Charm Pack Table Runner

My last Christmas 2021 gift.  Unless I've forgotten someone.

The table runner is made from charm packs, which are 42 5" x 5" squares from the same fabric collection.  I enjoy using charm packs because I get to use all those pretty fabrics without spending a whole lot, plus they always look nice together without necessarily being too match-y.

This charm pack is called Starflower Christmas.  It's holiday themed without screaming Christmas, which makes it nice for this late gift.

I'm sure everyone has heard by now that the Cincinnati Bengals are - somehow - going to the Super Bowl.  It's been a very long time since that happened.  1989 was a whole different lifetime ago for me.

Lots of fireworks and horns honking after the game.  It will be two weeks of celebrating here.

My Snowy Hill

 

My snowy hill.

We weren't supposed to get much snow yesterday, but snow it did.  The evening commute, for those who had it, wasn't pretty.  Sorry, Steph.

The snow was fluffy and I went out several times to sweep it off the steps and walk.  The old lady way of doing things - don't let it pile up and get heavy.

Sarah had planned once again to come for the weekend but she turned around before going into the gorge on I-40.  I was relieved that she did - my central Kentucky friends reported icy roads just about when she would have been passing through.

And so, today stretches out ahead of me.  I had planned a very early morning trip to Fresh Thyme for some specialty things but it's just too cold.  Six degrees with a breeze.

I have three ongoing projects - it would be nice to finish at least one.

Plaids

 

Plaids from a couple of round tablecloths that needed to be shortened.  It takes a long time to sew around a circle.  For now, though, I've caught up with sewing jobs and I can get back to my own quilting.

I am feeling blessed today as I use machines that I don't use every day.  I know I am lucky, I know I am spoiled, and I enjoy all my machines for different reasons.  When I first started working at the sewing machine store I didn't even know there was such a thing as a serger, which I use for almost all my alterations.

This is Bengals playoff day.  It's seems as if the entire city has been waiting all week for this day.  It also seems a little odd to be waiting for the Bengals game on a Saturday instead of Sunday.

I had an early morning errand and it was so cold.  Nine degrees when I woke up, although the sun warmed things up to fifteen when I went out the door.

Swedish Snow Lanterns

 

These are daughter Sarah's Swedish snow lanterns, one in memory of each little brown dog. 

Sometimes these lanterns have more of a pyramid shape, covered on top, but Sarah's snow wasn't the nicely packing kind.  If you want to make some, and if you get more snow, and you probably will, you can find instructions at various internet sites.

Sarah had postponed last weekend's visit because of weather, but it may snow again so her trip is now postponed to next weekend.  Which will be the end of January.  We're getting there.  Tomorrow will be a month past the winter solstice.

We haven't seen much gain in daylight yet, especially in the morning, but sunsets are starting to get later.  Last year one of my goals was to pay closer attention to things around me, and tracking those sunrises and sunsets was part of the plan.  I recommend it.  

Watchbands

 

These are watchbands for an Apple watch.  My daughters and I have small wrists, and one daughter loved these pretty watchbands but they were a little too large.  My first thought was to open the seam and cut the elastic to shorten it.  I ended up just making a pleat, no opening seams, and sewing through the numerous layers.  With all the ruffling, the pleat doesn't show.  I love my new sewing machine.  It didn't even need to go into "jackhammer mode."

When doing a new kind of alteration, I often set it aside for a day or two.  I know I'm a procrastinator, but this isn't that.  I often find that after thinking things through I come up with a better way of doing things.  It might be a simpler way or it might be a prettier way.

I hope that the puzzling helps keep my aging brain flexible.  That, and the spatial aspects of quilting.

My North Carolina daughter planned to come last weekend, but she got so much snow.  Plans for this weekend have been postponed too because of snow possibility for her.  Winter got off to a late start, but it is January, after all.

Grandkids are now on virtual school for the rest of the week.  School in pajama pants for them.

  

Making Time

 

Just a tiny quilt for a sewer friend.  Made from charm packs, Make Time by Moda.  Some of the little blocks have pins or scissors or cross stitch.  Strictly mindless improv, sewing the blocks as they came off the pack, no planning.

I'm missing a friend who died last week and whose service will be this afternoon.  A sad death, but not a Covid death.

Covid is everywhere, I know many people who are sick or recovering.  I'm once again laying low, staying inside.  I'm trying to keep up my spirits by remembering that this isolation is so much better than two years ago, when my wrist was in a cast and when my much-needed cataract surgery was postponed indefinitely  And I hope I have gained some coping skills since then.

As is my usual during stressful times, I'm procrastinating, and I'm not happy about it.  I'm working on that, though, trying to take little bites of the things I need to work on.  

Bengals Game

 

It's Aaron and dad Mike at yesterday's Bengals game.  First playoff game for both of them.

Aaron really wanted to go to the game and paid for his own ticket with his lawn mowing money.  I haven't talked to him but I feel sure he thinks it was worth it.  The Bengals win was the stuff of dreams come true.

It was so cold, and it was dark when the game was finished.

Sending condolences to Joanne on the Patriots game.  You called that one.

You Can Laugh At Me

 

One day last week I was going to tackle a kitchen full of dirty dishes and flour everywhere when I noticed that the side of my sink under the dish drainer wasn't draining.  I glanced at the stopper and saw a dead mouse in the basket.  I was horrified.

I don't do dead critters, I just don't don't.  Don't look at them, don't touch them, am terrified of them, and now there was this dead mouse that I couldn't ignore.  I tried to think of how to handle this without looking or touching, just panicking.  Even considered a Target curbside pickup of a small shop vac.  Finally I came up with a plan involving a pair of tweezers, a spatula, an opaque container, and a Kroger bag.

Heart pounding, I was able to make the flilp, and then something fell out of the Kroger bag and clanged into the sink.  It was the paddle to my bread machine.  All that, and there never was a mouse.

I was glad I hadn't called anyone for help, that would have been more laughter than I can stand, but you can go ahead and laugh.

 

Not Over Yet

 

Two potholders for late Christmas gifts - because it isn't over 'til it's over.

Pinks and Corals

 

Pinks and corals.  Or maybe, pinks and oranges.  I can't be sure.

For Christmas, a friend told me to buy two of the same things for us and we would exchange them and begin work on January 1.  And so, I ordered two sets of seven fat quarters and fat-quarter-friendly patterns.

There were seven fat quarters, but one was a purple one with little squares that I just didn't like.  I ended up short of fabric, so I looked through my stash and subbed a few fabrics.  

This is the quilt top I've ended up with.  I am satisfied.  When I can, I'll take a picture of my friend's quilt, and the interesting thing is, it won't look at all like mine.  She kept the purple but took out one of the pink florals.

I am always drawn to fat quarter bundles and they often come in groups of seven so I know I'll keep this pattern in mind.  It goes together so quickly, a plus.  It's January 6, and I hope you're suitably impressed that I've kept up with my friend and have this baby quilt top ready for sandwiching.

Would that have happened if I wasn't working with my friend?  Most probably not.

Sat Down and Finished Something

 

OK, so I sat down and finished something.  It's not anywhere close to perfect and will never go outside my door, but maybe that's not the point.  I know how to make the next one better and I'm looking forward to that next one.

And to getting started on the baby quilt with fat quarters and a pattern that my friend and I gifted each other.

If you want to give this potholder a try, you'll find it here.  https://www.husqvarnaviking.com/en-US/Be-Inspired/Blog/September-2021/Holiday-Potholders

I can almost promise that yours will look better than mine.  And I hope you will have as much fun with it as I have.

When Joy Comes Back

 

In my window.

I know this article is from a couple of years ago, but we probably need the song more now than ever before.  "I Want To Be Ready When Joy Comes Back To Me."  You won't be sorry you listened.

https://www.npr.org/2017/02/13/514351726/songs-we-love-ruthie-foster-joy-comes-back?fbclid=IwAR0D8a_Y7kcafTDhhG8xnXfLIpIjoza-xGIxBt9OrinWOn3lQr69r9fVBL4

Happy New Year

 

Happy New Year, everyone. And because it's New Year's Day, I want to post this poem by Howard Thurman, as I always do.

When the song of the angels is stilled,
When the star in the sky is gone,
When the kings and the princes are home,
When the shepherds are back with their flocks,
The work of Christmas begins:
To find the lost,
To heal the broken,
To feed the hungry,
To release the prisoner,
To rebuild the nations,
To bring peace among people,
To make music in the heart.

No planner for me yet this year. The past few years I've enjoyed a Marjolein Bastin planner with different pictures every week and plenty of room for writing. I've looked and looked but I haven't tound another that I like as well.

And so, in plenty of time, I ordered a new one. And then I realized that my sister would appreciate all those lovely pictures, so I put it in her Christmas box.

I ordered another one. And then I realized that my daughter would enjoy all those lovely pictures as well, so I wrapped it up for her.

I ordered another one. Amazon said it was delivered, but it wasn't delivered to my house.

And so, I've ordered another. It should be here Tuesday.