Sorting It Out

With nowhere to go, and a stash of fabric and supplies on hand, it's like being on a never-ending retreat; these are the days we quilters have been stockpiling for all those years! But-- I need to slow down and sort this out. I have always been that person who's thinking of the "next quilt" before I finish what I'm working on now. With this current situation, for me, it's worse than ever. I tell myself that I'm keeping my eye on my guiding word for 2020 (VISION); with focus aimed at using up the fabric and precut scraps that I have on hand. But, that doesn't keep me from wandering onto Pinterest and "pinning" scrap quilts galore to my visual bulletin boards. "Oh, I want to try that one, and that one, and that one... " Pin.Pin.Pin. If it stopped there that wouldn't be so bad but I find myself obsessed with pulling out my rectangles to begin a Chinese Coin that I saw pictured and organizing fabrics for a Jack's Chain quilt all in shades of blue that someone made and posted. I need to settle down! I need to sort this out. In all honesty, if this quarantine went on forever and a day I would never got to all of those quilts that I have pinned, let alone those that I've already begun. So, to start; I am not clicking on Pinterest. I am writing daily lists, (I've always been a list-maker and daily planner anyway, this wasn't a stretch) I am putting on blinders to anything else. As a way to feel much more productive and in control I am cleaning out and organizing one thing a day; this can be as simple as a drawer or as labor-intensive as a closet; for me, this helps, it keeps me busy and helps me to stay in check with something to show for my deliberate attention to one thing.

While talking on the phone with my Dad this morning my eyes went to the design wall where my partially done "Which Way Now" is hanging and all of a sudden realized a secondary design element to explore with the HSTs; that's placing focus where it belongs-- on what I am working on; I don't need to be running in seventeen different directions! I'm continuing to sort out what it means for me to have nothing but time on my hands and supplies at the ready, I'm also sticking to a regimen of walking and holding fast to reading hour. These few minor adjustments are keeping me centered and better directed. It's all good!

Adapting in an upside down 🙃world: My well-check up scheduled for next week with my PCP has been reformatted-- to a video visit; okay, that's new! I understand the reason but question the value. I assumed when the office called that they were going to reschedule, not suggest this alternative. But, we're all adjusting; we'll see how it goes. Changes are happening so fast it's hard to keep up.

Update on the standing prayer request: Quiltkeemosabe's husband is continuing to improve following surgery, thank you for your prayers and positive thoughts for him, for Quiltkeemosabe and for their family. 

"For nothing will be impossible with God.” -Luke 1:37

Life is Good!

Up next: RAK

Fabric Shopping Frenzy

My fabric haul~ five 5 yd. pieces selected for quilt backs. 

I went on a fabric shopping spree last week; oh, what fun I had! I went by myself, but encountered many, many people already there when I arrived. The sheer number of other shoppers who beat me to the sale did get in my way. I had some items snatched right out of my shopping cart! Did I practice social distancing? You betcha-- my shopping spree was online! Where did I shop? At the Pineapple Warehouse Sale.

Sadly, this much anticipated event couldn't be held "live and in-person" this time and was taken online. A friend and I had been eagerly looking forward to attending and I'd had it on the calendar for weeks ahead of time. I just couldn't imagine how the online version of this sale would stack up to the real thing. I'll tell you this: I wasn't disappointed with my haul but it was a much more solitary experience, that much fun is always multiplied when shared as an experience with sewing buddies.  All things considered, I'm SEW happy that they went ahead with their spring event online; there were specials every few hours accompanied by fun activities on their Facebook page during the event, they did an excellent job rolling with the punches. Were you in "attendance" too?

I did miss the instant gratification of buying it and having it bundled and bagged on the spot to carry back home with me; but the anticipation of receiving the package, and finding my loot folded neatly inside, made up for it. I did have trouble logging on to the sale, in the beginning; there was tons of traffic, to be expected. Finally, when I got a clear connection, it went more smoothly. I did choose a few pieces that sailed into my virtual cart and, at checkout, had evaporated. That was disappointing. I shopped on, however, undaunted. I had money burning in my wallet that I hadn't spent at MidAtlantic Quilt Festival this year. All in all, when I shopped this online sale (from the clearance section) and applied the discount, I ended up purchasing twenty five yards of fabric for one hundred dollars. Yep, $4 a yard! You can't beat that! I did miss the "buy it by the pound" event and seeing old friends from my quilting past, but this quarantine won't last and there will be more "in real life" warehouse sales to come. 

Adapting to the current situation: this is something that has never happened to me before, a completely blank week in my personal planner. Those who know me are aware that I'm a scheduler. I have a monthly planner and move all my events, standing commitments and appointments into this weekly section on Sundays. Here's this week at a glance! 😲 I can hardly believe this myself. Right now, next week looks exactly the same as this week. I am filling my days: sewing, reading, cooking, cleaning house-- how are you occupying yourself these days? What will you remember, or have to show for it, when we come out on the other side of this quarantine? Stay safe and healthy; wash your hands! 

Life is Good!

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, 

plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." - Jeremiah 29:11

Up next: D.E.A.R.

Developing A Plan

It's a great thing when a plan comes together... this sneaky project tip-toed in before one was even developed! I've got one now though, "Jackstones" will ultimately finish to be 63" X 84".  This photo represents  the left side of the top row; I'm happy with the integrated pieced border, I like the effect.

Now I can get back to the work at hand... where I was before that project snuck in and took over my brain and cutting table! Somedays it's just hard to demonstrate self-control and ignore those pesky creative distractions, I have to remember who's the boss.

Life is Good!

Build A Bridge... And Get Over It!

Mason crossing Coral Rock Bridge; the dream project that he envisoned, coming to be.

Chapter Two

The boys were back in the woods bright and early this morning, bridge building takes time. They decided that wood "slabs", leftover from a major log milling following storm damage here a few years ago, would provide the perfect planking for the bridge floor. Knowing that, and actually hauling them back there were two entirely different matters, they are quite heavy. Step by step, one at a time, they were carefully placed and secured.

Mason was a big help, he handed Pawpaw the nails that he required, as he needed them.

Snack time... this team of builders is tired after their hard labor.

The official christening of Coral Rock Bridge, long may she stand!

Well done, boys; the hand rails and remaining flooring will wait for another day.

Life is Good!

Build A Bridge

Chapter One

Here's where it all started... where all good plans begin, with a drawing and a dream. Mason wanted to spend the weekend with Nana and PawPaw and build a foot bridge over the creek out in our back woods. The last one that he and PawPaw had begun together was swept away after a heavy rain. He had a grand plan for this one, with beefed up supports and even a hand rail. We picked up our grandson yesterday evening and bright and early this morning, after blueberry waffles, the boys set to work.

Trees were felled for the beam supports to span the creek banks.

Holes were dug for the posts.

A winch was used to move the trees out from among the other trees when they were hung up.

First beam support in place, spanning the creek bed!

Two beams in place; success! The planking will be attached to these beams for the bridge floor.

Logs were rolled over the supports and the weight load was tested.

Two happy bridge builders after a full day of work.

It's always a good thing when a plan begins to take shape;

the designer has named his masterpiece: "Coral Rock Bridge".

You might think that's pretty advanced for this little guy,

if so, you might be unaware that he just finished kindergarten; 

yes, it's true, he's a first grader now!

Stay tuned for chapter two...

Life is Good!

What, Exactly, Is "$5 Quilt"?

I've received a few e-mails lately, questions pertaining to terms
and/or abbreviations that I tend to toss around on this blog.
Today's post will, hopefully, shed some light on two of those;
let me attempt to translate here and break the quilter's "code".

These are six completed blocks from this year's $5 quilt* block-of-the-month program at my LQS**; they're all composed from squares and rectangles. This first colorway uses all white-on-white backgrounds, varying indigoes and a color placement of the quiltmaker's choice. I have remained consistent with that chosen fabric, plugging in a "sketchy" caramel color fabric. I have no idea where I will go with these blocks, setting-wise. I am doing a second colorway as well, all solids, utilizing a dove-gray background and bright solids. I have thought about "floating" the pieced blocks by using a wide sashing of the same background fabrics. We'll see; it's far too early to decide yet, there are six more blocks to go! So far, my favorite block is the one in the middle on the far-right row of both photographs. I love the way the little squares encircle the larger, center, square; I'm intruiged by both the movement and the disparate appearance of that same block when a third color is added (below). I can see this single block repeated in a quilt, becoming a vehicle for moving out MANY precut 2.5" square scraps; perhaps using a controlled color center square and a unified background! As always, my mind creates SEW MUCH MORE than I can ever humanly achieve, but it's nice to plan and dream!

*What, exactly, is a $5 quilt program? It is a shop-centered series of  "how to" gatherings scheduled on a monthly basis. Each month an instructor walks the registered participants through the construction methods for that month's particular block. There's time for Q's and A's as well as show and tell, a doorprize drawing, and information about the shop's other ongoing classes and workshops; it's fun and entertaining. To register, one commits to a sign-up fee (our LQS charges a one-time flat fee, per colorway, to offset the cost of fabric and printing for the hand-outs). Each month the participant brings in their completed block and receives a pattern and fabric to make the next block at no charge. If the participant fails to bring in a completed block there's a $5 charge to buy ones' self back into the program. Our LQS offers one "free pass"which can be saved and used as needed. It's a great opportunity to socialize as well as make a quilt-top for very little expense (a great incentive to keep up).

** LQS = Local Quilt Shop

Life Is Good!

Spurred To Action!

I have declared this year as the one where I will take control of my UFOs (if I don't do it, who will?); spurred to action by a recent blog post by Lori Kennedy I have come up with my own plan of identifying what is necessary to see a long list of UnFinished Objects through to completion. I don't need to cull them at this point, a few years ago I did just that, those remaining (there are twelve, NOT counting my queue of quilt tops waiting to be quilted!) have been deemed worthy enough to merit their own storage boxes. My plan is this: using the form pictured below I will document each unfinished project and take a close look at what's in the box and what else I need, supply-wise.

I'm not concerned with when I began the project, why I abandoned it or what inspired me to begin it in the first place. My goal here is a simple one; to finish them up and move them out.  The beauty of this plan, for me, is placing the forms into a loose-leaf notebook; this way, I can prioritize the projects and switch up the order if I choose.  Also, I can remove one page and carry that to my LQS for supplies, I can easily insert fabric swatches inside the page protector for matching purposes. It's not coincidental that I am developing this notebook before I attend Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival next month and visit the HUGE merchant's mall there!  I have vowed to not be tempted by any new projects there this year; rather, I will shop for needed supplies to finish what I've begun and return home inspired and energized, not toting bags full of future UFOs! Lori's linked post (above) asks the question: "what do our UFOs say about us?"; I hope to answer that question through my action of developing a plan and taking charge. You know me, I love a good challenge! It all boils down to is who's in control; I'd like to think that it's me and not my unfinished quilt tops.

Wish me luck. 

Life is Good!

To Every Thing...

...there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven.

-Ecclesiastes 3:1

I spent the day planting on Wednesday. My pots are full of fall-festive pansies and mums; the tall and leggy annuals have been excused from their perpetual growth and what has become puny blooming by this late in the summer, they've taken their place in a compost heap. I didn't have time to give up a day for planting, I have projects upon projects screaming for attention, many with deadlines that are killing me; and yet, I didn't have time for anything but planting. Digging in the dirt was therapeutic; while I prepared soil I planned and prayed, I talked to God about my ideas and priorities. I thanked Him for a healthy mind and body and the glorious day that He had provided. I was quiet too, there was peace in His presence and it calmed me. The projects are still there but I can attack them today with a new found vigor, all while looking out at the windows at the beautiful fall flowers; thanks be to God!

Be still and know that I am God. 

-Psalm 46: 10

Life is Good!

The Great Closet Documentation Project

I am blessed to have a wonderful, large, walk-in closet in my studio space. We designed our home and carefully allocated square footage for each area... this closet was no exception. I am embarrassed to confess that this blessing has become my own curse and worst walk-in nightmare. What started out as a dream area of well organized fabric and projects has eroded into the messy closet of deferred decisions. I took this photo yesterday, before I began deconstruction and what will be known from this time forward as The Great Closet Documentation Project (or TGCDP for short). In order to remedy this cluttered, disorganized, heap of quilty hopes and dreams I need to completely empty this space and find what's hiding, or buried, in the deepest, darkest recesses. Everything you see here is coming out, into the light, to be scrutinized;  classified, judged, and dealt with. Everything is not going back in; oh no, it must be deemed worthy to regain stash-closet status. I have broken up this disastrous closet situation into eight zones and will document them here, accordingly, by corresponding number:
1.  Finished quilts, bins of novelty fabrics (and novelty buttons), empty boxes, quilt show ribbons, baskets and bins of bits and pieces, a pillow, stabilizers, interfacings and a box of rubber stamps. Does any of this make sense or seem in the least bit related to you? I'm referring to this as the outta sight, outta mind shelf.
2.  A few finished quilts, ghosts of projects past (a term I'm borrowing from a friend's husband; thanks, Gary!), patterns that appealed to me once upon a time, thirties reproduction fabrics and a HUGE zip-loc bag full of yo-yos!
3. Rolls of gift wrap, bins of ribbon, gift tags and bags, tissue paper and bubble wrap. Don't ask.
4. Fabric, sorted by color... for the most part.
5.  Larger lengths of folded fabric, fabric collections and groups, a few pillows. Why not? I already need a nap.
6.  UFO's. This is just as disorganized as it appears. Projects shoved into bins, boxes and tote bags (!?!) and not even one anywhere near completed. Power strips, Featherweight machines, two sergers, a big bag filled with smaller plastic bags (of course!) and a wheeled cart along with a quilt frame reside here. All taking up valuable floor space. 
7. Mending, awaiting completion. Enough said, quilters don't mend clothes!
8. The never-ending flimsy parade, hanging around and hoping for a quilting date with Sundance.

I need an approach, one that makes sense. I have unloaded Zone #1 (below). I will report back soon, I have scheduled the weekend to complete TGCDP, perfect activity for a long weekend! Stay tuned, I'm a little overwhelmed at present. I will document the finished quilts from the top shelf and post photos. This evening I am going to draw up my plan for new, improved, zones and how I visualize the completed closet space existing to make the most of the intended storage/staging area. Likely there will be clearly defined zones for finished quilts, fabric, flimsies, machines and a few well-selected UFO's! No more dedicated space to clutter and deferred decisions!

Freed from the burden and weight of stashed debris and half-done projects I can almost 

feel myself soaring on a jet-stream of creative opportunity and artistic expression. 

It won't be long...

Life is Good!

Grrrrr!

Yesterday was one of those days; the kind you look forward to, the kind you plan for, the kind where you just KNOW that you're going to get sew much done! I had half a dozen burp cloths to stitch, a pretty pink quilt on Sundance waiting for me and a few borders to add to a baby quilt that is under construction. The day dawned cool and misty, with the promise of more rain, I didn't even need to feel guilty about not going outside and staying home all day! I poured a cup of coffee and carried it into my studio, I decided to work some machine embroidery first thing. I lingered over the design process a little longer than I should have, but it didn't matter... after all, I had the whole day ahead of me! After loading the designs on a memory stick I powered up my machine and hooped a burp cloth for embroidery. I began to stitch... in fits and starts. The bobbin thread continued to fray, snap and break. I worked on the bobbin case, adjusting the tension and ripping out the faulty stitching. I had a LOT of practice with this procedure; repeating it over and over, and over again. I was growling by this time, at noon I still didn't have one burp cloth completed! By the time I fixed the problem and completed the first one I could feel the day unraveling; I knew that I needed to simply walk away, eat a late lunch, and regroup. The afternoon proved worse (from a productivity standpoint) than the morning, my growling got louder and the plan for the day evaporated. My machine decided not to recognize the memory stick anymore. (Luckily, I was able to upload some designs from the stick to my computer files for safe keeping before it quit working entirely!) I hauled my laptop over to the machine and sent the designs directly via a patch cord, I finished the fourth burp cloth at 4 PM, I was still in my pajamas(!) and desperately needed a shower; but, I'm stubborn, and decided to bind the edges and trim out the four that I had completed stitching. I broke two machine needles in a row and found that I couldn't top-stitch a straight line without skipping stitches to save my life. My husband decided to take over dinner duty, he sent me to the shower and fixed me a cheeseburger, just what this growling lion needed! I turned on some music after dinner, it calmed the savage beast; the finishing proceeded smoothly and without interruption. By 9 PM I had four burp cloths done, the pretty pink quilt was still untouched and that baby quilt under construction was, by now, nothing more than a distant memory. Yesterday was one of those days, you know the kind. Grrrrr!

Today is another day,
Life is Good!

Early Morning Solitude

I creep out of bed in the dark of the early morning hours when the house is still quiet and I am alone with my thoughts, this is my favorite time of day. I start the coffee and boot up the computer while it's brewing. I check my e-mail, browse the blogs, and write my morning pages. The day is still; like a "trick can" of nuts sitting untouched on a shelf. I make a list of plans for my day to come and drink in the solitude, all the while knowing that soon the day will begin in earnest, the noise of the house coming to life and the daylight will surround me; just as though the lid has inched itself off and the cloth covered spring "snake" has burst it's own way out. Another day is underway, and will be, until late tonight when I carefully push that "snake" back into it's overnight resting place. Tomorrow morning's ritual will appear altered with the time change; it will seem earlier at first, it always does. But then, things will resume their familiar pattern and that all-too-eager "snake" will try to get a jump on me once again!

Life is Good!

Commit!

Last week, at Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival, I attended a lecture by Augusta Cole. I took notes. She outlined her model for productivity and success. Among other items that I jotted down was this: "commit to your work, set a goal, establish a deadline (deadlines make a difference)". Here is the tangible result. I came straight home and loaded this quilt onto Sundance. I am completing the handwork on the binding today. I can't reveal the front yet, it is a gift, but I will offer show and tell soon. I am adhering to this plan, outlined by Augusta: "measure your success by continued forward movement". Hmmm... sounds good, I can do this! I was ready to hear the words and take down notes, her lecture proved to be just the nudge I needed!

Life is Good!

Fools Rush In...

...smart people take their time and calmly approach tasks with deliberate forethought! Think of today's post as a public service announcement. When has anything ever gone well when you've rushed into it, headlong, without thinking? I daresay never, or at the very most; rarely (and that rare occasion was most likely pure luck) . For me, when I take the time to plan, and think, the day turns out much better: my quilt blocks sew up square and true, the iron doesn't run out of steam halfway through a shirt, the required ingredients for that new recipe I wanted to try out are in place and waiting. And then, there's the rest of my life... the mad rush when I cram as much as I can into every hour without planning or thinking. Groan. I'm here today to tell you, that doesn't work out so well. I was going to heat up some left over popcorn shrimp from my dinner out Friday evening. I preheated the cookie sheet to 425 degrees and removed it from the oven, placed the shrimp (and fries and hushpuppies) on the sizzling surface and immediately proceeded to pick it up with my BARE HAND to return it to the oven for a few minutes. Here's the PSA: DON'T DO THAT! Think first, use a potholder! Once I peeled my seared fingers free from the cookie sheet, and applied ice, I remembered the part about the pan being hot. Hmmm. Too much on my mind? Blame my dwindling hormone levels? Slow down and think first? Yeah, maybe that's what I should do!

I have my formerly skin-covered fingers to remind me.
Life is Good!