November's changeable weather is here

This week the weather at the coast has been a mish-mash of possibilities!  We had sunny days with the temps in the 60s.  We've had dreary rainy, misty days.  But today takes the cake!  37 degrees at 8 am!!  That's NEW!  Like a true fall day anywhere, there's a high of 50s possible with rain coming in tonight/tomorrow.

I've had the flu for way too many days and I just want to know where I apply for my shot refund and the extra 'damages' payment.  I had big plans last week!!!  None of which happened.  Sadly, Victoria and Abdul has moved on too!

Last time I was 'out and about' was a week ago Friday to the Mod Squad meeting.  I was convinced that it was allergies at that time.  I was wrong!  So sorry to expose my friends to this.

Mod Squad's assignment this month was "Dancing Grid" in Deborah Boschert's book  Art Quilt Collage.  This technique is about grouping things.  It feels like you're ignoring the grid but actually you're placing another invisible grid over the first.  It was fun.

I saw at PIQF many small mosaic borders/backgrounds that were delightful.  It was obvious that I was tossing away scraps that were too big!  So I started with a 'beige-ings' 2" squares background.  It ended up too small.  Added borders on 3 sides ... and I don't want to talk about it!!

Now I wanted to add bright color squares drifting across.  Background finished.  Cut the squares and well - it was under-whelming!

 

Poop!  But I had lots of sleepless nights last week and early wake-ups ... you can remain under the quilt and solve all kinds of problems and quilt designs.

I've been fascinated by shadow quilts - aha!  Add shadows and now we're talking!  There was frantic sewing the days before the meeting - good thing we're only working with 15" squares! I wanted to float the colors so Soft fuse was added and the batting was great.  With the change in design, I now wanted to fuse the colors again to the shadow.  Soft fuse doesn't like batting!  That DID NOT work.  Oh well, tuck it in and keep on working!

Sorry - blogspot is determined to rotate my project!  It's hanging correctly in the group shot.  (After trying two times to get it right - treat it like toddler bad behavior - ignore it!!)

There were 8 of us at the meeting; 7 projects.  Ignore the papers on the bulletin board behind the projects. Distracting, but I didn't see them until I saw the picture! Too Late!

We have two more book guidelines to work thru ... and we've decided to keep going next year.  There's some tweaks we're implementing but we've got a bunch of good ideas in mind.  Stay tuned!

Back to the date - NOVEMBER.  Arrrrgh!  We all are familiar how the months tend to snowboard away down a slippery slope after Halloween.  Get ready for the ride.

I'm half way thru making 12 special presents for my small woolies group and friends.  I must admit, although I made a prototype before going into production ... I can see simplifications that would have been a good idea!  Oh, well!  Thank goodness I had the foresight to start early (for a change!)  Plugging along ix not the most exciting thing, but hopefully everyone is going to love them!

I'm binding the last side of the Pendleton Wool quilt for my DBIL.  Now I remember why I don't hand bind BIG quilts anymore!  My thumb doesn't like it.  And I must mail 2 of the 4 Christmas stockings (none of which are started) back to Nebraska in the same box.  These are a late Wedding present for a Great Nephew and his bride.  It's a great wedding present if you've already made an adult sized quilt for the family member.

The two other stockings are for our newest -Miss E- and her stocking for our mantle. I made stockings for DH and me for us to take to our kids' houses at Christmas.  But two stockings look pretty lonely at this stage of life - so I made each grandchild a stocking to hang with ours too.  I love it even their stockings aren't ever used!  I've made their stockings for at their houses, so don't be feeling sorry for them!

There's the assorted PJ pants to be done, and I'm sure I'll come up with some other 'gotta haves'  But hoping for a relaxed slippery slope to Christmas.  I'll tell you some favorite Christmas traditions; coping mechanisms and just good advice as we get nearer!!  It will be your choice (as well as mine) whether to follow them or not! 

There's a fine maddening line between a "Christmas-zilla" panic and the second verse of "Who's sorry now!"  Good luck to us all!