Mid February 2020 and plodding along like a senior

I don't really want to admit that I am senior but my age is a fact that I can't argue with!  With age comes a few issues that I try to fight like memory, not being as efficient, and tired earlier in the evening.  I do play tennis almost daily and I walk but when I get to my sewing room, I seem to bog down some days.  So, I plod along and take comfort that I am creating and slowly accomplishing my goals, it just takes forever it seems!

This week I spent more time organizing and one project that was in my way, was a massive container of plastic bags!  Does anyone else collect plastic bags but can never find one when you need one?  Mine are sorted into smaller bags, medium size and those plastic zip containers that bedding comes in.  That was one of those silly jobs that didn't that long once I started.

The two preemie quilts made from charms are done.  They will head north with me in April and get layered, quilted and bound for the NICU in my home town.  The heartstrings group that I belong to, chose charms for February and I put together two tops.  The second one is the Oh My Stars pattern by Pat Sloan but I made it smaller since our NICU likes quilts to measure 30" x 36".

I also finished knitting another toque (or beanie for my US friends).

In my stash of UFO's, I had a kit from Connecting Threads and the intended quilt was called Offset.  I decided I would like to make something else and thought about this Fat Quarter shop pattern.

But then, I went back to my square in a square stand by for fat quarters.  So easy to cut up and make.  I did have to do a bit of math and figuring as the fabrics in the kit were long quarters, not fat quarters but, paper and pencil and a bit of math and I managed to cut all 20 fat quarters correctly.

So quick to stitch these blocks up and then trim and put together into a finished top, ready for the next step, again, will happen in April.

I had a kit arrive in the mail and am quite pleased that this is the only thing I have ordered this year (so far).  Since I was annoyed that I couldn't keep the deal I made with myself to only stitch stash projects, I cut it up immediately so that I have it ready to stitch.

There are hundreds (at least), of half square triangles to make so I have them next to my sewing machine and will work on them as leaders and enders.

While reading blogs this week, I saw a project on Creating in the sticks and thought it would be a brilliant way to use up a jelly roll.  I didn't have a pattern but it wasn't too difficult to figure out.

 I have my jelly roll strips paired up with a background and am stitching them together.

 A simple method, once the two strips are sewn together.  I cut a piece at 2.5", 4.5", 6.5" and 8.5"... it is a bit tight to get them out of a 42" strip if the selvedges are wide but I am being careful when cutting. There is no room for error.   Cut a 10.5" strip of background and then put together like a log cabin.

My current UFO and something driving me crazy for having done this a long time ago, is the row x rows from here in AZ.  They have been sitting around for far too long.  I worked on one starting mid January and it seems to take forever to trace, fuse, cut out and place?  Maybe I am just not inspired but this is what I have done so far.  A long way from finishing!

There is a good friend here in our park who recently attended a memorial service and everyone had the option of taking home a t-shirt that belonged to the fellow who had died.  She asked me if I could turn the t-shirt into a pillow for her and it was a simple project.  He had a massive wardrobe of Grateful dead shirts.  I thought it was a brilliant idea and was happy to do this for her.

My husband is still hobbling along with crutches but he is able to do more without pain but we are still icing his knee and he has his cranky moments.  And, I have my podcasts to listen to! 
Hoping that I am as productive this week and get more projects either started or close to completion.
My goals for the rest of this month|
1. Work on row x rows
2. Layer and quilt/bind my Xmas tree wall hanging
3. Get the blocks made for the half log cabins
4. Work on QOVC bento box blocks
5. Make two more fabric scrap buckets in red and yellow?

The weather here in AZ is absolutely perfect.  Cool at night, warm (mid 70's) during the day.  Love it! Weeds are growing and my bougainvilla needs pruning but one day at a time.