Using Favorite Fabrics

Yup...a  new deal for me...I am using my favorites as I work with color.

See, I heard several times, that there is no trailer hitch for the hearse.

Not that I am going anywhere...but it is nice to be prepared...and have sewing fun.

The above pattern is what I am working on...a charm pack baby blossom quilt by Sew she Sews.  I love the bottom one, but I do not have enough fabric.

Tomorrow is Dylan's 12th birthday.  Tuesday is my daughter's birthday and Monday week is my SIL's birthday...and then my DIL's birthday and the day after that, Ava turns four!!  Amazing Grace.

Today, I got out of the house to reclaim myself.  I waited in line at Costco for gas and had to be taught a new way of holding my card up instead of swiping it.  Even at Costco, my gas bill was $40 for a little over a half of a tank. $3.34 a gallon. ($3.59 elsewhere)

Next up, I actually got out of my car to get money from an ATM.  I did not catch Covid, nor did I fall and no one stole my money...WOW!!!

 Normalcy, almost!

  Next to the credit union was Whichwich...yummy sandwich.  I parked in front, called them, the girl took my order, came to the car for my card and delivered my meal to spoiled me. (a little cup of M and M's was a surprise inside the bag)  I sent off my tax information, Zoomed four hours with my I-Pad on my sewing table. I sewed and sewed and had a regular fine day.

Chilly tonight, so the cats and I will sleep under three quilts with the windows cracked...Just thought you might like to know:)

 

Love Comes in all Ages

 No UFO for me tonight...Using my cool cutter and starting something new:

Charm Square Blossoms by Sew She Sews

Messing around with scraps while I Zoom with friends. I so love scraps.

Four more days and Dylan turns 12..Unbelievable.

Lynsey turned 13..Watch out world!

A truly teenage present...chandelier included.

Gifted by loving relatives:  Grandma, Patti and Wayne

These kids have so much love from so many people

xoxo

My Gratitude Transforms me.

Boo on the back porch admiring my huge bolt of Kantha Cloth.

It was made for Valori Wells. It looks handmade but I do not know how that can be.

It would take me forever to do this and there are bolts and bolts sold commercially.

I think this is a gift that will keep on giving.  Bolt label said it cannot go in the dryer, so I have to be careful as to what I make from it...Exciting!

Some days are good and some not so good.

Hope is yellow today, in the bloom of a Daffodil.

I slept all day long.  Tonight, in the dark, I went outside to baste a quilt.  It was a small one but I could do  it.  My son used to spray baste all my quilts.  I miss that.  He was so helpful.  Now, it is hard for me to cut the batting and arthritis makes it hard to baste.  But, carry on I do...and this one will be done in the next few days for my finish number three of 2022.

I love my new electric Accuquilt. Last night I cut for still another new  project.  All my projects are smallish  now-a-days.  Off, to organize a mess as kids will be home tomorrow morning xo

Sewing Hacks from the Foldline 

Dabbling in Boring Blue

 

                                                  Boring Blues top finished.

I have a perfect backing for it, but I do not want to use it.

I want to savor it and pat it and love it on my shelf...Dear, dear me!!

Ok Ok, I used it.  See, these bears are really dark blue...It is so perfect...Sigh, why is it so hard to use favorite fabric????

Sun in Charlotte brings a good day, made better by my Boo!

Meg and I,  at least five year fellow travelers in the widowhood of ALS.

Yesterday, we met for the first time...Soooo wonderful!!

Tonight, as I was just settling in, enjoying my very clean house....this present appeared on my door step.

Within minutes, Boo had chosen Kantha cloth by Valori Wells, over Kaffe.

I wonder if this video upload will work. I am not very good at this. I hope so. Aoife is following her shadow and waving goodbye to it.

The very best for last...Our Aoife finds her shadow!!!

So cute.

I do not know how people find out that I love fabric!!!!!

An outing to the grocery store  today, 50% masked and 50% not masked. The mask mandate for  North Carolina was lifted  yesterday. I, however, mask up. Going to sew a bit before bed.  Glad, after all, that I used the bears for my boring blue quilt.

Guild Sit and Sew once I am up in the morning.

xo

A Good Day in the Carolinas

 

My new blue bricks cut with perfection with  my new electric cutter.

Mr. movie star just cannot stay out of the picture!!

 A cold, but sunny day, spent at the indoor pool, napping and sewing.

Talked with both of my children today.

What could be better.

Tomorrow Lynsey  turns 13..like in 17 minutes.  She is still isolated at  her mother's house.  Hopefully, the kids will be home tomorrow evening after  her little party .

Today was a good and restful day.

Happy Valentine's Day

 A lovely Valentine card from: artist, Linda Swanecamp

I am Oh, so honored to be on her list of love.

From me to the world:  Tulips.  I love Sunflowers first and Tulips second...

Joy on my table.

My dear man said to me:  Happy Valentine's Day!  He said he was proud of me and loves me.

He said that because from where he is now, he could not access Amazon Prime. Would I please do it for him?  He knew that my arthritis was continuing to interfer with my sewing.

And so, here is Accuquilt Go Electric.

I just could not go to bed without cutting all these quick and accurate blocks, as I figure this out.

I am so grateful..

I was going to get  him the box of chocolates that he loved.  But, I knew, that he knew, I would eat them all myself.  Neither of us would approve of that!!

Love lasts forever 💕💕

xoxox

The Super Sewing Bowl

Yesterday's wonderful sun.

Boo enjoying the day, just because I am out there...Otherwise he is afraid of his shadow.

He was named Boo because we got him at Halloween and he was white like a ghost. It was the right name for him as he turned out to be some scaredy cat!!

Grandma also enjoyed the lovely sunny day.  Good thing as today is  cloudy, rainy and freezing.

My chicken quilt top is done...Chickens are from Spoonflower.

Nine patches were found in one of my UFO boxes.

This was my first choice for backing, but once on the design wall, I loved it too much for the chickens...

Second choice was pineapples...so I went with that.

My vintage type one patch in green...showing old backing

Totally done:  snipped, hugged and washed....fabric from my man's shirts, from Goodwill dresses (25% off on senior day) and from random scraps.

Potholder starts...I took this picture after dinner,

Sewing while Zooming, the potholders are all finished now!!

I had a lovely nap or two today.  Now I am so ready to stay up all night and sew!!

Dylan is sick with sore throat and  head ache...The kids will stay at their mother's house still another night until they are tested. They have missed soooo much school.  My guess is that they are not the only ones...This Covid thing is stressful for kids too!!

It is only 11:30 pm.  I think I might have time to play with my new cutter before bed...

So excited.

 

Love and Hate got Married

Random old squares turned into a lovely scrap quilt...my favorite kind.Quilting finished on my Tuesday Sit and Zoom..Will finish this tonight.

A UFO  wow...So proud of myself.  Maybe this is number 2?  Not sure.  I am counting impaired.

Rhiannon

This quilt was made 12 years ago.  I loved it so much that I kept it.  Then my mother loved it so she used it.  Last week a dear friend lost her 37 year old husband to an opiate overdose.  I am mailing this quilt to her with the love and comfort inside it.

Seventy degrees in Carolina blue skies...a lovely day in Charlotte.

My hairdresser met me in my driveway for a haircut.  I can now see my face.

I went to the library where a lovely woman installed my new library app and picked up my book for me.  Went to Trader Joe's for snack food for Sunday's Sewing Bowl.  My cleaning lady came...whew...such a relief  In 20 minutes my XDIL will be here to take her children for the weekend...and my Sew-a-thon will begin.  Of course tomorrow I will be able to read a book outside in the sun...Yeah!!! A February treat!!

Lynsey threw a fit. I hate to sew.  It is your fault Grandma...I hate it.  Fine Lynsey don't sew.  I will help you..NO..leave me alone!!  Ok, then....

Bingo...she got it and sewed away.

Stitch has been hanging around the sewing room since Lynsey is here sewing.

He is really her cat.  She went to iron her piece.  When she came back...Voila...

 

Love

Love, as in memories of Aoife.

Love, as in Dylan organizing and putting neatly away my Halloween fabric, in February!!.

Love, as in quilted hearts.

Love, as in Lynsey's cake frosting...guaranteed to help me lose weight????

OR, more of me to love!!

Love, as in the perfect blue backing for the orange stroller quilt.

(nice to have a stash)

Love, instead of murder.

Ha Ha Ha

 

Hope and Cheer

One day at a grateful time!!

Our very first Daffodil bloom...February 4, 2022 on this rainy day .

It brings cheer and  hope today.

As long as I am bragging on Beth's gift, I am going to brag on Linda S heart too...So lovely!  This is the first time in 9 years that I have decorated for Valentine's Day!

Saturday night:  With all the energy I had from being saved by my sister today;

I finished this top...just need a bit of a border:  It is scraps from my Crossroads quilt.

I zoomed and sewed at the same time...so fun!!!

Yesterday was rough...today my sister came to save me.  She did the dishes, had the kids sweep the floors and start laundry...OMG  Then she took them on an adventure all day long...Amazing the difference that made in my disposition.  Grateful for my sister!!!xoxo  (now I want to stay up all night and sew)

 

It is all in how we look at it...

I finished 4  hearts. So much fun. Lynsey is almost done with hers too. 

And, it is only February 3rd.

Really, I am on it this year..Usually I am making Christmas or Halloween quilty things now.  This  year I have the season right...so proud of myself. Even without a valentine of my own, I can now see that the world is my valentine.

This bird lives in our big sewing room.  Hanging from the light cord, it has a mystical effect.  All in how you look at it.

My girl and her man gave me this rice cooker for Christmas.  They love theirs.

Last night Lynsey read the directions and made rice...She was sooo thrilled with herself.

Today she went to school, all better. Thank you God!!

Now, the cleaning lady is sick.  This is clearly the season of sickness.

The days of wild and free seem to be over.

Thank God for fabric.

Thank God for sewing friends.

Thank God, just for today, Thank God.

Tomorrow lunch outside with friends, all wrapped up for the cold, of course.

And, I am going to have the  kids pick our first daffodil blossom of the season.

It is about Hope!!!