Life is good!

The vaccine is rolling, out, but OH SO SLOWLY.  And I'm about dead last on our priority list (as it probably should be - no complaints!) so I just need to keep on going.  I've felt the need for some slow stitching recently, which has done good things for the progress on a lot of old cross stitch UFO's.  I finished the Band Sampler that I did as a round robin a while ago.  It's beautiful, but with Mary Ellen gone I'll have to spend a LOT more than I used to to get it framed!   I've also completed "A Little Quakeresque" sampler - such a lovely project!  And my "12 Days of Christmas" piece is done as well, although I did have to order more floss.  I think it might end up as a pillow cover?  I can't think of a place to hang in during the holidays.    My piecing list is actually pretty under control for a change.  I decided to join in on a quilt along for "All the Good" and I absolutely LOVE how it's turned out.  It was pa...

One can only hope that with 2020 on the way out, things will start to look up.  We shall see!  A few finishes here and there. The flag quilt was finally done.  The elementary set isn't the greatest for holding up quilts, but they did their best!  I love how this one turned out.  The pattern was my own, and the customer loved it.  Flag Quilt Commission Finished!  I finished Grandma's wall hanging, unfortunately a little too late.  She saw the top, and loved it.  She fell into a quick decline shortly thereafter and passed away without ever seeing the final result.  The finished quilt was displayed in her coffin, and my aunt asked that it be buried with her.  I agreed.   Grandma's Quilt - mostly finished This was a fun project!  I took the color palate directly from my partner's feed, and I love how it turned out.  Had some fun with the quilting and my partner was happy.   #skinnystrippyswap  This was...

And what a strange one it's been, but I'm hardly alone in that! My earlier quarantine productivity level has dropped, and I find myself spending more time in the evening just cuddling with the family, watching some TV, and relaxing.  I'm trying not to beat myself up about it.  My work usually slacks off a bit during the summer, but not this year.  I'm in zoom meetings for a lot of each day, and I don't have much down time during the day.   I finished the quilting on Mom's quilt.  It went more quickly than I expected, and I think she likes how it turned out.  I did have a bit of fun with it!   Some fun details  My favorite section!  I did one customer quilt as well. It was a bit of a beast.  Large, with VERY wavy borders and some really imprecise piecing.  I did what she asked for as far as design in the middle, but I wasn't liking it very much as it was being quilted.  I think once it was off the frame and the border ...

I'm pretty pleased - the ONLY thing left on my actual UFO list was a mini I started for a swap, then my original partner dropped out and I switched projects.  I offered it up on Insta this morning and will be sending it and a box packed full of scraps (and a baby quilt kit I purchased for a kid that's now three) off to someone who would like them!   I haven't been quite as productive as I would like, although I'm spending lots of time just hanging with the kids in the evenings.  Seeing as how they have no interactions with anyone else during the day while I'm working, I'm not going to feel at all bad about any perceived lack of productivity on my part.   While I'm tempted to start piecing something new, for now the only new project is a commission quilt.   N eed pictures: Classic Meets Modern Frond kit - Birds of Paradise Angela Walters BOM Beetle Adventures (mini) Magic Spark sample x3 Recent Finishes: Rainbow rectangles  Rainbow rectangle m...

The quilting continues! Getting some charity projects loaded and quickly done.  I don't think this will be a charity quilt, but I don't know where it's going. Some bigger changes to the list. Need pictures: Classic Meets Modern Frond kit - Birds of Paradise Angela Walters BOM Beetle Adventures (mini) Magic Spark sample x3 Recent Finishes: Rainbow rectangle mini Nova Mini Quilt - black Piecing: Percolate - 3.5/10 rows complete  Moda Love quilt - center finished, need to add borders Ombre tumblers (leader and ender) Quilter's Patch (now at Mom's!)  Farmer's Wife Starline Needs Binding Rainbow rectangles  Mantle Runner  Blossoms (Lea?) Fat Quarter Star (Lea?) Four Square Layer Cake #3 On the Longarm Top Completed, Waiting for Quilting Moda Building Blocks Prism Star Mantle runner  Nova Mini Quilt - white Patchwork Sky Mango Parfait Rhombus dance Fabul ous Flowers Lucky Star mini Planning Modern Owls Aurora Borealis Weavi...

It does seem like we'll be social distancing for a while!  It's somewhat nice to not have meetings to go to three and four days a week, but even someone as introverted as me does start to miss it a bit!  Technology to the rescue, though.  I video chatted with Aunt Bev last night, which isn't something I normally would have done (why not?? I ask myself!) and that was a lovely chat.  We're trying to video chat with my parents regularly, too. I am making more progress, although I'm working a heck of a lot more than I would like!  I think it's going to slow down as we get into the new normal, but for the past two weeks I've spent hours, literally, each day in video conferences.  And trying to keep up some sort of school with the kids is challenging.  Hubby is finally home some, although his company is being less than stellar about everything.  I finished one customer quilt, a wall hanging.  Since I had the time I did a lot of detail work....

As we look to make the transition to spending a lot of time at home - how to keep myself busy and calm. Rainbow Rectangles is still on the longarm.  After two false starts, a change of thread color and a completely different quilting design, it's reached the point of mostly done.  I plan to have it off today at the latest, then Natalie gets her turn.  Next up I'll load one of the customer quilts and get it going. Rhombus Dance is coming together, so I'm hoping to have it pieced this week as well.  I hope I have enough of the background fabric; we'll see and I guess I'll improvise if I don't.  Mango Parfait is in the works indoors, and I'll continue on that.  It should go relatively quickly as well, although I think I'm going to need more green fabric.  Maybe I'll stop by JoAnn's on the way home and pick up some fat quarters. I will knock out those binding projects this week, too.  Dad asked me for quilt to donate to Grandma's church for...

At times like this I'm very glad I have things to keep my hands busy. Diary of a Quilter posted this, and it is ever so true, especially now.  I'm just waiting for my kids' school to make the call to cancel school for the next four weeks.  Luckily I have a lot of flexibility in my own job, so between that and my kids being old enough to not burn down the house, we'll get by.  I know a lot of other people are not so lucky.

Once again, QuiltCon was an amazing time and I came away inspired.  It was a busy week afterwards so I didn't get into the sewing room much, but the inspiration is still there, and I'm determined to submit an entry into QuiltCon for next year.  I did well at not buying fabric while there, but I did break down and buy several patterns.  So I'll figure out where and if they fit into the overall plan! I took Blossom off of the UFO list, pieced it together and quilted it up for the SNICU unit.  One of my guild mates volunteered to bind, thank goodness!  Four Square is also in progress and I'll do a quick and easy quilting plan on it as well.  Need pictures: Classic Meets Modern Frond kit - Birds of Paradise Angela Walters BOM Beetle Adventures (mini) Magic Spark sample x3 Recent Finishes: Piecing: Percolate Moda Love quilt - center finished, need to add borders Ombre tumblers (leader and ender) Rhombus dance Mango Parfait Needs Binding A New View Rainbow...

Making plans  - 2020 Version! These are in no particular order: Disco by Jaybird Quilts.  This is probably going to be a little more time consuming on the layout and planning front.  But it should be a fun one to do.  Showering Stars: It should go together quickly and be a good charity quilt.  Borealis by Frond - LOVE those fabrics, and I doubt I'll be able to give this one away!  Paper pieced, and it's going to take a while but I ADORE this quilt.  Punked Posies, by Frond again.  This shouldn't take long to put together, it's the quilting that will take the time on this one.  I really need to sign up for one of their thread punk classes to get some more ideas before I tackle this one.  Folding Screen, with more Frond (do you sense a theme??): This one is lower on the list than the others.  Maybe a good one for retreat? Shade Garden by Frond: Another one that shouldn't be hard to put together, but I nee...

This week's goal is relatively simple; kit up everything I have planned and have the fabric for, and prioritize it.  I have a lot of vague idea's about what's planned, but I need to get realistic and USE the fabric I have, and get the quilting pile back under control.  I made a good dent in in over Christmas and I don't want it to get crazy again!   My scrappiest quilt ever  Fun with custom quilting!  Need pictures: Classic Meets Modern Frond kit - Birds of Paradise Teal and Cat Ombre tumblers (mini) Angela Walters BOM Beetle Adventures (mini) Magic Spark sample x3 Recent Finishes: Crystal Gems  Rows of Bricks Hexometry  Piecing: Percolate Moda Love quilt - center finished, need to add borders Ombre tumblers (leader and ender) Rhombus dance Mini Chic Country Needs Binding A New View Rainbow rectangle mini Nova Mini Quilt - black On the Longarm Mantle runner Top Completed, Waiting for Quilting Moda Building Blocks Prism Sta...