reading

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 10 hours, 15 minutes 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 4 days, 8 hours 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 1 week, 3 days 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 2 weeks, 1 day 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 4 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 1 month 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 1 month, 1 week 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 1 month, 2 weeks 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 1 month, 2 weeks 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 1 month, 2 weeks 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 1 month, 3 weeks 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 1 month, 3 weeks 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 1 month, 4 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 2 months, 2 weeks 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.

# # # # # #

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 2 months, 2 weeks ago. under black white quilt , design wall monday , monday musings , oh scrap! , reading , sew and tell , zwc

A Final Racetrack Quilt from Fret Not Yourself

Constant lying is not aimed at making the people believe a lie, but at ensuring that no one believes anything anymore. A people that can no longer distinguish between truth and lies cannot distinguish between right and wrong. With such a people you can do whatever you want.

~Hannah Arendt

Quilting

I intentionally made extra racetrack blocks last time because I have three children… and I’m getting older quickly. Whenever my youngest needs/wants/has a use for one, it will be ready.

The first was made almost eight years ago. Suddenly another was needed last year; that’s ...

added by Ann 2 months, 3 weeks ago. under lena andrews , racetrack quilt , reading

Weekly update: adjusting, and progress on goals + reading from With Strings Attached

Stevens had laprascopic surgery on Friday afternoon. The results were good. "I went from one end of the bowel to the other," said the surgeon when he called me, "and there's nothing there." It's taken S all weekend to recover. He was half-awake when I visited Saturday morning and asleep this afternoon. Thanks again to all of you for your concern and support.

The thirteen Lake County Round Table P.E.O. chapters held the annual Founder's Day luncheon on Saturday. I'm round table president so I was the emcee. This was the second year the ...

added by Nann 2 months, 3 weeks ago. under design wall monday , oh scrap! , p.e.o. , placemats , reading , rsc 2025 , sew and tell , weekly update

Midweek: out like a lion, stash report, OMG + reading from With Strings Attached

March ended like a lion. On Monday Stevens woke up vomiting. Paramedics took him to the ER where, after many tests, they found a bowel obstruction. No surgery required but he is still in the hospital. I visited yesterday. He perked up when he saw me. Not sure when he will be discharged and to where. More discussion with hospital social worker and a care consultant today. (The hospital is in the same complex as the clinic where his doctor's office is, so his own physician has been to see him.) Meanwhile V was so helpful. While I was ...

added by Nann 3 months ago. under omg 2025 , reading , stash report , wednesday wait loss

Fireworks Quilt from Fret Not Yourself

A despot doesn't fear eloquent writers preaching freedom - he fears a drunken poet who may crack a joke that will take hold.

~E.B. White

Quilting

I'm sorry I've been offline. We've had many issues; as fast as one is finished, another pops up. Family, medical, house, yard. Consequently I haven't quilted since the first week of January.

While cleaning the sewing room last week I pulled all my black prints. They are difficult for me to work with; I can't see anything on that dark fabric. So... use or donate? With that phrase ...

added by Ann 3 months, 1 week ago. under jennifer raff , reading , sujata shah , sunburst quilt

The art of walking the dogs (together) from Crazy Quilter on a Bike!

Oh yes - my gluts! I don't think they are strong at all. They should be, but I don't think they are. The biggest issue is the imbalance - hamstrings are too tight, glutes are not strong enough, and other fun things. You would think for all the spin classes I do, this shouldn't be a problem, but it is. The truth is in doing some exercises and seeing how much weight I can lift. Together, my legs work as a great team, but individually? They are wobbly and unsure of themselves. This just goes to show how a ...

added by Elaine 3 months, 1 week ago. under lexi , murphy , reading , walking

What Are Quilters Blogging About Today?

Quilting