You Know It's Almost Christmas ...

.. when the Fat Lady rings

New bells for me in this quartet verson

The annual Christmas program at our church was wonderful, as usual.

We are blessed to have so many talented musicians -- I guess that's to be expected in Music City, though.  One of the youngest performed a song that she had composed herself!

Abby singing "All I Want is You"

She looks very professional, doesn't she?  In addition to the adult choir, praise band, strings, and brass ensemble, there was the requisite song from the kiddie choir ...

I was sitting in the row behind the bell tables and couldn't get pictures without obstructions, sorry.

I mention all this as an explanation of why I've fallen behind on Geese on the Move. Oh, and there was this interruption, too.

Cardinals Rule

The requested wall hanging for SIL's mountain cabin was finished after a couple of false starts. AND quilted by me!  I stitched in the ditch around the panel, did a fancy stitch down the center of the red diamonds, and did a little outline stitching along the branches to keep the center from sagging.  It's going in the mail today!!!

Heading out to the S'mores Christmas retreat later today. I'll try to post updates but the WiFi there can be tempermental at times. Hoping to get binding put on two large quilts, finish some more Christmas projects, and get a final layout on the pineapple project.

Have a great week, everyone!

Geese on the Move

Days 5, 6, and 6.5

Yes, I know I said one block a day,

Day 1

... but some projects are just irresistible.

Day 2

And this one just makes my heart sing!

Day 3

I can't stop thinking about it,

Day 4

... planning the next block,

Day 5

Day 6

laying out the pieces ....

Day 6.5

Before I know it another block is done ...

Day 7

... and yet another one on the table.

Day 7.5

My favorite blocks so far are the beige/tan ones; I could love a whole quilt in just those colors.  I think grey will be the next color to work with, adding to the light area in the center of the top.

The pattern is Geese Migration, designed by Cynthia Brunz.

Linking up with WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced.

DWM - Geese on the Move

... Flying ve-e-ery slowly

In spite of the Thanksgiving holiday festivities I've been making steady progress on Geese Migration. So far I've kept up with my goal to make one block a day.

Geese on the Move - Day 4

A flock of four blocks and a gaggle of the flying geese units completed ...

Each block consists of five flying geese with the same solid sky/wings (I'm never sure what to call the pieces/parts) flanked by five rows of three assorted squares.

In studying the pattern picture, it seemed that the maker made most of the blocks in graded values of a single color, so that is the approach I am taking.  I am using my Japanese taupe collection enhanced by other fabrics in my stash that have "the look" of Japanese taupes.

Even though the nature of Japanese taupes is very subdued, there is a surprising amount of color in those prints. Still, it has been challenging to keep the subtle "mood" while inserting color to make it more interesting. I am really looking forward to seeing this finished, but Christmas projects will be taking priority over the next few weeks.

The Cardinal Rule
Wilmington Prints

Today I need to get started (and hopefully finish) a small wall hanging for SIL's mountain cabin.

The pattern I planned to use will make it too big to fit in the space between her living room windows so I will probably just add some borders and callerdun!

She had requested something for Christmas but I thought this panel was not so in-your-face-Christmas and could carry over into the winter months.



Check out what others are working on at Patchwork Times.

WIP Wednesday

The picture I didn't have yesterday:

The pattern is "Geese Migration"
 by Cynthia Brunz who blogs at QuiltingIsMoreFunThanHousework.  The pattern and a tutorial, available through Mary Fons' Dear Quilty, can be found here.

Even with everything else I need to accomplish today, I managed to stitch a test block.






Senior grocery shopping is done; now to put everything away and vacuum-pack the meat to make room in the fridge for Thanksgiving essentials.  I'm going easy this year -- just the three of us for Turkey Day. Son-1 and family will come Friday afternoon and stay for a casual potato bar dinner.

Yesterday, a horrible crashing sound came from the Queen Mother's Suite.  As I raced in to help I found the sitter propping up the antique secretary and saw items from the secretary, including a Christmas tree and a bag of York Peppermint Patties, in bed with Mother! I'd have laughed if the sitter hadn't been in obvious need of assistance.  I guess this afternoon we'll be swapping some furniture with pieces in the storage unit.

Maybe I should title this post "Why Is It? Wednesday."

Why is it that calamities happen at the worst possible time?

Why is it that all the toilet paper rolls run out just before company comes?

Why is it the grocery is out of the key ingredient needed for the Thanksgiving menu? 

Why does the washer have an error message when there's no chance of getting a service call on a holiday?

That's my Wednesday!

Hop over to Freshly Pieced  to see what others are working on this WIP Wednesday.

I take it back ....

... every word!

Or, at least the "lugubrious."  I didn't bother to look up the meaning. Nann, I'm surprised you didn't catch me on that! I had a former boss who'd ask me if I'd had a lugubrious weekend and I'd say "if that means well-oiled, then yes."

So let's just stick with having a PLEASANT Thanksgiving!!!

Design Table Monday ... on Tuesday

..As if I need another project!

The Japanese taupes I purchased at Lolly's in Shipshewana were calling to me.  I had recently found a pattern in a magazine that I felt would be a good match.

Looking at the picture (which I forgot to photograph) it appears the designer used three different fabrics in five values (light to dark) in each block. And it looks like there is very little repetition in the 25 blocks.  That's 375 fabrics!!  Fortunately I had purchased a roll of 40 strips as a starting point!

You probably know how it goes.  Inspiration strikes and you start searching the stash for what might go with recent purchases and before you know it you have a pile of potential candidates.

Such was my case and I decided rather than earmark/isolate a large collection of fabric for this project or, worse, put it all back on the shelves and lose track of it, I should just go ahead and cut what is required. THEN put it back on the shelves.

 So this was my "design" cutting table on Monday. 

Cutting table - unnamed project - 100+ fabrics

I have cut eight 2-1/2" squares from each strip. (As it turns out, three  times what I need.) My plan is to start construction as leaders/enders as I finish up some end-of-year sewing obligations over the next few weeks.

Then, and only then, will I attack the flying geese....

Safe travels to those on the road this week.  I hope everyone has a pleasant and lugubrious Thanksgiving!

This is it!!

The Sashing Saga

For weeks I've been blogging about the pineapple blocks

made using Karin Hellaby's technique from Sew Simple Pineapple.

In case you missed it, I posted a brief tutorial here.

It all started with a small pack of fat sixths (12" x 22") of yellow and gray prints that I was using in the sample step-outs for my Exploding Pineapple class at Quilt Camp at Cedar Lakes.

The Sashing Saga begins

The resulting blocks were so pretty I decided to make a whole quilt, but the sixths were not big enough. Several shopping trips later, I was set to go bigger.

More grays and yellos

With 81 blocks finished, I was ready to pick a sashing/lattice fabric.  At the risk of repeating myself, I wanted to sash the blocks because the casual construction method doesn't guarantee points are going to match.  Plus all edges are on the bias and I feel sashing will stabilize them. AND I wanted the quilt to be a bit bigger.

Six of 81

My first choice was the plaid in the bottom right block. Several of the fabrics came from that collection so it had all the right colors ...

First Choice - too busy

...but it is a bit busy and blends too much.  My second choice was too heavy.

Second Choice - too heavy

My final choice is just right!

Just Right

I've added it to the right side of all the blocks.  Once I decide on the final arrangement I'll add the left side sashing on the first block of each row.

I will wait until the S'mores Christmas retreat where there will be a large enough design wall to do a complete layout.