And since some restrictions have been eased I was able to go out an eat... in a restaurant... Thursday, Friday and Saturday... and I went out every darn day... and twice on Friday... it was so nice not to cook or have to clean up... went to independent neighborhood places that were as happy to see me as I was happy to see them... they were all doing a good job of mask/gloves/social distancing and I figure they've been disinfecting the place for the last 8 weeks... probably can't get much cleaner...it is all a little bit of normal and I truly appreciate it.
On the crafty front, I sewed together all the rectangles of the Tim Holtz Eclectic Elements fabrics and the Dried Herb Grunge....
just waiting for the backing fabric to arrive and then it is off to Quilting by David.
I moved from that project back to my American Jane Simple Pleasures top... I have it about 75% done... lots and lots of different American Jane fabric collections... each 49 patch block has no duplicates within the block...
all it needs is four more of the 49 patch blocks and five 9 patch blocks... no border required... I did get one more 49 patch block done but then a squirrel popped up and I had to start this new quilt...
This is the 2 x 4 Quilt using the tutorial from Film in the Fridge that you can find here... I have thought about this one for a while but couldn't settle on a color scheme... but then I saw this quilt... click here... on Instagram... Oh my goodness... why did this not occur to me?? Yellows... all YELLOWS... and paired with low volumes.... YES YES YES!!!
Now I have plenty of yellows ...and yes that is an understatement...LOL ... I'm going to make 80 different blocks so it will fit on my double bed... and I want 80 different low volumes... I have a nice stash but made a trip to my LQS Homegrown Homesewn on Friday and picked up some more... they celebrate FQ Friday... buy 10 FQs and they are $2.50 each versus $3.50 each... a no brainer... .
I want to mix in some yellows that are gold... I'm particularly fond of that color right now... and I'm going to use some of my novelty fabrics too... this is one of those projects that will have me taking 100's of fabrics off my shelves... pondering if they make the cut... cutting out the 4 rectangles needed and then tossing them on the floor to be re-folded at a later date... messy messy messy... but somehow so satisfying...
Lately I've been enjoying more sewing mojo... my basement sewing room has been the perfect temperature ... not too hot or too cold... and the rainy days were perfect for sewing... I made a list of quilts that I'd like to work on... came up with about 6 new projects ...and there are at least that many UFO's that I could revisit... I like this feeling... it feels ...normal...
On the cross stitch front I am sooooo close to finishing Faith of the Heart by Brenda Gervais of With Thy Needle & Thread...
just have the vine-y part at the bottom and the date to add... FYI... I am not happy with the color of the linen in any of the pics I'm showing today... I can not get my phone to show the true colors... ugh... however my son said there is a new iPhone coming out with a better camera than what I have but in the smaller size phone that I like... I'll be looking into it.... as for this piece, I plan on taking this one to the framer too... I'd like to display it all year long... my criteria anymore is, if it is a seasonal piece I'll FFO it myself ... but if it is a long term display I'll take to be professtionally framed... I've got that BBD sampler I want to get back to... Blackbird Designs O Joyous Day...
about 2/3's finished... I may pick this one back up next week... but I really need to get back to Elliott's Christmas stocking... I just couldn't bring myself to work on it during the quarantine... I don't know about you but most of my special stitching has memories attached to them... I can remember where I was and what I was doing when I worked on them... I don't want my negative memories attached to Elliott's stocking... my attitude is getting better now that I can get out and about... and maybe the needlepoint shop has reopened... I need wool for the background...
Well I've been busy babysitting Elliott while my son and daugther in law get things moved into their new house... and I've been acting at the general contractor for projects at their new house... my handyman Dan has been done a bunch of jobs there... removed shower doors, fixed a leaky faucet, painted the basement (quite a big space), put up a chair rail in the bedroom and painted the room, replaced a toilet, taken off a closet door, changed doorknobs... and there are several other jobs he hasn't gotten to yet... they have a moving date of June 15... I'm pretty sure Dan will have everything done by then... and after that he can move onto some jobs at their old house ... we are planning to have my younger son who lives with me now, to move into their old house... it is just 2 blocks away ... we are testing if my younger son (who is Aspergers...high functioning autistic) will be able to live on his own... if it works out, that will be great... if it doesn't we can make other arrangements for his future... but the old house could use a little work too... thank goodness Dan is so handy... other than complicated electrical work he can pretty much do it all... guys like that are hard to find and I thank God I met him 6 years ago... my house would not be in the nice shape it is in without him.
So I'm babysitting Elliott this afternoon so his parents can go shopping ... some furniture stores have opened ... but not IKEA... they are shopping for a couch... hopefully they will find one and won't have to wait too long for delivery... I think dinner will be a carryout from somewhere... maybe Carraba's... when they get settled in I'm making a prime rib dinner for all of us... we need to celebrate!
I hope that the coming week sees more of you released from your home incarceration... yeah... I'm still not totally over it, can you tell?? I feel so sorry for those of you in states with governors who don't want to open things back up... I understand the health issues but the economic issues are affecting people's health too... worry about how you are going to take care of your family or your business can be as deadly as this virus... sorry... small rant again this week.
Not a lot on the agenda next week... a day of babysitting and the quilty gals want to get together for lunch before one of our bunch goes to her summer home in Wisconsin... the first week of June will be a busy one... semi-annual visit with my primary care doctor and semi-annual visit with the Cincinnati Eye Institute... I've noticed lately that my left eye is getting blurry... last time I was there they said that my cataract was growing back ... I hope I can get that corrected soon... it doesn't bother me too much when I'm stitching but when I'm driving it is more apparent... I found myself squinting my left eye closed ... I look like a pirate but things are clearer... there's always something, isn't there?
Okay... I'm off to link this up with Kathy's Quilts... hope I can read some blogs while Elliott naps...
hope things are looking up where ever you are...take care...
happy stitching-
carol fun
Rant away. I'm one of those old farts plus asthma and diabetes. You can't keep the wheels on the commerce bus if everyone one is locked up at home. Stupid move. I think my biggest annoyance was the media and the government weren't telling me anything new. I have to be aware of the health of the people around me everyday anyway. Was not happy about the craziness at all.
ReplyDeleteLoved seeing what you have been up to! Hugging on little ones is so much fun. And I hope that it works out for the youngest
son. It will be such a big leap for him and proud moment for you. I didn't know cataracts grew back. They replaced the lenses in both of my eyes. Do they go in and replace the lenses again?
I enjoyed seeing your quilting endeavors that you have been working on. That yellow quilt is going to look fabulous and I like the American Jane one you are working on. Good for you on getting the top put together for the grunge and eclectic elements one! Your stitching is looking good as well.
ReplyDeleteGlad you were able to get out and about! I am looking forward to eating in a restaurant once we can. They can do outside seating or continue with take out/drive thru/delivery here currently. And rant all you want! Have a good week!
You are much braver than me. I am 60 and live in New York. Thankfully my hair has yet to turn grey, but it will be quite a while before I get a haircut (we haven't even opened up at all yet here on Long Island). I don't think I will get my nails done for a few years. I may not even return to work in the fall. I worry about my health (no underlying conditions) and I worry about bringing anything home to my elderly mother and MIL. Restaurants....not sure when I will return to those either. We've been using curbside pick-up at our regular haunts, except the ones that can't seem how to get their usually tasty meals to work for take-out. I really like your quilt tops and your cross-stitch. O Joyous Day is really pretty. Stay safe.
ReplyDeleteMy hair is turning grey in COVID and I'm letting it be how it is (for now!)
ReplyDeleteOh yes... so many memories attached to stitching projects. My COVID projects will have a great story to tell!
Enjoy your stitching!
Lovely work as well.
ReplyDeletehy
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