Pardon the slightly blurry photo-
I arrived back to the cabin at "evening dark time" on Saturday evening to find that SOMEONE had strung Christmas lights all over the place!
It made me as excited as a little kid - I swear.
The must wonderful thing is - we are remote on our side of the mountain ridge. You can't see the cabin from the road below -
Morning Sunrise with lights on!
This is the year to appreciate the magic of little things.
Little things - like finishing this!
I was able to reload the quilt after removing the yucky stitching.
It didn't take long.
I don't know why at the time it sent my world off kilter. Being tired is one reason, I suspect.
But once again I am reminded that if we just take the job one step at a time, it doesn't seem so insurmountable.
In fact, it took little more than an hour to load the quilt back into the machine, quilt that last bit -
Trim the quilt, get the binding, label and hanging sleeve on - and be ready for several nights of hand stitched-binding activity ahead.
That is, IF you can get Ivy off of it!
This quilt has a wool batting in it - it is warm and cozy, and surprisingly light weight - even with all of those seams.
okay, they BOTH like the wool batting!
And this binding stitching is not going as fast as I'd like it to.
However, if there is one thing I have learned about 2020 - it is NOT ABOUT FAST ANYTHING.
And if you don't stop and really look -
You might miss something!
I had forgotten I had pieced this in here. It was a rejected tiny Ohio Star from my Nearly Insane quilt - the prints were too busy for that small of a scale, and the star just bled into the background fabric - not looking much like a star at all.
I remember coming across the rejected piece while making these crumb blocks and just sewing it in for good measure.
There is a HUGE TUB of orphan blocks and random leftover units in the basement at the Wallburg House.
I'm now thinking of what I could do with those - could I simply strip up the "less than loved" blocks and sew them together random fashion?
I'm still feeling quite a bit overwhelmed with the amount of fabric pieces and parts and wanting to sew them into something. I'm still not of the mind that I can just simply gift them, or throw them away. I feel the need to let them challenge me a bit instead of taking "the easy way out!"
There may be more of these kinds of crumby things in my future!
#mediafreesunday was just what I needed to spend some time away from screens and monitors - I feel quite refreshed this Monday, ready to tackle what lies ahead for my day.
Something else to keep in mind today.
USA Today posted a wonderful remembrance article today. You might want to give it a read and remember those who fought and lost their lives this day, and all that unfolded after this happened.
My grandpa was Navy, and served during the war in battles at sea. While he wasn't in Hawaii, where he went and what he did and how it impacted his family's life was a direct result of Pearl Harbor.
Today I will pause for remembrance, that this may never happen again.
On a happier note:
And there is still time to enter our IronEZ Gift-Away! Did you enter to win ON THAT POST yet?
And how is your Part Two of our Grassy Creek Mystery coming along for you?
Quiltville Quote of the Day-
I've got cup #2 in hand!
What do you need to kick start this new week into gear?
I have been in the sewing room since 5:45 am puttering with a few ideas that have been swirling around in my head.
Just looked out the window as the dawn begins to brighten the sky and snow is falling!
Have a great Monday, everyone!
42 comments:
No snow here, just a flurry of Grassy Creek. I am in the minority. I Love Mondays! A fresh new start. How will I let my week unfold? It's all up to me. How I react to the unexpected sets the tone. Sadie Grace (my 15-91) and I have been piecing since well before dawn and all is well. Make it a Great week!
What a wonderful surprise of the lights! Our granddaughter comes home tomorrow! 5 months in the hospital with COVID. We are thankful. Marilyn Marks
Hubster Lit up your world, huh? What an awesome guy. Today is a packing and moving day here. No snow in the forecast until Friday or Saturday, I can maybe catch up on the clues then. Need a snow day Sew Day. The crumb Quilt is so Scrappilcious! Happy Monday, Remembrance Day. Been to the Pearl Harbor Memorial and the list of names is sobering.
I love your crumb quilt! I did one cutting my pieces into crumbs on purpose then sewing them together and it's hard! No rows, just kept adding little pieces here and there. It was a Bunnies by the Bay fabric for my first granddaughter, quilted on my sewing machine before I had a long arm.
So wonderful that your granddaughter is coming home! Wishes fro continued recovery! ❤️
I’m excited to see what you might make of your Wallberg leftovers! This crumb quilt looks amazing. Enjoy your Christmas lights! They are so merry.
My husband just got out our deck lights last night and plans to out them up today. Same here no one will see them but us, the lights make me happy this time of year though. I need to get some of my quilts quilted so I can have some evening binding time, love to do that this time of year especially. The quilt on my lap takes the chill off.
Bonnie, thanks for sharing the Pearl Harbor picture and story. No snow here in central NC either, but rainy. Your experience of having to 'unstitch' quilting makes me feel like I am not along. LOL Blessings as you work out the little projects you are working on.
I love to see Ivy and Zoey so comfortable together. My husband and I decorated for Christmas yesterday. Even though we are the only ones to see. My Daddy was at Hickham Field in Hawaii waiting for breakfast when the attack started. He never gave details except to say he never got breakfast that day. He was 17yrs old.
Bless that wonderful Christmas Elf! A thoughtful surprise to add to positive memories of 2020.
Being home because of shutdowns and now I just decided to retire, has me going through things in my house and deciding what I can live without. When I got to my sewing area and found my misc. orphan blocks I just couldn't toss them so I picked out ones that would make good hot pads and made several, but now I am thinking that there must be something else I can do with them. I can't wait to see what you come up with!
So wonderful that she is coming home! Praying for a complete recovery!
I too want to thank you for the Pearl Harbor picture. I visited there once and I broke out in goosebumps and tears. Remembering gives honor to those that passed.
I love your crumb quilt. I hope to get to the Grassy Creek Mystery this week. I have been busy sewing clothes to mail to the grandchildren as we cannot see them this year for Christmas. With 7 grandchildren it has been busy LOL. I am off to get my caffeine and get my week started.
I have found a lot of orphan blocks in a major clean out of my sewing storage I have put them aside and am planning on putting together in a just for me fun quilt. I'm thinking of getting wool batting or looking in thrift stores for old woolen blankets. I am currently sleeping under a quilt my grandmother made back in the late twenties or early thirties. Still warm and comforting
That photo of Ivy and Zoey looks like they are saying their bedtime prayers together... I adore them!
And I adore crumb piecing so can't wait to see what your creative brain dreams up!
Fun to get to projects on Monday, and glad to hear you too have discarded blocks and strips to work with in your life. It seems many of us are trying to use up gathered fabrics over the years. I make many charity quilts. Getting the tops done is faster for me than quilting them . Any suggestions for us?
Yay on the Christmas lights just for you (and all your blog readers). I thank you for your positive, uplifting light shining on the world. I am all caught up on Grassy Creek (with a bunch of extra hst's because Barb and I did the Math wrong--teach me to do a different method than you do!). I was pretty proud of myself this year for sewing up bunches of leftover smaller blocks and then cutting them into Christmas stockings! I made 13 of them and gave them to the kids and their kids..my oldest's wife has six kids and a grandkid so nine for just them! Went pretty fast since those blocks were together. Looking forward to what you come up with!
I needed to hear “one step at a time” today. I work in an embroidery shop and have several large jobs that people want by Christmas. I’m feeling very overwhelmed. So now I’m going to take “one job at a time” and try not to feel so overwhelmed anymore. Thank you Bonnie and Merry Christmas!
I briefly considered not decorating this year since all holiday plans have been cancelled. But I like them and it brings cheer. It may be only hubby and I who enjoy them this year but we need all the positives we can find.
I have a crumb quilt started, but it is still a baby in the works. I’ll need lots of coffee!!!!! Yours is super great!!!!
So happy for your granddaughter, her grandmother and all of her family. Getting her home will be the best Christmas present y'all could have.
What a great name for a new book for Bonnie! "Scrappilicious!"
My grandpa was stationed at the Army Coast Artillery fort (Kamahamaha?) at Pearl Harbor. He was at work when the attack began. My grandma and my dad sheltered in an inside closet in their house. My dad turned 16 two days later. He had a box of bullets that he dug out of his bedroom floor. All he ever would say was that it was very scary.
I bet you are just elated that your grand daughter will be home for Christmas! Continued healing to her and good health to your whole family!
I bought myself an early Christmas present...a new Juki HZL-DX7! What a dream machine! Because of that I made my grandson his Christmas stocking ( a tradition I started a few years ago, stockings for all in the family) Then I finished the flimsy for a QAL I did with Fat Quarter shop and Pat Sloan. It was tough, because I started with my ailing Brother that finally gave up the ghost midway through. :(
Now I am on a roll!
What great news! And a wonderful Christmas gift.
My father was in the army and went to the pacific. He was one of the lucky ones as they let the class graduate in Feb so all the guys could go into the service. I am very lucky as he ruptured his appendix and almost died from that. My mother graduated from high school and joined the Nurse Cadet Corps to go to nursing school when she had no science in high school as she planned to be a librarian.
I have a crumb block quilt on my design wall right now getting them ready to sew together.
I drove to deliver some dinner to my Dad's and he had put lights on the bushes, a wreath on the door, and a little decorated/lit tree in his front window - something he had not wanted to do since my Mom passed away three years ago. I was so happy seeing those lights! Not a huge display in comparison to the other homes on his street, but it was huge to me.
I love your 'new' creation! And those two quilt hogs are so cute together. So fortunate for both of them to have been adopted by you guys! I've been to the Pearl Harbor memorial a couple of times and both times I've just 'felt it' when standing there remembering. Just a WOW moment.
Bonnie, just had to say "love these posts"!!! thank you so much for what you do every day. Merry Christmas and be safe.
...Sandi aka Purple Passion Featherweight in Bay Area, California
One of my uncles was at Schofield Barracks and hid under a piece of corrugated metal with bullets hitting it, not him. Perhaps your husband could take a picture of your house with his drone. Bet it would be pretty. We did a challenge quilt top one year in my old guild where we put orphan blocks together and they turned out great. Lots of spacers but we tried to stay within color families on the blocks. Polly Blank
After watching several YouTube videos about Jelly Roll Race quilts, I went into my Fabric Archive and assembled already cut 2 1/2" strips in all sorts of blues, purples, limes to start a JRQ . I just need a mindless project for the time being. I look forward to your blog every day, Bonnie! Keep up the good work.
Bonnie maybe you could bundle up your crumbs and orphan blocks and sell them as “Crumb seed kits” or something like that. You’d sell all of them quickly and perhaps you would initiate another sew along with folks using their own orphans and crumbs or one of your packets. I bet we’d see some spectacular quilts. Barbie
We've been to Pearl Harbor and it is such a humbling experience. When you see oil still seeping from the ship into the water, when you read all those names,it gives you so much respect for what they went through.
So many fabrics, so little time..... I have finally accepted the fact that I cannot sew them all. My answer has been to make more dog beds from smallest scraps for the animal shelters. You can also make kennel mats from larger pieces of the "what was I thinking" pile :-). I make dog beds from trimmings but started adding scraps as well. Shelters are happy, animals are happy and I am less stressed and therefor happy. Win Win Win.
Super idea! I came to the same realization about my totes of scraps. Not little totes, oh no....several rather extra large ones. So, I now use them for stuffing in lots of things as well as doggy/kitty beds. I just finished a crocheted lap pillow and it is stuffed with scraps.
There is a wonderful book by Joan Zuber Earle, "The Children of Battleship Row" about her experiences leading up to and on December 7. The war in the Pacific is fascinating and so much of the time gets looked on as the secondary (and therefore less important) theater of the war. My Navy husband chose to re-enlist on Pear Harbor Day and the CO spoke about carrying on the legacy for those who lost their lives on that day. It is the only re-enlistment day that we remember any details of or the actual day of. It was also the first outing of our week old son. He became a Marine.
My first thought on the orphan blocks was what about using some of them in the disappearing block style?
For some reason I always get Bonnie's posts the day after so today for me means your granddaughter is home. What wonderful news! I'm so happy for you and your family and this is yet another reason for me to be thankful. I pray for continued recovery and back to normal for her.
I also love your crumb quilt. I've never seen one like this before. Are there instructions somewhere for it's construction? Thanks
I love wool batting - use it for all quilts that will be on our bed. Keeps you warm in winter, but it's breathable for summer, and is so lovely and light-weight!
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