October in a nutshell

 

I need to do a better job coordinating between my blog and Instagram.  A lot has happened this month, and I just realized none of it has been posted here.  If you follow me on Instagram, you've already seen these pictures, therefore you may be excused :)
Otherwise here's what I've been up to:

1. More Taryn's blocks were sewn. I can't wait to hand quilt this one.
2. There was some actual weather here this month.  It's unusual for us to get any kind of storminess in October, but the rain has been a welcome relief from the dry dusty heat.
3. The herbs I picked back in August are dried and I plan on putting them into little jars and giving  some away for Christmas.  Need to find some cute labels.
4. I followed a couple of different tutorials for a zippered pouch to make a large project bag and a small notions bag.  I used some Japanese fabric from my stash and a floral from Rifle Paper Co.
You can find the instructions at Noodlehead and Jedicraftgirl.  I haven't fiddled with zippers in quite a while, but I managed to survive the trauma of installing 2 of them.  Now I want to make a few more of these bags as gifts.
5. Just finished reading Uprooted, which was good but just missed being really good by something that I can't put my finger on. Maybe the POV it was written in, or character development, I don't know, but if you've read it I 'd love to hear your thoughts. The yarn is Quince and Co. Osprey in Carrie's Yellow.  I'm thinking of adding yarny embroidery to the ends of the scarf I'm making.  Not sure how that's going to work on garter stitch, I think stockinette might be better, but it's worth a try.
Until next time!

Going Coastal

On Thursday I'm getting on the Amtrak Coast Starlight train and heading up to Portland Oregon. I took the train once before, from Philadelphia to Washington DC, but I was by myself and think I napped most of the way.  I barely remember it. This time I'll be sharing a sleeper car with my youngest sister in a space the size of Harry Potter's cupboard under the stairs, and I imagine there will be lots of giggling and snorting into the wee hours.  Portland, bless that beautiful city, will only be about 75 degrees when I get there.  I will be leaving 100 degrees behind at home. I might have to dig my jeans out of the "winter" side of the closet.
I finished 5 squares on my popcorn stitch blanket so far.  I know the picture is only showing 4, but it was hard to photograph an odd number, so you get the idea. I'm hoping to make a few more on the train.
 I had some help from the dog going through my scrap bin to make several nine patch blocks.  I want to set them on point but I'm having a difficult time deciding on a background color.  Usually I reach for a cream color (safe), but I feel like all my quilts are starting to look the same. I might need to take a chance on this one and branch out of my comfort zone.
Lastly I'm making a linen project bag to take on the train, and I decided to work a cross stitch motif on the front, found in Alicia Paulson's Embroidery Companion book.  Since she lives in Portland, I thought it would be a fun reminder of my upcoming trip.  Have a great week wherever you are!

Hugs and Kisses Baby Quilt

I finished the Hugs and Kisses baby quilt for the newest member of our clan, squeezing it in just before his due date.  This week my husband and I thought it would be a good idea to take turns getting the flu and I dragged along, hand sewing the binding down, which seemed to require way more effort than usual.  Funny how even the smallest task can feel monumental when you're sick.
So I washed all the germs off it, took some pictures, wrapped it up and sent it on it's way to Canada.  Happy Birth-Day little boy.  It measures 33x41, made entirely from scraps.  You can find a link to the X block in my previous post Happy Place.
I  also just finished another quilt top NOT made with my scraps(shocking), but from a fat quarter stack that's been hanging around for a while.  I have a few of these hoarded piles of fabric from the same fabric ranges, and they need to come out of the cupboard and become something. Anything.

So. Onward. To the next quilt. There may even be a give-away involved.
Also just downloaded The Glassblower onto my kindle.  I love starting a new book as much as starting a new quilt!

The Raid

Crochet swatch of a baby blanket found on Pinterest.  Maybe make a big one for me?

Orphan blocks found during the cleaning raid and turned into coasters. Knitted washcloth.

I like the way February is starting out.  Lots of little busy work and errands to run, but no pressure from the outside world.  Rain showers and sunshine mixed together, dogs snoozing on the couch, quiet afternoons spent playing with yarn and fabric.
I  devoted three whole days to cleaning my sewing room.  What a scene that was.  Rather like a police raid.  No warning, just rush in and take prisoners.  Every closet, box, bin, drawer and bag was dumped out, searched and sorted.  Spread across the floor, the mess threatened to burst out into the hallway, smothering anything in its path (remember that old movie called The Blob?  It just kind of rolled around and sucked up cars, people, movie theaters.  Like that).   My husband would come in every once in a while, look around at the chaos and walk out without saying a word.  Smart man.  I'm sure he was wondering about dinner, or the lack of it.
 I actually had to leave the room at one point because the fabric/yarn dust caused an allergic sneezing fit, complete with watery eyes.  There was talk of hazmat suits.  Whatever.  I sent three large bags to the Goodwill (should have been more), and painstakingly folded all my fabric and lovingly tucked it back into the drawers.  It was a joy to behold.   Really though, I give it about 4 months before it turns back into a dog's breakfast. 

Now I need a new book to read.  Any recommendations?  I want to keep track of everything I've read this year and so far in January there were five. Katherine, The Hands on Home, Big Magic, The Martian, and Gaia's Garden.  The last one sounds like it could be a romance or fantasy novel, but it's really about understanding Permaculture and how to incorporate it into your yard.  Cool stuff.  To be honest I didn't finish The Martian.  I ended up watching the movie (good!) so there was no motivation to keep reading.  Just as well. The book had several pages of technical scientific NASA speak, which I skipped over with regularity.  I hope some day I don't find myself in a dire situation, where everyone is about to perish, and I am kicking myself for not reading the paragraphs on how to properly release hydrazine over an iridium catalyst and turn it into N2 and H2.  Then burn it without blowing myself up. 
Oh well.  I can make a quilt.  Does that count?

Hands on in my home

So on New Years eve day I went crazy in the kitchen and started clearing out cupboards and drawers.  I've been tackling one or two a day, and I'm quite happy with the result, even though I still have the main pantry to finish.  It's already made cooking easier.  Now I don't have to paw through a million gadgets (including 3 zesters, what. why?, a dozen stray chopsticks, old barbecue baster brushes, and assorted camping utensils) to find the potato peeler.  One drawer in particular which holds all my cloth napkins, tea towels, dish cloths and aprons is finally organized.  Previously they were spread across three different places in the kitchen and now I have them all in one deep drawer, freshly washed, folded, and ready for action.

In between all the cleaning I have been reading The Hands-On Home, and I can't recommend it enough.  Well written, with beautiful photographs, Erica Strauss of the blog
Northwest Edible Life, shares her modern homemaking tips in the way of recipes for meals as well as cleaners, canning, preserving, and tips for keeping a natural home throughout each season. The recipes and ideas for what the heck to do with all my lemons (preserving lemons in salt, recipes for lemon curd, lemon glaze over olive oil cake, lemon ricotta and aioli.  who knew?) was worth the price alone, as was a simple dessert for roasted pears with caramel sauce I made last week and shamelessly slurped out the remaining sauce from the pan when no one was looking.

about half the fruit picked from my Meyer lemon tree in the garden

The patchwork squares from my previous post turned into this little mini quilt, a pattern from Temecula Quilt Co.  It finishes up at  11.75x8.5 inches.  I used a piece of flannel instead of batting and I like the way it works in a small quilt like this.

Now before you go I have a couple more links to share with you.  If you have been missing Dottie Angel since the blog closed down, this pod cast/interview with Tif Fussell  at Woolful, might help fill in that gap a bit (and explains why she stopped blogging).
Also this Louise cardigan, I want, want, want and that Anna Maria Horner skirt too!

Until next time :)

In Limbo

What a summer/fall it's been.

Three birthdays, my daughter turned 33, my son - 21, my gosh, seems like I was just going to his t-ball games, and  I turned 57 in September.  What! How?  I don't even know what to think about that.
I finally grew my hair out to a style I'm actually happy with, particularly the gray streaks.  No more layers, all one length, bob.  I would have never guessed I would go there, but it works.  It only took  me 57 years to figure it out.

My middle daughter had a very large fibroid removed in a 4 hour surgery that scared the hell outta me.  She was off work for a month after that and needed help with, well, everything. Three months before the surgery they gave her a shot of Lupron (to help shrink the tumor before they operate) which temporarily shuts down all production of estrogen. She was thrown into menopause within a few days.  Meanwhile I have been cutting down on my estrogen dosage to eventually get off it altogether, and so the mother/daughter hot flash, cranky pants team was born. What a scene.  It's times like this that I'm really grateful I don't have to work.

I have been reading and reading and reading. I can't seem to get enough lately.  First,  Mrs. Poe, then this series, which is Young Adult, but really good, followed by All the Light We Cannot See (sooo well written) and now The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah.

My Mom went in for a relatively low risk outpatient procedure that turned into a nightmare.  The last few weeks we have been running back and forth to the ER, and three surgeries later she is now in ICU.  She's 78, and pretty tough, but it has taken a toll on her.  We just want her home.  Hell, I'd settle for a coherent conversation with her at this point, where she's not heavily medicated and doesn't think it's 1958.  It's weird, I keep thinking "I need to call Mom and talk to her about everything that's going on" but, then I catch myself. Sigh.

So you can see why I've been away for a while.  I'm still here lurking around the edges of blog land, reading your blogs, tying to remain inspired, but just not motivated to work on my sewing.
Before all the above happened, I managed to add some borders to my Tulip quilt, which is basted and ready for hand quilting.  Not much else, although I picked up a ball of Paton's wool yesterday and started to crochet row after row after row in moss stitch.  Simple, meditative, and repetitive.  Healing.
Maybe it will become a blanket for my Mom to snuggle with when she gets out of the hospital.

Thanks for listening.

Me and Mom, heading to a concert in 2012

Picnics, books and paper piecing

Friday night we went to Durst Winery and had a picnic.  There was salami, cheese, olives, deviled eggs, bread and fruit and mini pies from the farmers market.  We drank wine and listened to the band and talked until the sun went down and the mosquitoes came out.  It was cool for once and it turned out to be a really nice evening.  Thanks to my sister in law Karen and her guy Gabe for suggesting it and meeting us there.  There are so many great wineries within 20 minutes of our house we really should take advantage of this more often.

I've barely been in the sewing room except to retrieve a pair of scissors or iron a blouse.  I read this book, and now I'm off on a tangent reading about Permaculture, here and here.  If you like to garden, this is heady stuff.  I feel as though everything I have ever learned about gardening is all wrong, and I'm blown away by how simple and natural it can all be.  Who knew.
 I'm shamelessly copying this quilt (scroll down a bit when you get there).  I ran out and bought a few fat quarters to add to my red stash.  I would like something to show for this handwork by Christmas, but who am I kidding.  It's going to be a long slow project, and if I did nothing else, I could maybe have a table runner by the holidays.

Lastly, there has to be a place in my yard for this.  If only I could make a chicken coop like I can make a quilt.  I would have coops all over my yard!  A whole chicken village with flowers and pathways and ponds, maybe some ducks too......... 
Sigh.

I have to go vacuum dog hair.
See ya :)

Learning

I've been doing a lot of walking the last two weeks.  My mom gave me a Y shaped leash so I can take both dogs out at the same time.  Now I don't have to leave one behind with a pouty face while I'm gone.  It took them a while to get used to it however as they are both leash trained to heel on my left, and the Y shape has them walking out in front of me.  Luna (75 pounds) literally runs Charlie (25 pounds) off the path when they are hooked together like this (she's such a brute) and I've been tangled up in it more than once and fear for my ankles.  The first 10 to 15 minutes of our walk is a sniffing, peeing, whinning(that part is me), comedy routine, but they are slowly getting the hang of it.

I'm sewing the binding on my green quilt, honestly this thing feels like it's taking forever, and just completed the last block on my Hillside houses wall hanging.  So more quilt finishes to come.
Meanwhile I bought a real good used copy of Cooking from Quilt Country, and I'm learning a lot  about how the Amish and Mennonites live in Indiana.  There are recipes for things like Brown Sugar Pie, pork and beans, homemade lemonade in a crock and of course German Potato Salad.  I've been searching for a good pie crust, using real lard, and I think I found it in this book.  Add in photos of Amish quilts and I'm really enjoying myself.

The knitting is going to be a cushion cover.  I'm using Debbie Bliss Sublime dk and some bamboo needles, and this is just my speed.  I started another project (Be Simple Shawl, I love that picot bind off edging)) out of fingering weight on metal size 6's and the slippery factor was too high.  I need to attempt it in worsted weight first. Must take baby steps I think.
Hope you are all having a great week!
Some of my new followers are no-reply bloggers, and I would love to write you back, so if you leave a comment, make sure to check back later in the comment section for my reply.

Churning

Have you guys been busy?  I guess if I had been reading your blogs I would know.  I barely got this post up today, it's been such a whirlwind around here.  My son left for 6 weeks in Cairns, Australia.  He's fulfilling 18 college credits by snorkeling with the sea turtles and studying plants. Such hardship.
The prep leading up to the trip, like shopping for a 70L backpack and all it's gear was eye opening(wallet opening) and time consuming.  I also had to shop for a new oven, my old one couldn't be saved.  I  have been cooking on just the stove top for over a month now.  I could do a whole blog post on the pursuit of a 36 inch, 6 burner, duel-fuel range that won't cost the same as a trip to Australia (all because my old oven has a broken $100 door latch that is no longer available and enables the oven to heat up properly), but I won't.  Just your average first world problems.
In the meantime I'm trying to stay off my butt, and work out in the yard.  That means less time to sew and crochet, and nothing much to blog about. This past weekend I was in a weekend warrior challenge with my sister and my girls, to see who could get the most steps on our Fitbit.
I came in second (yay), but my sister, who is a freaking competitive maniac, blew us all out of the water.  I usually try to hit 10,000 to 12,000 steps per day on average. Let me tell you the first week or so I was tired after reaching 12,000 steps.  Did you know Amish women average 14,000 steps per day?  That's because they're churning their own butter, hanging out the wash and working in the garden. This Kindle book really opened my eyes.  I thought I was pretty active already, but there's always room for improvement.   Anyway, sewing, knitting, crocheting and Pinterest browsing do not factor into this "keep moving" mentality because they are all sitting activities.  It's not a coincidence that since I started blogging, pinning and crocheting I have gained a few pounds.  Must rethink this somehow and find a better balance.
I did stop moving long enough to slowly piece together a wall hanging quilt of yellow churn dash blocks. I really love that tiny floral in the last picture.  I'm torn between saving it forever and adding it to everything.
Okay that's enough sitting for now. Gotta go churn some butter.

Weekend

Such a nice weekend.  Coffee outside in the early morning wearing a sweatshirt over my pajamas,  slippers damp from walking through the grass.  Then, after breakfast head out to the garden to clean up winter's leavings, the earth still cool, but the sun warm on the back of my neck. Clearing out more yard for more garden. Maybe grapes this year, or pumpkins and cantaloupes.
The door to the garden shed is flung wide, and I have to wave the handle of the rake in front of me to break up the spider webs before I step inside. Pots and tools and garden knick knacks I haven't seen since the fall are new to me again.
The roses are so lush, the bushes so heavy, that their blooms dip down toward the ground as if the scent and beauty are too much to bear. We work all afternoon, until someone runs to town for cheeseburgers, and we eat in the garden under the umbrella, admiring our progress.

My niece had her baby.  A beautiful little girl with pink skin and a rosebud mouth who came into the world with her eyes wide open.  That's the way to do it.  The labor was long, (2 days!) but calm and quiet, and we all went to bed that night happy that the waiting was over and everyone was fine.
The rest of the weekend was spent reading through gardening books, sewing yards of binding, and watching baseball on TV.  I made the mistake of starting this book on Saturday night, and the next thing I knew it was midnight and I was in very very deep. I am a sucker for historical anything, but especially if it involves the British monarchy.
I want to sew, and sew and sew.  There are so many things I want to make, so I write a list, then lose it, then make new lists. Gardening or sewing? How about sewing in the garden?  There just aren't enough hours in the weekend.

Quilty pleasures

A picture of an old quilt (c. 1950-1975) from Unconventional and Unexpected, American Quilts below the Radar was the layout inspiration for my latest project.  I'm just putting the binding on now, so more pictures to follow.  While I was at it I found a pattern in this book for a tulip block and started some low-volume paper piecing.

 Yep.  I'm happy.

Blue and Red

My oldest daughter has been spending time on Pinterest lately, gathering pictures of blue and red Christmas decorations she'd like to have/make for her apartment.  She even included pictures of fabric bundles and quilts.  Hmmmm.  Quilt??  I can take a hint.
Her being low on decorations, and a member of the 3rd -year -poor -teacher -salary society, she will be lucky to afford a tree this year, so I dove headfirst into my magic cupboard and pulled out everything I had that matched her color scheme.  Turns out I have been hoarding some pretty cute Christmas fabric.....

After sorting and cutting, the middle child entered the room to see what I was up to, and declared it was either very awesome or really pathetic ridiculous, that I had enough fabric on hand, of a specific color scheme to make an entire quilt.  I vote awesome.

This quilt was inspired by one called Avalon found in the book Material Obsession, in which 18 inch blocks (trim up those fat quarters!) were cut and sashing added in between.  It's a great way to show off some of your favorite fabric, as well as super duper fast to make. And let's face it, this time of year starting a quilt three weeks before Christmas can feel like you're  running out of daylight.
 I didn't have fat quarters of every print, so I cut my blocks at 16.5 and my white strips at 3.5.  It came out to 60 inches square.  The back was a solid turquoise that I was saving for who the heck knows what, but turns out it was waiting for this quilt to be made.
Merry Christmas Danielle! (cute throw pillow to follow).