UFO

I have been working on my red and white UFO; Heartfelt Quilt BOW from Sentimental Stitches.  This began on April 18, 2021.  The last block was finished on April 13, 2023.  (Why do I let projects linger? Squirrels?)  

The sashing material that I had picked out in 2021 I no longer like.  (A big reason not to let projects linger.)  It will be used as the backing.

So, a trip was taken to my local quilt shop in Williamstown.  I was thinking of a solid red or a red that reads solid.  Red is a VERY hard color to play well with other reds.  This cream, beige with red material was found.  It does play well with the other materials.  As you can see in the block at the bottom of this picture, it is the cream, beige found in the dark red material.  That dark red will be my outer border for this quilt.  

The sashing should be completed tomorrow and then on to the next border.  That will be half square triangles.  Lots of them. 

I only have one more row to take out on my 1985 quilt.  I know the reason it shrunk so badly.  This experience has opened my mind quilts labels.  More information to come.

My slow stitching: finish a count work piece.  A better start on a new tatting project.  Enjoy your day with threads.

Linking up to Kathy's Quilts: Slow Sunday Stitching. 

 

1985

1985 was the year that I took my first quilting class and made my first quilt.  This quilt was made with stencils.  Each piece marked, cut and hand stitched together.  I then quilted each block, put the blocks together with sashing and quilted the sashing.  I used a cotton batting.  

I still have the course work: stencils and directions.

It has been used for 38 years.  I guess we took good care of it as it had not been washed.  I wish I had a before picture of this quilt. 

Last week I was sorting a bedroom and there was a small pile of kid quilts made by my Mom or me.  I decided that they needed to be washed and put away.  (The cats had been napping on them.)  My 1985 quilt, my first quilt, was with them, and I added it to the pile.  I wish I had a before picture of this quilt.

The kid quilts all made it through the wash without any issues.  They have been washed before and had either a polyester or newer cotton batting.  

What was I thinking.  My first ever quilt from1985 did not fare so well.  I don't think cotton batting from 1985 was the best.  When I took it out of the washer it was all puckered up, super puckered.  Like really ugly puckered.  I wish I had a before picture of this quilt.  

Some of the blocks.

This quilt will not be thrown out.  My slow stitching for a bit will be the un-quilting of this quilt.  I need to see how it will deconstruct.  Will I have to bring it back to the blocks or will it be one piece.  I will iron it smooth and put it back together.  This time I will use a wool batting.  It will once again be hand quilted.  I need to make a good diagram of the quilting and quilt it the same or very closely to what was stitched before.  

I wish I had a before picture of this quilt.  I am very glad that I have the quilt and that I can put a new batting it in.  Jack and I have a date today to take off the binding and begin to slowly un-quilt.  Shall keep you informed on how it goes.

I will be linking up to Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts.

Update: I finally had the courage to measure this quilt.  It puckered up 16 inches in length and 14 inches in width.
 

Heartfelt

Getting back in action.  

My husband was nice enough to share his nasty viral cough and respiratory symptoms with me.  I had sent him to our PCP for evaluation when he had been coughing for five days.  All testing was negative.   That meant that it was viral, and time would heal all.  It did and it has.  We both still have a bit of cough, but my energy has started to come back.  

I finished three different blocks for my Heartfelt Quilt over last week.  Last night I cut out squares to get Block #24 ready to stitch together today.  If you look closely, you can see that the red has a directional print.  Last night I could not figure out which way to cut the half squares.  Today I cut them oh so carefully and one at a time.  I wanted the pattern direction to all go in the same direction.

First picture is the blocks before I trimmed them down.  I only made one direction mistake when cutting.

Here they are all trimmed and in proper position.  I carefully carried this to the machine.  Sewing was done with a lot of paying attention to the pattern and rows.

I am pleased to say that Jack did not have any work to do in piecing this block.

I am sharing what is known as a 'Kitty Smear' in our house.  Gibbs is on the left and Ziva is on the right.  They are truly bonded cats.  They were not excited with my sewing, and this is where I found them when I was done.

Have a great day with your threads.  I have another block, two of the same, to make today.  Will need to find some hand work for later when Basketball is on this afternoon.

Linking to Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts.

 

Nor'easter

The weatherman predicted correctly.  The Nor'easter did visit and left us with 24 inches of snow.  Monday night it was "bits of snow falling" when we went to bed, just a dusting for accumulation.  Tuesday morning, we had a few inches.  Nothing to write home about except that it was wet and heavy.  Yup, snow can be heavy.  

It then snowed ALL day, sometimes at 2 inches an hour.  Heavy, wet snow was taking down tree branches and even trees.  The branches and trees then took down the power lines. Our power was out for about eight hours.  Which is not terrible, there were still people without power as of last night in some of the hill towns.  They had 36 inches of snow.  We are lucky that we have the fireplace and a stovetop that runs on propane.  We use propane to heat the house, but you need electricity to run the furnace.  We had put water aside in case we needed it.  The well pump doesn't run without electricity.  We were warm and safe.

What is a person to do when only one room in the house has heat (the fireplace)?  Find another squirrel.  

On Monday a package had come in the mail from Shepard's Bush in Ogden, Utah.  I had ordered their Spring Bag kit.  Perfect.

Stitching done. 

Buttons attached.

This is their fourth project bag that I have done.  They are so useful for me and enjoyable to do.  Now I am working on the scissor fob and pincushion that go along with this.  One can never have to many pincushions or scissor fobs.

Have a great day.  Our weather is now in the high 30s, so our snow is melting, slowly so far. 

Update:  The snow has gone down by half since this was posted on Friday.  Our days have been in the 40s and sunny.  Spring may be actually coming.  

Linking to Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts.

 

Squirrel

This week has not been a week for me.   It was good to help others with several projects and events.  But it left little time or energy for me to sit at my frame or machines.  

Thursday a package came in the mail.  My package had a quilting pattern and also the kit for Accept What Is by Lizzie Kate.  Little did I know that the kit was to become a squirrel.  After 13 hours of stitching time over four days, the squirrel is done.  Just finished it, then sat down to write this entry.  

I am thinking that I might try to frame this myself.  Will let you know.  

This week is a quieter week for me.  Time for stitching and sewing.

They are saying that we are going to get the snow from a Nor'easter, 1-2 feet, Monday to Wednesday.  We shall see.  The storms that they have predicted so far this year have fallen short in the amount of snow.  Snow, but not what they said.  Snow is OK by me.  I see it as our well water or the water for the reservoirs.  

May you enjoy your threads and be safe.  

Linking to Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts.

 

Smalls

Tuna Quilters met for lunch last Wednesday and we had our show and tell.  We had all met our goal.  (Me.  Kinda.  Darn squirrels.)  

I did find my list and was only halfway done.  Maybe I was too ambitious, Nah, never.  

My 2023 and Tuna Quilter projects are: 

• Civil War Bride/Bountiful Life Quilt.  I did meet that goal with block #6 half done.  Will finish the applique this month.  
• Heartfelt Quilt.  I did nothing.  Need to have two blocks finished for March gathering.  
• 365 Quilt:  blocks that have been done were either added to the quilt or sashed.  This week all currently sashed blocks will be added to the quilt, and I will get back to making more.  204 blocks will have been joined!
• Ella Maria Deacon Quilt: Hasn't been touched since 2021!!!!  What was I thinking.  What is left are applique blocks for the most part.  I have a list.  (Laugh soundtrack here that lasts 5 minutes)

Squirrels, or should I call them smalls.  These pin keeps are shades of grey (photo faded and too lazy to fix).  These were to be given to Kathy and Betty in December, but we didn't meet due to weather.  January they were not stuffed.  So, they had to be ready for last week.  I stuffed them two nights before we met.  Talk about procrastination.

I did make a promise last week.  Promise to me.  To you, I said I would finish the pin keep.  And I did.  

I am just amazed with myself.  Not about the pin keep but about the photo.  I took it with my phone camera and was able to send it to myself and save it for here.  Talk about slow to technology, that is me.   

You all have a nice day with your threads.  I will be working at the machine to meet today's goal.  Then, time with 3030 hand quilting.  But I am chasing another squirrel.  You will meet that after it is caught.  Make that maybe two squirrels. Tuna Quilters are talking about a red and white quilt.  Blocks made up of half square triangles only, hmmmmmmm.

 

Tuna Quilters

I will begin with finished, almost.  The first is Black Dog Sampler by The Scarlett House.  I did not show it to you off the stitching frame.  I need to have it framed.

Here is Spring's Messenger by Scattered Seed Samplers.  Begun on the 8th of February and last stitch placed on the 15th.  About 24 hours of stitching time.

It is a pin keep so I will finish it.  Read me very carefully here.  This is important and related to the rest of this post.  I will show it to you finished next week.  

These were both stitch-a-longs from Jo's Country Junction Blog.  I thank her very much for sharing the ideas for these stitches.  I enjoyed them both.

Now to the reason you read so very carefully.  The Tuna Quilters, Kathy, Betty and me, meet next Wednesday.  (Our name comes from our lunch menu which have been mostly tuna salad.)

Last time we met, I said that I needed someone, them, to hold me accountable.  It is so easy to be a slug.  I wrote down goals that I had to meet for our next gathering.  They also set goals.

First is my Bountiful Life, Civil War Bride Quilt.  I have four blocks done and it has just sat there.  I don't know when I last worked on this as I can't find the paper where I documented that info.  

Goal: to have another block marked and half appliqued.  Goal not quite met.  Here is the Hospitality Table block started.  I mark the back with the design traced in pencil.  Then I place the fabric on the right side and outline stich, trim and needle turn.  I haven't finished the leaves.  I wanted the leaves and stems done.

Here is my 365 Quilt by Sentimental Stitches.    My last block was made on April 28, 2022.  

Goal: to have all the finished blocks stitched together.  Goal not quite met.  153 are now stitched together.   (102 were already stitched together,)  214 blocks have been made out of the 365.  They will be put together before I stitch up more.  Can't stand seeing them loose in the basket.

I set them up in rows of three and then stitch the rows together and then add to the quilt.

I had other goals but I can't find my list.  I saw it the other day.  That means my goal for today is to pick up my cave!  After that is done, I will stitch more leaves and get more blocks into rows of three.

Next week you will see the pin keep finished and maybe another finish.  May you all have a wonderful week and enjoy your threads.