Which Way Now?

Which Way Now? ~ 57" X 57"

Here's my contribution to the growing library of Quarantine Quilts available. "Which Way Now?" grew from my desire to stick to my guiding word for 2020: "Vision" and that is defined, for me, as having the clarity to use up what I have accumulated right here at home. Scraps from leftover projects are in plentiful supply, available resources weren't a problem. The design, born of half-square triangles (HSTs), reflects the changing directions in policy and procedure as the global virus spread and took hold. The resulting pinwheels that occurred represent the wonderful and unexpected benefits that have occurred as the outcome of staying at home: *family (in my case- husband/wife) time, *increased dedication to creative pursuits, *opportunities to read more, *chances to become increasingly self-reliant, *freedom to slow down and enjoy those little things that are all too often overlooked and taken for granted. This quilt top is the happy result of time spent on this idea.

Not one speck of fabric was purchased and a variety of background fabrics were used (and exhausted!) from the stash.

I bought a wool pressing mat a few months ago and used it, a LOT, on this project. It worked to keep every block and section flat and square, I love that aspect of it; however, it did make the sewing space smell like bath time at the sheep farm! I don't know if that scent dissipates over time, with more usage, but I certainly can vouch for the effectiveness of the product as a pressing aid-- I'm a huge steam-freak anyway. Time will tell.  

Here's the 12" block layout if you want to give this one a try. The HSts all finish to 3". There are two 3" background squares in each block too; watch the direction and the layout to get the secondary pinwheels to occur at the block intersections. My quilt has 16 blocks set 4 X 4. I added a 1.5" (finished) inner "stop" border and a 3"(finished) outer border incorporating my leftover HSts. Nothing bought, nothing wasted! Win-win!

Pressed and ready to be added to the "to-be-quilted" queue-- whoever has time to leave home?

Yesterday was my Dad's 92nd birthday. He's doing well, stays as busy as he can in light of the current restrictions. I am blessed to still have both of my parents and miss the fact that I can't currently travel to spend time with them. In this picture I'm guessing he must have been four or five years old, it's a treasure! 💗 My sister said "it's a wonder that he ever sat still that long"- that's certainly the truth!

Adapting to an upside down🙃 world: Easter worship services were available anywhere and everywhere online this year. What a unique experience to have the opportunity to tune in and watch any number of pastors preaching messages of hope and promise! The best message, for me, was one where the pastor equated the empty sanctuary with the empty tomb and reminded us all that the resurrection had already happened, while it was still dark-- Christ is risen, we're all risen! Alleluia!! 

"For in this hope we were saved. 

Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees?"  -Romans 8:24

Life is Good!

Up next: YAGOF