Project Linus

Some time ago I posted about a basket of quilting fabrics and patterns that our son had won for me at a raffle.  This Connecting Threads flannel quilt kit was in the basket.  It was a joy to make and the fabrics were such good quality.  I have a lot of fabric left from it, so I'm sure I can come up with something else for Project Linus with the leftovers.

Next Friday two friends and I are headed to a quilt retreat.  I have had it on my mind a lot, and I'm making lists and trying to figure out just what among my several options that I want to take to work on.  I have precut the first two blocks in the free Bunny Hill Designs BOM and I am taking them to start with.  The blocks are so cute, and I'm excited to get going on them.  I'll keep watching for the March block.

I pulled out my Farmer's Wife quilt blocks the other day, and cut the setting blocks and corners.  I did a little bit of putting it together and I'm thrilled with the way it looks. 

I've been trying to be careful about what I eat, and then friends invited us to go to a German restaurant tonight, so that's definitely not going to help the cause.  Hopefully I will get back on the "careful" wagon tomorrow.

Have a wonderful weeked, and hopefully you will have some quality time doing whatever floats your boat.

Not a lot new on the western front

We had such spring-like weather last week, and the week before, and then boom, yesterday we woke up to just the tiniest skiff of snow.  It has remained chilly.  We did get out and walk yesterday, but there was chilly breeze.  We'll get out today too, since it's dry, but we'll definitely need a coat.

I mentioned going to a retreat in February.  Last week I finished paper piecing the wallhanging top that I was working on at the retreat.  I am real happy with it.  Now I need to sandwich it and quilt it.  I'm kind of waiting for an aha! moment that will tell me how I should quilt it.

On Monday my friend and I got together and worked on our Farmer's Wife quilt blocks.  I have finished a few more and haven't shown them for a while, so here they are.  I am happy with the way they are coming out, and I am starting to think about how I'm going to put it together.  The author of the book has hers on point and sashed, and I want to do that, but I also want to do a bit more, so that much is still up in the air.  And, of course, I have to find the perfect sashing fabric. 

Quilting retreat, Farmer's Wife

Well, today is pretty exciting for me.  In about four hours I am off to a quilting retreat.  I have my stuff all packed, and probably am taking way, way too much stuff, but at least I will have some options!  My main project, I think, will be working on an intricate paper pieced iris wallhanging.

I got six more Farmer's Wife blocks done.  One of them I didn't do so great a job on, but I'm not going to point it out for you!!  :-)  I really like the way they are turning out.

Last Sunday we went and spent a day at the beach.  It was a beautiful  sunny day, and we got a long walk in along the ocean.  We had planned this day to watch our grandson Tanner play in a basketball tournament.  Alas, two days before he was to go, he was playing basketball outside, and slipped on wet pavement and turned his leg very badly.  When all was said and done, he had a fracture in the ankle area, and didn't play in the tournament.  He will be out of basketball for the rest of his season, and won't be able to play baseball until late April.  This will be tough on him since he's quite the little athlete, but thankfully it wasn't a worse injury.

I finally completed something!

Well, completions are good, aren't they?  Perhaps at times they are overrated, but I feel like I sort of frittered away January, so I need to accomplish some things in February.  I have another completion that I'll show soon, but for now, back to this quilt.  A few years ago I was involved in a type of block of the month on the Block Central forum.  Several of us took turns choosing a block for the month, and then everyone would make it.  I made the blocks, and then finally did something with them, and this is the result.  I am pretty pleased with it.  I had thought about adding it to the charity group, but hubby wants us to keep it, so we are.

 

I also completed another Farmer's Wife block called Endless Day.  There are a few I'm not real crazy about, but this one I really like.  It is paper pieced.  I drafted it in EQ and printed it out.  I've done a few that way, and it saves me from having a brain cramp trying to figure out just how to make some of them without messing up too bad.  For me, templates for these are out of the question.

Treasured gift and Farmer's Wife blocks

My blog continues to be a mess, but I will just continue with it as is, I guess, because I haven't a clue what to do about the problems.

I just have to show you the sweet mouse pad our granddaughter made for me at school. We make candy cane cookies together, and this is her depiction of the cookies and my kitchen. She has it pretty accurately done, and note the butter, sugar, flour and eggs that she has sitting on the island counter. The mixer we use is sitting on another counter, and she shows our refrigerator, pantry door and stove.

The next two pictures are my Farmer's Wife blocks.  I am really enjoying making these.  My friend and I got together on Monday and sewed, and I have continued to work on them since then.

My sister and her husband and my niece and her husband and their sweet baby visited for a couple days this week, and we enjoyed their visit so much. What a treat to have them. Our kids and their families were here for dinner and the evening. This is a picture of hubby and I, our DGC, and my darling great-nephew. The baby was such a hit and the three older kids just wanted to be close to him.

Happy New Year and Confession

First of all, hopefully better late than never, Happy New Year. I hope it will be a joyful, safe and healthy year for all.

Okay, I have to admit it. I've spent far too much time on Facebook and playing the game Farmtown and ignored my blog and looking at the blogs of my cyber friends. I have to do better.

I haven't talked about our DDIL who has breast cancer recently. She has now had her second chemo treatment, and has had trouble with nausea and being tired, but I think she has done quite well overall.

Just after the new year, a friend showed me an ad for the Farmer's Wife quilt book. I was immediately interested, and she suggested we make the quilt at the same time. So, we both bought our books and gathered fabric, and then got together and discussed the project. We both are working on our blocks at home, and in a week or so, we'll get together and sew on more blocks. We each are choosing the ones we want to make. I have to admit that I am really loving making these six inch blocks. I had a grouping of fat quarters from Connecting Threads that I am using a lot of, but I also added some reds, blues, and a couple more each of neutrals and browns. I have a difficult time making a quilt without some blue, especially if it is a scrappy quilt. There are 111 blocks in the book, but I don't plan on making that many.