SPLENDID SAMPLER 2 STARTS

I'm doing it again - and I haven't even finished the first one.

Here we go...

This one is named "Quilt Market".  [They aren't numbering them this time]

It's a conglomeration of strips

Lining up a 6-1/2" ruler

The excess is cut off.

The official finished photo.

I felt so guilty about not having worked on the first SS, that I did the next block.  I think it's number 53.

BLOCK 2

Moda Block Heads 2 Block 2 is a 6" block.  Very quick and simple.

I forgot to show the fabrics I'm using for this project.   So, here they are:

SOMEPLACE DIFFERENT

We decided to take our dog walk someplace different than the same ole' Lincoln Park.

The husband is busy all week teaching a woodworking class, so the dogs and I headed to Schmitz Park in the Admiral district.

I've been here before many times, but I don't think these dogs have been.

I let Jelly off the leash and she did very well, staying close and coming back when I called her.  

The weather was absolutely perfect.  It had rained last night so everything was wet and a little muddy.  But today the sky is blue and beautiful and the sun is shining.

I almost got the sign in the photo.

Jelly thinks I walk too slow.

Jax posing under the Admiral Way overpass.

Jax was very impressed with the graffitti all over the overpass.

We walked to the end of the park, it's all uphill with the last bit being very steep as you climb out of the ravine.  It comes out on a deadend street.  The only way back is by the same trail.  My fitbit said it was only .7 miles to that point.  We need to get at least 2 miles in, so we decided to take another trail on the way out.

The plan was to go up this side trail and find a geocache and then come back down and go out the way we come in.  The side trail turned out to be very steep, narrow and overgrown.  I was soaked through from all the wet bushes.  I was worried I'd slip and fall on the way back down so we kept going up until we exited the park to the street - great view.  Then we trekked down the street and re-entered the park and continued on our walk in the park.

View when we exited the park!  Wow.

 We came to a little creek that we had to cross - the doggos were not going for it.  

I showed them the rocks to walk across, but they were still hesitant.  

You want me to jump that six inches over water!?

Wait for me!

This is a cool feature of the fitbit - you can track your activity and share it if you want.  Here is our walk into, out of, and back into the park.

It was a nice adventure.

ORGANIZING

I didn't feel like sewing - I need to start a new project - and that sounded too difficult today.

I organized a couple of fabric drawers instead.

I cut the comic boards down and then fold and wrap the fabric.

I even ejected a few pieces from my stash (fabrics I just can't see me ever using).

SATURDAY LITE

Not much interesting stuff going on today.

I finished the Rectangles chapter with this last one:

Then started on the Triangles chapter in Tula's City Sampler Blocks book:

Now I'm going to go watch Justify win the Triple Crown...

NICE FRIDAY

This was a nice Friday spent with the hubby.

We went to breakfast at Lowell's at Pike Place Market first.

Then we went looking for our market charm.  They are selling these to help finance the new part of the market, coming soon.

We even found the tile that my sisters and I got for our parents way back when.

It was peony season at the market - beautiful!

On the way home, we were stopped at a railroad crossing for a very long train.  This happened:

In the afternoon, I made the binding for AM/FM and got it sewn onto the  front.  I'm working on hand sewing it down on the back.

Then I made another City Sampler block, number 34.

Life is good.

AM/FM QUILT FINISHED

I finally finished the AM/FM quilt.  

It almost didn't happen.  First, I ran out of thread and thought I'd have to find some more.  But, I was checking to see if I had anything close and found another spool of the same kind.  

Then I ran out of bobbin with only about 1/2 square foot left to do.  That one was easy to fix, and then I was off and running.  I had it done a few minutes later.

Here's where I was when I thought I ran out of thread.

Here's all I had left when I ran out of bobbin.

Done

BLOCKSHEADS 2 STARTS!

I didn't participate in the Moda Block Heads original.  But I collected all of the block patterns. 

Since I am now retired, I decided to go ahead and do it this time, with the plan being to do them the day they come out - every Wednesday.  Today was the first - and I did it!

I had wanted to use my Valorie Wells bird fabric as the focus, but I couldn't find it.  I don't think I used it all...hmmmm.

Oh well, while looking for it, I came across an old collection of Art Nouveau fabrics, so I used those.  Now, I'm not too sure about it, but I'm committed to making the best of it.

I also did the next City Samplers block - number 33 already:

 And then just for fun, I put these leftover parts up on the wall:

COMBINATIONS

I'm combining computer patterns with free-motion and ruler work on this quilt.  I'm enjoying the heck out of working on it (although it's a bit stressful coming up with my own designs).

I need more practice.

FIVE IN ONE DAY

It was a laid back Sunday.  I didn't have to do all of the things I normally had to do to get ready for work.  So, it seemed like I had lots more time for myself!

I got five of the City Sampler blocks done after we returned from getting our weekly grocery shopping done, but not until I'd taken the dogs to the Westcrest Dog Park.  We exited one of the gates and went exploring in the woods next to the dog park.  They loved it, and were tuckered out for the rest of the day.

ANOTHER GOOD DAY

I woke up feeling tired and headachy, so I didn't want to work on my free-motion.  The people down the street had a fire going and the smoke was coming in the open windows (because it's very warm out).  I was hot and the smoke smelled, it was not a good night.

I made some more City Sampler Blocks instead - 

After lunch I was feeling much better (caffeine to the rescue) and worked some more on the free-motion for AM/FM.  It's not 'perfect', but I'm very happy with how it's going.  But I went in the house afterward, grabbed a notebook and started practicing and experimenting with my old doodles, trying to come up with some appropriate patterns.  Now I'm wishing I had saved of those old doodles!

We are enjoying this nice spring weather.  The dogs and I spent a little time sitting on the deck, watching the fish in the pond and sunning.  

Jax makes a good potato amongst the potato plants.