Paper Piecing

Last Thursday was the first workshop for my year-long quilting project. We are paper-piecing stars - 13 different designs - that will be sewn together to make a queen-sized quilt (maybe. Thinking I may make it into a smaller, throw-sized blankie instead.) 

We finished one of the four pieces in class - 
 
which left me three to panic over sew at home. A little strip-piecing,
 
some double-checking of pattern pieces (check twice thrice, sew once is my new motto),
  
a little pinning and seaming,
 
and  . . . . . .
 
my very first paper-pieced star. One down, twelve to go.  

Counting Blessings

What a week this has been. It started Sunday night, with a trip to the ER with hubby (he's fine now, thanks). Six hours, numerous tests, and an IV full of pain meds later, we headed home with him feeling a bit better. Tuesday was get-your-taxes-done day; love our tax guy - and it was mostly good news - but still . . . . 

Wednesday the decision was made to have hubby's mother move in with us; she needs 24-hour care but her doctor felt she wasn't sick enough to go into the hospital. Late Thursday night she proved the doctor wrong with an ambulance ride at midnight and admittance to the hospital, where she remains.

But that was after we'd spent Thursday rearranging the house - moving my big floor loom out (it's for sale),

 
emptying hubby's den to make room for a hospital bed, 
and setting up his watch repair tools
  
behind the couch in the family room.
  
His recliner and computer are now in my craft room, where we'll be sharing space for awhile. Add a minor crisis here and getting grandkids where they need to be everyday there, and you get a feeling for how our week has gone.


But Friday brought good news and a definite sense of relief. Hubby got a clean bill of health from the doctor; his mom is getting the care she needs and we're hopeful she can transfer to a nursing home near us; and while things may be cramped around here for a bit, we have a home with space enough to accommodate life's little challenges. Definitely counting our blessings.

Rainy Day

We've had very little chance to enjoy rainy days this winter - I think today's the first time it's rained here this year. So how did we celebrate? 

With a roaring fire,
  
a good book,
  
a sewing machine (more on that tomorrow),
 
rainbows,
  
and searching for 4-leaf clovers
 
but finding one small, rain drenched pansy instead.
 
Happy rainy St. Patrick's Day, y'all!

The Circuit

Yesterday was gorgeous and the little girls went out to play. Each had her baby wrapped up and carefully placed in a stroller - full-size for Naia and doll-sized for Leia - and they were walking a circuit down the gravel path,

 
out onto the sidewalk, 
 
around the corner, and up the flagstone walkway 
 
follow-the-leader style. 
 
And once a lap was completed? Why, you start all over again, of course!

Sampler Quilt

I kinda, sorta finished the sampler quilt from January's class. 
 
I'm glad I took the class. I learned a LOT - not the least of which is that I don't especially like wall hangings. I prefer something bigger and more useful; lap-sized or larger is my new goal.   

Soooooooooo, I'll be adding a bottom border of trees (all cut out and ready to be sewn) 
 
and bordering the remaining sides with stars or something similar. 
Eventually. Having trouble working up any enthusiasm to git 'er done.  

Birthday Quilt

Rachel's birthday quilt is finally finished and gifted, only a couple of weeks late.

She picked out the jelly roll fabric back in January, and using my favorite 1600 Quilt Race pattern, I had this part done in plenty of time to send off to the long-arm quilter. Except . . . . . . trying to find border fabrics to match these custom colors was a b**ch.

In the end, I took it to my local quilt store and begged for help. We gave up trying to match the blue/teals - Rachel's favorite color in this - and went with the closest orange we could find and a pretty brown border fabric that I really, really like.

Add some backing, batting and big blue dragonflies and voila!

A 50 x 70" quilt that I hope will see lots of use for years to come.

Happy birthday, Rachel!

Spiky Scarf

The last class sample for this quarter is done, and despite the fact that I put it off as long as possible, I really like it.

 
Spike stitch has never been one of my favorites; I like the look but the rows tend to bunch up and it becomes too thick with little or no drape. 
By using a larger than usual hook* and coming up with a new (to me anyway) modified spike stitch, I solved both problems and have a pretty handsome scarf with tons of drape that hubby has already claimed as his own.  
I haven't written up the pattern yet; I'll probably make it available as a download once I do.
Can you tell what Leia thinks of that idea?  

*Size K/6.5mm hook with worsted-weight Cascade 220 wool yarn.

In The Bag Again

Not what you were expecting, is it?

"Heh, what are you looking at?"  

Little Miss Fashion

Leia is still picking out her clothes each day and I don't know who's enjoying more, her or me. 

  
Today we have a red sparkly Minnie Mouse shirt, pink and purple tutu, and green princess necklace to accessorize. 

And when I asked if I could take her picture? 

  

'Of course, Ganma'

 

and out the door she went,

 

heading straight for the flowers in the corner of the yard.

 

The poses are all her idea.

 
Practicing for her future with the paparazzi.
 
That's my girl.

Stash Happens

I've tried to be good - or at least reasonable - when buying fabric for my new quilting obsession. Unlike the yarn stash, which threatens to take over the house every time I turn my back, I can still almost get my fabrics into one gigantic fairly reasonable sized plastic bin. 

So I try to have a plan before I buy. For example, this -  
is for a class I'm taking over the next year to make a queen-sized quilt. (pictured on the left below.)  
And this
(love, love, love it) is the backing and binding for a finished quilt top I purchased from my favorite LQS*. 

And this is . . . .

 
ok, this one is just because I love it. It sat in the sale bin, right by the cash register, calling to me for almost a month before I gave in and brought it home. But I'm sure it will be something important, some day. 

Just like all the stash yarn that's followed me home.
 
*LQS = Local Quilt Store 

Slippery Slope

I've been on a slipper kick lately. 
 
It started with the class samples I made in January, one each of felted and non-felted.
 
That made me want a pair, but Breanne saw those and now they are hers.   
Naia asked for a pair . . . 
 
so Leia had to have some too, even picking out the colors herself. (Can you say "princess pink and purple?")
  
Then hubby said he'd kinda like to have a pair - and he very seldom asks for crocheted stuff - 
 
and now oldest son wants a set too.  Sooner or later, I'm going to make some that actually stay on MY feet. 

I hope.