Design Decision

Confession - I didn’t realize I’d made two different star blocks until I saw the picture I posted last time. 

 Which of these is not like the others?

Good grief.  

Turns out I like the “oopsie” as much more than the “correct” version. So I made five more mistake stars. One looks like an oops but six are a design decision. Only nine more stars - of whatever variety - to go!

Twenty??

Guess who’s turning the big 2-0 in another 4 days?

And is going into the Air Force by summer’s end?

So hard to believes she’s this grown up already. 

Naia is hoping to be stationed in Japan eventually and wants to do a lot of traveling during her service. We hope all her wishes come true. 

Star Blocks

So much for getting the whole quilt done today.

I’m happy with the blocks I did finish, thanks to my new best friend. 

Turns out the best way to deal with stretchy flannel is to *spray liberally with starch, press and repeat*. I’ve always used Best Press, mainly because it’s what quilt stores carried, but I’ve never been that impressed with its performance. Bought this a week or so ago on a whim, gave it a try when Best Press didn’t working on flannel, and I’m sold. Plus this bottle ought to last me a lifetime. Sometimes the old ways/tools are still best.

Starch notes for me - spray fabric, turn it over and press (not iron) the back, non-starched side; iron won’t stick like it does with wet starch and more starch will stay on fabric rather than on iron. For stiffer fabric, repeat process using light spray rather than heavy first spray. 

Kit Me

Rather than stitch the appliqué from yesterday’s project, I dug out another quilt kit I bought a few months ago. Because why finish one thing when you can start something new?! Right??

I seldom buy kits, mainly because they seem so expensive, but there is something very satisfying in opening one and knowing you have everything you need for a project all in one neat, little package. No muss, no fuss, no decisions. 

 Lily was “helping”

And that must be what I need right now, because this is my third kit in a row, after Leanne’s fairy tree and the appliqué polar bear. 

This also gave me a chance to use another Christmas present. I figure this 9.5” wide ruler saved me a couple of hours by not having to juggle 2 smaller rulers to cut all the 7” and 8” blocks. Seriously love this thing.

One test block is done*,

the remaining pieces are cut and the 8-at-a-time hst’s are stitched. 

Tomorrow I’ll cut them apart and start making stars. 

 More helping

Hoping I can get everything done by the end of the day, but I may have to be satisfied with making the stars. We’ll see.

* Learned 2 things making the test block - #1) flannel stretches out of shape if you even look at it wrong, and #2) there’s an error in the pattern. Grrrrrrrr. Very happy I made a practice square. 

QuiltCon

This weekend, I’m signed up for a couple of classes and a few lectures at QuiltCon Together, the online version of one of my favorite quilt shows. I took 4 days “off” from baby-grand duties so I’d have plenty of time for learning and sewing. 

With the on-demand format, I was able to binge watch both my classes Thursday night (and can rewatch them until the 24th). Learned lots of great stuff . . . But also decided I didn’t really want to make either of the suggested projects.

 Didn’t know I needed a seam flattener but I’m totally hooked. It makes a big difference keeping pressed seams flat while they cool.  

So . . . . I pulled out a “someday” project - a kit I received for Christmas -

 The wool pressing mat and starch misting bottle are definite keepers. 

and spent today playing with new tools

and lovely fabrics. 

It’s amazing what can be accomplished with some dedicated time and no tiny people interruptions. (I did miss them a little tho.)

I still need to stitch around the appliqués but otherwise this quilt top is done. 

It’s a little small - 45x54” - so I may go stash shopping and try adding some borders. Not bad for 6 hours work!

Birthday Girl

Happy 10th birthday to Leanne!

She stopped by for a few minutes after her trip to the zoo,

and before her virtual painting party,

to open presents and share her very delicious cake.

Her glow-in-the-dark quilt isn’t quite finished because I haven’t figured out how to do that final mitered border. Leanne got a big laugh about my needing to go back to quilt school. Fortunately, she doesn’t mind waiting a little longer. 

Happy birthday, sweet Ladybug Princess.

Fishy Share

Leanne and her dad went fishing a couple of weeks ago

and Leanne caught two fish, her first ever. So exciting!

And she was kind enough to share one of them with us (after her daddy cleaned it).

Pop says it was super tasty. 

Putting Scott’s recipe here so I can find it next time. Preheat oven to 475. Stuff cleaned whole fish with sliced lemon. Rub outside of fish with mustard (I used Dijon, coating fish heavily) and drizzle with olive oil. Wrap in foil and bake 45-50 min. Soooooooo good. 

Zoo Bee Doo

We had just one baby grand today, and the weather was gorgeous, so we packed Jac into the car and headed for the Santa Barbara Zoo. 

Turns out Mary had the same thought, so Jac and Donovan got to hang out together someplace besides grandmas house.

Jac’s choice for our first stop? 

Baby Pauline, the new lion cub, and her sleepy parents.

I wonder if lions suffer from sleep-deprivation like human parents do?

Lots of new stuff going on, from construction - switching the former elephant enclosure over to an Australian walkabout (crossing our fingers for kangaroos) - 

to new animals - 

among them a mate for Ajax, the Amur leopard. Crossing our fingers for baby leopards too.

It’s sad to lose the older animals we’ve come to know over the years (most recently the elephants and alligator) but also exciting for babies! and newness!

We always let the grands pick something from the zoo gift shop as we’re leaving. I can usually predict what will interest each kid but Jac surprises me the most often.

Today’s treasure? An emperor penguin play-set, complete with penguins, fence (?? I’ve never pictured fences in Antarctica), kayak and adventure guy. 

I have to admit I didn’t see that one coming. 

Progress

The blocks for Leanne’s birthday quilt are done - 

the most time consuming part - 

so now I just need to put it all together by Thursday. Piece of (birthday) cake. 

 
Another 10 days are finished on my 2021 temperature quilt, bringing it up-to-date as of Feb 7.

Three rows down, so there’s only 25 more to go. Whoo!

Cupcake Day

Jac is really into baking this week, so today we made cupcakes from scratch. I may never go back to cake mixes again - these were goooooooooood. 

Jac is pretty good at cracking eggs (as long as we check very closely for errant shell pieces) and mixing things together but I think this was her first time filling the cupcake papers. 

Not too bad! 

Her favorite job was using a straw to poke holes in the cooled cakes so the icing could seep down inside. 

 Warmed strawberry preserves for icing

I had in mind one or two holes but Jac assures me her way is *much* better. 

Also, Jac has new blue-light glasses and a horse named Cinnamon, both of which she loves. Is there anything cuter than a kid in glasses??

Old or Cold

I’ve mentioned before how Lily Kitty avoids everyone but me, and has since she was a tiny kitten. She’s mellowed enough this past year that if I catch and hold her, she’ll allow the baby grands to pet her. And by “allow” I mean not actively try to escape as long as I’m petting her too.

So you can imagine my surprise when Lily jumped up on my chair and made herself comfortable, snuggling in next to the sleeping Jackie in my lap.

And stayed there long enough for Leanne to wake up (she swears she fell asleep after school was out) and take pictures.

I’m not sure if my old girl is mellowing (she turned 11 last August) or if she hates the cold enough to tolerate the littles. Either way, I’m treasuring this memory. 

On a side note - Ventura County lowered COVID vaccination eligibility to 65 and over yesterday and hubby and I got our first shots today. Hooray! The entire thing took less than 30 minutes, including the required 15 minute wait period afterward. Only 21 days to go for shot #2!