S'mores Christmas Retreat and Stash Report

The S'mores held their annual Christmas Party/Retreat last week.

You may remember that we are called "S'mores" because we like to laugh s'more, eat s'more, and quilt s'more.  And at Christmas we like to gift s'more!  Even though we were missing some folks with issues of concern, we managed to accomplish a lot in addition to supporting each other through crises.

I had high hopes of slaying two dinosaurs -- both pink and brown and both hanging around since that color combo was the rage several years ago.  First is a medallion quilt that I began at Gwen Marston's Beaver Island Retreat (which is no longer held on Beaver Island, BTW, and has been taken over by the Holly Sisters) about 10 years ago.



Pink and Brown Medallion

I was a relatively new quilter with a limited collection of fabric, trying to make something look mid-19th century.  Also, I hadn't quite honed in on an accurate 1/4" at that point.  I sort of cheated by beginning with a toile-style panel -- I think by In the Beginning -- and got 5 rounds on it.  The 4-patches on point were to be the next round but I think proportionately it's too clunky plus I can't figure out how I planned to make the corners work.

I think I am going to scrap the 4-patches -- well, not really; I'll use them in something, maybe a strippy -- and do a graduated log border (don't know any other way to describe it) in the same brown as the 5th round you can see at the bottom.  And call it done.  Or maybe it will say it needs something more (but I hope not!).  Regardless, I couldn't make the math work in my frazzled brain so it went back in the box.

The second one is a strippy of flying geese separated by this spectacular fabric by Jo Morton/Andover Fabrics. 

Again, started before I appreciated the wonders of an accurate quarter inch or recognized the hazards of sewing on more than one machine.  My strips of geese were not all the same length.  They should have measured 81.5".  So I cut the separator strips at 81.5" only to discover that the geese measured 82.5".  To make a long story short, I shortened the geese strips by one, adjusted a few seams and managed to make  everything fit, but it took me the better part of two days to work this out. 

Pink and Brown Strippy

I'm SO over pink and brown.  (Don't pay any attention to the fabrics I'm using in Grand Illusion .....)

Before attacking anything else of major consequence, I made a back for Mary's Triangles then set about finishing Dots and Dashes (a/k/a Churn Dash) that I almost finished at the guild retreat.  I added two borders and made the back.  (Not sure why this picture came in sideways ....)

With the little time I had left I worked on Clue 2 of Grand Illusion.  I am using Method 2 with the Easy Angle Ruler.  I am having good results and there is virtually no waste.

Stash Report - Dec 14
     In this week:                   0.0 yards
     Out this week:              19.75 yards
     In year to Date:            258.5 yards
     Out Year-to-Date:         215.5 yards
     Net Used 2014            -43.00 yards

Linking up with Judy at Patchwork Times.

Hope y'all have a great week!

I'm in Love!

Y'all must think I'm more wishy-washy than Charlie Brown.

First, I declare I'm not going to do Bonnie Hunter's mystery this year.  Then I give in and say, OK, but I'm doing my own colors.  Then I announce colors my daughter-in-law has chosen.  Now I've gone in a completely different direction ... and I'm loving it!  (Sorry, @donnadb, if you don't like these colors, I'll use your colors in something else.)

Unfortunately, it's a gloomy day and my camera has not accurately captured the colors.  Essentially I'm taking the colors from the dots on the taupe background which actually looks more gray in this picture.  It will replace the constant yellow.

Grand Illusion Fabrics -- just a start

Spring green replaces aqua, flesh replaces pink, "brack" (a brown so dark it's almost black) replaces black, and silver gray (not shown) replaces neutral.  I think green in Bonnie's scheme will be replaced with a rosy rust (or maybe a rusty rose), but I'm waiting to see how green will be used before chosing the actual replacement color.

GI - Clue 1

My fabric palette is very limited because I am determined to use fabric from my stash.  Only the dot is newly purchased fabric.  Overall I think the palette is very serene and I'm trying to pick my most "modern" fabrics to play along.  My plan is to attack half of each clue as it comes out and then, if I like the final reveal, I will make it larger.

I'm still thinking about which way I want to do Clue 2, but I have the 2-1/2" strips cut and packed to go with me to retreat tomorrow.

Hop on over to Quiltville's Quips and Snips to see what other folks have accomplished.  It's a world-wide phenomenon.

Could this be .....

... the view from our retirement property?

Somewhere Outside of Knoxville

We have our fingers crossed, waiting on some final information before making an offer.

Stay tuned .....

Thanksgiving Reprised and Sunday Stash Report

Do you ever have days like this?

I frequently slip my shoes off under the dinner table, under the computer desk, at the kitchen bar, under the edge of the bed.  I'm constantly looking for my shoes.  I'd rather go barefooted, but the tile in the basement gets quite cold this time of year.   One day recently, around 3 p.m., I looked down at my feet.....  You'd think I would have noticed!


I finally got the camera and the computer in the same room so I can reprise our Thanksgiving with Son-2, et al.  First, the brined bird got a good rinse and a pat down.

  The final result -- delicious!

Followed by a family walk in the nature preserve -- invigorating!

Then a friendly competitive game of Ticket to Ride -- I lost .....

AA and @donnadb

CG and Son-2

Stash Report - Dec 7

I forgot to update my numbers after my shop-local-Saturday trip to Hancock Fabrics and Hobby Lobby.  There were a lot of bolt ends with thirds and such; in all I think it totaled about 16 yards.

     In recently:                    16.0 yards
     Out this Week:                0.0 yards
     In year to Date:            258.5 yards
     Out Year-to-Date:        195.75 yards
     Net Used 2014            -62.75 yards

I'll be going to the S'mores retreat this week where I will finish a couple of things so I hope my final numbers for the year will be slightly better.  I am taking two dinosaur projects with me -- both pink and brown (remember when that was the hot combo?), one top that just needs borders and a back, and the BH mystery -- yes, I caved......

Linking up with Judy at Patchwork Times.

Hope y'all have a great week!

The Day After the Day After Turkey Day

Not one to subject myself to the madness of Black Friday, I decided it might be safe to go out today, Saturday.

Kroger wasn't too bad.  I needed to spend at least a dollar to get my fuel points up to another hundred -- 'twould be a shame to waste 99 points!  Well the Conway Kroger Marketplace had a couple of items we can't get at our favorite store so I ended up spending $10.  So far, so good.

Then it was off to Table Play, a local shop that carries almost every table game known to man and child.  It is, after all, shop local day, right?  I just wanted to look but came away with several Christmas gifts and, when combined with Son-2's purchases warranted 25% off!  Can't beat deals like that!

After lunch back at the ranch, I ventured out to Hancock's and Hobby Lobby -- crazy, I know! -- to get some fabrics in the colors DIL selected just to make sure I knew what she wants.  What I didn't know was Hancock's had some specials that were only good till noon, so the cutting lines were never-ending.  But I was patient and had a pleasant conversation with the lady behind me.  Did more damage at Hobby Lobby; no one was shopping for fabric there.  I didn't do too bad picking a short checkout line, either.

Now back at the ranch, enjoying a libation while watching SIL, CG, and AA play a lively game of Catan, Cities & Knights, and catching the end -- or SO I THOUGHT -- of the GA/GaTech game.  I have a tough time since Son-1 graduated from Ga Tech and Son-2 from Georgia.  Nevertheless, I was rooting for Georgia -- when in Rome ..... and, as I was told, absent uncles don't count!  Son-2 has Tivo so we can catch 4 games at a time, which is a good thing since Louisville just went ahead of Kentucky (Main Man and his sister both graduated from UK) and we check on them while sweating over OT at GA/GT.

Regardless of the outcome I can look forward to turkey tetrazzini for supper.

OK, I Give!

I can't resist. 

The first clue of Bonnie Hunter's new mystery has been revealed.  I know I said I wasn't going to do it.  BUT I want to make a new quilt for Son-2 and DIL and I thought this would be a good one for them.

I don't want to use the same colors, and I probably won't be as scrappy as Bonnie.  So I asked DIL to pick some colors that would go with black, white, and yellow.  She chose slate gray, pale lavender, and spring green.  I am going to use lavender in place of aqua and the gray in place of pink.  She said they wanted to redecorate their bedroom and would go by whatever colors were in the quilt.

I'm hoping to take most from my stash, but I may have to fill in a few gaps.


We're having a great time -- good food, lots of games, football .....

More later.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Not much has been happening on the sewing front.  No acquisitions; no finishes.

The week has been and will be filled with travels.  This is what greeted us in East Tennessee on Monday morning.

East Tennessee Sunrise

We spent a day wandering the backroads around Knoxville looking for a retirement property.  This was our third trip and we may have found the perfect spot.  Ironically, we had seen it on our first visit, but didn't know the owner wanted to sell or if we could afford it.  And, to be honest, at that point we had not honed in on what we thought would really makes us happy.

We had gone in search of one lifestyle, but both of us felt stifled by it.  We thought about mountain life, but steep grades gave us heartburn.  We looked at acreage in the boonies and we felt lost and alone (and isolated from healthcare).  In the end I think we will settle on a relatively traditional development -- city water and fire protection are important to us -- with views OF the mountains, not FROM the mountains, and perhaps a little water visible, too.

Today we're heading off to Arkansas to spend Thanksgiving with Son-2, DIL, AA, and CG.  We leave the Queen Mother in the capable hands of her daughter and the constant caregivers.  I am thankful that we have such caring and dependable people to watch over and care for her.

I send Thanksgiving Blessings to all my readers.  

Keep Warm

and

Quilt On