The quiet life...

Spring is coming on strong at my new house. This is the view out my front door. These town houses are a bit different, the front door is on the end of the building, and the garage doors face the street.

This is my view if I look off to the east from my front door. The whole area, where I'm located, is quite new residential. Nothing but houses, town houses and twin homes. I'm about 3 blocks from the main highway through town. There is an airport located about a half block off to my south, but it's too small for jets, so mostly twin engine planes and smaller. Lots of helicopters come and go from here. At first it seemed loud to me, but you get used to it, and now it takes a lot of activity for me to even notice.

And of course, a new picture of Carson who was 3 months on the 19th. Mommy says he's teething like crazy and trying to get up on his hands and knees already. I think he's going to be a "go-er" and will wear Mom out every day!

I certainly do manage to get lost, don't I?

I haven't got a new quilt to show you, as yet, altho I've been sewing almost every day. I haven't moved or been unusually ill. A few bumps and bruises and lots of ups and downs this past winter, but I'm still playing the game! My best and newest love is Carson James, my first great grandchild! He joined out family on Jan 19, 2015, and is 2 months old in this picture. My middle son John is now a grandpa. Carson was born to one of my oldest granddaughters and her hubby. They are young(I think so anyway) but doing a wonderful job as new parents. Daily I'm still plowing through the cutting of scraps into useable pieces and may actually finish that some day, but I'm not sure, LOL. Have a great weekend everyone!

Just when you think it's safe...

to come out of the water, as the old saying goes...oh no!! It changes! Same thing seems to happen with quilts. I thought I was DONE with this orphan block top, but apparently not. Yesterday, while cutting scraps into usable sizes, I found 4 MORE of blue checked center block beginnings! AND, since there was ONE blocks left from the original batch of 26, I now have enough to add one more row to the top. It's about 50" square at the moment, and I wouldn't mind it being one row longer...so I've begun adding the "go-rounds" to those blue centers, LOL, yup, just when you think you're done! Happy stitching everyone XXX

Sunday stuff...

Can hardly believe a week has gone by since I posted. I've had another "go-round" with the pancreas, trip to dr. for an enzyme blood draw and waiting for results. Pulled this small top from my UFO/flimsy pile and decided to make it bigger. More 9 patches from 2" squares being made being. Luckily I had more of the polka dots.

Here is my most recent "crumbs" projects. I've made these scrappy blocks for years and years. Even before Bonnie, blogging or Quiltville, and knew them as "mile-a-minute" blocks. I mostly make a 6.5" size. I stack sets of 10, and separated with a slip of paper. I'm about 300+ ahead at this point, time for a project!

And as for my Dancing 9's, they are being run through between the new 9's(for the polka dotted top) and are stacking up as 4 together blocks. Happy stitching everyone XXX

Sunny Saturday..and other random stuff...

It's only 3:30 here, but feels like it should be at least 7 p.m. Santa's helpers brought supper last evening, and helped set up my Christmas tree. It goes up fast! Note the early "stocking stuffer"... just when it was needed! The tree is fiber optic, from a few years back. It's pretty in the dark, but looks bare in this picture...hmmm?

This is one of Jean's quilt that she was getting rid of last year. It's a panel that she hand quilted for the nursing home's bulletin board. They no longer wanted it, and I adopted it. Looks good on the wall behind my table. And adds some much needed color on these white walls!

Remember these little guys? It's been a few years since I shared this pattern, directions and an old white beard. Did you get one?? Maybe I should a few of these to my "kinda bare" tree.

This quilt(which if fully finished!) was a BOM from my guild way back when. I'm still undecided about doing the new QuiltVille mystery, which is a similar colorway. If I just didn't have sooo many UFOs! But my head keeps playing with the idea of doing it...

and using this fabric as my inspiration. Since I do have fabrics all picked out, I'd just be substituting out one color. Can you guess which one??

Monday stuff...on Tuesday

My innocent bag of scraps exploded today...

into this! After searching for a just ONE more scrap of a certain purple, I captured them into a laundry basket!

This is a work in progress, a compiling of several "beginnings" that I am attempting to unite. I figured a "done" quilt was a "win-win".

I will admit, sometimes I fail to "think ahead". Isn't the first time, I'm sure it won't be the last!

Question is "can I pull it out of the bag?", so to speak. We'll see. I'll be using some of those scraps.

Necessity....

If you want to make this...

or maybe these...

or find yourself 'smitten' by this...

then there is no escape, you just gotta have these!!!!

And to make those even better, another bagful from a really good friend! Got scraps???

Something new from something(s)old...

I am in the creative process! You know how you can just let something "be" what it is? Almost forever? Yup, that's me. But the last of my swapped 2.5" squares from the Y2K swaps are finding a home. They are fairly old, right? Well, add some unused 1.5" strips from an abandoned project and you've got Dancing 9 patches. I have made 88 9 patches, using the "one by one method", meaning it was all 2.5" squares to begin with. I had to cut additional lights, but still have printed squares to use up. Should make about a twin size quilt for a grandkid. The blocks finish at 7.5"

And I wanted to share a glimpse of where I sew. On my OLD Pfaff, circa 1994...it used to be new, but no more. It's not getting better with age. I'm having sewing machine envy all day long!!!

Here's a peek at how I press while sewing. Just off my left side, an old GE travel iron I found in a thrift store. It gets wonderfully hot, has just the right point for getting into tiny spots and stands up very nicely. It's a dry only(as is) but I have the box it came in, and a tiny screw on bottle for steam, not sure how that works, there are no holes in the sole plate. I'm guessing the iron is probably circa 1950s.

I've got 'quilty' stuff on my mind...

Quilty stuff, Monday stuff, Thanksgiving stuff and pancreas stuff! Whew!! That's a lot for one old head! I'm just "a bit" under the weather again, laying pretty low and quiet here in my new nest. The surgeon had laid out his perspective on the future of my pancreas, after the bout with the pancreatitis last summer. Having removed my gall bladder, his opinion didn't change. Apparently I can(and will) continue to experience "episodes" in which it reminds me that all is NOT well, and I should correct my behavior! A few days of that, and I'm ready to cry UNCLE. I've been trying to have some sewing time each day. Sitting at the machine doesn't do much for what is happening under my left ribs however. Progress is slow. But...I have been thinking about making another Railroad Crossing, as pictured above. Next time I do, I'm going to do the "tracks", which is what connects squares, as a 'string' project with varying widths instead of just the usual 1.5" pieces. Maybe even giving Bonnie's paper piecing a trying making them. Hoping to have a some new pictures of the work in progress by tomorrow. And then to see if I can muster some energy for Thanksgiving company.

Monday stuff....

I'm pretty sure it's not just me that finds Monday a challenge. Always seems if there is sticky wicket to be had, it going to be on a Monday. This Monday is C.O.L.D. here in my part of the Midwest. Altho it was about 7 degrees above this a.m., the wind took us down into the minus 11 degree range! Brrrr! Good day to stay inside and sew. I have mastered the picture part of my new computer. It's a bit more complicated than using Windows XP, but I'm getting the hang of it. Spoiler Alert here: These are NOT exciting quilt pictures, and most likely there won't be any really awesome or exciting quilt pictures from me. I'm a scrappy traditional quilt maker, and have never been good at the complicated or fancy stuff. I'm fine if you just want to skip over to other blogs that show those quilts. I like them too, but they aren't my reality. These days I'm thrilled to be able to press, cut scraps into simple shapes, and get them sewn together. Good enough for the grandkids is where it's at. They, as with babies, aren't likely to judge. The first picture is the top that resulted from orphan bits. I'm not fond of square quilts, but that's the number I had to work with. It's about 50" and will be donated. The 2nd top is one I've made completely since moving in here in May. I made up 63 of the double 9 patch blocks, thinking I'd do a snuggle size. When I got them joined up, I changed my mind, made more and with borders, will fit a grandchild's bed. With the new computer, I can tune in to Quiltville's Quilt Cam. Bonnie has become my new sewing companion. The computer is in my sewing room, since that's where the extra phone jack is, and it works great to have her sewing on my computer screen, right next to my machine, LOL! It definitely helps the "alone" aspect. She's having quilt-cam tonight, if you are a follower. See you then!