Tuesday, June 13, 2017

“If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all” fit my day perfectly yesterday. I finished weeding one corner of the yard but the rest of the day was unproductive or downright annoying! You must be thinking our yard is a disaster if I need to do all this weeding. In truth, some spots were a disaster but in others I’m just getting ahead of the disaster that could come. I’m picking teeny, tiny weeds that will grow into much larger ones if they aren’t picked now. While I do that I’m turning the soil a bit and Pat is following behind me (often a day later) putting bark mulch over everything. The beds have matured enough that I’m weeding around plants and I don’t need to worry if what I’m looking at is a plant or a weed, something I’ve had trouble with in past weeding adventures. I have one bed along the side of the house to do (tomorrow if it doesn’t rain too hard) and then I’ll be on to the roses at the back and finally the stone wall at the front. However, as Kathryn says, by the time I’m done I’ll have to start all over again!

I originally thought the quilt I sandwiched could be taken to the bee for quilting but I decided against that. I’m trying some Sashiko patterns and I doubt it will go smoothly so better done at home! I took a card to do some quilting on but after trying some free-motion quilting three times I decided to give up and bring it home to finish; I just couldn’t get the tension right.

I took along my bin with my Bingo project and thought that would fill the rest of my day. I haven’t worked on it for awhile so when I was pulling it out last night I decided to change my design a little. It will be a beach quilt that, hopefully, the kids can play Bingo on. Since I don’t have any kids coming until late in August (if at all) I think I have time to get it done. The sewing I did today certainly went quickly and I was finished with what I had by about 1:30.

There is a slim chance I can get that card quilted before supper so I’ll be ready to tackle the Sashiko when I have my next sewing day.

Sunday, June 11, 2017

I don’t have a clue what I did yesterday morning but at the end of it Pat and I went out to do a few errands. We did a bit of shopping, made a Cranberry Hall deposit and then went out for lunch. For most of the afternoon I sandwiched and pinned a quilt. I used the island in the kitchen and it was lovely not to be on my hands and knees but, again, the backing wasn’t as tight as I would have liked. I’m looking forward to my new table so I can go outside and spray-baste the heck out of it and, hopefully, get a tight backing.

I know what I did with the rest of the afternoon – I had a nap! I didn’t feel all that great after I got up – it was more than my usual “I don’t want to wake up” feeling so I didn’t do anything for the rest of the evening.

I woke refreshed this morning and, after making cookies for the Song Circle, I managed to get all the stabilizing stitches done on my quilt. I’m experimenting with the quilting on this one so as long as it all goes well I’ll keep at it and hopefully have it done before we go to Calgary. I intended to go to the Song Circle but Pat suggested I didn’t really need to go so I didn’t!

I didn’t do any cross-stitching this week but I found another pattern I’d love to get – but I didn’t! I have added it to my Wish List though so maybe someday I’ll feel reckless enough to make the purchase!

Friday, June 9, 2017

After two weeks of yard work I decided I needed a reward. Since my work is free, I guess my reward should also be a freebie. I’m not complaining about this one! I wish you could smell them.

All the peonies in the yard are either in bud or full blossom so I decided to bring some indoors. They smell so nice and remind me of the bouquets of peonies Mum used to pick from the flower bed in the front out by the caraganas.

Although I’m not being paid I also rewarded myself with a folding table that I can use outside to spray baste my quilts. At the rates the gardener at the Hall is charging I’ve more than earned the money for it. Plus, I’m making use of our new Costco card!

Until the table arrives though I’m going to attempt to sandwich on the kitchen island.

Thursday, June 8, 2017

It’s been raining all day today – wouldn’t you know it would pour rain on a non-gardening day. No doubt the sun will be out tomorrow and I’ll be back to weeding.

I did a bit more paperwork after I got home from the board meeting last night; naturally there is more work for me to do but what didn’t get done last night had to wait. Today was all about getting to some sewing.

I started the day by doing a bit of scrap management. I keep a bowl of scraps on my cutting table and when I have a few minutes I cut a few into strips or squares. I didn’t get to the bottom of the bowl but my back was getting tired of standing so I moved along. I got the final borders attached to the Guild’s Block of the Month from a year ago. I didn’t like the piece much without the borders and I don’t think the borders have made me like it any better. I have been perfecting my mitred corners and I must say I did very well on this one.

After lunch I picked out and cut the fabric for the next Splendid Sampler block; I seem to be able to manage one block a week. I’m saving the sewing on it until the weekend – I think it will be a quick job.

What I really wanted to do was some quilting. I pulled out a top that I’ve had finished for ages but the backing I planned wasn’t big enough; the alternate backing I had stored with the project was also too small. I found some fabric in my stash that is large enough but I’m not convinced I like it. I may look around again or I may just go out and buy more; I wanted to use flannel but I don’t have much of that in my stash.

So what I decided to do was get a different piece sandwiched (yes, I have a few waiting in line) and start quilting it. When I pulled it out of the bin I realized that the final border hadn’t been attached on it. The borders are in place now so it is more or less ready to go. I say less because the backing I picked for the piece was the perfect size before I added the border but now I think it will be too small. I’m not fond of pieced backing but maybe I can make something work. I’m going to try some machine Sashiko on the quilt; I’ve had the book on loan from the Guild library for months and, as librarian, I probably should be setting a better example.