The cold wind blows

The temp reads 34 right now.  It seems like we haven't seen that temp for a long time, but when I look at the weather calendar it was just last week.  I won't complain that we don't have ice or snow, though.

I spent nearly the whole weekend running errands I've been putting off, but at least they are out of the way.   I thought I was going to get a 4-day weekend, but one of my co-workers has landed in the hospital, so I will have to go in today after all.

I managed to sneak in a little sewing time yesterday.  This is a partial picture of a D9P started in January that was to the block stage then and to a half-flimsy stage last week.   I was trying for an 'old world' look here, but that green is a little brighter in the top than it looked as yardage.  Both the green and the burgundy were directional, which I didn't notice when I was cutting my strips or I would have cut it differently.  It's 57x69ish now and I have enough blocks to add a row, but I may use them on the back and donate this to the local women's cancer group.

The first d9p I ever saw was done in three fabrics, and that's the way I've always done mine, with strip-piecing.  With 4.5" cut strips sewn red-light-red and light-red-light (then the same with green sets) you can get 9 pieces from each strip.  Sew together into 9-patches and then chop them up.  You have to play around with the blocks to decide which color you want going which direction, and then be careful to sew them together correctly.  I originally intended for the large red blocks to start in the corner, but obviously sewed the wrong side.  And I wasn't going to unsew them all.  I did have to unsew one row, which is why it stalled last weekend.

I have somehow managed to add 21.25 yards to the stash this month alone, and that's my yearly total too.  This top brought my usage total to 8.5 yards for the year.  I'll see if I can't piece the back tonight and enhance that number.  

{Wow... I see blogger has made some changes and pictures show up as pictures in the compose stage!  Or maybe I just wasn't doing it correctly before.}

Have a great week,

Sheila

There WAS an offer for inexpensive quilting...

... but by the time I read about it all the spaces were filled. Anyhow, part of the deal was paying on time, and times and people being how they are, I threw my hat in the ring anyways.  Something may just open up!  You can read about it here.

******

  

Happy Spring!  My daylilies are already popping through, and I'm hoping the hostas made it.

Sheila

Dropping by to wish you all a Happy St. Patrick's Day! 

Obviously my blogging has been nonexistent, which probably means my quilting has as well. I'm not sure where the funk comes from, but I know it will pass.

I did manage to augment the stash a wee bit when Knots and Bolts had their last sale (and now they are having another... check it out).

And in my ongoing quest to find *the* perfect yellow (or yellow/orange combo) to complement my teals for a planned quilt, I got these fabrics as well. They tend toward gold or cream, though (which is no reflection on the shop). I think I need to buy something that looks outrageously yellow online and maybe it will be the subdued but clear color I want. The good thing is someday I will have a beautiful yellow-toned quilt from all the try-outs! (and yes, this picture is dark, but the flash was washing it out even more. And yes, that is not a yellow at the back.)

I also picked up these magazines cheap, online.

And this stuff not-so-cheap at a third shop.

[I was going to alert you all to a blog that scours the web looking for quilty sales, but they seem to be down for renovation just now.  So...]  

Here's a link to a quilt that I donated to Carole when she first got her longarm.  It was the perfect match of me with too many UFO's with no destination and someone who could practice her quilting, with the understanding it would be donated to charity.  She did a fantastic job.  The pattern was a Debbie Caffrey mystery from a workshop through the Plano guild many, many years ago... 2000??   And I was glad Carole posted the picture because it was one of the tops I had no picture of.  Thanks again, Carole!

And last but not least, I was looking for pictures of the Dallas Quilt Show and came across this quilter in training. Isn't it adorable???

I am off to find my mojo.  Have a lucky day!

Sheilagh