Sunday, February 23, 2020

I spent the weekend working on my Seminole project and it is done. I hope you had your sunglasses on before you took a look! It is very bright, but I think that is the point.

This was my UFO Challenge project for February and, although it isn’t quilted, I’m considering it a finish. Since I do most of my quilting on Texada it will have to wait until my next trip over.

So what now? It is still another week before my March UFO Challenge is announced. In the meantime I need to do some cleaning and clearing in my sewing room. I also need to take apart a set of curtains that I plan to use as backing on another project that is ready for quilting.

Saturday, February 22, 2020

I was looking forward to getting the last two rows for my Seminole project finished today. I finished the first row and dug out my bag for the final one. I stitched the strips together, although I noticed that I had replaced one of the colours on the second strip. I must have run out of that colour and thought it wouldn’t matter.

It did matter so I had to replace the green in the first strip and add the green into the second strip. That meant I needed to rip out some seams which went well with my new (from Stacia) seam ripping tool. When I went back to my pattern there was an important step missing – how wide do you cut each strip.

I cut one strip at 2″ and from the picture it looked like it should be half that so I cut the second strip at 1″. But when it came to putting the two strips together nothing was working out and I couldn’t tell from the grainy black and white photo I had where I was going wrong. I looked online and found several pictures of the block but no instructions for how to make it. So the whole thing got bundled up and put back in the bin – I decided I had enough rows without it.

Obviously I needed a break so I went out and did some work in the yard. Nothing substantial but I filled a garbage bag with stems, stalks and leaves that should have been cleaned up last fall. The grass needs to be cut but it is still far too wet to do that. I didn’t get even one bed finished, but the part I did shows from the windows so I’ll be happier when I look out.

I’ve spent some time trimming down the rows of the Seminole project and attaching sashing between the rows. I thought I might continue to work at it this evening (Pat went over to Texada) but my back is sore and I think I’ll put my feet up with my knitting..

I was back to my Thursday sewing group yesterday and I started another 3-yard donation quilt. I got the 48 half-square triangles that I need stitched and trimmed. I’ll have one more week to work on the blocks before I take it to our Community Quilts weekend. We’ve also picked a new date for our little sewing retreat – the first weekend in March. After that Jessie will be busy working in her yard, and I should be too!

After spending a week in the theatre for the Film Festival I almost didn’t want to go out to the first Cinematheque showing last night but I’m so glad I did. A lot of the upcoming shows in the series are either award winners or nominees so I’m looking forward to them.

I had only three things that needed to be done this morning before I settled on an afternoon project. My car had to go in to have the oil change; Pat taxied me back and forth. I needed to reserve a spot for some Non-Profit Board training coming up in April. And I needed to fix a small seam in one of Taylor’s shirts; it is definitely a summer shirt, but she’s headed to Mexico so she needs it soon. I brought it back with us in February but it was tucked away in a bag and I almost forgot about it. I’m not sure why those few tasks took me all morning but they did.

I settled on my Seminole project for the afternoon. We’ve had clear and cold days for most of the week but today it has clouded over and there’s not much sun. But the colours of this project are so bright it is like looking at a field of crocuses and tulips. I’m very close to finishing the rows so maybe this UFO Challenge for February will actually get done.

Wednesday, February 19, 2020

That title is a bit of an exaggeration but I did have a bad night. I woke up at four and read until 5:30; from then on I dozed more than slept and was up at seven to start my day.

I haven’t actually accomplished much in my day though. I did some work for the Hall until it was time to head up to the insurance place to get my new car registered. New car? No, it is the same old red car but this year we changed the ownership from Pat’s name to mine. When I came home I finished up the Hall work (for the day) and then moved on to some Guild work.

After lunch I decided I needed a nap but, rather than nap, I finished my book. I was no sooner home from my errands this morning when I got a message from the library that another book I ordered was ready for pickup. I’ve gone a bit crazy with library orders this past week and I don’t want to get behind. The books on order for different libraries are usually short-term loans.

Tomorrow is a sewing day and I’ve picked out another 3-Yard quilt pattern; this one is called Friendship Star. I thought about starting something for myself but if I can get another donation quilt started I’ll be able to work on it at the end of the month at our Community Quilt days. I like to take something of my own to work on; if you don’t have your own “thing” you end up cutting batting, sandwiching or trying to figure out something to make from the bins of scraps they have available.

I still have time this afternoon to pick up my book so I can start it tonight. I also hope to have enough time to cut out the fabric for the new quilt.