Tuesday, May 27, 2014

The Geese Have Landed

For anyone looking for quilting output here, you'll be disappointed, but spring has sprung and outdoor work takes priority!  Right now we're in those magical two weeks when the leaves are out, the trees are blooming and the air brims with possibility.  (as opposed to last week when manure spreading was happening--no magic there!) For those of you with no winter, you can't imagine the joy we all feel when the sun feels warm and everything is green.


Faithful companion and I took our favourite walk this morning.  It's also a fave with local wildlife and there was lots of bear "signs" and deer tracks.



Anyway, geese.  This month's Wee Bee blocks asked for flying geese, another block I haven't made a lot of.  There's a certain irony about the flying geese block this month.  Every morning at 5 am, a pair of geese make a flyby over our house. Why, I don't know, but I'm not always thrilled about the ecstatic honking only feet above the roof, and our bedroom.  I think maybe they're excited about the sun rising and are taking their equivalent of the Sunday drive.  Sometimes they land on the pond, but they never nest there.

So, sewing geese.  When I sew for myself, I'm somewhat slapdash and carefree.  (That's my story and I'm sticking with it)  But when I sew for others I feel like I have to hold myself to a higher standard.  So I wasn't pleased when my geese had no points.  I reread the instructions and saw that I had to sew a "scant" 1/4 inch seam, the quilting equivalent of a pinch of salt.  After much muttering and perhaps a curse or two, I nailed the scanty seam and whipped off a couple of blocks.  I'm on a roll now and might make a few more!


Truly, the pleasure of bees is to be able to make lots of blocks without having to put anything together!


This one looks very anemic--blame it on poor lighting because it's actually nice and bright.


I was lucky to have my daughter home this weekend and we visited my mother at her nursing home.  She was absolutely thrilled to see her (me she sees all the time so it's less thrilling!) and also to be able to go outside and sit on the porch.  So here's a picture of my bookends.





Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Granny and Me

Months ago, I bought a jelly roll of Botanics by Carolyn Friedlander.  Now, I've never bought a jelly roll before, so it took me a while to decide what to do with it.  I'm more used to grabbing bits of this and bits of that and sewing it up, so a whole line of one fabric was a quandary to me.  I doubt that I would do it again, as there are many fabrics in the roll that I wouldn't necessarily have bought singly.

Anyway, I decided to make a granny square quilt using a tutorial from Blue Elephant Stitches that I had bookmarked long ago.  (I know, why would I need to use a tutorial for a granny square, but I did!)   So that's what I've been toiling away on while waiting for spring.

I decided to use navy as the background fabric and, honestly, I'm not sure about it, but I'm pressing on.  I think it's one of those decisions that might work out once it's all bound and quilted.  Maybe it needs a contrast sashing, maybe........ OK, I haven't got there yet, but anything's possible. I also think the rest of the blocks will have as little of the orange as possible--I find it leaps out at me!



I like this block, probably because it's more restful to my eyes.


Finally, spring has sprung in our area--and not before time!  It's still jacket temperatures, but I can feel some warmth from the sun.  My daffodils are putting on a brave show as they love this cool weather.  I planted them 30 years ago and they still reliably make me happy every May.

There are lots of early flowers in the woods as well, like these dogtooth violets that bloom everywhere.


Another common flower is the red trillium (or stinking johnny as it's known locally).


One last sign of spring is one that any rural dweller knows well, the road breakup.  Each spring we drive our cars on a slalom track, avoiding frost heaves, pot holes and sink holes.  I hate the sound of the bottom of my car dragging through mud and stones and often wish I had some big honking SUV to get around.  Why is it so many urbanites have them and all they do is drive on paved roads! (I'm just jealous)


Today I'm linking up to The Needle and Thread Network and Sew Fresh Quilts, so go have a look!