Busy Day

 Busy day yesterday I added the border to this graduation quilt then I basted two quilts, today I put my foot on the pedal and machine quilt. Another chilly overcast day a good day to spend in the sewing room.  --Ann--

Design wall

The next graduation quilt...... this one for niece, she likes blue, but she is not going to the school that has the beautiful blue and yellow colors, the school she chose has brown and yellow for school colors  what kind of a school choses brown for a school color??? I thought I would do the same pattern as the helitrope and hollyhock quilt I finished earlier this year with the navy where the light squares were.  I do not like it.  There is not enough contrast so I moved the 4 patches.... they create a line of interest but still not working.  Its chaotic.  Flip through some books, look at it from across the room, glance at it while I flip the lights off and on, make a cup of coffee.  Rearrange the blocks into a double 4 patch that was boring so I rearranged the 9 patch block so the 4 patches are in the corners and the solid squares are in the sides. 

That is a big improvement.  I had the 4 patches all turned the same direction but like them better radiating from the center of each 9 patch.  That is what a design wall is for arrange the blocks on the wall not on the floor on my knees even though I was on my knees for the bottom row.  Then step back and look, squint my eyes and look.  I have two grays for sashing and a cream which is so close in value to the flannel  you can't tell the difference.  I'm leaning toward the gray but yardage will be the determining factor.  Maybe add a couple yellow cornerstones. Use it up and make do.  --Ann--

off the needles

The ground was white again when I went to bed last night. It won't last through mid morning like good April snow.

Another pair of Bunny Hop socks finished these are for DD for her birthday I'll stuff a wad of  money in the toe too.  I just wish it would get warm enough to wear short socks and short pants and short sleeves and no wool sweater.  Summer will be so sweet after this extended winter.  --Ann--

quilt top together

 

These blocks were so fast to sew together then to trim and sew them together again.  I used sashing between the blocks when I did this pattern months ago the sashing hides a mulititude of sins when I was trimming the blocks there are a lot of seams that don't line up straight.  It doesn't take much to distort the block when all the seams are on a bias.  I could drive myself crazy arranging these separating two blocks that are similar in color or print leads to a problem where the next block lands so this is the way they are.  Here's a link to the pattern.  Spring and winter are still duking it out here, one day its calm sunny and  almost warm then the north wind blows in again sometimes with a few snowflakes.  Good thing there is more fabric in the stash.  --Ann--

Parts to start

 

A nice pile of quilt parts to start a new quilt for great niece for high school graduation. She likes bright colors.  I'm impressed that parts for 20 blocks fit so neatly on the puzzle tray.  Next week we will see what the blocks look like.  --Ann--

another finish

 

I made this quilt to replace one I made a couple decades ago its hubby's favorite because its homespun and after it is washed and through the dryer a few times it has a very soft drape to it.  One day after washing the old quilt I noticed a hole in the back. It apparently got caught in the joint of the footrest hardware of the recliner, someone fixed the tear with super glue.  That's someones fix for almost everything.

I have been finishing a lot of things lately more so than starting.  I have changed I used to start things lots of things and not finish them for a very long time.  I can still find some unfinished projects in the Hall of CRAP. Why the change I wonder.........especially with quilts?  Part of the fun was emptying a new bag of fabrics fresh from the store and I usually had a pattern in mind when I purchased the fabric.  Now the decision is round about when I work from my stash I look at the fabrics then think of a pattern then look at my books and think of a different fabric eventually the pattern and fabrics come to an agreement and I get to work.  I need to get started on graduation quilts but this one was sitting at the machine and I just couldn't get my head around starting a new quilt until this was finished. I had pulled out fabrics but didnt want to cut until this was finished, I even had to finish the binding before starting the next. Now I'm ready to start something new.  --Ann--

Footie finish

Those few warm days we had inspired me to knit cotton footies  the pattern is Bunny Hop Anklets and the yarn I used is Tuti Fruiti by Regia Schachenmayer, its soft and its stretchy.  The lace pattern knits fast, the heel has five short row segments and they do stay up in most of my shoes but just for fun I added an I-cord loop instead of a pom pom.  I have more of this yarn is several colors.  New socks for summer and just waiting for the next warm day.  --Ann--

off the needles

Just a small finish.  The stitich pattern looks like a cable but its not.  (Knit 4 , p2 )for 6 rows then move the purl stitches to the left so the row started with p2, then (k4,p2 ) for 6 rows then start row with k2, p2, (k4, p2) for 6 rows then  repeat the sequence, super simple. The stiches look like they are twisting.  I did the slip stitch heel.

Summer like temps over the weekend then it got cold again and rainy so still wearing wool here.  The grass turned green overnight.  Hope spring is finding where you live.  

--Ann--

Sun room

 

I sat there in the sunroom drinking my coffee as I do most mornings even though it’s not the sunroom until afternoon. A purple finch, the kind with the rosy pink head, landed on the deck rail he tipped his head to me and we studied each other for a while. He learned all he cared to then flew away. Three robins perched in the locust tree discussing the best place to pick up chicks. That doesn't sound politically correct, should I say looking for a mrs.? That sounds equally incorrect. Maybe they were dicussing real estate.  A junco flitted in and out of the spruce tree. The robins left only to be replaced by a few black birds, they stretched their wings then positioned themselves all facing in the same direction. And flew away. Two cardinals came and sang a wooing song, she was not impressed the way she shooed him away.  A few crows flew over one circled then followed the others to the grain elevators to the west. More blackbirds came and went. A lone mourning dove sat for a while with feathers puffed out, I love their gentle cooing. So peaceful compared to the larger invasive dove that is almost as large as a laying hen, with it’s coarse raspy call that sounds like it spent the night in a bar smoking and drinking cheap booze.  And then my coffee was cold so I reheat it and knit a couple rows. --Ann--

watercolor courtesty of an app

Happy Easter

 Happy Easter Rejoice the Lord is Risen.      --Ann--

Baskets

Another couple checks off the list.  Coil wrapped Easter baskets for two special little girls.  I tried so hard to make them exactly the same size but........... I did use the same yardage of clothesline in each basket but the shapes are a little different.  Well now they nest for easy storage.  That wouldn't have happened if I tried to do that! I sewed the smaller basket mostly at one sitting at the sewing machine.  The other one had lots of interruptions which is maybe why it is a little more flared and consequently a little broader.  They are done and now to fill them.  I bought a few yards of nylon netting in green and some tulle to use for grass so I won't be pickeing up cellophane grass for weeks to come.

Happy Easter.  --Ann--