FOUR-PATCH WORKSHOP

 I attended a Four-Patch zoom workshop with Tara Faughnan this afternoon.  I hadn't done any of the prep work.  I haven't been feeling well and I was uninspired to make a Four-Patch.

But, Tara is so passionate and inspiring.  I went ahead at the end of workshop and picked some colors and cut some strips.  I was excited when she said she loved my picks - until I realized she had said that to everyone!

I'll start making 4-patches tomorrow.  She suggested that if I want to make a dark background, I should put up some black fabric on my design wall.  Great idea!

GARDEN REMODEL

 I've been working on remodeling our front flower garden.  I've had these leftover stepping stones since we re-did the sidewalks in the backyard that I wanted to place as a path to the birdbath.  I had to remove a lot of groundcover from this area.  Then Darrell moved them into place for me.

I planted new flowering plants around them.  It will be an on-going project.  I want to remove (and re-home) the rest of the groundcover and replace with flowers someday.

SOLAR PANEL

 I watched Darrell install a solar panel on our roof today.  It will power a fan under our gazebo on the back deck.  It gets very hot under there in the summer.

BEE-P MONDAY

 Spent the afternoon with the Brave Patch Monday Sewcial.  I made a block during our 30 Minutes of Play.  Prompts were 'skinny lines' and  'progression'.  There were some others, but I ignored them.

Then I made last week's Mini Charm block from Art East Quilting, #25 The Bee:

ART NOT WALK

 Woke up feeling extremely tired and not well.  Instead of going for a walk this morning in Lincoln Park, I took my me-made sketchbook, some grey markers and pastels with me.  I sat on a bench and sketched.

Jelly wasn't very happy about this though.

EASY DAY

 Today was a day to just relax and have fun.

I choose to do some more of Cheryl Arkison's Playcation 2022 blocks.

Here are three more:

ANOTHER FINISH

 I got the Puzzle Box quilt binding on today.  It's done, too.  It is a free pattern from ChristaQuilts.

My buddies on BP suggested a teal blue binding.  But, I thought that since there are so many different print fabrics in the quilt, I should use a print for the binding as well.  I found something in my stash.

I spent the morning putting more perennials in the front garden and trying to remove some of the ground cover.  Darrell moved the stepping stones out, so now there is a path to the bird bath.

All the dogs and cats were out in the front yard with me, but none of them helped.

What is it with cats and boxes?  

FINISH IT FRIDAY

 I did!  I finished it on Friday, while with the other Brave Patcher's that were zooming on the weekly  Finish It Friday get-together.

Here is XXIII - all done - quilted and bound.

While I was doing that, Erik (my longarm) was busy finishing the quilting on Puzzle Box (a free pattern from ChristaQuilts).  I got it off the machine and trimmed, and started making the binding.  Things are moving along around here!

QUILTING PUZZLE BOX

 I downloaded a quilting pattern called 'Puzzle' this morning and made a label for the Puzzle Box quilt.  I went upstairs and inked the label.  Then I loaded the backing for it and loaded up the Puzzle Box quilt.  I'm quilting it with the new pattern which resembles  jigsaw puzzle pieces.  It's quilting very slowly however.

So, while Erik was slowly quilting away, I made the bias binding and sewed it onto the back of XXIII.

I got two passes done before it was time to go in.

After I sewed the binding onto the back, I folded the corners and clamped them down.  They'll be more willing to comply tomorrow when I sew the binding to the front.

CLEAN WINDOWS

We cleaned the outside of the studio windows today.  Darrell got out the ladder and the long broom that the hose attaches to, and I took the screens off.  He washed the outside of the windows and got pretty wet in the process.  I scrubbed the screens.  My goodness, they were dirty.

After we got everything put back together I realized the insides were filthy, too.  So, Windex out, I cleaned them.  No more dog nose prints smearing the inside of the lower window.

And, I can see out again!  

FABRIC SEARCH

 I've had this piece of Ikea fabric for a few years.  I started using it for the Monday 30 Minutes of Play improv pieces.  I was getting so upset because the piece kept getting smaller and smaller.  And I love it!  So, I went on a search for more.  I've been searching Etsy, Ebay and Google to no avail.  Ikea isn't making it anymore and no one has any for sale.  Heartbreaking.

Then, the other day, I ran across this a fabric, made recently, that was the same pattern, but a lot smaller.  I bought two versions. They aren't anywhere near as nice, but.... Here they are with the original on the bottom:

If you have any of that bigger print, I'll buy it from you!

XXIII QUILTED

 I finished the quilting on the XXIII quilt today.  It has a mixture of computer programed patterns, free-motion and a lot of ruler work.

THREE MORE

I've been watching old videos of Cheryl Arkison's Playcation 2022 and making the blocks.  I made three more today.  I just love this, it's so satisfying.

 

SUNDAY

I've been quilting on XXIII using the computer-control, experimenting with placing patterns.   I'm putting overall-texture programs in oddly shaped areas.  It's been great fun.

Darrell made several programs for me consisting of concentric arcs for the quarter-circles.  Some of those have worked, some not.  But, this last one has worked beautifully.  Now, it's up to me to learn how to use it.

I'm almost done with the quilting, just a little more than one row left.

I've also, finally, gotten around to watching the videos from Cheryl Arkison of her Playcation Adventure 2022.  She put up live videos weekly during 2022 making improv blocks.  I wish I had done it with her then.  But, better late than never.  I've only done three, but it's been so much fun!  Here's the third one I made today:

 

JELLY IS EIGHT

 It's Jelly's 8th Birthday.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

BACKING FOR CRUSHING IT

 I made a label and finished the backing for Crushing It.  This is a pattern by Latifah Saafir using her 12" Clammy ruler.

CRUSHING IT IS A TOP

 Today, during Finish it Friday with Brave Patch, I finished the last seam on Crushing It and trimmed it.  It has rounded corners.

It is now a quilt top.

I have a lot of leftover parts and pieces (I over cut, by a lot, the white squares) to use on the backing.  Plus, I bought a big chunk of a Tula Pink fabric for some added color.  It should be a fun one to make.

I just love this!

ADDING TO BOM

Here is the next addition to the Seattle Modern Quilt Guild's Block of the Month 2023.  

I'm doing mine all scrappy.

 

MEMORIES

 While inventorying my collection of quilting books, I ran into this:

It's a Quilters' Travel Companion book from 2000, and it contains an ad from Pieces Quilt Shop, which was mine at that time.  Good memories.

Pre-Google, back when the internet was new, this was a great resource if you were traveling around the states.  It listed almost all of the independent quilt shops.  So many of these are gone now.  

Good times.

A SKETCHBOOK!

 Hey!  I made myself a sketchbook.  Following video instructions from several different sources, I've managed to make this sketchbook.  

It was a learning experience and I know I'll do better next time.  But, I'm totally pleased.

For the end papers, I found a certificate that I received from work for 30 years of service.  It has been in my paper drawer since I received it in 2011.  So, it's not like it would ever see the light of day anyway.  Now it will.  It is printed on a heavy card stock and was signed by the County Executive.  So cool.

QUILTING XXIII

This month's UFO Challenge with Quilting Mayhem in Snohomish is #1, which is my XXIII quilt.

I had a backing already made.  The label said 2022 on it, so I added 2023 and loaded it onto the Q24, Erik the Bold a few days ago.  I'm using Dream Cotton Select batting and a cream colored thread by Wonderfil.

Here we go.  I want to do a combination of free-motion, ruler work and computer guided.  This quilt is going to be a test and practice quilt.

MAKING A COVER

 I'm making a sketchbook using some drawing paper I've had for eons.  Last week I made the 'book block' using that drawing paper.  Then over the weekend I glued some Kozo paper to the back of a piece of fabric for the cover.  Today I glued that fabric to the book boards to make the cover (all after watching a few videos).

MONDAY MAKE

 During this week's BP-Monday Sewcial I worked on making this week's pattern from Art East Quilting Company.  

It is The Bubble.

Then I sewed another long seam on Crushing It.  Only two more to go!

MAKING A SKETCHBOOK

 I have a roll of drawing paper that I've had for over 20 years.  It's time to use it.  I cut a bunch of pieces from it to make pages for a sketchbook.  After watching a few how-to videos, I made the 'signatures' and sewed them together to make a 'book block'.

DAY 7 SKETCH

 I'm a little late, but here is Day 7 of the 7DaySketchbookChallenge.  The prompt is 'Something On The Wall'. 

I have a print by David Weidman, Sunflowers II.  And I love it.  I really wanted to sketch it when I heard the prompt.  

I did an ink outline and then froze up.  I think I'm afraid to add watercolor or anything for fear of wrecking it.  Silly, I know.  I may yet do it.

If you didn't already know, I have a collection of sunflower prints and paintings.  Another obsession of mine.

7 DAY SKETCH DAY SIX

 Before we went on vacation, I was doing the 7DAYSKETCHBOOKCHALLENGE.  I had done days 1 through 5 already.  I thought I'd do the rest while on vacation, but I didn't.  So, I did them once I got home.  Here is Day 6, 'A Cold Drink'.

MONDAY SEWCIAL

 It's nice to be back home.  It's time for the BP Monday Sewcial.  First, we did our 30 Minutes of Play.  I was really excited about mine and spent much more than 30 minutes on it and am very happy with how it turned out.  The prompts were: color- black, silver, beige and grey: shape-square in a square; inspiration - flowers, peony.  

I just love that black and white Ikea fabric, and I have only a small amount left.  I've done several searches online to find more, but to no avail. 

GREAT BREAKFAST

 We left Eugene early and headed north on I-5.  After googling for a good breakfast place, we stopped in Salem.  We were a little early, so we stopped at the capitol building first.  They are doing some remodeling or something there.  We walked around the building, stopping to admire some nice Sequoia trees in the gardens. 

We like stopping to visit capitols in the states we visit.  It's odd that we've never been inside Oregon's capitol - someday, I guess, but not today - they weren't open yet.

Then we drove to the 'Word of Mouth Bistro'.  Yelp said they opened at 7am, but when we got there at 7, it was filling up quickly. (Their website says they actually open at 6:45am, ah ha).   Its a great place for breakfast.  They made everything from scratch, including the breads and jam.  They even have a homemade GF bread, which we had and enjoyed. The restaurant is in an old house and full of kitschy stuff, most including little dogs.  There were dog portraits everywhere.  I managed to sketch a few.

We left, heading north through Portland and stopping in Vancouver Washington at Fort Vancouver National Historic Site.  We went for a nice walk through the park and out onto the street, went under the I-5 bridge over the Columbia River (loud). Then back along the streets back into the park, which was now open.  I got my NPS Passport stamps and stickers.  Then we walked over to the actual fort.  There are people there portraying carpenters, metal smiths, and fur traders, in garb of the era.  It was fun.

And then it was straight through to home, another 3 hour drive, 165 miles.

Nice trip, if a little bit of a whirlwind.

LAVA BEDS NATIONAL MONUMENT

 At the last minute, we made a decision to head east and visit the Lava Beds National Monument.  I'll have to admit I didn't know anything about this park previously.  But, Darrell did a little research and was intriqued.  So, off we went this morning. It was about a 3 hour drive, 150 miles winding through the hills and forests.

There had been a fire through here 2 years and 3 years ago.  There were definite signs of that.  But, the park is beautiful in an austere way.  The focus is on the lava caves and the site of the Modoc War. 

I was not at all interested in going into the caves.  But, there were some beautiful openings going down into them.  I did go into the ones with hand-rails and steps.  There are beautiful and colorful in their own way.

Darrell was a bit more adventurous.

A Mountain Bluebird

A wonderful park - go see it for yourself!

We drove through the park and left on the north side and headed into Oregon.  We stopped in Klamath Falls Oregon for lunch.  We lucked into another great Thai restaurant, Thai Orchid Cafe. I sketched another of our meals and I couldn't resist including the knitted 'snake' that was living in the tree in front of the cafe.

We left there, with me driving, and headed into Eugene Oregon for the night.