Sunday, August 31, 2008

30 done, 5 to go

This evening I took some time to make more blocks for Judy's Labor Day weekend challenge quilt. 30 blocks completed and 5 more to make. When I get the blocks done I will put the project away for a while. I haven't decided what I want to do for the border/s, so I will go back to working on other projects. This afternoon I listed all the books I have read in 2007 and 2008 on Library Thing. There is a widget on my sidebar for those interested. Just click on Library Thing and it will take you to my list.

Today I am very grateful for my cousins.

Happy Labor Day to all.

Friday, August 29, 2008

Using Fabric

For the past few days I have been wanting to dig into my fabrics and pull things for Judy's Labor Day challenge. This afternoon I had some time so I rummaged around for a focus fabric and finally found this graphic print (center of the blocks) that I had purchased on sale to use as a backing. There will be enough to make plenty of blocks and have leftover for whatever Judy designs for the border. The fabric also lends itself to picking many different colors for the sashing. In addition to the colors above, I have blues, darker greens, other reds, pinks, golds and yellows. These six blocks were very easy to make so I am anticipating that I can get all the blocks done this weekend.

I was also thinking that it could be done in a scrappy manner with different centers. My scrap bin is screaming for some patterns like this to help empty it quickly.

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Slump

Not long ago I put up this card table in my office because I was going to start cleaning out files. Instead, the card table has become a dumping ground for mail and things to put away. My desk also has things to file and put away, and on that gold paper is the print out of Judy's Labor Day weekend quilt challenge............as if I don't have enough projects going already.
My laptop computer sits in front of my desktop computer because I was going to switch everything to my laptop and retire the desktop and of course it hasn't happened yet because that would take a day or two of concentrated effort and I can't even seem to find the energy to clear off my desk or the card table.
Why do I fall into these slumps? I got up this morning full of energy and did thirty minutes on the treadmill (a miracle for me) and since then I have moped around the house, reading, playing computer games, and just wasting time.
I'm waiting to hear news about my sister. She is being moved today from the hospital to a rehab facility and I'm waiting to hear when and where so that I can go and make sure she is comfortable. She has a husband and a daughter that can do all that, but I like to get involved too because I love her and want her to be happy. So I wait and can't seem to engage my mind on anything else.
I need to bury myself in a project but I just can't seem to get started. Anyone out there have any good advice? In the mean time, I think I will go back to my book.



Saturday, August 23, 2008

Day 6 of 1,825

My five-year goal is now in day 6 and so far so good. Another five rows each day have been knitted on my blue shawl. Can you see that it is getting longer? A little of the border and the first line of words were stitched on my La-D-Da piece.
My plan for the last two days included some quilting time, however I had two major interruptions - one good and one not so good. The good - my cousin and her husband stopped by on their way home from vacation and we had a nice visit. The not so good - my sister is in the hospital again so I have spent time with her.
Gratitude - Today I am grateful for the nurses, doctors and hospital staff who are taking such excellent care of my sister.

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Goal follow-up

On Monday I made the big decision to set a five year goal to finish all my UFO's, clean out my files, and declutter my house. That gives me 1,825 days to reach my goal. Today is day four and I am happy to report that for the last four days I have knit five rows each day on a shawl I started ages ago. I continued to do a little quilting on my Road to Indy quilt.
The Christmas quilt that Lindsay and I are making along with the youth at church got pin basted and some quilting done last night by the youth.
Today I finished up the top motif on a La-D-Da stitching project.
There is still time today to do some more quilting or stitching. I'm not setting any world records, but I'm hoping that by doing a little each day I will happily reach my goal. 1,821 days to go.
Oh, I forgot. I also set-up the card table in the office so that I can more easily clean out files. No files have gotten cleaned out and unfortunately the card table has become another place to dump stuff. Hmmmm. Not good.

Monday, August 18, 2008

Setting a goal.....

My birthday was last week and I turned the grand old age of 70. Oh my. Time to get serious about where my life is going. Some may think I'm a little late in my thinking, but I am forever optimistic so setting a goal at age 70 doesn't seem out of line.

FIVE YEAR GOAL
By the time I am 75, I plan to have all unfinished
projects completed, all files cleaned
out, and all unnecessary clutter gone from
my house.

Now all of you out there that are chuckling please know that this is a serious decision I have made. Can I do it? Well, I'm hoping that my blogging audience will help me be accountable. So please check back with me in August of 2013 to see if I made my goal. Thanks.

Sunday, August 10, 2008

Pin basting

My Road to Indy quilt has been sitting waiting for my decision whether to quilt it myself or send it out. My free-motion quilting skills are not the best, but I decided that this quilt could be quilted with all straight lines and therefore I could do it. Therefore I spent the afternoon and evening pin basting. Even though I used the proper tool for closing the pins, I still managed to catch the skin on my index finger over and over again leaving a nasty hole. Ouch.
The backing is a crazy orange fabric so I filled a couple of bobbins in preparation. Tomorrow I will start the quilting process. It will be a challenge for me, but I'm looking forward to some good results.



Thursday, August 7, 2008

More blocks

Yesterday and today I worked on more blocks for the Come-on-a-my-house quilt - the last of the sawtooth star blocks. I'm happy with how they look. Now I have 10 more house blocks to do. It is fun to make houses with crazy colors. How many folks have blue on one side of their house and a lime green door?
My favorite sawtooth star block is this one with the beautiful two-color flowered fabric in the center.
My favorite tree block is this one with a polka-dot tree against a polka-dot background.
When I was a little girl my mother allowed me to dress all by myself one day. As I came down the stairs my older sister cried, "Mom, you're not going to let her wear THAT, are you? She's got on a plaid skirt and a flowered blouse! It's awful."
At last, in my old age, as a quilter, I can happily put a plaid fabric with a flowered fabric, a polka-dot tree on a polka-dot sky, and a green door on a brown and blue house.
So there, sister of mine.



Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Quilting progress

My friends are asking "what did you do at the quilt retreat?" Ummmm - not much. I took the blocks for this crazy 9-patch Christmas quilt to the retreat and never got the chance to sew them together. I did purchase the green border fabric at a quilt shop on the way home though. After I got home I sewed all the blocks together (the blocks were partially made by the youth at my church) and put the borders on. The red striped border is from my stash and I love the holly leaf fabric green border.
The backing is this holly leaf and berries flannel. It will make a nice cuddly quilt. The young people are going to raffle off two Christmas quilts to raise money for their mission projects.
The one big thing I worked on at the retreat was the blocks for the Come-On-A-My-House quilt. These are some of the blocks placed on my design wall. I have a lot more to do. Unfortunately some of the cutting directions were not entirely accurate which caused me some delays and problems, but it is all figured out now. The cuts were too big instead of the other way around which made the fix easier than I expected.
The picture is not very clear, but the house on the bottom row with the blue siding has a little girl in the window over the door. She says "Hi".


Monday, August 4, 2008

Improvements

Ever since I moved into my house 8 years ago, I have wanted a new door and new windows in the bedrooms. This is my old door. At one time I thought I might re-finish it. But it is a big old wooden door that changes size with the seasons and just looks tired.
Even the hardware looks old and terribly worn.
This is the inside of the door. It doesn't let in much light with that little window at the top.
My bedroom windows were filthy dirty when I moved in so I covered them with pretty wooden blinds. That isn't fog in the picture below - it is years and years of accumulated scummy dirt.
Now I have a brand new door! I'm so happy with it. It lets in more light and just looks so much more up-to-date.
I also got a new storm/screen door. Picture isn't very good because of the reflections.
This is the inside. See how much light comes into the room now?
The new windows are CLEAN and you can see out. Best of all, they are the kind of window that I can wash from the inside. I'm doing a happy dance!
My office windows. Oh how lovely to see out.
I'm hoping these improvements will add to the value of the house. I know they add value to my every day living!


Sunday, August 3, 2008

Sam (Carol) and Gus

Please allow me to introduce you to our hostess for the retreat - Carol. Since there are two Carols in our group, I will refer to her as Sam which is the name her family and non-quilting friends call her. Sam has this beautiful house and the house next door for us to enjoy on our retreat. She borrows tables from the local high school so that each one of us has a long table on which to work. She provides supper the first night (turkey on the grill - yum yum) and we bring lunches for the rest of the week. For supper we try different local restaurants and quite often opt for the fresh Walleye.Sam is an expert quilter and has won awards for her fabulous quilts. She worked on this beautiful border-print quilt that had to be cut with extreme precision.
This is the completed top without the final border as sadly she did not have enough fabric. Thankfully she was able to locate the fabric on the Internet and will be able to complete the quilt.
A close-up of the star blocks that take advantage of the border print. Clever pattern!
Sam's loving companion is Gus. Poor Gus is getting old and didn't have much spunk this year. He was content to guard the quilts and lie beside each one of us in turn.
He decided to place himself right where my chair goes and I didn't have the heart to make him move.
He particularly liked Gail's design board, lying as close as possible so that the blocks started to fall off. As soon as you put something on the floor, he is right there testing the softness and making sure it doesn't float away.
Lindsay and Gus cuddling.
It was a great retreat - our 5th! Now some of you may be wondering what I did at the retreat since I have not yet shown anything. I'm the only one who did not finish one thing. I got lots of components done, but no quilt top finished. However, I will start showing the bits and pieces that were sewn at my machine. Perhaps tomorrow.