanted me to give him a haircut but he always bathes at 4:30 and I'm busy with meal prep---I told him it can wait till later in the week or earlier this afternoon. As hide bound as he is to a schedule, that didn't happen, LOL, not that I thought it would............