Packing it in

We've been really busy lately helping the oldest daughter pack up her apartment and move.  While that was going on the boy/man came home briefly from university ( in between regular and summer classes) and we cleaned out his bedroom and packed away his childhood. But before that could happen, I had to tidy up the garage to make space for sports equipment, video games and high school yearbooks. I've dropped off so much at the Goodwill lately, they must see me coming and think my house is a never ending bottomless pit of All the Stuff.
I tell you what, my 50 something body can't take too much more of this moving and packing, especially since the weather is hovering around 100 degrees or higher for the next 5 days.
Ah summer, how I want to love you here in Northern California, but I want to experience you in Alaska, or Maine, where I imagine a light sweater is needed when the sun goes down,  people eat supper outside, and you can still wear long pants and shirts with sleeves in them.
There have been beautiful sunsets here though, and the grasses have dried to that rich California gold color.  I get to pick wild blackberries on my morning walks, make fresh lemonade from the lemons off my tree and float on a raft in the pool looking up at a sky so blue it makes you ache inside.
All that kind of makes up for the upper lip and boob sweat, the constant hum of the AC, and the inability to do anything outside between lunch time and 9:00pm without melting your face off.

 Enough complaining about the weather. Guess what? I finally joined the Instagram crowd (I resisted for a long time).  I still prefer blogging because I love the written word, the stories, the connection.  It's quicker to post something on Instagram, a nice picture, two sentences punctuated by a dozen emoji's and you're done. But man you can really get sucked into the looking and spend hours of time on there! I'm just figuring out how to navigate around and so far it's been fun.  I don't have too many posts up yet, but if you want to visit, I'm at  lifeofreilly58.
In between the packing I'm grateful this week for some quiet moments to practice my knitting, and  continue sewing more of my drunkards path blocks.  I've been able to build up a nice little pile so far.  However this is looking to be a 3 year quilt, as I started these blocks last year and it doesn't appear I'll be finishing any time this year.
Anyone got a summer project started?  Besides my white crocheted blanket, I've been itching to try some embroidery and I have 2 new books to read.  I'm down for anything really, as long as it doesn't  involve packing tape and a truck :) 

Life in the jungle

My mind is a jungle of ideas.  My garden is, well, a jungle. I'm still running back and forth between inside and out, trying to accomplish everything at once.  Though Easter Sunday forced me to slow down.  A quiet brunch with my tribe and an afternoon nap. Some knitting on the back porch.
Those little snowball blocks up there are slowing me down as well.  I started out sewing them on the machine, but they were pulling and bunching up at the seams, so I tried a few by hand and I was really pleased with how they turned out.  I highly recommend gathering your supplies in a little basket and hand piecing out in the spring air and sunshine.
In case you want to make some, here's what I'm doing.

From an assortment of dark/medium and light squares cut some 3" blocks

Now cut 1 3/8" blocks, 4 of the same color (light or dark) I know it makes my eyeballs hurt just typing that number, never mind cutting them to that size.

Place 4  matching tiny light blocks on the corners of a 3" dark/medium block
Place 4 matching tiny dark/medium blocks on the corners of the 3" light blocks.
Here's a tutorial on how to sew them.
I didn't mark my little squares first before sewing.  Instead, I folded them in half diagonally and pressed across the fold with my fingernail.  This leaves a faint press line that you can follow when sewing.
Arrange the finished blocks alternating light corners against dark corners (I have 4 sewn together in the bottom right side of the picture)
I have no idea what I'm going to make.  I feel like if I give this project a name or commit to a specific size, it will spoil the magic of making them.

The yarn is from Quince & Co.   I've been wanting to try out the color Carrie's Yellow, and finally went ahead and ordered some. When it won't get out of your head, you might as well give in to it.
I'm thinking maybe a very long 1x1 rib scarf to go with all those neutrals hanging in my closet. A simple scarf from beautiful yarn.

Here's a few links of things I've been into this last week, in case your bored:

"Cooked" on Netflicks
"In Defense of Food" on PBS
This U-Tube video is a typical day at my house, but replace the cat with a small dog and me saying "All I want to do is crochet" EDIT: Looks like the video was removed. Too bad, it was funny!
 
I bought this pattern, and this one, and this one too.  Haven't made any of them yet.
 I REALLY want to go to Squam for my birthday in September.  Anyone going???
The jungle grows.

Birthday quilt

I finished this quilt for my niece two days before her birthday party.  Last month I delivered the Hudson Bay camp blankets to her little boys for their birthdays, and she loved the deer fabric I used and asked if she could have a quilt made up of woodland animals.  I told her where to look online for fabric so she started a Pinterest board.  I then followed her board and was able to find a lot of the fabrics she liked, then added to it from my stash.  Now the three of them have new quilts!  The oldest boy (aged 7) sleeps with his every night.  He told his mom that he wants it underneath the top comforter, in case robbers came into the house, they wouldn't see his quilt and try to steal it.  That's quite a compliment! (or they need to move out of that neighborhood ha ha)
Anyway, Ashley's quilt is made using 6.5 inch squares laid out in a nine patch pattern with 1.5 inch lattice in between.  I think it measures 60 x 64.  It had to be simple and fast, and patchwork always does the trick.
I just started a blanket for my cousin in Canada who is getting ready to have her first baby in April. It's turning out cute so far, and is all from my stash and very scrappy.
Stay tuned.

Friends forever

I made this quilt top way back when.  Time to get it quilted.

All crinkly and washed and ready to be wrapped.  This is going to some friends that we have known for almost 20 years. Our boys grew up together and next year their son will be joining ours at the same university.   Friends forever.  Why have I never made them a quilt before this?

Wishing you all a peaceful and very merry Christmas xxx

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

Baseball and Yarn

At Scottsdale stadium

Buster Posey (catcher) and Tim Hudson (pitcher)

Brandon Belt signing autographs before the game

We're back from Spring Training in Arizona.  The weather was beautiful, the hot dogs plentiful and we had a great time (even though the Giants lost all 3 games. Pooh).
The hotel was amazing too!

We rented one of those cabanas for the day and hung out by the pool...

Every evening between 6 and 7 the bagpipes were played on the golf course.

There was shopping and restaurants all within walking distance, and if you ever find yourself in Scottsdale, I highly recommend you splurge on a dinner at Mastro's Ocean Club. At first I thought how can you dare call yourself "Ocean Club" in the middle of Arizona?  I should not have doubted.
 I had a delicious piece of blackened Halibut and they serve a decadent side dish of lobster mashed potatoes that will make you weep, it's that good. I wish I had some right now.
On the way out of town, the family was kind enough to indulge me in a brief stop at Jessica Knits, where I picked up some souvenirs.

These two skeins are produced by local Arizona artist Mary Gavan.  On the top is a lace weight raw silk, in the color Pewter and was made up in the store into this shawl.  The drape was beautiful. The bottom skein, which is actually more of a pink than it looks here, is a sport weight rayon/cotton in Sandcastle.
I'm also in a Ravelry group which is making a scarf using the colors of your favorite baseball team. The pattern is called Crackerjack, and these are the colors I bought for the San Francisco Giants.
The idea is to knit 2 rows using the color assigned to wins or losses.  For example a home win could be orange, and a road loss, white. There are 4 possibilities, therefore 4 colors are chosen.  The striping would be determined by the wins/losses of the season and you never know how it's going to turn out. Sounds like a fun project to work on all year long doesn't it?
I'm unpacking, washing clothes, grocery shopping, and cutting the grass this week.  Next time around I'll show you the hand pieced quilt blocks that are making me jump out of bed in the morning.
Until then, here's a little crochet and Charlie.  The dogs were very happy to see us come home.

 

Sewing with Charlie and the Lunatic

Charlie sits on Luna like this all the time.  He has clearly made her his bitch bench.

Sometimes these two dogs make me think I'm raising toddlers again.  As I write this out on the back porch, drinking tea, soaking up some sun, watching blossoms falling lazily from the pear tree, Charlie prances by with a branch from one of the bushes by the pool, proudly waving it around like a banner.  I'm thinking that bush won't make it through the spring.  The Lunatic, fresh from a dip in the pool (never mind that the water is about 45 degrees. I can hardly stand to put my arm in there when cleaning the baskets), shakes her wet self all over my laptop and proceeds to push her big plastic water bowl noisily across the patio (running into my feet several times) trying to turn it right side up.  Note to self, get rid of that bowl.

We are having a birthday party barbecue on Saturday. Tri-tip roast, rosemary potatoes, salad, green beans and garlic bread.  My oven is working /not working, and I'm waiting for a new part to be installed, which won't be until next week, so my husband will be busy at the grill. I bought a huge sheet cake at Costco the size of my kitchen table, and had to take it over to my parents house because it wouldn't fit in my refrigerator.  Several Canadian relatives are flying in, including an Uncle I haven't seen for over 30 years, and his wife and son whom I've never met.  Part of the preparations include tidying the porch and backyard, and I can't believe just how much these dogs have trashed the place this winter.  Thank goodness the puppy stage is almost over.  For a Lab, I think this must go well into their second year.

The baby quilt is almost done, but will have to be hidden away in the cupboard during the party, so my niece doesn't see it.  I also ordered a quilt pattern, Sweet William, that I have been drooling over for some time.  I plan on using some of my hoarded reproduction fabrics for this one.  The bottom half of each block is pieced, and the top half is applique and embroidery, so a bit of everything.  I made a sample block, and will be machine sewing the basket half, even though her instructions call for sewing by hand.  I know how I operate, and I want to get this done before I'm too old to thread a needle, and not let it become one of those half finished projects you find in a bag at the Goodwill.

I love it when the kids go down for their nap.

About a girl

Seems like everything I'm putting my hands on lately has some kind of pink/red color in it.  I just finished my second Haiku shawl (the first one in grey).  It only needed a few rows to complete, about an hours worth of work really, and yet it sat ignored for months.

Here's a smallish quilt in the works that reminds me of the Bonne Maman jam jars.

 I'm also sewing the binding on my goose tracks quilt and waiting for a sunny day to take a decent picture.

More crochet, this time in red, for a shawl requested by my daughter.

And finally, I'm cutting out a baby quilt for my niece who is going to have a girl in April. When my niece was little she wanted to be a Unicorn when she grew up, so her baby shower is all about pink and unicorns.  I immediately ordered some of the Heather Ross "Far, Far Away" fabric line. 

All the women in my family are pretty excited about the new little baby girl.  My Dad came from a family of 7 (!!!) boys, (Bless my grandma. What a zoo that must have been.) He in turn had 3 girls, and we gave him 4 grand daughters. Yep, 7 girls in a row.  We were all starting to think there was a serious boy drought, and years went by with no new little babies. Then I broke the curse and had my son when I was 36 years old.  Better late than never.  Several years later my other niece had two kids, both boys.
It was starting to look like the boys would repeat the 7.
Not. 
Come April, it's time for some pink.

A little sugar

Well here we are deep into the Christmas season.  I've got the music playing, the tree up, the halls decked, and the daily whump of cardboard packages hitting the front porch.

I'm stacking these up in my son's half empty room while he's at school.
I can't wait to start drinking wrapping.

Anyway, I have hardly touched anything crafty this week, (I did attempt a striped crochet blanket, but after about 20 rows into it, I decided it looked like the cuff of a men's athletic sock, you know the white ones with the colored stripes at the top? Uh-gly. So I ripped it out), but did manage to finish the pillow that goes with my daughter's quilt in the last post.

 I found this free quilt pattern here, after starting her quilt.  I would like to have made the whole quilt like this, but just made one block and turned it into a pillow.  

I'm very, very far behind on my Quiltmania Advent blocks.  Seriously, I'm thinking of making only one per month from now on, thereby finishing up by next Christmas. They are a lot of fun, but I'm finding them quite time consuming.  I guess if I wasn't wasting my time crocheting blankets that look like men's socks, I would be much farther along.  Oh well.
Here are the next four blocks.

Last, but not least, what is Christmas without all those sugar-laden desserts to tempt your waistline right out of your jeans and into sweatpants?  My daughter made these while we were decorating the tree on Sunday, in the late afternoon just before dinner.  Cinnamon rolls for dinner?  Okay.
The recipe says to bake them in a cast iron skillet, but I'm sure any kind of pan will do. The icing goes on after they have cooled slightly.  Oh, and we added brown sugar in place of some of the white sugar.  Made it a bit more caramelized as you can see by the bottom of the pan. 

 Yeah, they were really good.

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).