New Year's Eve 2020

 Today is the last day of the year. I plan to spend a few hours with Chooky and the girls tonight on zoom. 

Our daughter and her family moved earlier this week and are settling into their new townhouse about 20 minutes from here. The boys are excited to be only 20 minutes from both sets of grandparents. 

Our son is away for a few days and the girls have gone to their mom's. School resumes Jan 11. 

So, my Sweet Farmer and I are home alone. Just the 2 of us. No children. No grandchildren and all the cats live in the barn. Four whole days by ourselves. 

Today will be a quiet day. He will watch football and I plan to do some quilting. 

Also, I saw this interesting chart to track something. It might be a fun way to track 15 minutes of stitching every day. My sister is using it to track her yoga.

Blessings,

Chris

50 Goals for 2021

In August we will be celebrating

   

Celebration Goals

1. 50th Anniversary Celebration Aug 7, 2021, or when we can gather
2. Plan an open house and invite the world to join us
3. Family dinner for at least 50 Forsters and 50 Czarnatas
4. Ride in a hot air balloon
5. Scan 50 years of photos
6. Create a PowerPoint Presentation                                                  
7. Celebrate our son-in-law's 50th birthday
8. Plant 50 trees
9. Buy a new dress
10. Celebrate God

Quilting Goals

1. Make 50 blocks for the 50th Anniversary Quilt aka Ella 
2. QAL 2021 The Curves! 
3. Complete 50% of my 50 ufos or at least 50% of that
4. Make 50 more Bright Jane blocks for RSC
5. Make 50 more blocks for 150 Canadian Women
6. Quilt for Ellyse 
   
7. Quilt for Devan
8. Quilt for Jonathan
9. Quilt for Ava 
10. Quilt for David

Academic Goals

1. Submit BIOTB
2. Complete and submit CC 1&2
3. Complete and submit CC 3&4
4. Complete and submit UHPSBE
5. Complete and submit Identity Formation
6. Write a dissertation
7. Deal with revisions
8. Submit dissertation
9. Defend dissertation
10. Graduate with a Doctorate in Christian Counseling 

Writing Goals

1. Write 50 more chapters for my two books
2. Complete SMOWJ
3. Edit SMOWJ
4. Publish SMOWJ
5. Launch SMOWJ
6. Complete Sister
7. Edit Sister
8. Publish Sister
9. Launch Sister
10. Journal 

Other Goals

1. Build a deck on back of house
2. Put in a hot tub
3. Lose 50 lbs
4. Keep it off for 50 weeks
5. Focus on my health
6. Lead my mentoring group well
7. Lead another small group at church called Broken Crayons
8. Start another mentoring group
9. Finish reading the Bible chronologically 
10. Figure out how to get comments into my inbox again

blessings,

Chris 

linking with: quiltingjetgirl.planningparty

needleandthreadnetwork. midweek-makers-

Mystery of the Bobbin

Yesterday this happened. My bobbin ran out of thread and I rewound it. But the bobbin and case would not fit into the machine for some reason. Then I wound a new bobbin. The new one is on the left. The old one is on the right.

The old one ran out. I used the old bobbin for the top thread as I was not wanting to let all that thread go to waste.    

Then, just for the fun of it, I rewound the old one again and tried to put it into the bobbin case.

Then, put them into the machine, and it fit! Go figure. It is a mystery to me. I will just keep on sewing. 

Blessings,

Chris                                                

OMG Completion December 2020

My OMG goal this month was to make a few pieced blocks for the 50th Anniversary Quilt aka Ella. I pieced 5 blocks. The blue cross I did twice because I miscalculated the width before sewing it up. I still might do it a third time even wider. Or I might applique a few bits in the white spaces. The center block still needs to have the flowers applied down. That can be a goal for another time.

And I made mistakes. Not just one but many. Those white units were supposed to be on the bottom part. 

It seems like I made each of the blocks twice. But these are done now.

Now here is an interesting problem. Anyone ever had this happen to their Featherweight bobbins? I took the one on the right out of the case when I ran out of bobbin thread. I wound it, then it would not fit into the case holder. Somehow, it stretched out and is warped. I had this happen before but did not realize how. It's a good thing that I bought a whole bunch of new bobbins a couple of years ago.

Blessings,

Chris

linking with: link-party-patchwork-quilts-, quiltingismorefunthanhousework.

smallquiltsanddollquilts. needleandthreadnetwork.

Last Slow Sunday Stitching for 2020

 I have not done a lot of hand stitching lately. I have, however, prepped a few more Ella blocks to hand stitch including this one.

I should have a few minutes of quiet time today even though my daughter and her family are moving out. I only have to be here to look after the boys and they have mandatory quiet time after lunch every day for 2 hours. It sounds like a good idea. I should try it. 

Blessings,

Chris

linking with: Slow Sunday Stitching,  quiltingismorefunthanhousework.

My Stash

Our daughter and her family are moving out this week and when all the dust settles, I plan to move my E.N.T.I.R.E fabric hoard stash into the newly vacated Blue Room. This is no small feat. I have bins of fabric in several places throughout the house and often, I will cart boxes up or down to rummage and plan and prep then cart them back again. This way, everything will be in one room. Maybe. 

The thing is, I plan to start the QAL 2021 The Curves on Jan 1, 2021, and I have to locate the green and black reproduction fabric I bought back in 2014 that I plan to use. I accidentally found the Kona Snow layer cake when I was rummaging through a box looking for some more of a particular aqua repro fabric I used to make a pieced block for the 50th Anniversary Quilt.  

You see, I do not organize my fabric by colour or theme or stash or scraps. Many are in project boxes with the pattern, fabrics, and backings ready for me to discover and drool over and plan then put away again for another day. Some projects are in 2-3 boxes with many blocks made and many prepped. Many fabrics are in collections. Some are just bolts that I collected over the years to make sure I had "enough". And wide backs. I bought lots of those. I also have many packages of batting. I once bought an entire bolt of Warm and Natural 120 inch wide batting for half price. It did fit into my car and it did fit into the cupboard. I have used more than half so far. I figured I would make scrap quilts someday, but did not actually have scraps until I finished the project for which I purchased the fabric. 

blessings,

Chris

Merry Christmas Everyone

 

blessings,

Chris

Luke 2:6-7

 

Little Blocks 365

 My friend Gay Bomers at Sentimental Stitches has another new project up her sleeve for 2021. She calls it Little-Blocks-365 and it starts Jan 1, 2021.

Well that is one of them

Another is Heartfelt beginning Feb 12, 2021. 

And a free one posted monthly.

poppys-polka-dot-garden-bom.

And if that is not enough to keep you busy, I am sure Gay will come up with something else in the not too distant future. 

For now, I will keep my focus on my 50th Anniversary Quilt and 3030. The final reveal should be Friday. 

Blessings,

Chris

Tuesday Again

 This is what my list looked like last week:

• water plants Done time to do it again
• pay CPP - yes time to do it again
• call SkyChoice - Called said they were coming Sat to install the new internet equipment. We live in the country so do not have access to high-speed internet. They emailed to say they were coming Sun. It's Tues and they are only started. The equipment is going on top of the small silo.
• write blog posts - up to date so far posting every day this month with a few scheduled
• waterfit Mon, Wed, Fri  - was babysitting so only got there on Fri and snuck one in on Sunday morning. We are in lock-down again so it might be a while before I can go again
• mail CRA forms - yes somehow they got forgot last Feb
• clear off work table - done on Sat. I set up another table for gift wrapping so I can get some sewing done here now
• work on BIOTB - not yet
• write plans onto desk calendar - moved the desk calendar off the table to pick up in Jan
• call osteopath - yes booked 2 appointments for Jan. Hope they will be open in lockdown
• return ink cartridge - forgot to take it with me when I was in town on Thurs but took it in early Sun morning. That is nearly $50 in a cartridge that my printer would not acknowledge. It did take the next one and I did buy the right thing
• pot up philodendron - not yet
• babysit boys Tues and Wed - and Mon 
• chiro and massage on Thurs - yes and it felt so good
• cleaning lady Fri - she had vertigo so canceled her but we are in lock-down again so not sure when she can come back so I have prepared a bingo game for the grandkids to do it

Quilting

• FNSI Fri Night Sew In - did this Sat morning
• Sat Sew@farm - prepped a 3030 block and an Ella block. Did a bit of hand applique
• piece 5 Ella blocks - I did rummage through a couple of bins of fabric to choose some colours. Turns out that I had been doing the paper piecing with only one colour all these years with both Dear Jane quilts and my Morrell, and you have to be thoughtful to choose several colors and sew them together without messing up. I started with 2 blocks that used only one colour. Got one block done.

So a pretty good week for me. Goals for this coming week will be simple. 

• Survive the week
• Enjoy the week
• Enjoy having all the family here this week
• Turkey dinner on Fri. I am cooking the turkey but the family will all be here so can delegate
• Look after little boys as their mom and dad move on Sun Dec 27. They could not rent a truck for Jan 2.
• Put in a few hand stitches. 
• Foundation piece a few more Ella blocks

Blessings,

Chris

linking with : to-do-tuesday

Lock-Down Again

We live on a farm but are officially part of the City of Hamilton. We were in Red Zone for a month but as of today, we are in lock-down again. I am okay with that. It does not disrupt my life too much. I cannot complain. My family all live here so we see everyone all the time and love it. Last week, I took the opportunity to go into town and do some stocking up on essentials like Goldfish Crackers, Cheese, apple juice (I buy it by the case) and bacon. Must have bacon. We have 4 freezers and 2 refrigerators and are ready. 

Actually, I am practicing for next August when we could have 27 houseguests come for our 50th Wedding Anniversary. I am going to enjoy the anticipation and planning, even if we have to postpone it.

Blessings,

Chris   

If I Clear It Off Someone Will Fill It

I cleared off my table yesterday so I had some room

to work on a few pieced blocks for my 50th Anniversary Quilt aka Ella. 

While I was busy here writing up my Sat blog post, I turned and saw this.

His mom took him shopping the other day. Says she.  "What should we get for Devan for a gift?"

He replies. "Well, she likes animals. And she has a good imagination. So, let's give her an imaginary animal." 

I love being a Gramma

Blessings, 

Chris

Linking with: Sunday Slow Stitching, needleandthreadnetwork.

Saturday Stitching

 Most Sat mornings I hang out with a couple of friends on our Quilting at the Farm Facebook group room. We do get some stitching done.

Today I started early because I had to wash up last night's dishes. Somehow that got forgot. I had cooked supper, so someone else should have done them. But I had cooked a crockpot of beans to use up the ham bone from last week and I made a mess when I dropped the new large container of bread crumbs I used to bread the lamb chops all over the counter including the kettle. Took a shower and got set up to sit here and stitch. I did clear off the table and later we set up another large table for the gift wrapping station. The tree goes up tomorrow when the girls return from Moms. 

I ended up prepping a 3030 block for hand applique then, prepped one of the Dec Ella blocks for applique. 

I must remember to not overdo the hand stitching. It appears that typing is not hurting my hand so much, as long as I remember to not use the right index finger all the time. But it is improving.   

Blessings,

Chris

FNSI

 

This is the last Friday Night With Friends for 2020. 

I plan to be working on some Ella pieced blocks.

I keep talking about it but so far this month I have not actually put in one single stitch. That must change! My quilt room has been a hub of grandchild activity this week as everyone has secret wrapping to do and the wrapping station is here with all the new tape and paper Gramma bought. Lots of scissors and gift bags too.

It will be quiet here for a couple of days and let us see if I can get 5 blocks pieced before the girls return Sunday night. That gives me exactly 66 hours give or take a few minutes. 

Blessings,

Chris

Bats

So our youngest grandson David is 4 going on 40. Well, not quite. He will be 5 in January and at breakfast, every day he prays for the food, the whole world, Jesus' birthday and, mentions his own birthday. He has a bat stuffy. It is real life-size, and colour. He saw one of the girls ask for an empty box to wrap a present in. I gave her one from crackers. David also asked for a box and chose the Kraft Dinner box because it was the right size and dark inside for his bat to sleep in. The girls were baking cupcakes so he used some of the leftover papers to decorate his bat home. There was a handful of paperclips on the table that Devan us using for a craft, so he used them and some string leftover from another one of the girl projects. Do you see a theme here? And he used tape. Lots of tape. Now I know where some of the 10 rolls went and I did buy 4 more. They are being used in the quilt room where the official gift wrapping station is. And he is learning to print his name.

I could tell bat stories. We live in this 1842 farmhouse.  We replaced the soffit and facia a couple of years ago to keep the critters out. One squirrel and 8 bats did not get the eviction memo. The bats showed up one or three at a time. In the night of course. But one bat ended up in the kitchen. Now bats are nocturnal. They just "disappear" in the daytime. This one decided to hide in Ava's shoe and her calm response to its discovery when she tried to put the shoe on is epic. 

So, all I all, David's stuffy bat is a bit creepy and the thing keeps disappearing like behind his bed or under the couch. 

blessings,

Chris

To-Do Tuesday

It is Tuesday as I write up this post for Wednesday. I keep writing To-Do lists and forgetting to do them, but that won't stop me from writing up some more. 

This is what my list looks like this week:

• water plants
• pay CPP
• call SkyChoice
• write blog posts
• waterfit Mon, Wed, Fri
• mail CRA forms
• clear off work table
• work on BIOTB
• write plans onto desk calendar
• call osteopath
• return ink cartridge
• pot up philodendron
• babysit boys Tues and Wed
• chiro and massage on Thurs
• cleaning lady Fri

It appears there are no quilt goals so I better change that.

• FNSI Fri Night Sew In
• Sat Sew@farm 
• piece 5 Ella blocks

That should keep me busy for a few days. 

blessings,

Chris

Skinny Stems

 

I took a few classes with Kathy Dunigan 11 years ago when she lived in Canada. She had come up with a technique for skinny stems and was looking for a catchy name for them. I wonder if she ever came up with one? Anyway, Kathy was teaching a year-long course for a Baltimore sampler that included dimensional applique. 

She used a very narrow silk ribbon for her curvy stems. Folded them in half and glued them onto the background fabric and hand appliqued them down. I always used too much glue and it's hard to stitch through it. That block was the only time I used that technique. It is one of my UFOs. One of these days I will pull it out and finished it. But first I have a few other things to finish. This is where I first started doing needle-turn hand applique. 

I had a few comments about bias stems and I was reminded of Gay Bomer's tutorial applique/teeny-tiny-stems. It is worth checking out. I have several sizes of Clover bias makers and will try the 1/8th inch one first. I used the 1/8th maker for these red stems. It was certainly a challenge but with it.I have found that my bias stems always turn out a bit wider than the maker suggests. Sometimes I pull too fast when I am pulling the strip through. So I pull out an inch or so, pause, let it relax, and push it back in ever so slightly before gently pressing it. Rosemary Makhan taught us to put the cut bias strips in a plastic bag and spritz them with spray starch. This was long before Best Press was invented. I use that now. 

Hope this is helpful.

Blessings,

Chris

linking with: midweek-makers, myquiltinfatuation. needleandthreadnetwork.

Spider Soltaire

 I played a particular Spider Solitaire game last week. It took me just over 6 hours and 25 minutes. Not all in one go. It was a tough game. I might have given up on it the first week I played it, but I have this perfect streak of more than 1500 wins in a row. I figure any game can be completed if you just have patience and enjoy the journey. Well, Chris, when are you going to follow your own advice and just keep writing away until you have a first draft? I have published one book and have 2 books partly written. I have been working on the third book for the past month. It is fun and I am enjoying it. But I also have a course I want to complete before Christmas. When will I learn to put the kind of time I do in playing a game into writing the book report and summary? My left-brain logic says because I don't have to think. Silly me! Of course, I have to think to play that level of Solitaire. 

I like to play the 2-suit version. Challenging but not impossible. The 4-suit is harder. My completion rate is only 50% on several games. 

And since I am doing this 31 Day Blogging Challenge, I am actually writing most every day. I do write up several posts at a time and schedule them. But then, I keep looking at them and proofing and changing them. I am also doing a 15 Minutes a Day writing challenge for my online Writing Group with Shelley Hitz. The idea is to get into the habit of writing something every day. And I am. Just not always on my book or course work. 

Then I read things that tell me to be softer on myself and not beat myself up for not "accomplishing" anything. I do accomplish lots. Ask my grandkids. They love me and want to be in the same room with me. Like Friday night after the boys were put to bed. All 3 girls ended up in here. One on her laptop laughing hysterically with her ear pods in. Another doing math homework. On a Friday night? She's 8! And the third was writing names onto paper strips with glitter glue. And what was Gramma doing? Playing that game of Solitaire. And she finished it. 

Blessings,

Chris

Rainy Saturday @ Farm

Saturday it was raining outside. At least we don't have to shovel rain. The kids were playing inside and actually being rather quiet this time. Who would have thought 5 children could play together all day without too much noise. Maybe I am going deaf. Wait! The new teenager is usually hidden away in her room. She was giving manicures in the morning. I passed this time. She was finished all her school work and bored, so she made me a smoothie. Then at midnight, she started baking a cake in a mug. It was delish!

We used the GO cutter and 2 1/2 inch strip die to cut out a gazillion strips out of construction paper for the kids to make paper chains. They haven't started yet because they were, you know, playing quietly. One wants to use tape. I said no. And I just bought 4 large new rolls. I suggested glue since I have a whole case of it. One suggested staples. Maybe. I just bought a new one so we have about 20,000 staples. Another wrote names on with glitter glue but had to wait for it to dry. And then, she wanted to sew but I encouraged the pirates game. 

I meet with a few friends on Facebook to sew on Saturday mornings. So we met and we sewed. 

I did a bit of hand stitching on an Ella block. Now it's time to do a few skinny stems. But how should I proceed? I could hunt up the bias makers or just do the back basting thing. 

The last skinny stems I did were on this 3030 Block. I cut thin strips on the bias and pinned them in place. Then, I stitched up one side and down the other. Fortunately, most of the stems will be covered up with the rest of the flowers. 

I finally finished hand appliqueing the yellow flower buds. I think the rest of the flowers will be pink. and there will be 4 green leaves. 

This can be my handwork for Slow Sunday Stitching. 

Blessings,

Chris

linking with: quiltingismorefunthanhousework.

Thoughts on the Grundge

The jury is still out about the Grundge fabric for the setting triangles for Ella. Definitely the colour turquoise. Since I do not have to decide today, I will take all the comments under consideration. 

I have, however, discovered a fat quarter from Di Ford-Hall's Moire collection. I could get more of that. It is a richer colour than the Grundge and is an actual reproduction fabric. 

And that brown print in the lower right corner is the Sussana Scraps fabric I bought for the setting triangles to go with the stripe in the sashing. I really should finish those applique blocks.

Blessings,

Chris

Most Impactful Class

I have been quilting for nearly 45 years. I learned much from a few books I hand early on and I asked a lot of questions. I did not start taking classes until about 20 years ago. And I asked a lot of questions. Things had to make sense. This 31 Day Blogging Challenge  offered some prompts. As if I need prompts to talk about anything. But the suggestions got me thinking. 

I would say the most impactful class I took was back in 2003 with the late Rosemary Makhan when she was writing her book More Biblical Blocks. She taught us how to see the underlying pattern in a block and how to draft any block. That was a huge aha moment for me and the freedom to design any layout I wanted. If I did not need to follow a pattern by more, then why have I purchased at least a thousand books and patterns over the years? Because I could. And because I spend more time reading than sewing. 

Blessings,

Chris

Scheduling Posts

I have mentioned that I lead a Women's Mentoring Group. We met in person outside behind the farmhouse until the weather turned to winter and now we meet on Facebook Messenger. I like it. I do not have to clean the snow off my car and drive anywhere. In the meantime, I have been posting a comment, Bible verse, or a link to some worship music every morning at 6 am. No, I do not get up that early to post, rather, I have figured out how to schedule a post. I can do this since I am a moderator. I have been working on this for the past couple of hours. We are good to go until after Christmas. That was 19 posts. It is a fun way to encourage my women and they look forward to what I have to say or share. Here is one by Mark Lowry .

Blessings,

Chris

Random

I have been turning the computer off every day for a while. Not just putting it to sleep. Powering off. And no sooner do I do that, then my Sweetie wants me to look up something online. Then I have scheduled meetings to open and monitor. And last night, the girls were here and the 13-year-old had an assignment due for Geography and needed to use my desktop computer. Not sure why since she has her own laptop. She started right after supper at 7 ish until way past 11 when I went to bed. She later told me she stayed up until nearly 4. In the Morning!! She is 13!!

Earlier, it was quiet and I turned on Netflix to watch something. Anything not violent, suspenseful, sci-fi, animated, sports, news, or whodunnit. And wouldn't you know, the boys came in to snuggle and Mom walked in and told me what I was watching was inappropriate for little boys. I did not know that the chick flick movie I had just put on started out with a lot of short, rude words. Now I know.  So I switched it to Full House season one episode one. And that was not appropriate either since the whole series begins with the sisters fighting so turned it off. Sigh.

After supper, which my daughter cooked and her husband and kids did the cleanup and dishwashing then went to bed, the girls and I played a really good game of UNO. The rules were simple. No whining if you lose. I did not have to whine since I won, but it was a good game. And close several times. 

Then the little girls went to bed and I picked up some hand applique and visited with Ava for a while. Of course, that just distracts her and takes her even longer. I did help her print off her completed assignment and double-sided it since it was a brochure on sustainable farming. But it is fun hanging out with her after everyone else is in bed since she asks random questions which makes being a grandma the most wonderful thing ever. We have the greatest conversations until her Dad comes in and tries to make her go to bed as if he could since she is a teenager. And later she tells me she tried printing it off several more times after tweaking it. Good thing we have a GOOS paper box. Good On One Side.

Blessings,

Chris

2020 Quilt Starts and Finishes

Frederique at Patchwork and Quilts is hosting a weekly linky party and has asked for finished and started quilts for 2020. Well, let me tell you. I finished nothing.  Well, I did finish my breakfast. 

 

No that is not entirely true. 

I did finish the Beyond the Cherry Trees Quilt top. 

It is not yet prepared for quilting. The plan is still to hand quilt it. Maybe next year. You can find the pattern here at  sentimentalstitches.

I only started 2 projects this year.  Gay at Sentimental Stitches offered a mystery block of the week back in June called 3030 Quilt. Thirty blocks in 30 weeks. We are at week 27. This is all I have made so far. There is an incredible appliqued center medallion that I will get to someday. And the final layout is still a mystery.

The other quilt I started was released monthly also by Sentimental Stitches starting back in Sept 2019. This is the Ella Maria Deacon Quilt 

Ella was originally made in 1841-42.

I have 8 blocks done and 7 more applique blocks prepped. 

I collected most of the blocks each month, paying half price for them. I started it in April. The plan is to make 50 of the 85 blocks. It is my 50th Anniversary Quilt project. 

I have plans to start the QAL 2021 The Curves! on Jan 1, 2021. I will post more about that in January since we are not allowed to actually begin making it until then. 

Blessings,

Chris

You can check out some of the other blogs here link-party-patchwork-quilts. 

Prepping for Foundation Piecing Blitz

I spent Sat morning working on preparing several Ella blocks for foundation piecing. I had printed off the patterns when they were released each month and copied the foundation patterns onto that special foundation paper. That's about as far as I got back then. So now I organized them, put dabs of colour onto the sections, and cut them out. 

Do you have any idea how challenging it is to find the right scissors to cut out paper? They have to be long enough to make a long enough cut to not tire out my hands and they have to be light enough so the weight does not tire my hands. My usual pink ones are awol so I found another. Last month I bought no less than 10 rolls of Scotch tape. We are down to only 3. What do those blessed children do with all that tape besides tape fat quarters onto treadmills and doors above the hideout and make wrist bands? Scotch tape will not tape a kid to the wall. You need duct tape to do that. 

So I cut out the foundation sections and put each block into a file folder to keep them organized. I had to correct a few after putting the colour onto the wrong spot. I was visiting one of my quilting friends online as I do most Sat mornings. We actually get a lot done. Anyway, I made mistakes so corrected them, I hope. We shall see. 

Blessings,

Chris

linking with:

design-wall-monday  katiemaequilts.boms-away monday-making. needleandthreadnetwork.

 

Very Slow Hand Stitching

I continue to put in a few hand stitches in between re-threading the needle which I had to do several times. Only the inside circle left on this Ella block. I decided to change the pattern from the original which had a starburst in that center. A bold print works.

I have yet to figure out how to take pictures that are straight and balanced and have the correct background colour. I also tweaked the pattern to make those interesting curves inside the brown to make it look more like the original. It will sit on point in the final layout. No one will notice. I hope. Linking with Kathy at Slow Sunday Stitching. 

Blessings,

Chris

linking with: quiltingismorefunthanhousework.

Will the Grundge Work?

I moved the boxes of stuff (to the other side of the room for now) and put up all the blocks I have so far. Seven are complete and eight are prepped for applique. My focus this month is to make a few pieced blocks. Now I can see everything and plan some colour combinations. I see that the turquoise Grundge fabric might work. I can pretend it is just aged looking. Then the cleaning lady came in today and is dealing with all the boxes but she does not like them together. Not the boxes. The Grundge.They just don't fit she says and she is not a quilter and has no idea about reproduction fabrics. It's the dark blotches that she does not like

I think that darker colour balances the chocolate in the cornerstones which were a bit too prominent before. It's not the effect I was originally looking for. And, that bright orange in the one block no longer demands special attention so I am happy. I will wait for the girl's opinion. 

Blessings,

Chris

31-Day Blog Challenge

I flipped my calendar over and saw a reminder about the 31- Day blog writing challenge. The only problem was, I had not remembered to save the link. I stumbled across it as I was reading blogs this morning. I had already written and posted three times so I am right on schedule this year. 

The whole idea is to blog every day for the month of December. It does not have to be a long post and can be written ahead of time and scheduled. I like that. Sometimes when I start writing one post, I get ideas for several others. There is even a list of topics to consider if you cannot think of what to write about. You can find more info here 2020-31-day-blog-writing-challenge. 

Blessings,

Chris

Decluttering

 I am still working on decluttering. How do we manage to collect so much stuff? I went to Canadian Tire the other day to get a new spout for the bathtub. I spent $240. But I came home with a new tea kettle for 57% off. A new frying pan for half price. Some new measuring cups and spoons for the kids and 2 new spatulas since one got left in the oven the other day when the girls were baking. And flashlights. Three new flashlights. They are always lost or not working. Oh, I also got chapstick. They had them at the checkout. 

And it looks like I just might have to get a new keyboard because this one has its issues. Spilling water on it the other day has nothing to do with the 3 letters that keep sticking. A worrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrd often looks like that. And the "a" is so often awol. Grammarly has a field day with my spelling and punctuation. They send me an email every Monday telling me exactly how many comma errors, missed articles, and my most frequently misspelled word. I upgraded Grammarly to help with my academic work which I do in US English and my manuscript which I do in Candian English spelling. Sometimes I remember to switch it but most times I forget. Well, until I start proofing. Then I figure it out. How do you spell counseling anyway? One "l" or 2? Depends if you are Canadian or not. So, not only did I knock a glass of water over onto the keyboard, 5 minutes later I spilled the replacement cup on the desk mat beside it.  

What was I saying? Yes. Decluttering. Somehow, several boxes of stuff found their way onto the floor of the quilt room in front of the big design wall. I want to put the Ella blocks up so I can see all of them at the same time so I can choose colours for the pieced blocks I am making this month. Then, I had the crazy idea to make the setting triangles in a Grundge turquoise. It might work. But can I mix the ultra-modern Grundge with the wonderful reproduction fabrics I so love working with? Have I ever mentioned that choosing colours is not my forte? And I have finally figured out how to switch the keyboard from English to French accents and back again. It was by accident but I was actually paying attention at the time and I no longer have to restart the whole computer to fix it. 

I will put the Grundge up on the wall with the blocks and sashing strips and ask the girls and boys to tell me if I like it. I received a message today telling me that 7 of my cousins from Poland have purchased tickets to come to Canada in August for our 50th wedding anniversary celebration. I better get moving on this quilt. I only have 8 months to get it done. No pressure. If I wanted pressure I would say complete the doctorate and both manuscripts this week so I can finish everything on my 2020 goals list. Since that is not going to happen, I should probably write a new one for 2021. That should keep me distracted for a few days once I get all the boxes sorted and dealt with. 

Blessings,

Chris

Friday Night With Friends

 

The first Friday of the month is time to "hang out" with friends and do some stitching in our homes and blog about it then go visit the other participants. Australia is like 16 times zones ahead of us here in our part of Canada. We had snow this week, It was so pretty. the grandkids loved playing in it until way past dark. It gets dark here about 4:30 now but that does not stop them. 

I am planning to do some stitching Thurs night and get a bit ahead of the others who do their thing Friday night there which is about 3-4 in the morning here. I could have done some sewing yesterday. It was Dec 1 and I woke up at 4 am and remembered that I had not transferred funds to cover a check I wrote on the weekend for the yearly custom work guys. We are talking about $26,535.16. We don't usually keep that much in the cookie jar. All is good now. But I did not think about doing any sewing. I did, however, play a lot of games. Yes. I am playing games again. And procrastinating. And eating a lot of junk. Why do we do that? My daughter is teaching the little girls to bake yummy squares and we have to taste test everything, now don't we? 

My Dec OMG is to make a few matching pieced Ella blocks, so I guess that is what I will be working on. After I do a bit more writing. 

Blessings,

Chris

December 2020 OMG Goal

Last month I switched my focus to some of the 150 Canadian Women blocks. Those are all pieced so no applique to tire my hands. This month I plan to work on some of the pieced blocks for the Ella Maria Deacon BOM from sentimentalstitches.. This program started in Sept 2019 and I bought most of the patterns each month for half price as they were released. I plan to only make 50 of the 85 offered to commemorate our 50th wedding anniversary next August. I started appliqueing blocks in April. Some of them are extremely challenging and so satisfying. However, the stiffness and pain in my right hand continue to hinder me for now, so I will be machine piecing for a while. This month's OMG goal will be to get a few more Ella blocks made. No promises as to how many. Just a few. The blocks circled in green are the Nov blocks and the ones circled in pink are some that I will be making. I had considered only doing applique blocks and not the pieced ones, but at the rate I am going it will not be finished until my 60th anniversary and I do not want to wait that long.

I am working with colours I do not normally use. Softer colors like aqua and coral and creams and butter and chocolate. Now I am getting hungry. Back to work.  

Blessings,

Chris 

linking with: needleandthreadnetwork. myquiltinfatuation.

 Also, I did something and cannot figure out how to undo it. I am not getting comments sent to my email. I had this problem earlier with the new blogger but resolved it but do not remember how. 

Friday Stitching

 It is the end of November and normally we would have been having my Sweet Husband's family Christmas dinner tomorrow. Two new great-grandchildren have joined the mob this year but we will have to wait to meet them. The snow we had last week has disappeared. Most of it into the hats and mitts and boots of our grandchildren who made angels and snowmen and body surfed and all sorts of other muddy versions of play. 

We are preparing for a cold winter, but I cannot complain. My children and their children all live here so we get to see them most every day. That has its ups and downs. That's a lot of food to prepare every day, but they all help. And that is a lot of dishes to wash, but they all help. That's a lot of laundry, but I got a new washing machine two months ago and they all help. And we have enough lego and bacon to see us through a long cold Canadian winter. Spring is only five months away. Well, until the tulips and daffodils we planted start blooming and we can run around outside in our bare feet again.

This weekend I am pulling out the Ella box of fabrics and prepping a whole bunch of patterns to foundation piece. I have been putting that off. I am again joining the gang in Australia for Friday Night Sew In. Tomorrow I will be hanging out with my Quilting @ Farm friends right here. 

But first I have to find my table. It has once again disappeared under a mountain of stuff I am puttering with. And there will probably be a new puzzle show up sometime tomorrow. 

Blessings,

Chris

November 2020 OMG Completion

My November one-monthly-goal was to complete at least twenty 150 Canadian Women blocks. Silly me. I did block 16 twice. I now have a total of 28. Only 122 more to go. 

We have snow and everything looks so white and cold. 

Blessings,

Chris

Friday Night Stitching with Friends in Australia on Sat Morning in Canada

 Some of us meet on Facebook Messenger to sew together on Sat mornings. I have been working on some the 150 Canadian Women blocks that were a block of the week project 4 years ago to celebrate Canada's 150 birthday. I started a Facebook group called Quilting @ Farm several years ago for the women who came out to the farm to learn to quilt. We usually got together Sat mornings. Seven of us took on the challenge to make the Dear Jane quilt. Mine is complete but not yet quilted. We often had small retreats. That was when the guest rooms were guest rooms and not family living in them. There are presently 10 of us living here. Well, most of the time. The 3 girl grandchildren go to their mom's half time. So it is only chaos part of the time. 

Last week I got 8 blocks made. So far this week I have made another 8. My OMG goal for this month is to have at least 20. Now to find the bin of patterns and precut pieces to put another 4 together. 

It's only noon so I have lots of day left to sew. 

Blessings,

Chris 

linking with: design-wall-monday

Weekend Stitching

 

All I got done in the hand stitching area this past month is one and a half little buds on this 3030 block. There are only 5 more weeks of blocks to be released including the outside border and final setting. 

Now if that is not slow stitching, I wonder what is? 

I did this during a business meeting last Sat. Now to complete the last bud and get the flowers back-basted on then the leaves. 

I did start sewing up some of the 150 Canadian Women blocks I prepped back in Sept. 

My OMG for November is to complete at least 20 of these. 

However, there are no applique blocks in this quilt. I wonder if I could find or create some? 

Not holding my breath about that. 

That's about it for this week. Linking up with Kathy at Slow Sunday Stitching. 

blessings,  needleandthreadnetwork

Chris

Blooming Geraniums

 

I have been overwintering geraniums for most of the 49 years we have been married and living in this old farmhouse. I wasn't always successful. One time I phoned in to a radio talk show asking for advice. They laughed at me when I said my geraniums just sort of wilted and drooped in the pots. I was told they were in transplant shock. Okay. Now I know.

My mother used to pull hers up and hang them upside down in her basement. I tried that. They might still be hanging down there after all these years. This house has a full basement with dirt floor and hanging pie shelf and cobwebs that would make the Munsters proud. We have often joked about starting a grow-op down there but there are no windows for light. Yes, I know we could put in hydroponic lights, but that would require a plan and follow through.

I used to plant them in the ground for the summer then pot them up to bring inside. It turns out that you have to water them sometimes. Got that. But they still drooped. Then I read a great suggestion in a  Country Woman magazine about 25 years ago.   Pot them then remove ALL the leaves and buds, put them in a sunny window and start watering them. More than once. The ones that did the best were the ones on the window in front of my computer. I poured what was left of the water I was dinking into the pot and was rewarded with flowers. I think I was on to something. 

This red geranium is one of 10 I bought from a girl about 25 years ago as a fundraiser for a school trip. I still have 2 of them. 

At first, I potted them in small pots then as they grew larger, I put them in bigger pots. Instead of planting them into the ground each spring, we put the whole pot in then brought the whole pot into the house in the fall. I have discovered that geraniums are not so particular about the temperatures, but really like direct sunlight. The ones in south windows have fared the best. Those on east or west windows get tall and scraggly but no flowers. 

In the spring, I put the pots in the flower beds in places that have no bulbs. Then in the fall when they are taken out of the ground, I plant tulip and daffodil bulbs in the vacated holes. Saturday we planted about 300 bulbs. There should be magnificent colour in the spring. But we have to do winter first. That could arrive here anytime since it is the second week of November, but we are still enjoying wonderful sunny warm days for now. 

And Ava is now a teenager. How did that happen?

Blessings,

Chris 

And I got almost no stitching done this week again. 

linking with: needleandthreadnetwork.