Some of This; Some of That - 3/31

Two things:  Like Barbara Black, I'm looking for another life-time leader and ender, And I'm considering one that consists of (792) 2 3/4"  log cabins. Now that's teeny. So am I crazy or what?  I'm going to prep another one and see how it works as a leader and ender.  The quilt is in the book, A Bouquet of Quilts, edited by Jennifer Rounds and Cyndy Lyle Rumer. These are 9 projects from the magazine, Quilt Japan.  I'd like to make all of them.   But that's not realistic.

The other involves my Create your own BOM This month I was to work on my Anna's Garden by Lori Smith.                   I have to
make 4 of these: for a         9 1/2"  block so they must measure 3 1/2" square. Another small block.  My problem is I cut the pieces exactly as the pattern called for, sewed scant 1/4"  seams, and lost my points when I trued it up to the required 3 1/2".  What did I do wrong?  Using scraps, made another - this time I cut the white large triangle and the bottom brown triangles an 1/8" bigger, and left the other measurements the same.  That gave me two correct points but messed up the other three. I looked online for any corrections and found nothing. Arggh.  Then I tried making those smallish HSTs in the center a 1/8" smaller and I got three points correct, but the two at the top would be way off.  Sigh.  Any one have a suggestion?  BTW - these three tiny blocks are the only thing on my design wall.  That means minuscule progress this month on my BOM, but I did begin on the prepping of another applique block for that quilt.
I hope to select fabric today and get going.
Now for the stash report: Used .24 yd for the last border of the neonatal quilt.  Another .06 for those teeny blocks. Then some bee scraps to a friend - .02. Sandwiched a quilt and that used up 1.34 yds. Lastly, 1.5 yds to Guild. New YTD total for this week is 37.12 yds of destashing.

As to 15 minutes to Stitch 2019, I was able to stitch every day - yeah!  Stats are
15 minute days/week = 7/7 days
15 minute days/March = 28/30 days
15 minute days/2019 = 86/89 days
Success rate = 96.66%


Finally, I've started the quilting on that sandwiched UFO. It's for the Guild's 50% Challenge. We have to finish a quilt we're 50% done on.  This is the first block completed  after the SITD quilting:

I'm linking to Oh, ScrapSunday Stash15 Minutes to Stitch 2019, and Design Wall Monday as well as Monday Making. How did you do - quilty wise - last week? Blessings,


Some of This; Some of That 3/24

One of my design walls has three of my Hexie WIPs on hold. That's to remind me to work on them. Most of the time it doesn't help.

What with returning from the retreat, volunteer work, family obligations and grandchildren childcare I was only able to use 0.26 yds for a neonatal quilt's two borders.  I did cull stash again and pulled out another yard to give away at Guild.  My new YTD total is 33.98 yds.

For 15 Minutes to Stitch in 2019 - I only had five days where I was successful in doing some handwork and piecing. A setback for me.  But I was able to change my main design wall from this
to this

The neonatal must be at least 30" square. The center is some blocks I made playing with scraps. One more border to add.  That little house is what I pulled and pieced  out of a scrap bag one day.  I'm thinking of building a lap quilt around it with that center as the tiniest medallion.  We'll see. So my latest report for stitchin in March:


15 minute days/week = 5/7 days
15 minute days/Mar = 21/23 days
15 minute days/2019 = 79/82 days
Success rate = 96.34%

I'm linking to Oh, Scrap, Sunday Stash, 15 Minutes to Stitch 2019, and Design Wall Monday as well as Can I get a Whoop, Whoop?, and Monday Making. How did you do - quilty wise - last week? I'd like to know.  Blessings,





Gentle Art of Domesticity - Week 10

While I haven't posted in a while on this yearlong book study, I've made the time today to post my thought's on The Gentle Art of Domesticity, written by Jane Brocket and leading the study on this tome on the comforts of home, Jenny of Elefantz .  This week's study was of texture and the role of hands.  Two questions waited for our answers.  The painting that caught my eye was William's Gardening. What detail! Such rich color. His hands have given us a world of images within this painting that catches us studying it with concentration and appreciation.  The garments all stand out with the stitching they're made of.  One wonders if they're planting or harvesting. And as Jane says“Just look at the surface textures of the garments ... It’s like an illustration for a book of knitting techniques…” and the dexterity of the work of hands - the subjects in the painting as well as the artist.

The second question: Did you imagine a story behind it? What was the story?  I could, but was too enthralled by the color and texture to go beyond those elements to bring out a story.  I'm finding so much to gaze at in this work.  There is a lot to learn of history, a life style, a home in these painting she shares with us.

Before I close, I'll admit I have been lack in posting my musings on Jane's words. So I'd like to go back to one of the earlier weeks of our readings and how it has directed my thoughts.

Week 4:  Domestic Novels - I never even thought of them as such - but I have read some. One of the questions was:
 What book have you read in the past which still holds an emotional connection for you? In what way?  I have two favorites: 
This is the story of 16 year old Katherine Mary O'Fallon, an Irish girl from Boston, and Sergeant Mike Flannigan of the Canadian Mounted Police who meet at her uncle's ranch in Alberta, Canada where she is sent to recover from pleurisy.  Not only must she adapt to the fierce Canadian land, but also create a domestic life in her new role as a wife and mother.  The learning curve is steep, but with her background and determination she grows from girl to woman making a new home and a new Kathy.  

The second I discovered at the age of 11 when I went to my first library. I loved books, but to walk into that Carnegie library, I thought I was in heaven and didn't want to leave. One of the first books I checked out was Elizabeth George Speare's Calico Captive.   Based on an actual 1770s narrative diary, young Miriam finds herself  captive during an Indian raid at her New Hampshire home. Thus she finds herself thrust into the French and Indian War.  The opposite of Kathy, Miriam survives adapting and using the skills she learned at home to provide for her family and make the least of the indentured life she  must endure.  Both of these books appealed to my young mind. I must admit, much of my childhood was boring. I escaped into books to bring some adventure into my days.  The domestic nature  did not become evident until I reread this as a young adult and could pick up the richness of these works in all the little details. 

I picked three books from Jane's offerings to read, and must admit I could not finish two.  The first one, Diary of a Provincial Lady, was so beyond my life's experience that I could not get through it.  We were poor and never had servants or worried about such little matters as the Provincial Lady does. It was very funny throughout the third of the book I got thru, but had no desire to finish.  The second one was The Home-Maker.  In this one, it was the character that got to me.  I had to stop (and this was very early in the novel) with her diatribe at dinner. When you are around someone like that, you don't want to repeat the experience. I know I didn't even get to the part when the husband must take over because of his accident, but past experience does direct one at times. 

The third one I thoroughly enjoyed.  It was Understood Betsy. This was a treat and eye opener into a timid girls transformation to a productive, competent member of a family. Betsy learns a lot of life's lessons as we do, too  reading this classic novel. The domestic details really stood out for me - mostly because this was my first read and for this book study. Here's an example I could really relate to: “…the room was very long and narrow, and all along one side were windows with white, ruffled curtains drawn back at the sides, and with small shining panes of glass, through which the sun poured golden light on a long shelf of potted plants that took the place of a windowsill.  The shelf was covered with shining white oil cloth, the sturdy, stocky plants of bright green with clear red and white flowers… Once, back in the big brick school building, as she had sat drooping her shoulders over her desk, some sort of procession had gone by with a brass band playing a lively air. For some reason, every time she now glanced at that sheet of sunlight and the bright flowers she had a little of the same thrill which had straightened her back and gone up and down her spine…”  Thank you Jane for bringing this author to our attention.

I Like Thursdays

Our St. Anne's meeting was last Thursday. I gave a demo refresher on how to bind.
See that machine in the pic?  That was a donation to our group.  Runs great - just need to get a walking foot for it and it will be perfect for us to use at the meetings.

We were so happy that we had 10 quilts to turn in this month.  Here's one of them:



What a blessed retreat!  It was just what I needed. The grounds are so serene and restful.

The views majestic -

The grounds so spiritual

and the mediation places so attune to the Lord.

They fed us so good I skipped lunch on Sunday because I was still so full from the wonderful breakfast they gave us that day.

This was a silent retreat, so from Friday at 8 PM until Sunday, 12 PM we were not to talk. It was hard for some, but I prefer it.

Other things I liked during the week -  all manner of flowers are emerging - here's the first freesia:

Go check out Lee Anna's post of I Like Thursdays - it's always fun to  go there.

Silence is Golden

and if we're open, He speaks in the silence.

I'm off to a Silent Retreat during this Lenten time. I invite you to find a few minutes to imbue yourself in silence and find rest and truth.

See you Monday.

I Like Thursdays

A quick post before I start to pack.
Finished the quilt top - well it still needs a two inch outside border, but I'm going to let the next St. Anne's member that works on this do that as I have run out of time. Very scrappy except the sashing.

These are what the dark squares really look like.
School days are spent playing with DGD in the AM, lunch and nap time, then off to pick up brother.

Waiting for Brother.

Here comes the bus!

Off the bus is Brother.

I like routines one can count on. Spring may have already come our way. We loved all the rain God sent us.  Do stop by and see all the other I Like Thursdays at Lee Anna's.

Design Wall Monday and other Stuff

On my design wall (but I don't have a photo yet) is my scrappy work in progress - the next baby quilt top. I have one column done and a few more blocks. Have to make 8 more blocks and that top will come together. Hope I can show you when I come back from the retreat.

I used a yard of this newborn print flannel to back a quilt top I had on hand.  Then I made binding for it. So 1.25 yds used. Also used .5 yd to start making my handouts for the quilt retreat in May.  So YTD total is now  32.72 yds. 

Then there is the 15 minutes in 2019:


15 minutes days/week = 6/7 days

15 minutes days/Mar = 8/9 days
15 minutes days/2019 = 66/68 days
Success rate = 97.06%


I couldn't put in my 15 on Ash Wednesday. As a Eucharist Minister, I helped distribute ashes at the earliest mass (6:30 AM). Then stayed as volunteer librarian at the parish school til 12 noon. In the afternoon walked to the bus stop to pick up Alan, then interacted with him til his mom picked him up at close to six, plus making dinner for him and hubby. I was just wiped out for the rest of the day and went to bed early.  I'm trying hard not to schedule more than one commitment per day.  It's hard to do, but that's my plan for this year.

This week is very full also - four days with DGKs and St. Annes, library and demo with a friend. She bought a Juki and wants me to share what I've learned about using it for quilting. Then Friday I'm off to a silent retreat. I'll need the quiet time by then.

I'll be linking to a few parties - you'll find them under my so named tab under the header. Have a blessed week. 


On My Design Wall and Etc.

On my design wall is my Feb BOM block - three days late but done - hey, if it had be a 31-day month, I'd have made it -hehe.
For the stash report - used about 0.03 yds of scraps for the applique and 0.04 for the background.
Used  a yard to cut more blocks for my new quilt.  Made 4 more blocks for the baby quilt top, so another 0.05 yards used for sashing.  My YTD total is now 31.47 yds.

I'm linking to Oh, Scrap!, Monday Making, Design Wall Monday, Sunday Stash Report.  See you there.

SAHRR Round 5 and 6

  Ready to show rounds 5 and 6. Actually, the prompt for 5 was make 4 of something. So I chose four patch, and actually since that made my q...