Wordy Wednesday

No pictures today. Suppose to be warm and sunny. But I need to get more done today. Yesterday I cleaned 3 of the 6 ceiling fans and I need to get the rest of them done. Also need to tour the yard and see what needs cleaning up. The Spring rains will start soon and it is easier to clean up the yard before it gets all wet. I do need to get to the fabric store and buy some sashing for the blocks I have been making. Maybe over the weekend I can do that. Oh No can't! Easter is this weekend. So no one will be open on Sunday. Have you ever had this urge to not do cleaning and grocery shopping and laundry? I would rather sew and I am getting to a point that the other stuff is taking backstage to my housekeeping chores. I force myself to try and get things straightened up before I walk in the sewing room. I never seem to get enough done in there to satisfy myself that I have accomplished anything. So here I am on the computer and I just can't walk away and get to the sewing. Today I plan on doing my best to get some more of it sewn together. All these little pieces laying around are driving me nuts. I still need to get the Ugly quilt finished. I am just at a love/hate place with it. Love to see it done, but hate that I have to take the time to do it. Well another cup of coffee and maybe I can get started for the day. It is still dark out so the birds are quiet and I need to get going. Take care Chris

Scraps are being used up fast

Here are the fruits of my labors of late. I have been hacking up scraps and using them for parts and pieces. Some just because I want them and others for Christmas gifts for this next year. I am starting early to get some of this done.

This is a WIP. I have had this going for awhile. I am making a table cloth with these in the center of the cloth. I have everything to finish. But you know how you can get side tracked and not get back to things.
My husband as you know is not well and he uses a quilt on the couch all the time. The one that is there now is a quilt my Mom made for us several years ago. It is showing a lot of wear and tear so I am using up scraps for a 9 patch with in a square pattern. It will be sashed with a textured black fabric and perfect for a sofa quilt

This is a Christmas gift for my son. the 4 patches will look similiar to the Ugly quilt when finished. The only difference it the gift quilt will be all blocks and no sections of solid fabric. I need almost 400 of the 4 patches to fit his bed. Not nearly enough yet.


This is the process I have been doing. I cut up smaller pieces into usuable squares. Then I match them up to a colorful quilt block. After having cleaned I am trying to pare down on all the small pieces and make them into something worth while.

I am still going through bags from the cleaning session with my grandaughter. I have several piles of scraps to cut and sort through yet. But they will work out into a decent quilt when I get done hacking them up into usuable pieces.

My son said to me one day when he was a lot younger. Mom why do you cut it all up to sew it back together. I told him it was more fun that way. The only thing I need to buy for the quilts will be backings and battings. I may even piece some of the backs for the quilts to get more used up. So many times there are battings on sale online from a couple places it is less tempting to buy online than walk into a fabric or quilt shop. I need to stay focused and get some more of it done.

I was sewing last night in the sewing room and started to sneeze. I got up this morning and cleaned the ceiling fan off. I maybe was throwing dust out for me to sneeze over. Not maybe I know it was. It is 9:30 am here and I have cleaned three ceiling fans the carpet in the living room and the floor in the kitchen. Now trim to get the sewing started. I also need to think about what to fix for supper. I think maybe something with a chicken breast and a salad. That is another thing I am trying a diet that has a lot of veggies and basic food. It seems to be giving me more energy to get things done. Hopefully the weight will melt off with the proper food going into my stomach. I have outside painting to get done this Spring and I need to be able to work in the yard this Summer. The yard work is waiting for warmer weather. It is suppose to get to almost 80*F by Thursday no April Fools Joke. Off to another project now. Take Care Chris

Progress made again

Progress was made today. Taylor came and we cleaned out shelves and sorted through a lot of fabric

This is the before and the after.

The shelves had a lot of small pieces and some solids mixed in the mess. We did get a lot sorted out and placed in other areas. We might get it all done before school gets out. Taylor wanted to sew and I had cut up some of the scraps and made 2 1/2 in squares so she sat down and started to stitch on the Featherweight machine. It is older than what I am. I think it was made in 1946 according to the serial number under the machine. Now she gave me orders when she left to get some more of it done while she was gone. Kids say the darnest things. LOL Chris

Not much done today we had company

This is my little guy. Brody will be 4 in July. The grownups were watching a movie in the living room so he was content to watch one on the computer.

Mom, Dad and Grandpa were watching in the living room. So not much got done today. I get the other two grandkids in the morning. My weekends are pretty busy around here. They live out of town and they come as often as they can. I guess my step son feels at home. He usually falls asleep the minute he sits on the couch. Movie must have been good he stayed awake today. Chris

The Ugly Quilt

This is getting closer to being done. I have about 6 hours more of machine quilting and then I can bind it

I made a generous drop on the sides. My husband likes to rollover and roll up in the quilt.

The reason as I have mentioned before is because they are colors I wouldn't normally use for a quilt. I had help from my Mom and some of the scraps she had to make this quilt.

There is a drop on the top that will cover the pillow. So it is more of a spread than just a quilt. With the red brown walls and a tea dyed bedskirt I am making it will look pretty masculine. Sometimes the ugliest pieces can turn out to be a beautiful quilt. I never thought it would be as good looking as it is. I wanted something masculine for that bedroom. Now I have another one started for my son. I will not put the brown border in the quilt it will be all the blocks and hopefully he will like it. He has a queen sized bed and he is tall and rolls up in a quilt too. Chris

Ok Ok I am sewing today

Today is a day I am going to get something done. Got up early and have a couple housekeeping chores done, but I am sewing today no matter what. I have this in the machine, machine quilting it and this is the last panel. Then assemble the panels and bind it and another one will be done. I think I have procrastinated over this one because I don't like the colors. I call it the Ugly Quilt. These are fabrics that I wouldn't normally use in a quilt. I like a little brighter colors and so I cut a lot of pieces and sewed them back together.

I am on the last panel for this ugly quilt I am making for my husband's room. I hate the marking and the machine quilting, but it looks good when it is done. I would rather hand quilt, but not enough time for everything.

It is snowing here. 56*F yesterday and 32*F and snowing today. It is Spring in Illinois. and Today it is the First Day of Spring. Chris

Number 50 post

Well today was a blue one for me. The sun was out and the day went fine, But I wasn't fine. I am not sick or depressed just not motivated to do anything. This is the 50th posting on this blog. I am surprised I have made it this far. Tonight we are to get rain and it is to turn to snow. The only good thing about this time will be it won't last to long. It should melt by the next day. I sat today and thought about a lot of things. My weight my lack of initiative and basic laziness. I guess life has caught up with me and I am not prepaired to accept the reality that is here. I have cut back on my food intake and I need to get out and walk. Easier said then done. I make myself do my house chores in the morning and then I find myself getting tired and I sit down and never get back up to do anything. Yes I am being hard on myself to the point I really don't like myself right now. I vowed a few years ago I wouldn't get to this weight and here I am. Well I am trying, but it isn't easy when you sooth your upsets in life with food. Have you ever found yourself at the fridge and you don't know why? You are just there. Well that is me. I am trying something that is hard to do. The minute I find myself there I walk to the back door and stare out to see the daylight and the birds flying around. I guess I am trying to escape my troubles. My husband is better but depressed and he isn't handling the outcome of his surgery and what he is going to face the rest of his life. I try to stay positive, but I am a realist. It is what it is and it don't get any better. Permanent frown lines are forming and I hate it. I didn't ask for this hand that was dealt me and I don't want to play this game anymore. But I signed up to be married and I am in it for the long haul. Jeff always said in kidding that he was going to retire when he was 50 years old. Well the fun began when he was 52. Heart attack, Parkinsons, dementia among other things to numerous to mention. He is 60 now and just about didn't make it that far. He can't swallow and his life was slipping away. He is 6'4" tall and weighed 109lbs. Now he has a feeding tube and he is up to 118lbs. Not much of a life stuck to a machine to eat. I guess I ate for him. Sad excuse, but now I feel guilty because I am so overweight and he can't put on weight. I am going to get up tomorrow and try to think better of the situation an see if I can find a project to keep me busy. Chris

March Madness

Good Morning. Suppose to be almost 60*F today. But by Saturday we can see Sleet and SNOW! The dreaded word. Yesterday my husband grabbed the snow shovels and placed them in the garage. So that is why it is going to snow. The Robins are back and the Irises are popping through the ground. Still cleaning in the sewing room. Plan on doing some sewing today and maybe a shelf or two. I need to jump start my get up and go. It seems to have got up and went the last couple days. The picture is of the Crabapple trees in bloom last year. They were so full of blooms and I couldn't resist the shot. Have a Great Day. Chris

Progress

My Grandaughter came today she is 10 almost 11 years old. She said Grandma we have to clean your sewing room. Well she cleaned. I am not sure I am totally happy but it is an improvement. She took things she didn't know what to do with a shoved them into a couple garbage bags. So if I can't find something I think I will be able to find it in the bags. This way I can take one bag at a time and sort also. She vacuumed the floor as she went and then she said we have to put all the thread someplace. Well I have garment thread and quilting threads, so we had to sort and lock the threads in place on the spools. Then she didn't like my bobbins so she wound them up and placed them back in the trays they go into. I have shelves on the walls and she wants to go through them also. I will say this her room is the cleanest in the house. So I don't know where she learned it from. Her parents are not good housekeepers. I think I thanked her and kissed her a dozen times. In all that mess I have a lot of counter space and five yes five sewing machines. Each has its own purpose. Now I need to clean the ceiling fan and wash the drapes and clean the window and it will be in pretty good shape thanks to her. Thank You Taylor. Love Grandma

Rain for three days

Today is the second of three days of rain. Don't have to go anywhere so staying home and just hanging around. Have a sore throat and earache. Hope it doesn't turn into a cold, but the fears are leaning that way. Haven't been sick in three years so I guess I am due. Husband had a doctor's appointment last week and yesterday we went to the dietician to see if they can improve his feedings. He had to have a feeding tube surgially placed in his stomach. Just one more thing to tie me to the house and the sewing room. Have made some more progress on the blocks, but not feeling so well so put it on the back burner for a couple days. Need to put some aside and do some machine quilting. I have this quilt stated for over a year and it is going on two years. It is for his room and I have painted and got everything else done in the room. The quilt would look nice on the bed if I got it done. So maybe today I will try and get more stitiching done on it. He keeps making the comment that he will die before I get it done. Sad statement but I guess it could happen so I had better make an effort. Plus it would be one more thing out of the sewing room at this point if it was done. I also have a bed skirt started to I could get it done also. Can't be outside and shopping with this cold isn't fun. But we do have a quilt shop that opened in a bigger space. So I am anxious to go and see what she has to offer. It was in such a small space that I would forget it was there. Not a lot of fabric because it was a confining space, but this was a grocery store at one point and a furniture store later so a much lager store to fill up. I really want to make some purses, but again that would mean starting another project and nothing is getting finished. I wish I was a better organizer and finisher. Chris

Scraps Scraps Scraps!

I told you before I have been cleaning the sewing room. Part of the cleaning process is cutting up all the scraps I have laying around and making them into usable pieces. These are some of the blocks I have made from all the clutter. I plan on making a sofa quilt for the livingroom out of these scrappy blocks.

They will be bordered with a black sashing and a colored corner stone square. It has been fun getting the colors to work together. Some of them I wouldn't ever think of using together but they do make a statement when paired together. This is the box I filled with the pieces as I cut them. I knew the size of the pieces I wanted so when I cut them I had a plan in mind. I add to it as I need to for variety.

The colors in a scrap quilt show character to me. Leads your mind to wander and yet it is pleasing to the eye. They are small pieces but I am satisfied with the outcome. It makes me slow down some to get the sewing better. Some of the fabrics are a little tricky because they are directional and I have to concentrate on the final look of the block. It has been raining here and the colors are taking me away from the dirty ugly look from the outside. Chris