Retreating and Housecleaning

 Last weekend I headed to a small retreat of good friends... my Wednesday Diva group.  There were 10 of us and we were well spaced and we each have our own bedrooms in a separate building. 

This is the view from my sleeping quarters looking towards the building we sew in.  All very comfortable, quiet and private.  So much nicer than living in the brutal smoke we had for 10 days before this. 

On jelly roll Saturday, I did stitch a jelly roll quilt but didn't take a picture of my own work.  So, you will have to wait for me to quilt it to see it.  I also made a smaller quilt from the leftovers for a child. 

Then I chose to quilt two quilts that were made by someone in the Fraser Valley Modern Quilt guild and I got both quilting and bound and ready to return to the community service group.  A bit of a small challenge since there was minky, fireside and flannel squares all serged together.  But, both are done.

Before I left for retreat, I got my preemies and slightly larger quilts all finished and ready for donation. 

I also swapped mug rugs in a teal swap for fighting ovarian cancer.  My partner sent me this along with some lovely goodies. 

And this is what I made for her. 

During the retreat, I made these blocks and have them sewn together into a top. This will make a lovely quilt of Valour.

The next two pictures are quilt tops made at retreat by others but wanted to show you a little bit of our sewing area. Not a very clear idea but tables and sewing machines go down each side of the room and we have lots of space to work.

September  2020 

I don't have pictures of all of these but, I will eventually, when they are finished.

1.

1.       Quilt 5 preemies

2.       Cdn Happy Blocks

3.       RSC blocks: strip, medallion, 4 patch

4.       Harry Potter

5.       Twizzle (UFO) started, maybe half way through?

6.       Ohio Star (UFO)

7.       Solstice (UFO)

8.       Aunt Gracie’s charms (UFO)

9.       Autumn bunting

10.   Stepping Stones red

11.   Mors bags: food  themes

12.   Hourglass pinwheel strip (UFO)

13.   10 min tablerunner (UFO)

14.   Autumn table runner – Shabby fabrics

15.   All Hallow’s even charms

16.   October Scarecrow

17.   Row by Row 2016 moose scenic (UFO)

18.   Hot pads – jelly roll/rope

19.   Mystery step 2 Meadowland

20.   Canadian fabrics 3 yd quilt

21.   FVMQG: quilt #1

22.   FVMQG: quilt #2

23.   FVMQG: Make #1

24.   FVMQG: Make #2

25.   Bright Jelly roll

26.   Diamond tote bag

27.   Start an embroidery project

28.   Start a knitting project

With four days left in the month, I am not holding my breath.  The title of this blog says housework? Yes, my husband left on his annual hunting trip so I have been doing some fall cleaning... moving furniture, washing floors, stripping beds, dusting and getting out some fall decor.  So much easier to do when there isn't another person in my way and I don't have to stop and make meals!  House looks a little nicer and certainly a cleaner and tidier.  

It would be nice to get outside in the garden after all the rain as the weeds will be easier to pull and the grass might start turning green and growing.  And, with the sunshine that is coming, the courts will be dry and so it will be morning tennis.  And even better, I have a hair appointment next week.  That is cause for celebration and reward for doing this housework! 

 Such a frustrating week! Maybe a frustrating 30 days!! 

Monday was predicted to be windy.. gale force winds, and I knew that but it was calm when I woke up and we left for tennis, as usual.  The morning got windier as the time went by and when we returned home, we were fighting winds and blowing dust.

As my usual routine, I turned on my desktop but was greeting by that horrible sad face and the blue screen.  I tried a few things, called Norton, hoping they could help.  All that did was waste time.  Their best guess is that my computer was updating and got hit by a power blip and it completely ruined my operating system. Of course, Labour day, so no point in dealing with it then.  I did get a recommendation for a repair place, took my tower in on Tuesday and when I got it back on Friday, I only had the basics of a new operating system.  They saved my documents... but I had to start loading all my programs (and remember my passwords!).  Of course, clean up was also needed around my desk... another UGH.

And the other part I don't like... getting all those cords untangled and put back in the correct places. 

I now have my Office, email programs, Firefox and my Canon camera programs loaded.  Anything more, 24 hours later (and nothing else done) will have to wait as I go to use something and figure out it isn't on here.  

So unhappy and frustrated.  Just bad timing and bad luck. 

But, onward to almost mid September.  UGH... I feel like I lost a week. One good thing is the quilt for my granddaughter is finished ... Harry Potter is ready to be put in the mail.  And on time!  

I kept it simple.  She will be 12 and she has a new puppy so this will hopefully get well used and probably washed often.  I let the fabrics speak for themselves as each one was interesting. 

My other task for the week was to get my step one completed for the Meadowland Mystery.  I had to make half square triangles: two different sizes the smaller one had 60 needed.  Mine are done, trimmed and put away until next month. 

I made it a priority to get the last of the sandwiched preemie quilts, quilted and I have the bindings made and ready to attach to each. A project from August but close to being finished.

At the moment, we are socked in with smoke from forest fires in WA and OR.  The air is thick white, like being in the midst of fog.  But, it smells of smoke and very bad for those with respiratory issues.  We found an N95 mask with the painting supplies in our basement (leftover from the last homeowner) and so my husband is wearing that when he ventures outside to water the gardens.  But, not sure about playing any tennis in the next few days if this smoke stays in our area.  I am grateful however, that while the smoke is horrible, we don't have any forest fires in our area to create worry and concern.  I do think about how awful for those in the fire areas and those who are waiting to see if they have to evacuate.  

I managed to get my Rainbow scrap challenge red blocks made last weekend, before computer issues and almost forgot to add them to this post! 

 

My list for the month:  Not much crossed off and here it is, Sept 12.  More than a 1/3 of the month gone.  However, I have a 3 day retreat coming up and plan to sew like a crazy woman!

September  2020

1.   

1.       Quilt 5 preemies

2.       Cdn Happy Blocks

3.       RSC blocks: strip, medallion, 4 patch

4.       Harry Potter

5.       Twizzle (UFO)

6.       Ohio Star (UFO)

7.       Solstice (UFO)

8.       Aunt Gracie’s charms (UFO)

9.       Autumn bunting

10.   Stepping Stones red

11.   Mors bags: food  themes

12.   Hourglass pinwheel strip (UFO)

13.   10 min tablerunner (UFO)

14.   Autumn table runner – Shabby fabrics

15.   All Hallow’s even charms

16.   October Scarecrow

17.   Row by Row 2016 moose scenic (UFO)

18.   Hot pads – jelly roll/rope

19.   Mystery step 2 Meadowland

20.   Canadian fabrics 3 yd quilt

21.   FVMQG: quilt #1

22.   FVMQG: quilt #2

23.   FVMQG: Make #1

24.   FVMQG: Make #2

25.   Bright Jelly roll

26.   Diamond tote bag

27.   Start an embroidery project

28.   Start a knitting project

Two thirds gone, one third remaining of 2020

 Wow... four months left in the year to accomplish my quilting goals.  I know that many of us are just wanting the year over but, I am trying to stay positive and look at all this social distancing at home as quilting time.  I really thought I could make more of dent in my stash although I am not unhappy with everything I have accomplished so far.  

Theoretically, the weather gets a little wetter at this time of year so that means wet courts and less time spent playing tennis.  But, it also gets darker earlier and I have a hard time heading downstairs when I have to have all the lights on.  I guess I need to adjust. 

It is very improbable that we will be snowbirds anytime before 2021 but I am not guessing, just waking up every morning and waiting to see what the news brings.  Arizona is doing so much better with COVID but the border is still closed.  So, I wait and sew! 

Even though I was gone for a week in August, I almost met my monthly goals of finishing up 8 quilts.  All are quilted and bound.  

16 patch surrounded.  This is for Quilts of Valour.

My red and white that is also for Quilts of Valour

Flower power.  I cut the fabric in 10" squares and then did a double slice.  These are some very aged floral fabrics but, I didn't make a dent in the container. 

I had a kit... I didn't have a pattern.  I decided to play with the fabric by cutting it into strips and adding a white on each side which gave a bordered block effect.  I had lots of batiks left over from this kit.  So, I made another and added in a few fabrics from the batik container.

And, then a third batik quilt.  I don't think I reduced my batiks by very much but, at least I reorganized them.  I folded and fondled what I have and combined into fewer but larger containers.

I completed the quilting and binding on two quilts for friends who had made tops for Quilts of Valour and both are also completed including adding a label and getting them registered. 

Harry Potter is up next and I have started on the blocks.  I had collected some fabrics earlier in the year and decided to let them speak for themselves.  They are cut into 10" squares and then I am surrounding with a variety of colours of strips.  

You can also see the stack of preemie quilts that need to be spray basted and quilted.  I had hoped for August for these but didn't quite make the end of the month deadline.  They are next up in the list for September. 

And the colour of the month for Rainbow Scrap challenge for September is red.  I have already made my red bucket and organized my strips so am ready to go with making my blocks.  

I did make some brown RSC in August.  I had read that brown never gets picked so I added in the colour on my own. 

 And we were happy this week to see some of our animal friends across the street. 

And, I really have been working on my 3 ring binders of patterns... printed off over the last THIRTY years (maybe even longer?).  These binders are free for anyone who wants them or wants to look through them and see if there is something in there that piques your interest. I am still working through these darn things but so far 6 of them plus a box of patterns not in binders.  It is easier to leave the patterns in the plastic sleeves than take them out and have them loose.

My list for September is long but I have a retreat that I am planning on attending and that will be 3 days of pedal to the floor and hopefully, will get a few projects from container to hanger!  This is a crazy list but have gone through some containers and few of these are really old UFO's that don't need that much to finish them!

 

September  2020

1.   

1.       Quilt 5 preemies

2.       Cdn Happy Blocks

3.       RSC blocks: strip, medallion, 4 patch

4.       Harry Potter

5.       Twizzle (UFO)

6.       Ohio Star (UFO)

7.       Solstice (UFO)

8.       Aunt Gracie’s charms (UFO)

9.       Autumn bunting

10.   Stepping Stones red

11.   Mors bags: food  themes

12.   Hourglass pinwheel strip (UFO)

13.   10 min tablerunner (UFO)

14.   Autumn table runner – Shabby fabrics

15.   All Hallow’s even charms

16.   October Scarecrow

17.   Row by Row 2016 moose scenic (UFO)

18.   Hot pads – jelly roll/rope

19.   Mystery step 2 Meadowland

20.   Canadian fabrics 3 yd quilt

21.   FVMQG: quilt #1

22.   FVMQG: quilt #2

23.   FVMQG: Make #1

24.   FVMQG: Make #2

25.   Bright Jelly roll

26.   Diamond tote bag

27.   Start an embroidery project

28.   Start a knitting project