QuiltsnCats

I'm slipping on my writing here, but it has been a busy week. I'm all caught up on my various sew-a-longs, done some cleanup in the backyard, and repotted our Jade plants on the front porch.  The poor plants had gotten so big they were tipping over. Parsley and dill have been planted in the herb tubs in the driveway. I have to grow them in the front yard as the back is too shady for the veggies and herbs. Perfect for ferns and violets, though. St. Patricks day I got up early and put the corned beef in the crockpot and we took a trip up to the hills to do some maintenance on our campsite.I hadn't been up there for quite a while and the first thing I saw was our wisteria blooming. It smells so good! We pulled some weeds, filled the bird feeders, and moved a big pile of bricks, starting to get ready to level the ground so we can get a new(er) trailer. Our last one was old and very leaky and falling apart so we got rid of it and are looking for another one. We came home a...

Having spent yesterday going up to the hills with DH and then doing the shopping that should have been done a week ago (ran out of chocolate!), I had some catching up to do. My first-thing-in-the-morning waking up thing to do is turn on my phone and see what the 365 Challenge block is for the day. Oh my goodness did that wake me up fast! All the blocks so far have been 3 inchers so that is what I was expecting. Upon further investigating I (fortunately) discovered that we are now doing the center block, which is 18 ½ inches. Feb 28 This is the center; so tomorrow we add a couple borders to make it 18 ½ inches. Computers sure do odd things to colors; what looks to be yellow is actually cream and gold and those purpley triangles are really mostly blue. This is the one for the previous day: Feb 27 T Then I proceeded on to the Circa 2016 blocks. They are easy and so relaxing to do. These are bright and scrappy. I'm doing Westering ...

After being gone for a couple of days I had catching up to do -- three 365 Challenge blocks, one Splendid Sampler, and only one Broken Dishes block for Circa 2016, although I suspect more of these will be needed. While we were at the hospital waiting for my daughter to be out of surgery we went down to the cafeteria for lunch. Across the room from where we were seated there was what appeared to be a large mosaic covering the wall and after lunch I went over to take a closer look. It reminded me of a watercolor-type quilt. Imagine my surprise when I got close up: It was made up of photos of employees of the hospital foundation. Amazing! I admire the talent it took to accomplish it. My words of wisdom for today are if your rotary cutter falls don't try to catch it. I just hope it will be functional without too much pain for my jelly roll class tomorrow.

Yesterday was a landmark day for me. I didn't use the seam ripper all day. I believe this is a first.  I made the 365 Challenge block and five Gypsy Wife blocks and finished the folding block station for the Splendid Sampler, all without using the seam ripper. Unfortunately I made up for it today assembling the center medallion for the Circa 2016 quilt. I kept getting the hourglasses turned the wrong way. Shops during Quilt Rush used to hand out pretty nice favors: charms for bracelets, rotary cutter holders, rulers, coin purses, tape measures, etc. But since the downfall of the economy such dandy items have become obsolete. The last several years they have handed out charms, the 5 inch fabric ones. The fabrics mostly are ones I wouldn't buy; probably from the bolts that have been on the half price shelf for the past year. If I owned a shop that's probably what I would do, too. Anyway, I had a box of these charms that I had no idea what I would do with. I decided to use...

Spent the morning sewing the last three 365 Challenge blocks; I had to go to my Civil War sewing group yesterday so got a little behind with these but I'm all caught up with them now. Until tomorrow morning, that is. Took a trip to the grocery store for more fresh veggies and to PetSmart for more cat food. DH treated me to dinner out at Golden Corral. I like it there as I can pick out  gluten free options .I hope -- time will tell. I really pigged out on the sweet potato fries sprinkled with cinnamon.  These are my 365 Challenge blocks for the past week. A couple of them were real challenges -- those teeny tiny ½" half square triangles and the T block. If were doing the easy blocks now I hate to think what they will be like by the end of the year. DH had to go out after we came home so I took the quiet evening time to finish up my homework from the class yesterday. Then I sewed up this week's Circa 2016 blocks. 28 hourglass blocks. I'm using up charm squa...

Temecula Quilt Shop is doing a quilt- along, with each step being posted on Fridays. This is for the second Friday: twelve nine patch blocks, 3 inch finished. Last year was my year to finish up UFOs and WIPs and I think I did pretty good, quilting six bed-sized quilts, piecing and quilting several others, completing all of the Jo's Little Women #14, and generally just getting projects done. Then there was the lull after finishing all that and before my Civil War group started it's 2016 project and Little Women #15 isn't out yet. So I started projects: the 365 Challenge (one block a day), Temecula's Circa 2016 (once a week), Barbara Brackman's Westering Women (one block a month), Gypsy Wife (whenever I can get to it), and my Civil war groups several blocks a month. And of course I want to do Jo's Little Women Club again (6-8 little quilts). When it rains it pours. I hope I can keep up with it all. Oh Sheesh! I just realized all those tops will have to be quil...

Sunshine today after the fog burned off. The fog is almost welcome -- we haven't had enough rain the past several years to produce fog so I'm taking it as a good sign that maybe the drought is lessening. I slept late, as I do almost everyday because I'm retired and I'm a night owl. In what was left of the morning I made the 365 block of the day and the 4 pinwheels for the Circa 2016 from Temecula. In the afternoon I quilted the little Jacob's Ladder doll quilt and will do the binding tomorrow. Circa 2016 blocks Why am I writing in a blog? Well, I signed up for a workshop next November that involves drawing and journaling on fabric. What on earth possessed me?? I can't draw and I haven't been able to write a journal since I was 15 and my mother read my diary. So this is my attempt to get ready for the workshop. I haven't had the nerve to try and draw yet….