Happy Easter!

Happy Easter to those who celebrate it and happy spring to those who don’t. We have had a beautiful weekend and fit in a trip to both the Portland Japanese Garden and the Tulip Festival.

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Of course, I brought home a pot of tulips. (Mostly red with one stray pink one!) I also have the catalogue so I can order some for fall. It was so good to get outside in the beauty and now I have a head start on the cleaning, too!

I also made bunny pancakes in honor of the day…. they’re not as hard as I thought they’d be and they’re very cute! My ear technique needs work but they were tasty!

I honestly hardly stitched at all this week. I think I was having a case of the doldrums. After quilting all these years, though, I know that it will pass. Tomorrow is Monday so it’s the cleaning lady’s day (the cleaning lady is me) and I think I’ll set aside the rest of the week to sew. Except that I should probably cook, and empty the desk, oh, and pay the bills… all the pesky things that keep us from sewing as much as we’d like!

There are, of course, the demands of being a cat concierge as well….I cater to a select and very demanding clientele!

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Speaking of which, it’s time to start the nightly routines and get ready to go back to the work world tomorrow. Now that I only work one job, I’m enchanted with this whole weekend thing. It’s like “buy 5, get two free” but with days!

Happy quilting!

Beth

Salt and Sand (and memories)

Ah

The minute I see that Carol over Just Let Me Quilt is hosting a blog hop, I’m in! I just love this lady and her work is beautiful! And the color combo that’s been lighting me up lately has been blue and sand, like this quilt that was my entry for Project Quilting’s Crazy Quilting.

Do you have any bucket list quilts? You know, those quilts you really want to make some day? I’ve loved Ocean Waves quilts for about ever. I remember in about 1981 finding the pattern in a magazine like Women’s Day. This was back in the days when you had a really pretty quilt picture and the instructions were the angles to draft your own templates in about 3 inches of column in the back. No exactly beginner friendly. This was the first time I realized that I probably should have embraced studying geometry…sigh. After looking at a whole bunch of tutorials and patterns, I realized that I needed to go back to the drawing board. After all these years, I really needed to figure out my own math…darn it! I had some adventures with rulers but I’m on my way (well, one block, some graph paper numbers and a whole lot of excitement.) I’m going for queen size with this one so don’t hold your breath!

The week hasn’t gone exactly to plan. My youngest had some surgery (routine) on Friday and then had a second surgery (not as routine) due to some complications on Saturday. So the many hours of spring break quilting morphed into hours of hanging out watching TV and providing popsicles and moral support. (I wouldn’t trade it for being anywhere else, though. This time with my girls is precious to me although I’d prefer it when everyone feels well.)

I did want to contribute to the hop, though, and so I paper-pieced these tiny boats to make a wall-hanging for my downstairs bathroom which is sea-themed. It will finish a little under 8″x12″ and hang near the sink.

And, speaking of beaches, our trip to Australia in 2019 has been popping up in my memories. I’m so grateful I had that amazing trip with my husband before everything fell apart.

Beach photo on Phillip Island taken by a nice random stranger who pretended to drop my camera…lol!

Be sure to check out the rest of the Salty Crew. They are such a talented group…you don’t want to miss a thing!

Thanks, Carol, for putting all of this together!

Happy Quilting,

Beth

March 22

Creatin’ in the Sticks

Selina Quilts

That Fabric Feeling

Days Filled With Joy

Elizabeth Coughlin Designs

Karen’s Korner

Homespun Hannah’s

BlogCrafts and Math

March 23

MooseStashQuilting

Life in the Scrapatch

Food for Thought

For The Love Of Geese

Becky’s Adventures in Quilting and Travel

Karrin’s Crazy World

Sew Many Yarns

Kathy’s Kwilts and More

March 24

Ms P Designs

USADayBrook Designs

Vroomans Quilts

Kathleen McMusing

Quilt Schmilt

The Darling DogwoodDaughters of Dorinda

Annie’s Musings

March 25

Quiltscapes

Beaquilter

Stitchin At Home

The Joyful Quilter

Scrapdash

Freckled Fox Quiltery

Quilts Fabric and Thread Tales

Words & Stitches

March 26

Just Let Me Quilt

Websterquilt

Quilting Gail

Samelia’s Mum

Quilt Fabrication

Little Penguin Quilts

Just Sew Quilter

Inflorescence

PQ 12.6, Salt & Sand and Energency Medicine

Well, I nearly made it to all six challenges this season. The last challenge was to do a piece that spoke to who we are on the inside. I used this charm pack to revisit a design I tried last year. I wanted to show the spark at the center that we have to be careful to keep despite the darkness that tries to push in.

I decided to quilt it with freehand feather-ish things interspersed with pebbles. So, why didn’t it get finished? Well, on Friday, my youngest had her tonsils removed. Everything went well and she was home early. Later in the day, she began spitting out blood and by the next morning, we were back in the ER and prepping for emergency surgery to get the bleeding stopped. We stayed overnight and I spent some time on Worldwide Quilting Day doing EPP on my Violet Craft Lion. I took the lion to Australia with me and didn’t really have the heart to work on it again. This was my view as I worked in the window seat in the hospital room. We were able to come home again on Sunday and are back in recovery mode. (Needless to say, I’m one grateful and relieved mom.)

I also spotted this adorable quilt in the hallway to the Children’s Hospital Wing. It’s not a great photo but I love the lollipop trees. (Below it is the artist info.)

Meanwhile, in my yard there are signs of spring. The daphne is blooming…possibly the best scent ever…and my crocuses and tulips that I planted under the shepherd’s hook are pushing up and blooming. There’s much weeding to be done but there’s been a lot of rain. So I am content to stay inside and sew.

And what am I sewing? A little something for this hop. And, speaking of hop, I’d better hop to it or I’ll have nothing to show! Hop on over to any one of these quilters for some amazing inspiration!

Happy quilting,

Beth

March 22
Creatin’ in the Sticks
Selina Quilts
That Fabric Feeling
Days Filled With Joy
Elizabeth Coughlin Designs
Karen’s Korner
Homespun Hannah’s Blog
Crafts and Math
 March 23
MooseStashQuilting
Life in the Scrapatch
Food for Thought
For The Love Of Geese
Becky’s Adventures in Quilting and Travel
Karrin’s Crazy World
Sew Many Yarns
Kathy’s Kwilts and More
 March 24
Ms P Designs USA
DayBrook Designs
Vroomans Quilts
Kathleen McMusing
Quilt Schmilt
The Darling Dogwood
Daughters of Dorinda
Annie’s Musings
 March 25
Quiltscapes
Beaquilter
Stitchin At Home
The Joyful Quilter
Scrapdash
Freckled Fox Quiltery
Quilts Fabric and Thread Tales
Words & Stitches
 March 26
Just Let Me Quilt
Websterquilt
Quilting Gail
Samelia’s Mum
Quilt Fabrication
Little Penguin Quilts
Just Sew Quilter
Inflorescence

Project Quilting 12.5….A Little Crazy in the Middle!

This week’s Project Quilting challenge was crazy quilting. Now, I’m not much of ribbon and embroidery person but I love improve piecing with tiny bits that my friends think I’m “crazy” to keep. The process is the same as crazy quilting.

I started by dumping the blue crumb jar on the table.

Then I started sewing bits together until I could get 9 6.5″ squares. I dived into the 3.5″ strip bin for star points and background.

I added a fun quilter’s map fabric between the blocks with blue cornerstones and finished it with one of my mini- bolts in blue. (It’s so fun to use up pieces of fabric!)

I backed it with flannel and bound it with a two- toned binding. The quilting is a freehand of loops and hearts using my Q’nique 21 Pro. This one is definitely one I’m keeping because I love how it came out! (It’s 60″×60″, by the way. )

Happy quilting!

Beth

Dust Off a Book Blog Hop!

Dusting… not my favorite activity. After all, you dust and then you just have to do it all again but dusting off my quilt books is a whole other story!

I’ve cut down my books in the last couple of years from four shelves to two. The remaining books either inspire me or are on the bucket list or they are tried and true useful old friends.

“Quilts for Baby, Easy as ABC” is one of those that went right into the keeper pile! Written by Ursula Reikes and published by That Patchwork Place in 1993, this book is chock full of fun, fast and easy baby quilts.

In 1993, I had a busy two year-old and lots of friends having babies. Now it’s younger friends and neighbors having babies, including some of those friends of my daughters!

This book has really stood the test of time! The quilts are fun and fast and easy enough to finish quickly. They have the added bonus of finishing at 38″ wide so you don’t need to piece a back!

This little alternating four- patch is one of my go-to’s.

I just need to add a red binding for a pop of color at the outer edge and this one is ready to find a home! I backed it with a cute nautical flannel and it’s almost ready for snuggle time!

Someone looks like he needs his own quilt!

Please check out the other bloggers on this hop

Monday 3/1

Words and Stitches  

 Samelia’s Mum

High Road Quilter

Tuesday 3/2

  Karin’s Crazy World

Lemon Tree Snippets  

 Anjaquilts

Wednesday 3/3

Beaquilter

   Cynthia’s Creating Ark

  A Quilting Readers Garden

Thursday 3/4

Kathy’s Kwilts and More       

Quilting Patchwork Applique

 The Darling Dogwood

 Creatin’ in the Sticks

Friday 3/5

Beaquilter

Quilting at the farm  

 Kathleen McMusing

And big thanks to Beaquilter for organizing this and letting me play along!

Happy quilting!

Beth

Project Quilting 12.4

I did it! I just finished my largest PQ Challange Quilt! My goal this year was two-fold… use what I have and make usable size projects. The theme this week was “Snail’s Trail” and I decided 25 12- inch blocks were doable, right?

Except the weather did this

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And the power went out for a couple of days but then school was on emergency closure due to no phones and no internet.

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In progress shots… I’m really loving this block!

And, after a mighty push and a nearly all-nighter… it’s finished! And, as an added bonus, two more mini bolts are used up.

I’ll post a better picture when it gets light out… and when I wake up.

Happy quilting!

Beth

January Cross Training Review and February Goals

Ack! Didn’t February just start? Wow, this year is flying! Well, January was pretty productive although it was UFO-neutral. I finished one, my string quilt and then created another with a blog hop. Oops. I finished 2 Project Quilting challenges and 8 scrub caps. I also set a record for me in that I did not buy any fabric except for pre-ordering the kit for the new Tula Pink line. (I mean, I did make an exception for Tula in my use-what-you have plan.)

I also made progress on the sewing room. The elliptical machine has a new home, one chair that was piling with miscelanea was cleared off and two sewing machines were gifted. So, what’s up next?

Well, I found six more UFO’s in the cleaning of the room. So, I decided that February (all three weeks that are left) are about which UFO’s are quickest to finish. I have two that only need bindings and several smaller tops. The goal (and I know this is lofty) is six UFO’s off the post-it wall. One is a panel so I hope to get that done. I’m a little worried because the Joshua Tree panel was one I started after Phil died and just pushed myself to start with a plain border and then my Scrappy Mountain border fit without any fuss at all (thanks Bonnie Hunter for a great block and instructions!) I doubt the quilting muses will smile like that at me again so I better do some math this time!

And, before I do anything else, I need to gear up and go to the grocery store. The fur friends have been quite patient with this flurry of sewing but if we run out of cookie treats, well, I don’t want to have to tell them, do you?

It’s cold and windy here with a hint of a possibility of the white stuff (we get really excited about it where I live in Oregon.) I hope you are warm and safe and surrounded by fabric!

Happy quilting,

Beth

Project Quilting 12.3 – Virtual Vacation (the big and the little!)

Since I now have the luxury of only working one job, my goal for Project Quilting this year was to make bigger items and this week I almost made it! So, I have a tiny finish (a pin cushion) for my finish.

Sailing Away with a tiny pincushion.

But, I also want to share my almost finish. When the Virtual Vacation theme was announced, my thoughts went right to the ocean. With the pandemic, I haven’t sat on a warm beach since the time of my mom’s funeral. I am excited for a post-covid world when we can safely travel. Hawaii is high on my list, and London. Of course, there are furry friends to attend to when we travel and we are still trying to integrate the Puma into the kitty herd.

Anyway, the almost finish…I started with the idea of sailboats and then rabbitted off to signal flags and every ocean needs fish, and where would the sky be without birds and, hey, it’s the tropics so birds need color…well, you know how that goes. Also, I wanted my signal flags to spell out something and they do. I was going to spell out Sail Away with Me but I didn’t want to deal with some of the angles (remember, only a week) and so I went with Let’s Go. I think I’ll have to find a way to quilt in a sneaky apostrophe, there’s no signal flag for that!

Also, I decided that I really want to take my time quilting this one…I’ve been watching Angela Walters videos and I’m feeling inspired! Ooops, gotta go or I’ll miss the link up!

Happy quilting!

Beth

Weighing in.

Hello!

Bart, the grand-cat AKA the Puma!

I started with such good intentions for a weekly “weigh in” but I was caught off guard by the intense grief the new year brought. The first 3.5 weeks were just hard. I couldn’t quite figure out why. I mean, the world’s in crisis, but “Other than that Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?” (The story goes that a reporter actually said that to Mary Lincoln but that appears to be a myth.) It’s not like 2020 hasn’t given us all tremendous practice with sorrow. And the vaccine is providing hope. So why was I so very blech?

Well, there’s that whole “another year that they won’t be here for” thing.

The whole missing them thing. But none of that is new.

What was new was my New Year’s resolution… not the fabric one, the one I didn’t mention. Most years I start with the best of intentions and a mile-long list. I’m convinced that this is the year I’m going to lose the weight, purge the house, organize the photos, clean the garage, e.t.c, e.t.c, e.t.c.

This year… one resolution. 2021 is my year to break the habit of emotional eating. I figure I already walk 4 or more times a week. I’m slowly purging closets and drawers. I’m working on a more consistent cleaning schedule (the “cleaning lady” comes on Monday nights but between you and me, she’s not that good. Also, she’s me!) So the best gift I could give myself was to get rid of my tendency to eat my emotions. And guess what? Then you have to feel them. So the sharp edges of grief have been poking at me and draining away my energy. Leaving me feeling like a deflated balloon. Now, that it kept me from sewing… just not sewing as much as I’d like!

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Two PQ challenges, one blog hop, one UFO, a scrub cap, and the beginning of another string quilt. Not bad and there’s still a weekend ahead.

I have been doing some work on the sewing room that I will share tomorrow. The elliptical went to a new home, a couple of vintage machines found new homes and I’ve been trying to find something to let go of each day. It’s still a stretch to figure out where everything is going to go but it’s getting better… slowly.

I did pick something up at my LQS the other day.

I’m looking forward to using this on the scrap pile!

So, tonight, it’s a hot bath and early bed kind of night. Tomorrow it’s Saturday, the cleaning lady has the day off and my sewing room awaits!

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A little cuteness from the herd!

Happy quilting,

Beth

Project Quilting 12.2 – Fussy Cutting

Well, once again I’m burning the midnight oil to finish my project. I got distracted by, of all things, working on cleaning up the sewing room! One of my goals this year for PQ was to make larger projects. For my fussy cut, I went back to my go-to block… the Sawtooth Star. I love this block for showcasing a print. I had a piece of a Mother Goose print so I made a 42×60 baby or toddler quilt. It’s very late so I’ll add a daylight picture tomorrow.

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