Much needed soothing slow stitching

Being a caregiver to a parent with Alzheimer's can be trying and mind boggling. Add in water in her basement and her world and ours is upside down! But I have my sewing room to come home to and relax in and unwind!

quilt inspector Belle

Yesterday was a ME day. I had the house to myself except for the dog and she slept while I machine quilted the day away. I then decided I needed wanted to add some hand quilting. The search was on for the proper template...right size but not too busy....BINGO!! simple hearts will do the trick. I will mark each block as I come to it.

tried to show the hearts

I have also finished the binding on another quilt, you can see the finished top here! And I got the binding on a third quilt that will be a gift for a friend. So it has been pretty productive week. A few hexies were completed as well while we traveled on Easter weekend to see our daughter and her boyfriend.

I will take some quiet time today to check in with my friend Kathy and see what everyone else is working on. That will be later as I have a date with friends for a tea party and some adult conversation...solving all the world's problems one china tea cup at a time!!

 We still have a bit of snow laying around in patches but hoping the warmer weather and rain will help it to disappear. Have a great week everyone and hope you all stay dry!!

Waves.....

7 challenge fabrics

This week has been all about waves. I started the week cutting out fabric for a challenge. I decided to make a single bed quilt and use the ocean waves pattern. I could use the 7 colours of batiks that I was given and muslin for the background. That way all the colours would play nice together. I have the quilt top finished and pin basted but have no idea how to machine quilt it!?! I had three days in a row of sewing this week...unheard of in recent memory!!

top ready for quilting

My second wave of the week was a wave of anxiety mixed with apprehension. I was paying bills and a transaction on my bank account appeared and was not mine or DH. We reported it and the bank is looking into it. Seems this is what the scammers/thiefs do....try a small purchase and if it goes unnoticed, they continue with larger purchases. It was a learning situation for me and I hope I can save someone else the same fate. In this time of automation and computer banking...please check your accounts and make sure you are indeed safe and nothing our the ordinary is happening with your money!

Just when we think Spring is here...we are getting another wave of snow and yucky stuff. I saw two robins today so that with the snow...in my mind Spring is here!!!

The waves will continue this week too as I have two meetings and one full day of sewing. Then Easter weekend will be on our doorstep.
I visited with Kathy and looked to see what everyone was slow stitching on today and even detoured to Rainbow scrap challenge blog. So fun visiting with everyone! Have a great week  everyone!

Feeling accomplished

BEFORE:double bed covered

Yes I'm feeling accomplish in so many ways today. Our renovations cleared a big hurdle this week...our new bathroom is finished. I cannot wait to relax in the soaker tub full of bubbles!!With that reno came a new larger hallway closet. My linens(mostly quilts) have been packed away in boxes and suitcases for a couple months. I took them all out and sorted them on our spare room bed.(can you even see the bed)!!! That is quite a pile the hubby said as he peeked into the room to find me amongst my creation!

AFTER: new closet full

I sorted them into basically four piles...keep/love,like and have used, barely used/willing to sell and of course a Christmas or seasonal pile. There was also another pile that were my antique or keepsake quilts. It all looked a mess but within an hour they were all neatly refolded and stored away in their new home.

charity quilt of Jewel box star

backing of charity quilt

I have almost finished two quilts this week.Machine quilting is not my favorite thing to do but I just needed and wanted these done and gone. The first is a Christmas present. The top was given as a gift with the promise that I would finish it later. The second one is Bonnie Hunter's  leader and ender for this year...jewel box stars. I had the half square triangles given to me by my friend Pearl so all I had to do was make the four patches.I got a bit carried away with  that and have a basket full enough to make a second quilt. I didn't have enough of anything for backing so the fat quarters that I have bought as part of a club, were used to create an awesome backing.

Today I planted seeds for the summer garden. Veggies mostly but will plant some flowers later on. It is hard to get into the planting mood with so much snow still on the ground.Although I have started to wear my running shoes outside!!haha

2nd finish of the week-Christmas present

The one last thing I would like to get started on this weekend is this challenge project. We started with 1 meter of material. At our Christmas potluck at guild whoever wanted to participate got into the circle with their batik fabric.On cue...we ripped our fabric in half and kept 1/2 and passed 1/2 to the right and then we ripped in half the piece we just received and kept 1/2 and passed 1/2.This kept going till we had a 4"x5" piece and we stopped. So I have 7 pieces of various sizes to make something with.I can add other fabric but some of these fabric must appear in the finished item.

neatly piled challenge fabric

I took the fabrics out yesterday and stared at them and moved them around, hoping something would come to me as an idea of what to make but no such luck! So if you have an idea, let me know!!
Also today I checked in with Kathy and what everyone was slow stitching on today. I will be doing the binding on the jewel box star quilt later this evening. I like to play in my sewing room during the day as the light isn't very good in the evening.

Here's hoping you are getting things done and feeling accomplished too. And if you aren't...what are you waiting for!?!?!