Some sewing time, some tennis time and lots of reading time

 

We made a decision to head south for a few weeks to our 'other' home and enjoy some sunshine, friendship and fresh oranges and grapefruit.  

The weather here is typical winter temperatures and of course, some days of rain but it is nicer than being at home in the Pacific Northwest and certainly not as cold or as snowy and wet. 

I love being here for lots of reasons but one great thing is our little library and I had new to me authors I wanted to check out and got lucky with quite a few of them so reading time while sitting in the afternoon sunshine feels like I am on a vacation. 

Once the rain and cooler temperatures came, no outside time for reading or tennis so time to head into my sewing room. Before I left home, I had made some Rainbow scrap challenge string blocks using my bright greens and also got my Patterns by Jen January block done. On the ironing board is my Patterns by Jen blocks for 2023 and on the design wall is my Meadowland mystery January steps completed.

I also made a quilt for a special person in my life who is fighting breast cancer.  I used some really well aged fabric that was Quilt for a Cure and was happy that I had those in my stash.  The positive side of a well stocked fabric cupboard.

A closer look at the center of the mystery quilt from Meadowland.  I made a mistake in the outer border and use the wrong fabric so a little frog stitching was done and it was corrected.

This was the view just before we left... a taste of what was going to come that we missed. 

My Heartstrings group chose fat quarters for the January challenge and I decided to pull out the fat quarters that I had set aside for either 16 patch blocks or another pattern and they were perfect to use as a leaders and enders project while I worked on other projects.  Crazy assortment of fabrics but will make a colourful quilt for a donation to one of the many organizations I donate to.

Patterns by Jen January blocks.  Two blocks made with reversed lights and darks.

While in my sewing room here in the valley of the sun, I pulled out some fabrics that are at least 1 yard in length and used a 3 yard pattern called Connections from Fabric Cafe.  The brown and blue are both dark and probably should have found a medium fabric for one of them, but the blocks are made and the top is assembled. 

Since green is the RSC colour for January, I pulled out all my green scraps that I have here and made a variety of blocks.  I may have got carried away but still have another couple of ideas that could also be made each month in the chosen colour.  These are garlic knot blocks. 

And, some L shaped blocks.  This is a good block to make as two strips of fabric, one background and one green, make two blocks with very little waste. 

A lesson learned from making these blocks.  I saw the block being made at one of our modern guild Saturday Sew ins and Debbie pointed me in the direction of a video called Bundles and Bows.  I should have watched the video again as I made a mistake in piecing some of the blocks.  I was carefully matching up the points heading out from the center and then realized, after looking at the picture, the points are supposed to float.  Oh well... blocks are made and I will remember for next month and do them correctly.  It would really help to have my 3.5" ruler for the cutting involved in the first and second step and will dig out mine when I am back at the other home.  

These rail fence blocks will get used in Meadowland's newest pattern Wharf Street. I probably made too many blocks (34) but was good to use up all kinds of 2.5" strips.  I may make some 3 colour quilts instead of all twelve months of colours ... which would give me 4 quilts from the rail fence blocks.

As I went down a rabbit hole yesterday, looking at ideas and following links posted by quilters in their blogs, I saw this idea for a Criss Cross star and copied the directions and then made some 12" size.  I will need 30 blocks for a finished quilt so 2 or 3 blocks each month will give me all the colours in my finished quilt top.  Another great block for using up those small chunks of leftover fabrics.

You now know what I have been doing when it rains in Arizona.  If I have a cup of tea, a good book and my fabric stash plus loads of ideas and inspiration, being bored isn't an option.  There is still a week left in this month so may go back to working on 3 yard quilt tops for donation.  And, in case you think I am on vacation, let me assure you that there are still meals to shop for and prepare, toilets and floors that need cleaning and laundry is constantly calling my name.  Our house here is small and it is easy to get the housework done quickly although all the windows are calling out to me to be cleaned - one day. 

 

Welcome 2024 and Happy New Year

 My word for 2024 is Reduce.  I am thinking about all the ways we can reduce in good ways.  Reduce the amount of 'stuff' we put in trash and recycling, a lot of which is packaging so, buying less means reducing in a simple way.  In terms of quilting, reducing the amount of supplies including fabric and notions that come into my two homes.  Reducing the time I spend on the internet (which probably means less shopping? or less inspiration to add to my growing list of projects to make), reducing intake of foods that I know are processed or high in sugar and/or salt for a healthier body.  There are so many ways to reduce in our lives that will create more calm and peacefulness, less stress and anxiety.  For me, maybe this will be the year I reduce the UFO's in project bags by either getting them finished or letting them go to someone else that might be thrilled or just put the fabrics back into my stash?  I am also reducing the number of blogs I subscribe to as well as the number of shops that send me an email once, twice a week or daily, trying to get me to buy what they are offering.  Less time reading email means more time either creating or reading a good book.

I really think we can enjoy a simpler life by just reducing our consumption of goods that create clutter in each of the rooms in our house including my quilting supplies but also including my bookcase, desk, kitchen, bathrooms and laundry room.  

Well, great intentions but lets see how it goes.  I have 360 days to work towards this goal. 

I haven't accomplished much to show you since the end of December but, I have organized and tidied and the house has all signs of Christmas gone although I did leave up a few wall hangings and decor items that look like winter/snow because what else can you decorate with in January?  

Some of my organization that I have accomplished this year.  On the right in this picture are a stack of Frankenbatts... all my leftover batting pieced together and I ended up with 4 new full size batting pieces ready for the next quilting session.  The basket on the left contains all my packaged kits or blocks for quilts that are made and ready to be put together.  Sort of a grab and go idea when I head to a sew in or looking for my next projects.

I have no idea why this picture is blurry but it is my organization of a variety of projects in different stages.  Under the table on the right is all my row x row projects... ugh, true UFO's.  Other containers hold a variety of fat quarters paired up ready for either a 16 patch or Carolyn block quilt.  And, there are more quilt kits from mystery boxes from 2023.  My white board has been reorganized and I changed up the titles of my groups. 

I belong to a group called Heartstrings and each month a precut is chosen to work on .  January is fat quarters and under my table, I had a container full of pairs of fabric, ready to be worked with.  I decided to make St. Louis 16 patch blocks.  I also dug out a container of leftover blocks from previous projects so those can get added in. 

Almost finished with making the blocks.  Just a few left to stitch .

This is a variety of leftover strips put together.  Because I cut my fat quarters in 4" strips, there is an extra strip in each block set so am trying various combinations.   On the right is a special quilt that I am making for someone very dear to me who is beginning her journey to fight breast cancer.  I am playing with some ideas with that one.  The ironing board as more of the odd strips ready to be matched up for the mix and match blocks but want to wait until I have all my blocks made before I decide which ones go best with each other.

This will be the first 16 patch quilt top that I will put together and a second one will be made as well although I didn't count so I might have to pull out a couple more fat quarters to get enough for the next one.  Then I will play with all the leftovers and make a crazy 16 patch. 

At the end of December, I had started to play with these bricks.The pattern is called Blue Moon and it is a little different than a regular brick quilt with rectangles and squares.  This is now on a hanger in the pending section of my sewing studio...pending layering, quilting and binding.

In the next week I am hoping to 

1. Finish the cancer quilt

2. Quilt one or two of my blue quilts and get them bound

3. Finish up the 16 patches into quilt tops (flimsies)

4. Stitch the January Patterns by Jen

5. Decide on and make my Rainbow Scrap challenge blocks for January (bright green)

6. Get January's clues for the mystery quilt completed.

Last effort for 2023

 Where have I been and what have I done?  I have been to Arizona, played tennis in sunshine, took lessons early in the morning (7am is early for retirees) and had some long walks with a good friend.  Then, we returned home because, as always, my husband continues to be anemic and the medical system is slow, but there are still tests to be run.  I did get my house semi-decorated for Christmas and seem to have been spinning my wheels since that happened.

But, I did attend two different quilting guild Christmas parties and I have been playing indoor tennis and pickleball and tidying, organizing and writing lists! 

I have been stitching a 'hug block' with one per month to show my traditional guild and encouraging them to make one.  In the past, I had many kits cut for a variety of hug blocks (Quilts of Valour, Northcott fabrics, Oh Canada) but it was a lot of work and if two or three got picked up at meetings, then it wasn't enough to be worth my time.  So, I decided to focus on one block per month and do some step by step instructions.  This will be the block for January because, yes, we will still be in the rainy Pacific Northwest at the time of the guild meeting. 

I signed up for the Missouri Star Christmas Advent box which gives you a gift per day.  One day was a package of charm packs and another day was a pattern plus handles and magnetic snap for this cute little purse.

One side and then the other side. 

Of course, crazy weather.  Two days after we arrived home from sunny Arizona, we had this happen. 

There was a fun sewing activity at the modern guild meeting and we had 5 sewing stations set up and a package of fabric given to us along with instructions and we could do as we wished with the blocks.  This was what our group came up with and I brought the blocks home to finish and will get it layered, quilted and bound though it isn't due until March. 

Before I left for sunnier weather, I was working on two different 'blue' quilts.  This is a Villa Rosa pattern called Something Positive and I used a variety of blues and browns.  This is now a finished top waiting for the next step. I had started some blocks here and then made more from my AZ stash and brought them home to be added in to the quilt top.

This one is all blues and is a GE Design called Koby and is also a top living on a hanger until the next step happens.

While in Arizona, I worked on another set of blocks that I had a hand written pattern for, called Corn off the Cob.  It took me awhile to realize it is the same idea as Town Square, a 3 yard quilt.  I brought the blocks home thinking that they might be good for surrounding a panel (which I have a large number of for Quilts of Valour).  I used browns, reds and creams though the colour in this picture isn't great.

The weather was quite lovely while we were there though a bit nippy first thing in the morning as I headed out to early morning tennis lessons.

I worked on some blocks for a block lotto for the guild Christmas party, that I knew I would be home for and made two and posted the pictures.  It was then pointed out to me that they are supposed to have a green background, not white so, I made two more.

I also got my last set of blocks made for the Patterns by Jen challenge for 2023 and now I can pull out the blocks from this past 12 months and decide on a setting. 

I made an entire set of blocks with this pattern but apparently, I didn't take a picture of them?  They are tucked away in a bag and again, hoping I can use them with a panel.

When we arrived home, my Christmas cactus was in full bloom.  It obviously enjoyed being ignored in a cool house. 

My decorations are minimal but I did put out a few things on the mantel in our sitting room.

My tree got put up and decorated because it isn't Christmas without one and love the lights shining and reflecting in the windows.

I like to do a small arrangement in the window well as you go down the stairs into my sewing area and added some lights to this area as well. 

This Christmas pennant was in a doorprize that I won at the modern guild meeting and how perfect is that for the space? 

A gift in a Canadian Advent box were the instructions and supplies to make this gift bag for a bottle... could be wine or could be bubble bath? 

And another project in the Advent box were Styrofoam cones plus the stars and instructions on using twisted ribbons for them... but, I cheated and used chenille yarn. 

There are many more projects, some small and some larger to be done but one day at a time.  With appointments, rec center, tennis and basic housekeeping, I don't seem to have had much time or motivation to be doing any serious sewing but am liking some of these smaller, projects that can be completed in an hour.  

I am sure I won't be blogging until  2024 but you never know!  Happy New Year and stay healthy. 

November already! Using my extra hour for my blog update.

 This is crazy that it has been over a month since posting here but, lots to show you.

 After my October binge on finishing the quilts for Survivors, I took a bit of a break and made lots of small things like mug rugs for Autumn and Halloween.  

Then, I decided that it was time to get my quilt tops off hangers and turned into finished quilts.  I had to put together a prize package for our guild's annual Holly Jolly Bingo game and decided that a 'quilty' pillowcase was a good choice.  Once I dug through my fabrics that were quilting themed, I made more than one to use up some of the stash. These will all be used as door prizes at guild meetings or gifts for quilters. 

My autumn table runner got finished and put on display.

I dug out this kit from Dragonfly fabrics that came in one of their surprise boxes and got it cut and ready to sew.  The pattern is Snow Ruby from Villa Rosa.  Easy to cut, easier to sew!

The rainbow scrap challenge for October was lights/neutrals but I chose to use brown fabrics since my bins are overflowing.  Most of these scraps are from backings that I have used to finish quilts. 

Strings and plus blocks are made and now it is time to dig out the blocks made all year and complete some quilt tops in November and December but I think I will end up with the blocks as Works in progress in 2024. 

The patterns by Jen for October was blue and I have been making two blocks per month with lights and darks reversed.  So these got finished.

I did make some Quilt of Valour blocks for my monthly guild challenge but sadly, after getting them done, they will have to wait until 2024.  Our guild meeting is late this month just because the second Tuesday isn't until the 18th and I won't be able to make it on that day or in December so hopefully, January?

This is finish number 1.  A friend of mine in the modern guild, Barbara, donated a stack of fat quarters to Quilts of Valour.  As I was putting them away, I stopped and thought, why not just get a top made?  I found fabrics to cut up into 12 fat quarters and stitched up St. Louis 16 patch blocks.  I only needed 20 blocks for the quilt top so have 4 blocks leftover, the start of the next quilt? Then, why not just get it quilted and bound and finished! 

I bought a Moda 'leftover scraps' bag many years ago and in it were 3" strips of Halloween fabrics.  They were various lengths with most being 22" long.  This idea appealed to me and I did have to add in more strips from my stash and used a gray background for the blocks.  Again, I decided to just get it quilted.  The idea was to finish it before Halloween and it was done by the 31st but not in time to gift or use it.

Cozy Quilt pattern: Simplicity II.  These blocks were made from a Tonga Treats set of gray, black, dark blue strips.  I added in the reds and a few more grays and kept stitching until I had enough blocks.  Yes, in the finished quilt, there is a block turned the wrong way... I knew it but left it as my 'humility' block since no one is perfect.  Another finish for Quilts of Valour.

Every month I made Rainbow scrap blocks and these were blocks leftover from previous years that were sitting in a container and they were in my way all summer long.  Finally, some inspiration happened along with some gray borders on the blocks and a top got completed. While doing my quilting marathon in October, the quilt top became a finished quilt.  Number three for Quilts of Valour.

Kimberley by GE designs is one of my 'go-to' patterns for layer cakes.  This was another, well aged, Tonga Treat of 10" squares and again, I added in a few of my own to get enough blocks for a finished Quilt of Valour. 

Using the block idea I saw many years ago on Facebook (and didn't write down where I saw it), I made these blocks from fat quarters.  A floral assortment but I think it works for Quilt of Valour and it is also another finish for October. 

The St. Louis 16 patch is always an easy, mindless block to sew from fat quarters and I had a bunch of them sitting in a container that was left over from making a couple of quilts for friends of my Wednesday Diva quilting group.  I made a few more blocks to have enough to complete a quilt and this is going to be given to someone who is crafty and deserves to be wrapped in a quilt but it will live here, finished, until that happens. 

The Snow Ruby quilt at the beginning of this post also got stitched and quilted and binding is on... yay! Another finished quilt! 

This is my stack of leftover batting pieces and the next time I get the urge to finish quilts, I will be making a 'frankenbatts' from these.  Waste not, want not!

Some beautiful sunsets in October that I love seeing.  Such glorious colours.

It is always fun to go to a monthly sew in with my friends in the Modern guild.  This was me working on my Halloween quilt blocks.  I did a few hours of power sewing that day.

A perfect room for chatting, sewing on your machine or doing hand work.  We get lots of visitors checking out what we are working on.

My steps for the Meadowland mystery for October got completed.  Now I am ready for November.
We had a prediction of frost for a few nights in mid October so the tomatoes got picked and they are slowly ripening in our dark, cool bunker.

It is fun to decorate for Halloween even if we only get a few trick or treaters.  I kept it simple with my decorations and then to hustle to put them away on November first as torrential rains were predicted.  I didn't need wet 'stuff' to pack in containers.

The views, when we get a nice evening, are spectacular of the valley.

And, end of October, all is now packed away and the house looks very empty and sparse but, also dusted and clean. 

Hopefully, I can take more time to post a little more often but how often do I say that?  sigh.   This month is going to be no stress with only my patterns by Jen blocks to make and my mystery steps to complete.  Time to tidy up and look at the potential UFO's and WIPS for next year as well as the many kits from mystery boxes that are waiting patiently and of course, the 3 yard kits that I cut up the fabrics for so that I would have simple, mindless projects for Sew In days.