Welcome June

 But what happened to April and May?  Oh, I remember ...

April included several visits to the hospital, mostly outpatient but one brief inpatient stay and one same-day surgery, all related to catheter malfunctions and UTIs.  In the midst of my trips into town, Spring sprung.  The rhododendron on the bluff in our backyard bloomed on schedule

It was only a knee-high shrub when we moved in 8 years ago.  Now it towers over us.

April also included my birthday when both boys (one from Conway, Arkansas, and one from Nashville) visited us up here on the Plateau.  Sadly I couldn't celebrate with wine as I had surgery scheduled the next day.  I received this thoughtful gift from Alex:

Sadly the message is on the soles so it won't show when I wear them 😒.  

The rest of the month was uneventful although I was able to participate in Creative Hands at our church and sew some at Devo and Sew at another church.

May found me back in the sewing room several days and my current focus is this project which was completely cut so I'm able to whip up a few blocks every day.  

The blocks will be set on point and separated by a zigzag sashing.  The pattern is 1863 by Judy Hasheider,  

I have several "kits" like this that I can pick up for quick sewing.  Hoping to get a good accessible solid surface set up for cutting soon as I have acquired new fabrics that are looking for new projects (as if I need any!).

Sewing Again

Happy to say that I am sewing again!  I'm trying to sew at least 30 minutes a day in 15-minute increments. Mostly stuff that can evolve into a table mat or placemat.  

I'm using my Janome 790 Jem with push-button control on the slowest speed -- about one stitch per second -- but at least it's getting the job done!  

This quilt was on my design wall on July 1, 2025, the day my legs gave way twice and I went to the hospital for the first time.  The pattern is Sunny Day by Moda.  I used the Cheddar Blues fat quarter collection from Connecting Threads.  

The background is a creamy white with tiny blue and orange dotty motifs.  I had started the pieced borders from the leftover prints but did not get them on until recently.  There will be a final wide border of the background fabric when it's done.  A nice throw size.  

The Tale of the Traveling Textiles

I was recently contacted by a friend from our old church in Nashville.  Knowing I was a quilter, she wondered if I would be interested in another church member's stash as she was downsizing.  Of course!

Frankly, the LAST thing I need is more fabric! And the Devo group I sew with had just received a similar de-stash collection that took up all their available storage space.  So I found another group that was interested.  And since they would be retreating close to me soon, I agreed to pick up the fabric when I went to Hermitage for an MRI a few days later.

Four boxes travelled the 15+ miles from South Nashville to Hermitage, a suburb on the east side of Nashville.  Four 20" x 20" x 20" boxes!  Crammed into my accessible van, they travelled the 110 miles back to the Glade. Since it would be several days before I could deliver them to the retreaters, I took the opportunity to open the boxes -- had to make sure it was quality stuff 😁.

Oh my!  Four boxes of fat quarters and pre-cuts -- layer cakes, charm packs, and right triangles.  Have you ever seen pre-cut triangles?

Three packs, all from Moda's American Jane line.  Since cutting is difficult for me, I took advantage of the convenience and stitched all of them together into squares.  I'm still thinking about how I will use them.

I did start a small top with the checked triangles.

I will add a wide red border to make a doll quilt for the great-granddaughter.

The boxes travelled another 25 miles to the retreaters who still had 125 miles to take them home west of Nashville.  In retrospect, I should have just given the church friend a contact name ...

SAHRR26

The Stay at Home Round Robin 2026, led by Quilting Gail (quiltinggail.com) launched yesterday with the first prompt being the center square.  In the past I have used an orphan block as my starting point so I checked to see if there were any prospects in my UFO boxes and I came up with two possibilities.

My first choice was this block that I made as a sample for a class I considered teaching at the guild I belonged to before 2018.  It was from a series in a magazine, I think McCall's Quilting.

I still have some of the fabrics I used in the block and I pulled some coordinating fabrics to go with it.

My second choice looks like it might have started as a round robin. 

If I use it as the "center block," it's already 22" square so it could potentially evolve into a throw-size quilt.  

I think I will wait until the next prompt before I make a decision.  At this point I am favoring the smaller option since I'm not sure if I have the stamina to work at the larger scale.  But, having a week between clues, I can pace myself.  The first step will be setting up a cutting station on the main floor since I can't go to the basement.  

I'm Baaaack!

Happy New Year Y'all

View of the lake (and golf course) from the kitchen table  

A lot has happened since my last post on May 17 and my life has taken a turn.  My legs started getting weaker at the end of last year and this year I had a number of falls -- really more like collapses -- one in the tight confines of a narrow toilet stall in the ladies room at a posh country club in Orlando!  Combined with the two surgical procedures on my spinal column, my brain no longer communicates with my feet.  In the words of my neurologist, I'm paraplegic.

Thanks to my sweet husband, I'm able to get around with a motorized wheelchair.

Needless to say, machine sewing with a foot control is not possible.  Even though my workhorse Baby Lock has a knee control, I can't control my knee, either.   But my Janome has a push-button control so we have set it up on my SewEzi table and, by golly, my wheels fit under the table!  My first project on the new setup will be a doll quilt for the great-GD's birthday.  

Stay tuned!

Quick Update

Thanks for all the well wishes!  Spine surgery on 4/29 went well but hospital had no rehab rooms available  so had to transfer to another nearby hospital.  Complications developed in other areas that will require attention of a specialist.  Just now home for outpatient physical therapy.  I will remain offline; just wanted to bring you up-to-date.

Lib

Going Offline

 Just a note to my faithful followers ...

I will be having a neurosurgical procedure next week.  With trips to Nashville for pre-op testing and just putting up with the unknowns, I haven't touched the sewing machine in a couple of weeks or even thought about blogging.  It's scary to think about and I don't know how long the recovery will take.  So I'll be taking a break for a while.  

Slow Progress

But progress is progress!

While I can only spend a short time each day at the sewing machine, I have been making progress on my project with the Cheddar Blues FQ bundle.  I tried a new technique (for me).  As I finished the blocks I put them randomly on the design wall. This is my first effort at a final layout.

This wall is next to my side of the bed, so every night I would look at it and think about what the final arrangement would be.  Since I'm not able to stand at the wall for any length of time I took a photo and printed it.  Then I cut it apart and rearranged the printed blocks on my very scruffy cutting mat.

I made a couple more adjustments before assembly began.  I want to have this one wrapped up before I have back surgery (yet to be scheduled).  Needless to say, once that happens I won't be sewing for a while!

* * * * *

I hope all my readers have avoided the recent riotous weather that's been rolling across the US.  Both my boys' families, one in central Arkansas and the other near Nashville, were under tornado warnings but have been spared, thankfully.  The Arkansas house is almost surrounded by water but still dry. Those of us on the Plateau (halfway between Nashville and Knoxville) have missed the really bad weather, though we have had some periods of high winds and the lake level is up from the rain.

Spring has definitely sprung but you'd think from the temps it is mid-summer!  By Tuesday, though, we'll have frost warnings again.  Talk about weather whiplash!  It's hard to know what to wear...

Something Shiney

Do you shop at Connecting Threads?  My magazines have drool blotches but I can usually resist the urge to purchase anything.  Until this ...

I simply couldn't resist the yummy goodness of the cheddar and navy blue combination.

I don't normally purchase fat quarter bundles, but my hope was to develop a palette for a class project in September before purchasing the yardage I need.  Alas, I don't think this combo will work for that quilt.  BUT, I have a plan.

This is when you know it's time to stop sewing ...

Stay tuned for further developments!

Jingle Bells

Before I forget, I want to thank everyone for the lovely comments on my Stay-at-Home Round Robin.  Many were No-Reply comments so I am not able to respond personally.  It warmed my heart to have so many positive reactions.

No, it's not Christmas yet.  After I finished the SAHRR I was looking for my next project and decided to work on an earlier SAHRR that deserved to be finished.  I was trying to set some previously-made 4-patches on point, but my measurements on the setting fabric was off so I put t aside.

Instead, I pulled a project box off the pile, thinking it would be a quick finish.

I thought I only had the bow left to fuse on so I sent Alex downstairs in search of my stash of fusible web.  In the meantime, I checked the contents of the box and discovered only the four white strip sections were complete.  The green edge to the ribbon had been cut, but not the red ribbon. I managed to get the lower portion done before I ran out of steam.  It obviously needs to be evened up.

My attention was diverted by another shiney object; I'll tell you more in the next post.

Around the Robin

I have participated in several stay-at-home round robins in recent years, but this is my first time reaching flimsy status.  It will finish at 46 inches.

A star salvaged from an unfinished table runner was my beginning block.

Round 1 - Block with first initial:  The star needed a border so I (Libby) chose to do London Roads.

Round 2 - HSTs:  I was fortunate that I had a stash of finished HSTs in the appropriate colors.

Round 3 - Stars:  I made Ohio Stars to anchor the corners of Round 2 and the upcoming Round  4.    (talk about a math challenge!)

Round 4 - Slashed Block:  I was able to incorporate the three colors of the star in several.

Round 5 - Log Cabin:  I chose to do a scrappy courthouse steps variation, giving me an opportunity to incorporate more pink in the quilt. The B/W center 4Ps were made from remnants of Round 1.

Round 6 - Kites:  I used those as cornerstones for Round 5 and finished the piece with a 3-inch border.

This was lots of fun and really gave my brain a math workout!  I appreciate all the thought and effort that went into organizing this challenge.

Linking up with  Quilting Gail for the final parade of quilts.

Breaking the Silence

No, I didn't give up blogging for Lent ... I've been through a challenging time, not much sewing going on.  

First, we attended a PGA tournament in Orlando in early March.  We had premier tickets with valet parking, clubhouse access, and on-site transportation.  We enjoyed the special amenities (including daily gifts) and the first two days of the tournament, but apparently the drive down had taken a toll on my legs.  They collapsed twice in one day, the first time being at the clubhouse in the tiny ladies' room stall with no grab bars and an in-swing door!  Fortunately an EMT was able to rescue me. 

So I ended up in the hospital for a day.  I woke from an afternoon nap to see a man standing in my hospital room, holding a vase of flowers and a bag of Trader Joe's chocolate-covered pretzels. 

The gentleman was the Development Director for the tournament and the flowers were from the staff that we had gotten to know those first two days.  I told him how much we had been enjoying the accommodations and complimented the staff and their thoughtfulness, but said the ladies' room definitely needed to be upgraded to ADA standards!  (And he agreed!  I think he was just glad we weren't going to sue!)

The long drive back home didn't help my legs, either so I've been taking it easy, but I did push myself to get the last border on my SAHRR so that I will have something to show in the parade on Monday

Overall I'm happy with the result.  Alex loves it.  I think I will hand it off to a local long-armer to be quilted soon.  I just need to find the right fabric for the back.

One Down, Three to Go

I finished the first side of the SAHRR Round 5!  I had my doubts since log cabin is not my favorite block as I said before.  But I've got to say I'm surprisingly pleased with the results.  Look!  It fits -- thanks to an extra "log/step" between each block.  Coulda knocked me over when I laid it out.

Not only am I happy with the courthouse steps, but now that I see everything together, I notice the totally unplanned repetition of 45-degree angles.  Overall it reminds me of an American Indian woven blanket.  

With luck and a little effort I may have it all together by the end of the week.

Nearing the Finish Line

That 5th round of the Stay at Home Round Robin (announced over a week ago) is taking WAY too long!  The prompt was for log cabin blocks and I opted to do the courthouse steps variation.  Let me just say that log cabin is probably my least favorite thing to sew -- boring!  And I can never keep them square.  

My cutting table is an absolute mess.

In the meantime I have already finished round 6 -- with four kite blocks for my corners.  

I had made a bunch of tiny 4-patches (2" finished) with the leftovers from Round 1; they became the base for my courthouse steps.  The "steps" are cut from 1-1/4" strips, finishing at 3/4".  So my blocks will finish at 5".  After several attempts at color options, I decided to make them all pink and black alternating with the background.  It feels like a never-ending process, but with luck I'll be finished with the top before the final reveal!  I'm thinking this will be the orientation with the black edge against the body of the quilt, but that decision will be made when I finish the courthouse steps blocks.

I'm anticipating that I'll add a border of one of the main fabrics when all is said and done.

Pardon the Interruption

I've taken a break from the SAHRR in order to work on a quicky project for my physical therapist.  She is expecting her first baby in April.  It's a boy and she has decorated the baby's room in a western/cowboy theme.  I have one more visit scheduled next week so I've been whipping up a quick baby quilt for her.  

The border is my own design and I'm thrilled with the overall look, not to mention how quickly it has gone together  (I won't talk about how many times I had to unsew the triangles to make them go in the correct direction!)  Only one intersection is slightly off, but I don't think the baby will notice.  The print fabric itself isn't particularly "western," but the colors remind me of jeans and bandanas.

It is a moldy-oldie, Polka Dot Garden by In the Beginning dated 2011, though I don't think I've had it that long.  The blue and red semi-solids by Kona Bay Fabrics are dated 2014.  The pattern was designed by Jennifer Heynen specifically for this fabric.

This project has been in my To-Do pile for a very long time!

I spent my time at Devo on Tuesday fussy-cutting the print fabric.  It was starting to look like Swiss cheese until I realized I could work my way up one side next to the selvage with a minimum amount of waste.  I have enough left over for the back, but I think I will use this neutral Teddy bear print on the back for a break from all the color, instead. What do you think?

I hope to get it ditch-quilted this weekend, once I practice with my walking foot....

Just In Time!

I typically review my day and think about tomorrow as I am drifting off to sleep each night.  So it was that Sunday night I was admonishing myself to not even look at Round 5 of the SAHRR until I had finished  Rounds 3/4.

But, alas, I couldn't resist.  So while I was thinking about what I would do for Round 5, I quickly assembled and attached the final strip of 3/4. The inset strips for the Round 4 blocks were cut from the eight leftover star points like the center square.

It's about 30" square at this point.  I don't think my holder's arms will be wide enough after the next round.  Time to clear off the design wall!

A Do-Nothing Week

 Actually, it's been more like two do-nothing weeks.  

I was rolling along, making good progress on a number of things, then I hit a creative wall.  Part of the problem is trying to regain momentum after being out of the house for several hours.  Last week it was PT on Monday and Wednesday (30 minutes into town) with a trip to Nashville (2+ hour drive) for doctor/dentist visits stuffed in between on Tuesday.  I did manage to get one piece near the finish line

I originally had five rows of blocks but it was out of proportion.  Not sure what I will do with it -- maybe a wheelchair quilt or a baby quilt.  I think it needs a border, but I'll need to shop my stash for something to go with it.  The remaining blocks will become a table runner.

Not only am I not yet driving, but we are down to one car after a pick-up recently smashed into the rear side of Alex's car (just a few feet behind my seat!)  So on Friday I asked a friend to get me out of the house to get a Valentine for Alex.  We incorporated lunch into the trip.  I forgot to text Alex that I had been invited out and he returned home from his charity work to an empty house!  Oops.

As I reported earlier, I had a plan for Round 3 of the SAHRR and was hoping that Round 4 could be blended into it.    I'm still cogitating on what should be a simple "extemporaneous" block; I'm having trouble fitting it into an otherwise "formal" setting.  So this is where I stand after Round 3 ...

I credit Diann/Little Penguin with the inspiration to incorporate Round 3 into the corners.  I can't attach the corners until I make Round 4.  I'm hopeful that I will have a solution before the end of today!

(Apologies for the poor quality of photos lately.  I'm learning a new phone and most of my photos have to be made while I'm sitting.)

Around A Round Robin

Things were going so smoothly through the first two rounds.  At that point I had two sides on my center square.

I held off adding the other two sides, waiting to see what the third round prompt would be.  Anticipating it might be a block that I could add to the sides I decided to put the remaining strips of HSTs on the top and bottom to help the math work for a strip of 5- or 6-inch blocks.

Ehh, the look of flying geese just didn't do anything for me. So I ripped them off and put them where they were originally intended to go, adding background fabric cornerstones.

Stars is the prompt for round 3.  My favorite star is the Ohio Star (Go Buckeyes!) but it's not an easy one to do at a small scale and I'm afraid a whole round of large blocks will overpower the rest of the project.  I have a plan ... stick around and hopefully I'll have something to show soon.

But look at what else I found in a box of blue and brown scraps ...

... a SAHRR I started during Covid!  I think it's time I finish it.

SAHRR Update and a Diversion

The prompt for Round 3 was half-square triangles (HSTs).  I was fortunate to have a goodly supply on hand in the appropriate colors so completing this round was a quick fix.

I have not attached the side strips because I want to see what Prompt 4 will bring.  I might be able to incorporate it into the cornerstones.

While I had time on my hands -- and loose ends on the table -- I decided to see what I could do with some 9-patches before I put them in the Parts Department. 

 I love the colors and even ordered extra of the pink faux linen fabric from Connecting Threads.  They were piled with a nice coordinating brown fabric so I am putting the 9-Ps on point in the brown. I'm thinking some kind of sashing will result in a fairly nice throw size.

Check this link at Anja Quilts to see other's progress

Correcting an Error and Answering a Question

I incorrectly identified a little project in my Loose Ends post a few days ago.  

This little piece was made of leftover blocks from the second "real" quilt I ever made in 2002!  (First was an Eleanor Burns baby quilt for GS-3 in 2001).  The pattern is Honeycomb Waffle designed by Sara Nephew.  It first appeared in her book Big Book of Building Block Quilts in 2001.  That book was republished in association with Marci Baker in 2014 as Not Your Grandmother's Log Cabin.  Marci Baker is the author of ABC 3D published in 2010.  All of these books have fun and attractive projects using strip piecing with both the 60-degree triangle and other odd angles.

*  *  *  * *  

Nann/With Strings Attaached asked  "How did you become an instructor for a particular ruler/technique?" I thought I would answer here.

Frankly, I don't remember!

Not long after I started quilting in the early 2000s, I took the Honeycomb Waffle class from Sara at the Indiana Heritage Quilt Show (I think) around 2001-2.  I was enchanted by the 3-dimensional effect and thrilled with the strip-piecing technique; I wanted my fellow quilters to learn.  I'm assuming I asked permission to teach from her patterns, using her ruler, and that she invited me to a training session in Bellingham, WA for certification.  I learned a lot about using the ruler, but lots of other things like the value of value, and teaching techniques.  I taught at many local guilds and  retreats and even traveled a couple of times until I "retired" about 8 years ago.  

Needless to say, I highly recommend the Clearview 60-degree ruler (comes in various sizes with lots of options).  No gimmicks or oversizing in either Sara's or Marci's patterns.