Fun at the Retreat

First a quick update on the concussion.  Although it is not as bad as it was two months ago, I don’t seem to be able to get past the stage where I can do normal activity for about three hours, then have to have a nap.  And if I push it to four or five hours then it takes a couple of days to recover.  I am off work for two weeks and will not be going in at all, am limiting my computer time to three one hour sessions a day and trying to rest, rest, rest.  I am sick of this!!

My new blog header photo is of a volunteer viola that popped up in my pot of chives.  Good thing there is a little bit of spring showing up because mostly it is hiding out.  This is what it looked like here on Thursday.

But the sun is out today and the snow is starting to melt again.

I was thrilled with how much I got done at the retreat despite having to nap and being overwhelmed several times.  First up, my Simply Solids swap block for April.  This fairly simple paper pieced block designed by Lisa just about did my brain in, but ta-da… I did get it done…

Then I made this two very easy blocks for Caroline in the 6 inch block swap.  This block is called Liberate.

In the big bag of scraps I acquired recently there were a number of ends from kaleidoscope quilt cuttings so I made these kaleidoscope hexie flowers for Joke for the April swap.

I put together ten blocks for the X and + quilt.  I am so not sure about these blocks – because there is so much beige and brown in the fabrics.  I am going to finish this quilt regardless, but I’m sure hoping it will brighten up as I make more blocks.  Or I might have to use a sashing…

And I made FOUR blocks for Easy Street…. and put together all the pieces for parts two and three.  This quilt is on my design wall now and is staying there until it is done. 

And lastly I started a new project – just a little one, a fun one. But I can’t show it yet. 

Janet

Sunday evening coming down….

I’m back from the retreat.  I had to rest a lot and I’m exhausted today but it was tons of fun.  Look at this sea of quilts that were made…

I arrived home to find many little parcels waiting for me… So fun!  Here are a couple of the items I received…

My March hexie flowers from Gemma in England.

My April 6 inch blocks from Carolyn in Australia.  She sent three lovely ones.

My 6 inch swap partners will be happy to know that I finally have enough of these Cathy’s Campfire blocks and I’ve changed my ask to something new. ( Many people have struggled with making the little flying geese)

I’ll be back when I’m not so tired to show you what I worked on at the retreat.

Janet

My March finish, a new bird and off to retreat`

I was so tired when I posted the other night that I completely forgot what I wanted to post about.  I am getting better a little bit more every day, but I tend to push myself too hard and then I get dizzy and very tired.  But you may notice I am spending more time on the computer and I have driven into town twice.  I worked today and won’t go back again until next Tuesday.  I’ll be at retreat Thursday through Sunday!! Yay!!  I bought a foam mattress and will take a pillow and blanket so I can go in the back room and lie down whenever I feel overwhelmed.  We are staying at a hotel that is about 8 minutes walk away but I don’t want to spend time when I need a break going over there.

We have had this “new to our yard” bird hanging around for about a week, but he has been very elusive.  DH managed to get a great photo of him today.  He is a Varied Thrush.  So pretty!

And here is my finish for March – a table runner that I made for DD # 2 for Easter.  Of course it didn’t reach her in time for Easter but she can use it all spring if she wants.

I used a pattern that I won from Janet at Threaded Moose.  A lovely paper pieced star. 

And fabric that I received from Kate Spain.  I blogged about that here – I won two little 2 1/2 inch charm packs and received a huge parcel of her fabric ends as well.  I used a solid purple in the border and a navy that matched the navy in the flowers for the binding.  Here is the back.

I like it as well as the front.  I love Kate Spain’s fabrics.  Here it is on my table at Easter, with the plate of Ukrainian eggs my guests made.

I quilted in the ditch around the stars and a cross through the centre of them.  And the scribble around the outside border.  All in all I was very pleased.  And my daughter likes it too. 

Janet

Weekend progress and some more lovely wins

We have had a lovely weekend weather wise.  Sunny and warm in the day and cold at night.  There were fantastic northern lights last night. I didn’t see them but a friend who photographs them posted a full green sky photo on Facebook. 

Here is a daytime photo of three red Crossbills (two males left and front and a female on the left) and a Redpoll, all enjoying sunflower seeds on this fine spring day.

Most of my activity this weekend has been cutting pieces for the X and + quilt.  There are 19 pieces in each block and I’m starting with 80 blocks.  That’s over 1500 pieces to cut.  I am close to being done.  I have about 120 pieces still to cut. 

And then my grandkids were here visiting and they wore me out.  They are so active.  Besides spending most of the day fishing with their dad – they actually played on the beach – they were both keen to sew.  Here are the pieces they made, both unfinished.  A cape for a stuffy and a blanket for a small doll.  DGD is learning how to put on a binding.  DGS learned that you have to put the foot down before you start sewing or you get a bit of a mess

DGD showed off her prowess in the kitchen by making sandwiches to take fishing…

And her skill with the bow.  She played Little Liza Jane at her Rotary Club recital the other night.  Since we couldn’t make it there she did a replay for us here.

And DGS showed his skill with a bow of a different sort… Can you see how important the set of the mouth is to the aim

I received two more lovely prizes this week.  I had forgotten that I had so much loot heading my way.  Thanks ladies!!

Diana had these three fabulous laminate bags and additional pieces of laminate up for grabs in the Quilting Gallery Blog Hop and MOI won them…

There is a small tote bag, a medium size zip bag and an envelope bag that is just the right size for my kobo.  They are so well and thoughtfully sewn that I feel I can examine them a bit and learn something about how to sew laminate.  Maybe I won’t be too nervous to try sewing up a little bag or two from the pieces of laminate she sent. 

And also in the Quilting Gallery Blog Hop I won a runner-up prize from Marjorie.  She wanted suggestions for using up her jelly roll and charm size leftover batik pieces.  Go to her post here to see all the suggestions she got.  What I got was a nice short stack of green batik squares.  Yummy!

Ta for now…

Janet

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April The Year of the Finished Project & Friday Night with Friends

After my last post, when I optimistically said I’d be back the next day, I had a little bit of computer nausea and haven’t been on much since.  But I’m here today with my sewing progress reports. 

First let me tell you about my head.  I no longer feel like I am carrying a brick in my head.  It now ranges from an egg size to peanut size rock, depending …  I am still getting very tired and can do most activities for about half an hour at a time before needing to take a break.  I am not reading books, exercising, watching television or movies or doing much “bookwork”.  “But I have done a little bit of sewing.  

Here is how I got on with my April commitments:

1. Six inch quilt block swap – I had two partners in March.

Jen’s postage stamp blocksTeresa’s log cabin blocks

2. Bee Balm block swap – Lizzie’s requested Scrappy Trip Along blocks.

3. Block swap adventure – Julieanne and I agreed to swap two blocks this month.

4. Inchy hexagon swap – Kate’s request was for black and white petals and a red centre.

5. MMM Round Robin – Just got this one finished yesterday.  But it is purty! A sneak peek of some of the fabrics I used. 

6. Simply Solids block swap – MR’s Scrappy Trip Along Block.

7. Mystery Muse – two items – I only got one finished.    See here.  And sent and received.  But I had this super lovely e-mail from my musee.  This makes all my effort worth it. 

Dear Janet, Thank you so much for my WONDERFUL gift, I Love it. It arrived late last night the post man buzzed and apologized for being so late but he didn't want to bend it in my mail box. It arrived in perfect condition. Thank You you made my day. I have not been myself this winter and this re connected me with the part of me that  gets excited and is passionate about life. Reading the words lit a spark and reminded me that Yes that is still in me. Time to put those winter blahs and blues away and get back into Joy and doing. I Loved painting water on the water colour pencils on the lettering and waves, it really made the word Excited Pop off the page in 3D. Your circles are so wonderful that I want to leave them as is for fear of wrecking them, though temptation my get the better of me, we shall see. Might be too fun not to. Today I aim for Excited which was on the back burner for too long. So Huge Thanks and Big smiles to you for making a difference and the  push that was much needed.  Your art is inspiring !  Wishing you all the very best... Oh and I am going to wet those circles too, but must run now and do that when I get home later.  Then I am hanging it in my bedroom to be the first thing I see when I wake up to set me on the right path for the day. I am Excited to get back to me. I was really lost for a few months but enough of that. Thank You so very very much.

8. Get your Hex On bee Hey! This one was done and mailed before March even started.  I showed it last month!! 

Get my cardinal done Nope.

Finish the baby quilt Nope again.  And there is so little to do…

Get the different pieces for Easy Street cut and pieced.  I have all the four patches sewn together.  Progress!!

Stitch Me Up blog hop   See my post about it here.

As well I started and completed another project – but I can’t show it yet as it is still in the mail. 

What will I be doing in April?  I am going to a retreat this month for four days.  I am going no matter what I feel like!  Here’s the list:

1. Six inch quilt block swap – 2 per month – to be mailed by the 15th.  Carolyn has asked for a simple block.

2. Bee Balm block swap – still waiting for the instructions to arrive.  Mail by April 30th.

3. Block swap adventure – 1 - 12.5 in block – mail by the 25th.  I get to choose the block this month.  And the colours/fabrics.

4. Inchy hexagon swap – 2 hexies per month – mail by April 30th.  Mostly my choice this month.  I have the pieces cut and ready to start sewing.

5. MMM Round Robin – mail by April 30th.  I haven’t received my block to work on yet.

6. Simply Solids block swap – Mail by April 26th - A paper pieced butterfly.  My mind hasn’t been able to grasp how the pattern works yet. 

7. Mystery Muse – finish the second item, which is about half done.

8. Get your Hex On bee – mail by April 30th.  Kristen wants some complex little hexies, like the Ahhs from Hillbilly Handiworks.  I haven’t had the courage to look at them yet.

9. Charm Pack Table Runner – mail by April 30th - for Terry. 

As well I am going to:  

* Finish the baby quilt!

** Put together FIVE blocks for Easy Street!

*** Finish the table mat I started for the Stitch Me Up blog hop.  It is a gift.  I need to get it mailed.

**** Work on the new X and + quilt that I started cutting out blocks for.   I received a HUGE bag of scraps, with a ton of beige in it.  Not my colour at all.  But it is all going in this quilt!!  I spent Friday Night with Friends cutting pieces for this quilt!

And made two blocks just to try it out.  It will be awesome!!

And that’s all folks

Janet