Back Trackin' and Updatin'

Well aren't we havin' a year? Earlier this year I made two quilts from a ballet themed white sheet I found at the Goodwill store. 

These two went to my grand-nieces, and I have one more yet to quilt and bind for my granddaughter. 

I have retired from my job at the College effective August 1, so I have more time on my hands to do what I want. I thought I would sew, golf. and garden, but so far I have hunkered down at home with a bad case of poison ivy. 

On the mend though...strange times we live in; I am glad to be recovering from something as easy as a rash!

 

Hexagons and Yoyos

When Mom, Linda Branock, died, I pretty much quit quilting. She had helped me get started on this, so now, almost 4 years after she died, I am working on the quilt she wanted to see me finish.

I have it laid out, and I am working to applique the blue hexagons onto the brown and lavender frame strips. I sit on the floor to stitch it. Yep, it is killing my body, but I don't want to lift it and have the edges to shift. I used spray baste (and pins), but you never know. 

It took me a minute to figure if I wanted the brown or the green frame (you can just see it at the sides of the blue hexagons), but I think the brown looks really good. Both the brown and green are from Mom's Lilac Hill collection of fabrics. (http://www.unitednotions.com/fcc_lilac_hill.pdf)

That was a lovely line of prints. (*sigh*)

 This is a close up of the hexagons (they still have their papers in). I was considering a faded text fabric, but when I put it on the design wall, it looked wrong. Maybe I'll use it in the borders. I have not decided about border fabric, but I laid some portions out (first photo) to see what might go.

AND here is the yoyo shawl I am calling finished. It has 966 yoyos. Don't ask how long it took me; all I can say is "years."

 Holler at me....I don't know if anyone still reads blogs. I do sometimes!

Wait Awhile; Things Will Change (originally posted 4/4/18)

When my grandson, Everett, was born, I thought I'd make him a baby quilt. He is now 18 months old, and it is not finished. It now has borders, but they are not the orange ones. 

Once I remembered how to turn on my machine, I began chain piecing 10 inch squares together.

 Ironed them open and arranged them.

Sewed them together; realized I'd gotten them out of order, got pissy about it and put it away. I bought baby gifts.

 Looking back at these pictures, I really like the original border plan! Darn. I like the new one too. Just not as much. See the kitty border I put on it? I found it while cleaning out my sewing room.

I've since rejoined the guild I was a member of 5 years ago. They are having a challenge: finish 12 projects in 1 year, and you will earn a PhD in quilting.

Sounds like a good idea...

Big YO YOs (original post 9/26/2010)

I have been working on these really big yo-yos,

choosing borders,

I got the borders on (sorry, I'm saving it for later), and the free-motion paralysis set in, so I started a smaller project using the super giant yo-yos. This time in yellow.

Not too bad.

Today I am resting.  I was sick this morning, and thinking it was a reaction to Metronidazole (or a heart problem), so was heading out the door to the ER when I thought I'd try my asthma inhaler.  Well I'll be darned!  Much better.  I am new to this asthma thing.  I don't wheeze.  I cough.  But this morning it was all about headache, flushed skin, blurred vision, shortness of breathe and extreme fatigue. The antibiotic makes me feel icky, but not usually that icky, so

I will drink lots of good tea.

Which I keep in my Bubba Keg.

And Kitten will maintain her foreign-film watching pose most of the day.

STILL working on it

Need to get the hexies appliqued to the border!!!

What's the Hurry?

As I have gotten older, and observed the changes life shows all around, I value "slow" time more. In the past, I have let so much rush past me without my having absorbed and processed the lessons and experiences offered.

Along with scaling back my pace, I am scaling back on household goods. I have rented a storage room, and packed my garage full of items to sell, donate or store. The stored items I am not ready to part with, as hopes for time sewing is still a part of me.

Joey and I are seeing what we can get into as we take time to observe and reflect.

2016

I was recently sick, so I resumed some long abandoned hand sewing.

 Looking back at 2016:

I traveled to Malaysia (December).

Shangri La hotel's beach in Kota Kinabalu

Thank you, Dr. Karlheinz Wunner (love), you gave me the an experience of a lifetime!

I traveled to the Mediterranean (May).

Maiden voyage of the Carnival Vista; we went to 12 cities in the Mediterranean in 14 days. Beyond amazing!

Thank you, Rich Mason, from the bottom of my heart.

Both trips were absolutely amazing.

I also have a new, restored garden. It was necessary work due to extreme water damage to the original installation.

The Garden Shed

The new steps

Additional steps to the re-located arbor

View from the edge of the patio

And last night I attended the NYE celebration at the Lake Lanier Yacht Club. I enjoy dressing up. I can't help it.

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I was also blessed to experience significant music, film, theater performances and welcome two grandchildren. Here is to continuing the amazing journey life has gives me. And so, in 2017,

I resolve to expand and deepen my community connections. Oh, and also reduce my handicap to under 40... 

Old photo from a German community charity tournament. It was the third round I'd ever played.

My little granddaughter has a smile that lights up my world. Avery Juniper will be 18 months old this month. Her mom, Chelsea has been such a blessing to my son (Andy) and our family. 

 I didn't begin making Avery's baby quilt until she was delivered safely into the world, so, of course, I finished it in the parking lot where her first birthday party was held.

 Her name is blanket stitched wool. I was worried how it would wash, but it is totally fine; Chelsea washes it a lot. I machine quilted all but the strips containing her name. There I did random big stitch (really just hand quilting with embroidery floss).

 I love the circus fabric on the back.

I have been searching Pink Chalk, Hancock's of Paducah and Fat Quarter Shop for something to use for Everett's quilt. I like Animal ABC's, but I may make a trip to Intown Quilters in Decatur to see what I can find.

Everett? Oh yeah, small (teehee) detail. Everett Landon was born Tuesday, August 2. He and his mom, Meredith (Eron's wife), are still in the hospital. C-sections are not easy things to go through.

Now I have two grand-babies. 

Life is amazing.

O M G

My last hexagon motif:

Now to choose what color to join them with.

Black?

A light print?

Here's what the print looks like close up:

Tea dyed muslin?

Or light muslin?

Mom, you tell me.

And here is an example of what I do in my spare time:

Blanket the water heater. Exciting huh?

It is 9 p.m. on New Year's Eve and I am in my pjs watching (after I finish this post) the entertainment on TV. I am all about risk avoidance. I hope everyone stays safe so we can all enjoy 2014. Hawk tooey to 2013. I won't miss it.

Holiday Happy Day(s)

I'm getting back to a little sewing. I'd like to make some progress on this hexagon center medallion. I started it at Mom's house back in August. Sewing is not a priority since I started practicing golf. (It's not an obession if you only go to the driving range once or twice a day. Right?)

 Only one more hexie-block to go! Next I have to decide if I am going to do like the picture in the book and join these blocks with unbleached muslin hexagons or black ones. I'll post pictures of both to see what they look like.

My yard project is coming along weather permitting. The ridiculous amount of rain Atlanta had this year put outdoor activities at risk of failure (like the 2013 tomato crop). The whole project began as I searched for someone to correct the horrendous drainage problem in my back yard. Now I have underground drains, steps to access my upper yard and the beginnings of dry creek beds. The trees came down.
The overgrown shrubs were yanked out. And that was the front yard.
The back yard was similarly de-foliated.

Ada Yuen of Eastern Redbud conceived the design. She wanted the storage building gone, but the boys talked me into keeping it, so she will work around it.

I love the steps! Finally easy access to the upper level of the yard. What you cannot see is the network of underground tubes to guide the water away from the house. This was phase one; the phase two plan is on its way to me.

My bed is covered by a quilt Mom made; I cannot wait to hop in and get a good night's rest.

One more thing before I go: Family, friends and neighbors may need us, and sometime we may need them too. Let's get our priorities straight and give each other a hand.