What I'mWorking On

Last week was the third week of the month, always my busiest outside the studio. But I did manage to make a little headway in several areas.  First, the Bible blocks ...  I failed to complete my goal of 40 in 40 days 😞 but I'm happy with what I did.

That's thirty 10-inch blocks on the board (in no particular order), there's two more that I would like to remake with different fabrics, and three 15-inchers I will use for pillows or a table runner.  A total of 35 ain't too bad, right?  I just didn't like the mix of 10" and 15" plus I didn't want to make all the little filler blocks required in the pattern.

When I asked my husband's opinion, his reaction was something like "Acckkk" (or maybe it was "Arrggg").  Anyway, I reassured him this was not the final setting; in fact, I plan on sashing the blocks so that they each shine on their own.  But here's my dilemma: thirty 10-inch blocks, even with sashing, will not fit a king-size bed.  So I resorted to my favorite way of making a quilt bigger -- set on point.

(BTW, the design wall is on a queen Murphy bed flanked by bookcases, so it's about the size of a king mattress.)

As I was testing this theory, I also began grouping the blocks by similar style -- crosses, pinwheels, HSTs, stars -- in order to get an even distribution.  But now I need to choose a sashing that is not one of the fabrics in the blocks (or at least one that does not appear on the outside of any block).  The solid cream I chose is too white, I feel navy is too heavy, and robin's-egg blue is on the edge of too many blocks.  Time to shop!  I'll be looking for a cream that is slightly darker than my main background fabric.

I did manage to fit in a lot of prepping and a little bit of sewing, mostly on the 3-yard quilt kits I'm putting together for Devo and Sew.  More on that next time ...

Scrapbook of My Youth

My mother, known affectionately by many as The Momma (in the 60s everyone had a nickname), must have saved a scrap of everything she ever made for me -- from baby to prom dresses, and everything in between.  

Mother took up quilting not long before the 1976 Bicentennial.  Although she was an accomplished machine sewer, she did most of her quilting by hand.  I think that generation thought it wasn't a "real quilt" if not made by hand -- at least that was my MIL's attitude.  So Mother had a goal of making at least one quilt for each of us three kids. The middle brother's was entirely cross-stitched, probably a pre-printed kit, which was then quilted by some Amish women in Kentucky.  

Otherwise The Momma was strictly into quilt-as-you-go (a Georgia Bonesteel/Lap Quilting fan through and through) so my older brother and I each received a Cathedral Window.

While my brother's was made with yellow background and quilt shop fabrics, the "window" inserts in mine were mostly fabrics from my clothes alternated with a green and white polyester gingham.

This is a very labor-intensive process that requires a lot of folding and turning back bias edges and whip-stitching the units together -- beyond my pay grade!  The stitching on the curves becomes the quilting on the back. There is no batting.

Looking at this quilt is like looking at a scrapbook of my youth.  This pretty little pink is from one of the first dresses she ever made for me.

There are several  other delicate pastel prints that I can't remember, probably baby dresses.  This floral polished cotton was an Easter dress, I'd guess about 6th grade.

I remember these cowboys, but not the garment.

The red rose fabric was a shorts outfit I remember wearing to Brownie Scout Camp.

The brown in this window is from a top I made in high school to go with a suit.

And those elves just creep me out!

I have no remembrance of that fabric at all.  

Included in this quilt are lots of pajamas and a even a pair of peddle-pushers I made in high school.

Like I said, The Momma was into hand quilting, not only because it was "real" quilting, but because it was easy to take along on my parents' extensive travels after retirement.  In fact, the last column of this quilt was finished in South Africa where my folks were visiting middle brother in 1975.

(Mother heard that you should always date your handwork so that when you become famous people can distinguish your early works from your later ones!)

I am embarrassed by how dirty this quilt is.  It got lots of  use when we still had a double bed.  Because of all the hand stitching, I'm afraid to launder it.  However, no amount of washing will get rid of the pilling in the polyester background! (My dad worked for DuPont in Dacron ... 'nuff said).

Lots of memories in this quilt.  The amazing thing to me, though, is I never encountered those scrappy treasures the many times I was sneaking a peak at Mother's drawers and the cedar chest when she wasn't looking.  The scraps were probably in a box labeled "Libby's Scraps" right next to the box labeled "Christmas Presents" in the attic! (We kids knew what was in that box and we could peak if we wanted to, but I never did.)

77 and Counting

... the Pounds! 

Oh, My, what a delightful birthday getaway!  I used very little restraint, but after eating light on Friday I find I only gained 1.5 pounds.   Anyway, here's the wrap-up.

On Tuesday we arrived at Fall Creek Falls State Park a little early and since the lodge lounge opened at 3 p.m. we decided it would be a nice time to make friends with Mary, the bartender (and it paid off in the end).  I'll just say the locally brewed Calfkiller Ale is a killer winner!  We finally got checked in and poured our first glass of wine to enjoy on the patio outside our ground-floor room.  Check out the view:

We were soon joined by our son and daughter-in-law for an early libation and they brought me a "Snip'n' Gro" lettuce bowl (colander).  

Water daily, harvest from the outside, and it's supposed to keep producing.  We'll see how soon I can kill it.

We eventually made our way to the dining room; however, since they were short of servers, we opted to dine in the bar (with Mary).  I had steak-smothered nachos (and a lot of heartburn later) -- delicious!

On Wednesday we met the kids for breakfast after their walk, then bid them safe travels home as we headed to our walk in the park (otherwise known as golf).  

My first outing of the season and I had to lie about my score on every hole, but it was great to be outdoors in the sunshine and 70 degrees.  After lunch in the course snack bar, we stopped at a little overlook ...

... then proceeded to the nature center where the falls are a little bigger ...

Again, we had dinner in the bar, this time fish and chips for each of us.  We could have split an order but it sure was delicious!

Thursday morning our plan was to see the "real" falls that the park is named for.  We woke to this view from our patio:

By the time we got to the other side of the lake, however, the fog had lifted.  We checked out the boat dock procedures for future kayak launches, then headed to Fall Creek Falls which plunges 256 feet into a pool.

Frankly, it's a little underwhelming, but it is the tallest waterfall in the Eastern US.   From there we motored on to the Piney Creek Falls.

It was a rugged walk over big boulders but our newly-purchased hiking poles helped.  It was worth the hike!

I wish you could hear the roar!  We had to head back to the lodge so that I could catch the NCAA Women's Gymnastics semifinals at noon.  I harvested some salad greens and prepared my version of a "charcuterie" tray for our lunch.

Another visit with Mary at 3, where we ordered chicken linguine to take out as the second session of gymnastics conflicted with dinner time.  Mary, knowing it was my birthday, treated me to cheesecake for dessert.  (I told you it would pay off in the end.)

All-in-all, a great birthday!

More Women

 I had to play catch-up at the end of last week and still only finished six of my seven goal blocks for Women of the Bible.

Anna

Salome

Priscilla 

I also made three other 10-inch replacement blocks that have not yet been assigned to a name.

Mr. Lakeside and I are taking a mini-vacation this week to celebrate my birthday, so it's doubtful I will get much done.  I will have some handwork along with me in case the weather doesn't cooperate, but the plan is to golf and hike as much as we are able (body willing).

RSC '22

 I've been negligent in reporting my Rainbow Scrap Challenge Progress.  Last month I made a few more Chaser blocks (Cynthia Brunz pattern) in yellow and gold ... 

and very (far-too) light yellow Labor Day Madness and Pinwheel Madness blocks.

This month I finished a few more Chaser blocks in hot pink ...

... and a pair of LD Madness and Pinwheel Madness in light and hot pink ...

Not bad for the beginning of a busy birthday month.

Meadow Mist Mystery

 Today's the day to link up, so here's my finished Macaron Mystery top.

  

It was a bit windy and DH holder is a bit short, but you get the idea.  I see I still need to add corner triangles on two of the corners.  I'm also thinking about a top and bottom border.

 

Here it is getting a final press ...

... and a closeup of the fabrics ...

.

I really enjoy Cheryl's mysteries.  She gives information about which fabrics will touch which, and she only provides one clue per month so it is easy to manage.  Thanks, Cheryl, for fun challenges!

Where did the week go?

Like me, do you have regular events/meetings/chores that fall on the first this or the third that of the month?  So why is it when a fifth week rolls around, and nothing is on the schedule, I have very little to show for my time?

Such was last week.  I know part of my distraction was this:

I'm a big fan of the lesser amateur sports and between the NCAA women's gymnastics, the Augusta National Women's Amateur golf tournament, and Drive, Chip, and Putt for kids, I was pretty much glued to the TV all week.

I did get 5 out of 7 Bible blocks done-- Esther, Naomi, Mary, Noah's Wife, and Lois & Eunice.

I am replacing the 15" blocks with a 10" variation, if possible.  Otherwise I am simply choosing another 10" block as a replacement.  So time was spent researching/choosing the replacement blocks.

Realizing that the Meadow Mist Mystery link-up is Thursday of this week, I pulled out my project only to discover that I still had about 8 blocks to finish (though the pieces were all done and pinned together).  The blocks are now finished and the rows assembled.  

All that is left is a few long seams, a good pressing, and trimming the edges.  This should be an easy finish before Thursday.  However there is a memorial service today, blood work and Devo tomorrow, mammogram on Wednesday and a committee meeting Thursday morning.  And then there's The Masters golf tournament ...  Sheesh, when will I have time for yardwork and house cleaning?