Hello everyone! Hope you all are having a good day. We keep having storms that take out our power, but otherwise it's been an okay week here so far. Well, except for the part where the hubs and I may have finally hit the point where we have spent too much time together. Two full time jobs, a cancelled vacation, a new granddaughter we can't meet, a pandemic, civil unrest, *and* home improvements have finally proven to be a little much. Good thing we can sometimes escape outdoors! Or rage clean, which is what I sometimes do. (The shower is currently sparkling.)
Meanwhile, down in my little kingdom where I make all the rules, I've been working on getting some projects finished up. I've been putting some time in on this one:
Yes, we've seen this before, but I needed a pretty picture for the top of the blog here. This is a very old project from before we moved to the East coast that I've finally taken out of the box to finish up. This is just the center here, and I've finally sewn the sections together.
Turns out that there is not a lot left for me to do to finish this. "Past me" left a lot of very helpful notes for "future me," so it looks like all I have to do is make a whole lot of flying geese and some more of the hopscotch units for the borders.
This quilt goes together in sections, not rows, so I have to finish the geese before I can really go any further. Apparently I made all of the blocks and the center sections, but I stopped with the border parts. Yay for past me, because now I don't have a lot to do to complete this top. The only bad part is that I bought this as a kit from a rummage sale (for some ridiculously low price) and the kit was from 2008, so the directions call for making the geese one at a time-- and it has pieces that only allow that, not the faster four-at-a-time method. Once you've done things the faster way, you just don't want to go back. I will be strip piecing that other border, though.
I can't be sure how many until I'm completely finished, but there will be some really great scraps left over from this project.
I'll need to come up with something to do with these rather than just throwing them in a scrap bin, because these are such nice fabrics that go so well together. Any ideas? (They are all Shadow Play fabrics by Maywood Studio, in case you want to know.)
The other thing I'm working on is making some more masks. Siiiggghhh. That was me, sighing like a 14 year old. I'll have to wear one every day for every class come August, so I'm trying out new patterns that are more comfortable and that I might be able to teach while wearing.
This is my current favorite, a pattern by Bonnie Hunter that you can find HERE. The shaped patterns don't fit me well and come right off my nose, and the seam bothers me, but the pleated ones are better. I cut up an old t-shirt and it made great cording! I can pull these nice and tight around my head, too. My hubby likes this pattern so much that I'm adapting some masks that my friend Jen made and just adding the longer cording to his.
So, that's what I'm up to right now! I got most of the curtains finished, with just one more pair that needs hemming, and I spent a very nice afternoon cutting some random scraps into regular sized squares-- 2-1/2, 2, and 1-1/2 inches. I also spent some time watching these guys in the front yard:
I think the storms have pushed them out into the open, for some reason, because they are everywhere right now. Or maybe I've suddenly become a Disney princess without realizing it. Do you think that's it? Yeah, me too.
Hope you all enjoy the rest of the week! Stay cool, healthy, and dry!
Sharing at Midweek Makers
17 comments:
I think you must have made this project before I started following your blog, because it is new to me. I love the bright colors in random order! And I got a kick out of "future me" and "past me." I use the same terms, mostly to keep "present me" in line. "Future Louise won't be happy with you if you don't do XYZ now. Remember when past Louise screwed you over? Tsk."
My refrigerator was (note past tense) sparkling a few weeks ago, due to rage cleaning, so I hear you. Thank goodness your Past Me left notes - my Past Me did not on one project, so I had to do some thinking. Who needs that?? When I finished thinking, did a little sewing, got bored and ready to tuck the project away again, Present Me did the right thing and wrote some notes. That project is a pretty one; bummer on the single flying geese though. Not a huge fan of making flying geese, but so much better with the newer methods! Maybe the scraps could be a mini trip around the world? And yes, definitely Disney princess - so go out there, twirl and sing. Pretty sure the neighbors won't notice a thing - haha!
I love seeing this quilt again. It’s been so long since I made one goose at a time that I’m not sure what your fabric pieces will allow you to do. Have you ever tried foundation paper piecing geese? You can find free patterns on line. They allow you to make a whole string of them. Really fast and easy. Will you be sharing your curtains when you’re done with them? Also, I’m glad you like the masks with the cord that goes around your head. I’m so sick of seeing people with masks sliding down their faces with the ear straps that don’t fit. They don’t do anyone any good if they don’t fit, and the cord gives a good snug. Yea for you getting so much done even in an uncomfortable, and even rage-making situation! I wish I could summon that gumption. My kitchen tile grout needs a deep clean.
The old project you pulled out is looking great! The colors are so pretty. I'm loving the Brewers mask (I'm originally from Wisconsin.) I have pj pants from the same fabric.
I wish I would remember to make notes for projects that get set aside. I've neglected finishing a few because it's too much work to figure out what needs to be done (like my Bonnie Hunter "Frolic" that got sidelined when we went to FL). I have bits and pieces of each clue done and don't know where to start again.
You visitors have discovered you provide a nice salad bar so you will probably see them on a regular basis. It will make developing your landscape plan more challenging.
Pat
yes when some talk of martial bliss and loving this time together I think they are crazy - my and mine get on each others nerves too and I wish things were back to normal and they aren't. When some talk of running here and there and back into their normal routine without a care in the world I wonder where they live that they are not concerned of the virus and staying home more driving each other crazy.
I had not seen the drawstring cord that pulls tight to the head for the mask
Oh wish you had mentioned what the pattern was for your lovely quilt! So different and lovely! If you want a really well fitting mask, check out the Aries 2.0...everyone I made them for have commented how comfortable and well fitting they are, and I like mine as well. Take care...we will get through this!
I love having a little kingdom where I (and only I) make the rules! That is my happy place - sounds like it is for you, too! That's going to be a beautiful quilt - I love all the color in it. I'll enjoy seeing how it goes together!
Beautiful UFO and it needs to be finished! It is going to be lovely.
The quilt will be amazing - and what a lucky find at a rummage sale. I had to smile at your comments about reaching that point of too much togetherness. We reached that about a month ago. But then he was able to golf, and we've gotten to see all of the grandkids and we've both become less grouchy. Still are not going out to eat or to the movie theater. But many outdoor activities have begun again with certain restrictions.
Gorgeous quilt! I can relate to the rage cleaning!
Hi Mari! Yes to a Disney Princess. Heck yeah. I've never seen this project before but it is a fabulous one. I hope Present Me keeps working on it. Hmm. Those scraps - how about a bunch of HSTs for a herringbone quilt. Or just a gorgeous HST quilt - of course, you have to love making HSTs to go down that path. I look forward to seeing this finish and where those scraps go. And thank heavens for a bit of social distancing in the home! {{Hugs}} ~smile~ Roseanne
This is looking wonderful - says present day me to present day you. Hang in there - surely life will feel more normal someday. I promise. :-)
Your past me was really smart!!! Great idea to leave yourself notes. and it is really pretty!
I like where your project is going, and glad you dug it out of the closet to finish it up. As for the deer, though fun to watch, you might wake up one morning and find all your plants gone!
It is always so nice when our past selves leave nots to future selves. I am currently in search of notes I left myself about a project... no luck yet. I understand the deer and wildlife have been wandering into cities due to the greater number of folk sheltering in place and not out on the streets themselves. However our small town never had a problem with them NOT being there. Seems they are always nearby to nibble fresh blossoms of any kind.
I'm loving your quilt. I've found that if I stay in my sewing room more, including several evenings, hubby and I are getting along just fine (of course, we aren't remodeling anything). That way he gets to watch what he wants and so do I, and we both get some relaxation time away from each other.
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