reading

Blue and White Shirts from Fret Not Yourself

A pessimist, they say, sees a glass as being half empty; an optimist sees the same glass as half full. But a giving person sees a glass of water and starts looking for someone who might be thirsty.

~G. Donald Gale

Quilting

I started my blue and white shirt quilt saga years ago before DH himself retired. Whenever he retired a shirt, I checked it over and kept it if it was in good shape. I soon realized they are almost all blue or white. All solids or very calm prints. Recently more came from my sons and a few ...

added by Ann 6 days, 19 hours ago. under mai mochizuki , quilts from shirts , reading , scrap quilt

String Hatchet Top Finished... Perhaps from Fret Not Yourself

I wanted a perfect ending.

Now I've learned, the hard way,

that some poems don't rhyme,

and some stories don't have a clear beginning, middle, and end.

Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking a moment

and making the most of it, without knowing what's going to happen next.

~Gilda Radner

Quilting

This top has taken a long time... partly {or mostly} because I've been gone so frequently this summer. However, it's finally done... perhaps. I think I'd like a border of random green scraps and a second border of lights ...

added by Ann 2 weeks, 5 days ago. under hatchet , katarina bivald , reading , string piecing

FEVER! from Crazy Quilter on a Bike!

I am a bit of a dolt, but we all knew that! I struggled a little bit with fatigue yesterday, but there wasn't an opportunity to take a nap. That's OK. But by 7:00 PM, I knew something else was wrong. OH MY GOODNESS -- I have a fever! 38.5! That would be a result of the vaccinations I had the previous day! I don't know how long I had the fever, but it was when my body just said, "we're done," that it crossed my mind!

Having said that, I took some medication (although ...

added by Elaine 1 month, 3 weeks ago. under backyard , mini shoes , packing , protein bars , reading , shoes , vaccination

Midweek: flimsy, WITB comes out, and a good book from With Strings Attached

I walked along a shady trail at Van Patten Woods on Monday afternoon. I turned a corner and there was a whole patch of my favorite Turk's cap lilies.

Lots of black raspberries, too. I plucked a few and ate 'em on the spot.

No long walk yesterday, just a stroll around the neighborhood after dinner.

# # # # #

I assembled the guild challenge quilt and made a placemat out of some of the scraps. (Still a surprise so no photos.)

For many, many years I participated in the Baseball Swap where we swapped 6.5" fabric squares according to how many ...

added by Nann 2 months ago. under reading , wednesday wait loss , wildflowers

Friday check in: wildflowers, a little sewing, and a lot of reading from With Strings Attached

Turk's cap lilies are in bloom. I love their curled petals and freckled faces. (Photos from Volo Bog and Illinois Beach State Park.)

The garden yielded enough basil for a big batch of pesto. I freeze it in 1-T portions. [For each 2 cups of basil: 2 tsp garlic, 1/2 c grated Parmesan, 1/2 c walnuts (cheaper than pignoli), 1/2 c olive oil, salt.]

I had three routine medical procedures this week. Two sets of results are in, one to come. I am not worried.

On the other hand, the Janome is in the shop. The ...

added by Nann 2 months ago. under finished or not friday , reading , top-along

A New String Quilt Idea from Fret Not Yourself

The first casualty of war is the truth.

~Aeschylus

Quilting

Since I've made so many Four-letter-word quilts, I'm down to pretty dull and dark colors in my scrap bag: black, brown, greens, with a few purples and reds. I've been wondering what to make with these when I was reminded of the Hatchet blocks. What if the blocks were made of strings and split between light and dark sides?

These first pieces were made last summer but I found them in the orphan box.

They look well on the pink and grey print background. Time to make ...

added by Ann 2 months, 2 weeks ago. under max wallace , reading , scrap quilt , scrap strips

The aftermath of a sewing retreat from Crazy Quilter on a Bike!

I am thrilled to say that it took me three trips to unload the car once I got home from the sewing retreat. One for all the loose stuff in the front seat - water bottle, glasses, etc. And two trips with bags and the sewing machine. Wow -- I love that and I didn't run out of stuff to do!

In the morning, we stopped in at a local quilt shop as they were having a sale, and a few things went into my bag. Suitable for backings at that price! I should take pictures to share. However, I have ...

added by Elaine 2 months, 2 weeks ago. under lexi , murphy , reading , retreat packing , unpacking

Blue Melon Patch Quilt Gifted from Fret Not Yourself

What makes a movement Fascist is not ideology but the willingness to do whatever is necessary - including the use of force and trampling on the rights of others - to achieve victory and command obedience.

~Madeleine Albright

Quilting

Quilted, washed, dried, and gifted. Melon Patch looks very traditional. The corner octagons give the overall quilt a bit of curve. I considered a pieced border but know this quilt will be tucked in on the sides so chose an easier plan.

Diagonal lines with a walking foot make the quilting in the center. I started with SID along the Melon Patches then ...

added by Ann 2 months, 3 weeks ago. under denise kiernan , melon patch , octagon , reading , snowball block

Weekly update: wildflowers, blocks and scraps + reading from With Strings Attached

I joined the nationwide protest marches in spirit only. I fulfilled a prior commitment to staff the Rotary booth at the Zion Juneteenth celebration at Illinois Beach State Park.

After my shift was over I walked along the trail at the south end of the park.

Lupine, Ohio Spiderwort, puccoon, sulfur cinquefoil, prickly pear, a hillside (actually a duneside) of lupine.

# # # # #

In the studio: I made 24 blocks for Cynthia's current block drive. 3 yards used. And now I have an idea for next year's RSC.

I saw a photo of a quilt with this design on a ...

added by Nann 3 months ago. under design wall monday , monday musings , oh scrap! , reading , sew and tell , weekly update

Blue Melon Patch Top Complete from Fret Not Yourself

A pessimist, they say, sees a glass as being half empty; an optimist sees the same glass as half full. But a giving person sees a glass of water and starts looking for someone who might be thirsty.

~G. Donald Gale

Quilting

Because I knew this quilt would be counter-paned and have a light outside border, I cut all those pieces first. They are the largest; the others can be cut from the remains. I rarely use one fabric for all the background. Although I calculated what was needed several times, I still got it wrong. That entailed a second ...

added by Ann 3 months, 2 weeks ago. under hiro arikawa , melon patch , octagon , reading , snowball block

Weekly update: wildflowers, a finish, and other doings + reading from With Strings Attached

Finally some sunshine! It will get into the high 60's today, Memorial Day.

I enjoyed a walk at Lyons Woods on Friday afternoon. Clockwise from upper left: red trillium, golden ragwort, bristly buttercup, white trillium, forget-me-not, mayapple, jack-in-the-pulpit.

On Saturday I went to the spring tea (actually a luncheon) given by Grandparents and Kin Raising Children, an agency founded and run by our Rotary friend Harriet. It was very nice (and good for me to get rather dressed up and out). Due to privacy concerns only the event photographer could take photos of the attendees, and I didn't ...

added by Nann 3 months, 3 weeks ago. under design wall monday , monday musings , oh scrap! , reading , sew and tell , weekly update

A Blue Twin from Fret Not Yourself

We all get to be young but only the lucky get to be old.

Quilting

My eldest grandson requested a new twin quilt in blue and cream with more lights than darks. Ok; counterpane blocks. But the blocks can’t be too large because the quilting will be something simple like curves or parallel lines.

I’ve been mindlessly making four-patches of scraps… so while a four- or nine-patch sounds good, it needs to be changed up. What about a nine-patch of snowballs? They could be fairly small. Six-inch blocks sound good but two-inch snowballs do not. Two-and-a-half inch snowballs ...

added by Ann 3 months, 4 weeks ago. under charles king , melon patch , octagon , reading , snowball block

Midweek: photos finished, quilted and bound, skirting the issue + reading from With Strings Attached

It was foggy all day yesterday. I went out after supper and snapped this photo of the sun breaking through the clouds.

My friend Renee and I spent the afternoon working on the picture collages for Saturday's funeral. We'll finish the job today.

The background for each is a piece of homespun plaid, an homage to the plaid shirts Stevens wore.

You've seen all the stages of this year's Stay at Home Round Robin. Barb-the-quilter did a beautiful job quilting it. I put on the binding Monday evening.

UPDATE: I won one of the SAHRR sponsor ...

added by Nann 4 months ago. under reading , sahrr 2025 , wednesday wait loss

Weekly update: two finishes + reading from With Strings Attached

Two walks at Illinois Beach State Park this weekend were good for my body and my spirit.

Woodland violet, field horsetail, wild strawberry, hoary puccoon, prickly pear, serviceberry, false Solomon's seal.

If you look at the horizon you can see the Chicago skyline, 40 miles away.

# # # # #

In the studio: two finishes!

The flimsy was in my post last week. Now it's quilted and bound. One of my Rainbow Scrap Challenge projects this year is to make a wheelchair-sized quilt (approx. 40 x 50) out of Ohio Stars in the monthly color.

I signed up for the guild mystery ...

added by Nann 4 months ago. under design wall monday , monday musings , mystery quilt , oh scrap! , reading , rsc 2025 , sew and tell , weekly update

The art of doing nothing! from Crazy Quilter on a Bike!

YES -- the walker will be adjusted, and YES -- the height is often the problem. DH instructed me to pay close attention to that little detail. That's why someone needs to drop it off so it is adjusted to her, and I MUST call today to make that happen!

Well, this is the third time in a row that the FitBit has died. There was no warning; it just died. That means it is definitely time to replace it. Maybe later this week, I can make that happen. I might wait until next week when I have a maintenance appointment ...

added by Elaine 4 months ago. under backyard , murphy , reading

Midweek: mini in the mail + reading from With Strings Attached

Left: mertensia (Virginia bluebells) in the back garden. I have sorely neglected said garden this season.

I signed up for the doll quilt swap hosted by Lori at Humble Quilts. The instructions were simple: make a small quilt using Civil War reproduction fabrics and a traditional block. Participants sent to one person and received from another.

Here's what arrived yesterday. Debra from Colorado used a block called Old Maid's Puzzle (there are several blocks by that name). I really like the pop of red.

She included a cute hotpad/tea bag holder made out of charm squares.

The ...

added by Nann 4 months, 1 week ago. under reading , wednesday wait loss

Border Thoughts from Fret Not Yourself

To use the world well, to be able to stop wasting it and our time in it, we need to relearn our being in it.

~Ursula Le Guin

Quilting

Ocean Waves V has been languishing for months while I consider a border. Unless something is added to the block centers {such as appliqué or a pieced star} the pattern only seems to differ in the borders and the background color. Previously I've made dark blue, red, and white backgrounds but each border is different.

The first was my favorite border because the waves seem to run up onto the ...

added by Ann 4 months, 1 week ago. under comparing borders , katherine rundell , ocean waves , reading , scrap quilt

Out with the old from Crazy Quilter on a Bike!

Oh my --- I do not want to get old. WAIT! That's not right. I guess I don't mind getting old because the alternative isn't great. But I want to get old gracefully, or as gracefully as I can manage. I want to get old by maintaining my body as best I can. And I want to get old by keeping my brain active and asking questions, being curious, and having a purpose each day when I get up!

Can I control those things? Not 100%, but I will do my darndest to make that happen. I guess ...

added by Elaine 4 months, 2 weeks ago. under backpack , canadian authors , decluttering , healthy living , lexi , murphy , reading

Friday check in: a finish and a start + reading from With Strings Attached

Stevens has been sitting in a wheelchair just across from the nurse's station so he can see and react to people going by. He can hold a spoon or fork to feed himself and he can grasp a cup to drink.

I made this wheelchair-sized flimsy last fall. It decided it was time to get quilted, so I did. (Walking foot and serpentine stitch.)

The setting triangles and border are from the 1990's Pablo's Puzzles line by Hoffman. The tropical backing is a true 45" (no piecing required). Both are from Barb M's estate sale. It ...

added by Nann 5 months ago. under finished or not friday , reading

Weekly update: bunco, a surprise finish, and reading from With Strings Attached

S is getting more alert. His appetite is good. I will learn more when I meet with the care team this week.

The Zion Woman's Club spring bunco party was Friday evening. Everyone had a good time!

My friend Donna won the quilt I donated to the raffle.

I'm sure the club treasurer will have a glowing report at tomorrow's board meeting.

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Here's the ninth block for the guild BOM.

These are 8" (finished) blocks so the pieces were a bit fiddly to cut.

From "just a few more blocks" (Friday's post) to a finished ...

added by Nann 5 months ago. under black white quilt , design wall monday , monday musings , oh scrap! , reading , sew and tell , zwc

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