The days are blurring again!! Tuesday?

 

Yesterday was crunch day!  I was making masks for family in the Midwest.  I know I've complained about this before ... but just to reiterate: our small town has ONE delivery / pickup for mail:  11 AM!  So, if you want the mail to go out that day, you have to join the multitudes in line at the post office by 10:30!!  I won't even talk about the fact that mail comes in at 11.  So it doesn't go out -at the earliest - til the next day!!!  So one package made the 11:00 deadline, but I've got to go back today with the other two envelopes!!  Sigh! One price of living on the edge of the earth!

When we are not on quarantine, I cheat by going into California where the mail pickup is 4 pm ... I also go to Crescent City twice a week for water aerobics.  Hmm, I wonder if that will start up again??  Life in Limbo continues!

So I made 9 masks with over the ear elastic.  Most of the masks requested were for shopping trips.  But also have some Nieces working full time ... so a combo of styles were needed.

Meanwhile, I managed to finish an UFO.  Last year, when our block program was Sawtooth Star, I made or delegated alternate squares for a raffle drawing each month.  Yeah, I didn't get much else done last year.

I sewed the very last of my Sawtooth Stars for a lap robe for a veteran in Gold Beach ... and then this Broken Dishes alternate block set got turned back in!!  Seriously, does everyone's luck run this way???  So amid grumbling ... ok, mostly grumbling ... I made more Sawtooth Stars and at February retreat, I pieced it all together.  But, I only took scraps to retreat ... no border possibilities - and then ... someone gave me a bag of patriotic fabrics and this stripe was in it.  Just enough for the borders and the strip across the back.  AND the grey backing too!  Top completed!  I even handed it off to one of our Long Arm Quilters there at retreat!

 

My 13 yr old DGD is still playing the photo puzzle game!  And I'm loving that daily contact. But I'm sad to report that she's the only one!!   The 11 yr old played 2 days, then politely ignored me!!  The Panama Crew is way too frazzled with teaching homeschool lessons over web; teaching elementary dynamos and a 3 year old under martial law and Panama City went DRY!!  Beer supply is diminishing ... can panic be far behind??  So yes, I understand ... but my hopes were so high!!  Here's the photos Miss P and I are still exchanging:

 

 

Reveal at end of post!!

I was on a mission with the Plus/X blocks this weekend!  Twosies!!  I was excited to almost get to fill another row!  I had a pile I'd been collecting on the ironing board.  Instead of moving the piles to the bed (where on the bed I know not!!  It's piled high already! Sigh!) I picked out the ones I liked the best and made them up.  Of course, there was searching for 12 background squares; some light, some dark.  But they all cooperated and worked up fast!

 

 

 

Winners all!!  What, you want to see them together??  So did I!  Just one block short of 1/2 way done!!  BUT we'll have to wait til tomorrow - 3 tries & I'm out!!

Face Masks Galore!

We are an army in motion!!  But we are all figuring it out as we go.  I’m  not an expert, my pattern doesn’t have filters.  What face masks are you  making?  What makes it easier?  I’m old!!  I have problems with hands, wrists, legs, back and ATTITUDE!!!  If I make 6 masks a day, 6 days a week, I can make 3 dozen a week without  killing my body - leaving energy to do something else too.  Most of our  groups masks go to retirement homes, cashiers, friends and family. I cut 2 pieces of stash 9 x 6.5 (width of my ruler!). I go thru the bins  and pick fabric I can spare and looks fun!!  I cut 2 or 3 from each.  I’m  bored if I make a yard’s worth of same-same! I make a nose shaper from a produce bag twist tie.  But they seem to be  gone from the grocery stores - I don’t think I was the only one!  What  works for you?   I zigzag the 1/2 twist-tie (1/2 = 2” length) in the seam allowance at the top of one of the fabrics.  I then, use my clear foot used for decorative stitches, it’s 3/8”  to the edge.  I sew the top seam - twist tie on top so I can keep an  eye on it. I sew the bottom seam, same foot, leaving an opening in the  middle to turn. My masks either have 7" elastic that loop behind the ears; or 14” elastic  looped at the top, and two 15” ties at the bottom.   I pull the elastic straight thru along the top seam, keeping it straight and  out of the way.  The end to be sewn is slightly outside the mask.  I start  stitching the one side, back stitching over the elastic once. Needle is down. I stop stitching and thread the bottom tie thru the mask  opening to the  lower corner.  The tie is slightly outside the mask.  I finish the side seam;  but at the tie, I reverse stitch into the seam allowance, forward and reverse  again - catching the tie at 3 different places in the seam allowance.  I hope  this makes it stronger. I repeat on the other side, trying to keep the elastic untwisted.  At this  point I hand the 6-8 masks to my DH who turns them for me.  He’s not  a pro at any means!  But involving him! When I get them back from DH, I use a wooden knitting needle to shape  the seams out and sharpen the corners.  I also finger crease the opening then .  I make and pin the pleats on both sides.  After I’ve done each mask,  I press the pleats down. I anchor the pleats and top stitch the entire mask at the same time.  I start  at the bottom, sewing up the sides where the pleats are folded toward my  needle.  Needle down; I pivot at the corner, trying to sew over the elastic  or tie.  Across the top - remember the twist-tie!  Pivot, down the other side, across the bottom - closer to the fold, so opening is closed.  Back stitch at  the corner I started at.   I chain stitch the next mask on.  After I go around the first corner I trim off the first mask.  Repeat!!  I press them again at the end and knot the ends  of the ties. I’ve used homemade bias tape (it doesn’t like me and the feeling is mutual!).  Then I tried Rat Tail ribbon from our LQS.  It’s soft - haven’t gotten any  feedback on it yet.   Now I’m stripping some t-shirts without side seams, 1” strips.  Bonnie  Hunter uses these in her ‘halter’ masks.  See her video on YouTube. I didn’t  want to switch to her pattern, too many masks already cut.   The t-shirt tie  cuts easily into the 15” lengths. I don’t expect everyone to go into this detail.  But if you have a different  pattern, tell us why you like it.  And if you have other hints, let us know  them!  And keep sewing!!  -doni

It's the weekend, I guess!!

Yesterday was spent in the sewing room - again.  But it didn't seem as productive.

I resewed 1/2 the Flying Geese blocks - have the blue on.  Today the beige-ing.  Fingers crossed that I can square it up to the right size this time!  Then I just have one more block set, which I'm changing!!  Hey - I had to do it once!!

My DH cleaned out his closet, looking for a missing pair of shorts.  He handed me two pair of shorts and 2 old t-shirts!  So I used Bonnie Hunter's method of making 'bias' for face masks.  I folded them in half, squared them up on my rotary cutting board, cut 1" strips.  Then stretched each one until there was no more give.  It looks promising!  Today I'll put them into my "7 face masks a day" production today. #Ihatebias  Fingers crossed.

I'm dealing with an uprising from 1 DGS and my DS!  Only my DGD is playing the game.  She's 13 - so I'm thrilled to have this daily contact with her.  This weekend I'll try to talk the others into joining in again!

Yesterday's photo, the reveal is at the bottom of the post:

I found a baggie of 3.5" squares.  There were a lot of Blue and Beige-ings, so I marked and made 16 HST starts.  This is for Rd to OK - which I'm excited about, since I managed to sew 3 blocks together correctly!!

My Plus/X block of the day is themed!  I noticed when going thru my scraps that I have a lot of Bee fabrics.  So I used 5 of them, added an alphabet background, cuz we need a "Spelling Bee" too!  #Badjoke!  

Part of the explosion in the sewing room is from the scrap baggies!  Literally!!  Digging around in them, and then making the blocks, throwing back the left-overs.  Bad management!!  I end up with 8 bags looking like this!

                              

Believe it or not - after dumping the baggie on the ironing board, pressing and pulling out miniature pieces for a friend; pieces I want to use, and even tossing some ... I end up with this!

Easy to use again, at least until the next time!  I sorted the Red; Yellow/Orange and the Black/Brown/Greys!!  I have TWO bags of blue; TWO+ bags and piles of beige-ings; Green; Purple and Pink left to manage.  We'll see if that actually helps!

News Alert!  Sue Spargo is presenting stitch lessons on Instagram.  She calls it 90 days of stitches.  She's on Day 20 today!  How I didn't really notice this was happening goes to show my state of (no)mind!  She uses a circle sampler, which I happened to have made the circles after a class I took.  Only stitched one circle and not happy with it - will probably rip that one out.  AND miracle of miracles - I found it!

Now you would think that she would start with some simple stitches ... HA!  Bullion Knot on first day.  That's what attracted me to the first video.  I need to brush up on Bullion Knot for my DropCloth sampler.  Second day is Palestrina Knot!  I've never even done that one!!!  Going to try - no way will I catch up, up but hopefully will save the video in favorites and keep the Diagrams.  Just listening to her calm English accent helps!


 The reveal - the wall that separates the forest from our complex grounds.  One spring a young bear came up from the beach(?) and panicked.  You could follow his large muddy paw prints across the parking lot and up over the wall into the forest!!  We don't get many bears on this side of the Highway.  (Thank Goodness!)

Stay Safe and QUILT ON!

Friday Report! Still Quarantined!

Yesterday was busy in the sewing room!

8 face masks
3 Road to Oklahoma blocks
1 Plus/X block
8 Edyta's flying geese blocks, sadly had to be ripped out!!  Back to the drawing board on that one!
1 GIANT mess made!  Ok, that's pretty much everyday in there - but I'm going to have to do something.  I've run out of room to stack things!!!

Here are the photo reveals from yesterday!

 

The rock layers makes up the 'famous' Rainbow Rock, in which there is a cave when the sand is low.  The little white daisies are flowers the size of my fingernail!  They grow along the path to the beach.

 

Since we are actively replacing the roofs on the complex, they block off one entrance to the building and ask people to use the other one.  They mark that "enter" implying you can go in, but you can't come back out!!!  The Oregon Duck whistle was Miss P's favorite beach toy!  She was 2 and she would march up and down the beach blowing it!!  It's loud and kind of obnoxious - so of course it was a favorite!!

I very carefully laid out the correctly assembled Rd to OK.  And then laid 3 blocks of the units in the correct position and orientation.  Then chain stitched!  Hooray! Success!.

My original pattern suggested the same background for the entire block.  And the same blue.  The blocks I made today and are completely scrappy.  I like them better - it makes the blue stars 'sparkle'?!?!  There are 2 blocks following the pattern, I spent the whole day cutting the correct number of each ... but I think I'll just mix them up!!  After all, Scrap Happens!!  I want to continue this one!

8 face masks - using 'Rat Tail' ribbon for ties.  It's easy to sew in - I did back over it in a slightly different place several times.  Just tie a knot on the other end.

Remember, I'm having an ongoing feud with bias tape!  Exploring possibilities!

Today's Plus/X block  This one wanted to be WILD!

Stay Safe and QUILT ON!

Bright Foggy Morning!!

Yep, you heard that right!  Living on the coast often shows 2 opposites at once!  But a bright fog usually means that the sun will break through in the near future!  Fingers crossed!

Someone posted this graphic yesterday, I don't know who to credit - I'll look into it!  But doesn't it make you want to go and make more masks??

Mindy the Mask Maker found at
 thebrandinghouse.com

Here are yesterday's reveal photos:

 

"Mussel Rock"                                        And wave on beach

When cleaning out junk drawer - note don't need any more chip clips!!

Today's Photos:

 

Trying one for the Miss E - 3 yrs old.  I'm hoping what is it?  What color are they?  Mom will probably make her count them!  She's a Math teacher!

Today's plus/x block:

The Road to Oklahoma blocks went into time out last night.  Bad blocks!  I've decided to just make the 4patches and the star points.  Lay a stack of them out correctly in a pile.  Then chain stitch them together.  With any luck ... I won't have multiples done wrong!  Reminds me of an old country song - 'they dun me wrong!!'  Pictures tomorrow!

The main problem is:   usually star points point out of the block.  These point in.  Seems simple when written down.  But I have 45 years of doing it the other way??  AND I have a 67 yr old brain ... old dog, new tricks syndrome!

I even made a mistake on the one Plus/X block I made yesterday, I love it, but I cut the 6 1/2 x 2 1/2 plus strip 6 x 2 1/2.  ARRRGH!  I only had one strip, with a  itty-bitty left!  But I managed to find it again in the pile of greens.  The problem was I read my ruler from the wrong end!

My DGS,  Mr M is a puzzle maven!  When he was 4 he would play Connect 4 with us.  He would play each game until he didn't have a move that wouldn't win and then apologetically win the game and ask to play another.  He knew if he beat adults in the first 3 moves, they suddenly had something else that needed done!

Then he started Chess tournaments with Beach Papa.  Then he beat Papa.  Papa came in muttering, "I just can't watch sports on TV while playing chess any more."  I won't go into what happened when Mr M beat Papa without any TV on!

I feel like that!  I have to pay attention - not plan the next 5 quilts or wonder where 'that' fabric is.  Granted I get it right 95% of the time ... but oh boy does that 5% drive me crazy!!  And we don't need that action when quarantined!

Stay Safe and QUILT ON!

Tax Day! or Non-tax day this year!

If you have to be quarantined, it's not bad with an ocean view.  UNLESS they are reroofing your building during this time.  There is a lot of construction noises.  They start fairly early (for retired peeps) and my dreams started having a lot of knocking doors in it.  God bless them, they have paying jobs during this period; they are polite when you walk by; but it doesn't help cabin fever!!  Just saying!

Here is the reveal picture of the one new photo yesterday:

Here are today's photos:

 

I went crazy with the blocks yesterday!!  It was fun and I was on a roll.  2 Plus/X blocks and 1 more Rd to OK.

I thought I'd make some 'calmer' blocks, but then the pink with Japanese(?) characters showed up!  Had to make it!

This one is calm, the upper left corner is Japanese rabbit fabric found at Britex in San Francisco many years ago!

Well, CrAp!  See the mistake??  I ripped that out once!!  Guess I will again!

I'll leave you with a moon over the ocean photo DH took this week.  

Stay safe and QUILT ON!

Tuesday? Yep - it's Tuesday!

Today is our 3rd grandchild's birthday.  9!  We called to sing Happy Birthday to and when we were done singing we heard movement and "I can't turn this off!"  So birthday GK is way too busy to talk to us!!  Yep, that's 9!!  Warning that teen years are a-coming!!  Tee-hee!

Yesterday's photo answers were:  bird footprints; dog footprints and a pile of starfish on a rock.  There were no "result photos".

Here are today's photos:

 New!  

 

And two repeats!  But the kids live apart - got to double up sometimes!!

I was wondering what to use for a leader/ender projects with the Plus/X blocks: I cut fabric for a Road to Oklahoma quilt.  I wrote up a block raffle for this at one of our retreats by Lincoln and Omaha guilds.  We met at a 4H camp between our two towns.  Of course, we all went shopping at the other town's favorite quilt shops on our way to and from retreat.  Good grief!  That was a long time ago, but I still remember the fun and laughter we enjoyed.  And racing Miss D to get some finishes!

 

I had some square paper plates in the cupboard - perfect for keeping the pieces in one place.  My fear is that I will get confused and mix up my scrappy project with my other scrappy project - you see what I mean.  Thanks to the internet I found a drawing of the Rd to OK blocks together.

And here is a scrappy Road to Oklahoma.

The block is 1/4 of the star block.  It has 2 4-patches and 2 blue star points corners.  Pretty easy to chain stitch.  We had a good group of blocks turned in at that retreat, but sadly, I didn't win.  I always vowed I'd make my own!  I still had the handout!! And 15(?) years later ... I've started it!!


Here's my Plus / X block from yesterday and today.  They are getting a wee bit wild, I think I need to calm them down a little.  Someone told me years (and years) ago  that every quilt needs men's boxer shorts!!  Calm blocks to set off the stars!  This project may need long underwear!!

 

I used some of the face mask fabrics! Corners  from my charm bin!

I love the blues in this block, and who doesn't love bicycles, ruby red slippers and flocks of birdies??

When I shortened up the name "Road to Oklahoma" above to "Rd to OK".  Boy, that twanged my heart.  That's what we are all dealing with  - finding the road to OK.  Life feels so suspended during quarantine.  The news is all over the place:  it's getting better, it's getting worse, we're going to reopen, the virus may stay with us forever, we found a cure, the cure caused heart problems ... and that's just on NBC!!  I don't watch the wild 'say anything' news!!

We don't know what the new normal will be.  It could be no large quilt shows or conventions, no stadium filled sports fans, no cruising, no international vacations, no hugging Veterans presented with a Quilt of Valor?  It's ok to grieve the old normal.  But we can also carve out a new everyday normal for ourselves.

Quilting always challenges my mind, comforts me when I'm wrapped in them,  I have something to talk easily about with my friends.  I can incorporate that into my everyday life.  More actual time in the sewing room.  If we have to share our progress online, if we have to meet on Zoom - well, I expect we can get used to that! 

I can change my exercise program from going to the pool and Tai Chi class, to walking, exercising at home.  It's not as fun - yet!  But, it gets me moving.  Eventually it will be a habit and easier to continue.  Meanwhile,  

Stay Safe and QUILT ON!