A Tiny Break

Today I took a tiny break from my organizing and did a little slow stitching.

This hexagon was the result.

This is Sharon, one of the Glorious Hexagons from Month Three.

On the organizing front, I have finished five bins. I have pressed and folded everything greater than 1/8 yd. and cut up the rest. Neatly folded and sorted, I pared down to four bins. Next I am doing the Reproductions. Already, my 2 1/2" strip drawer is overflowing. I'd better be looking for a pattern.

A couple of days short of two weeks post heart transplant, friend Dave is out of ICU, all tubes and lines out. I think he looks great.

Christi and Rob celebrated 28 years as a couple...they started dating in HS.

Sometimes I am pretty sure I am the only one who cares, but it keeps me sane.

Take Care,

Jennie

Keep on Keeping On

Getting the stash organized is a consuming task. And there seems to be no end in the near future. My goal date is August 1st, but with everything else going on in my life, I am pretty sure that is unrealistic. I am, however, determined to keep on keeping on until the job is done.

I am into my third can of sizing, and I have burned myself countless times on the iron.....like I have never used it before.

Today, after volunteering all morning at the Extension Office, I managed to finish up the blues and reds. Mind you, these are just the regular blues and reds. I have Reproduction, 30s and homespun blues and reds, too. And I haven't stitched anything in a week, as I have devoted all of my spare time to the organizing frenzy.

It is getting a bit old, but I know I will be so happy when it is done.

These guys just got back from a week at the beach...

And I am kid sitting Robert and Sara Ashley for a couple of nights while their parents are in Las Vegas.

A wonderful thing..,

Take Care,

Jennie 

Crazies Show and Tell

Please forgive the quality of these photos. In spite of that, I hope you can enjoy our Show and Tell.

Louise was working on another panel of her Crabapple Hill witches. This is just too cute.

Micki made this sweet sailboat for her great grandson. She is going to attach a little flag with his name.

Debi, who obviously never sleeps at night, finished a truckload of wonderful pieces...

A cute Christmas wallhanging....I think by Gail Pan.

Birdbrain Snowmen in a Snowball setting.

A Birdbrain Halloween wallhanging.

Can't remember who this nice Four Seasons hanging is by,

Another Redwork Christmas quilt.

My favorite, a nine patch variation by Country Threads. Love the colors.

Darling applique quilt from her UFO pile. That sunflower looks real.

Another UFO, I think this is by Country Threads,

And some witches that she adapted from the lady in her previous quilt. Can you believe everything that she gets done???

Finally, my progress in the wee little Wild and Goosey blocks. Did I mention how much fun these are????

Hahahaha....

Take care,

Jennie

Sew Crazy Swap Day

The Crazies decided to have a block exchange awhile back. A little something to remember one another by, you know.

Debi and I shopped for fabric, and then she made adorable little bags up complete with fabric, pattern and thread.

We were to use the two fabrics furnished and add something of our own to make 8 blocks....one for each of us. This is mine, made from a couple of older Modas from my stash...not sure of the fabric line...

Everyone did a great job on these cute little 6 1/2" blocks. And it was so much fun to see color choices and how, by having the two unifying fabrics, everything worked together.

Now to see how they end up being finished!!!

Will have Show and Tell pics tomorrow.

Dear friend Dave got a new heart this week. So far he is doing well. I would appreciate prayers for him as well as the generous and caring donor family who made this possible in the midst of their grieving.

His family donned their Can't Never Could shirts at the hospital.

Take Care,

Jennie

Quilty 365....or Not

You might have noticed that I haven't posted anything about my Quilty 365 circles in awhile. It is not because I have completely abandoned them. I continue to stitch them at a slower pace. (Linking up with Kathy for Slow Stitching Sunday).

As I thought about this project, I knew that 365 circle/squares were going to result in a larger finished quilt than I really wanted. In addition, I wasn't attracted to the pressure of completing one per day. I did, however, thoroughly enjoy choosing the fabrics for the circles and backgrounds, as well as a leisurely approach to the mindless stitching involved.  So, that is what I will do....I will have fun with this project and, when it says "Done" to me, it will be done.

As I am working through organizing my scraps, I am finding some great circle candidates, and cutting them out as I go.

So I have plenty waiting in the wings when I am ready.

Though dismally behind on the Sara Fielke BOM, I have been stitching some leaves on the connector blocks.

Summer finds me in the kitchen a bit more than usual, as the garden's bounty calls for attention.

These Roma tomatoes will be ready for the freezer by tomorrow.

And this big, yellow heirloom tomato is ready for eating.......

On a slice of homemade bread.

Little Mattie is still a baby, who doesn't quite realize her size (at 7 months) doesn't lend to being a lap dog!

And, I think that her daddy doesn't mind.

The past two weeks bring the wisdom of these words to mind....

Take Care,

Jennie

Mess vs. Creativity

I don't know about you guys out there, but I get to a point where my messes drain me of the urge to be creative. I avoid my sewing area like the plague. I find myself sitting in my chair staring mindlessly at television shows or my iPad. When I venture into my sewing area, I am overwhelmed by stuff and projects waiting in various and sundry stages of incompleteness. Fabrics are stuffed into shelves, project boxes open here and there, the sewing machine hidden beneath goodness knows what. I turn around and leave. I cannot face it.

But eventually the creative urge overcomes me, and it is time AGAIN to clean and organize and take stock. The reality is, that I rather enjoy doing this once I get started. The OCD in me, I suppose. And I love the end result. So, that is where I am now. It may take me days, as I work between other activities. But I will get it done, do a good job and enjoy the process.

So, here is one of the things I am doing....tackling my scraps with a vengeance. It takes a long time, but my system is set up and I am plugging along. Thanks, Bonnie Hunter, for your wonderful lecture on this topic at our June guild meeting.  

Crammed into my fabric closet was a huge mound of Moda miscuts. Like several bagsful all emptied out and slithering around.

This is all that is left after I trimmed them into 2" & 2 1/2" strips and stored them NEATLY in my scrapsaver system.

Good thing I bought new blades!!

So, the task will continue, and I will keep you posted. Know you are waiting with baited breath....LOL.

Last week I kid sat with the younger grands. They went to Day Camp and I got to be their parent at the closing ceremony on Friday..,

Kelley posted this. I just had to share...

Take Care,

Jennie

4-Patch Progress

YES!!! The 302 4-patches for Cathedral Stars are finished.

Can I just say I am happy to have that done???

Next up are the star points using the Tri Recs rulers.

These will have to wait since I am kid sitting for the next three days.

After finishing up last night, I just couldn't resist trying my hand at one of those adorable little 3.5" Wild and Goosey blocks.

I am not a huge fan of paper piecing, but this little guy was fun. And used up some tiny scraps that might otherwise been tossed. Maybe there were will be some more in my future (LOL).

Hetty's ginormous quilt inspired me....

Though I wouldn't dream of going that large.  I did find some nice cheddar sashing fabric.....at Walmart for $1.50/yd.!!!

I have acknowledged all of the grands' end of school year achievements except for Jackson's....although I did post his baseball winnings.

He was awarded the Citizenship Award,  Reading Award, Responsibility Award and Eagle of the Year.

For his seventh birthday he celebrated at the Braves Game,

And even had his birthday acknowledged on the Jumbotron!!!!

Pretty exciting stuff!!!

Take care,

Jennie