Slow but steady

When I get a chance, I keep working on the black and orange sampler I started in the fall of 2024.  I ran out of background fabric when I was working on the first border, but it arrived yesterday so I hope to get that on today.

I bought the fabric some time in 2024 (or maybe 2023?), so I didn't think my LQS would still have it.  Etsy seemed a good possibility, and I was lucky enough to find some more.  As usual with most Etsy orders, it arrived promptly.

While I was waiting for it to arrive, I finished piecing the next borders so that I can get those on also, if not today, then tomorrow.  I will use more of the orange polka dotted fabric for the back and then take it to Marie to quilt when I get a chance.   It will be nice to have it out of the way.

I have a few more projects languishing in the sewing room, including a small flannel pink and brown rail fence quilt.  I have already cut the pieces into logs for the quilt that I'll give to Bags of Love eventually.  And, of course, there's always Dear Jane to work on.  I have four more rows to make before finishing the center.

This winter I hope not to be tempted by anything new except maybe Karen Abrahamovich's Holland quilt in blue and white.  It's been on my to-do list for at least two years, and it should use some of my huge stash of blues.  I have a few ideas for a medallion quilt with this as the center.  We'll see how they play out.

A fun day

We had a very busy Saturday, starting with grocery shopping and then going to the library to turn on all the lights.  Later in the morning, we met some dear friends, both also retired librarians who live in the Burlington area, at our library to see the Light Up the Library display.  Bob loves Christmas and enjoyed bidding on various goodies in the display.  We all went out to lunch and caught up on goings on.  It's always fun to get together with them.  

Later in the afternoon day, some other local friends, Bill and Diane, invited us to go to an art gallery opening of an acquaintance.   Cara Armstrong is a professor of architecture whose recent sabbatical on neuroscience and architecture resulted in a series of digital paintings.  She draws on in iPad and pops paint into the spaces using a program.  These paintings were all about 4' x 5' and very interesting.  At one time she quilted her drawings but now uses digital art.  Here are a few of her works, with my favorite first.

I can see this as a quilt, with the very detailed drawing of the farm painstakingly done.

Can you see the quilt making inflluence in these two?

The last painting reminds me of Montpelier with its mountainous neighborhoods.

We had a great time at the show and enjoyed Cara's talk very much.   Afterwards, Bill and Diane wanted to go to a local diner for a bite to eat.  I just had a glass of wine because I was still full from lunch.  We stayed at the diner until closing time, talking about all sorts of things.  

Snow day = sew day!

I woke up far too early today and, after doing a little bit around the house, decided it was too snowy to go to my regular check up.  When I called the doctor's office, the receptionist didn't seem surprised I wanted to cancel and rescheduled me for January right away.

I went upstairs and got to work on the Orange Polka Dot quilt.  It's made of guild blocks of the month and some instructions the guild received from Kristin Laura Designs.  The block which I put on the bottom right was demonstrated at our last guild meeting.  It's larger than 12" finished, but I wanted to try making it anyway.  

It has aspects of Dresden Plate and is just as easy.  The ones shown at guild were in Christmas colors which I always like.  But I needed one block to add to the 15 I had made between Sept., 2024, and now.  I appliqued a cornerstone where one might have gone if it had been 12" like the other blocks.

Of course, I need a little more of that speckled black background to finish putting the top together.  I think it will be a good "stop border" and then I'll add at least one more border.  That should get it up to 60" x 60".   Of course, I bought the speckled fabric at least a year and a half ago, so I doubt my local shop will have it.  I turned to my old friend Etsy and soon found another yard and a half which should be enough.

Here's a "rough draft" of the top without borders.

-7

The photo doesn't show the orange in the polka dots very well.  But they are there.  And I have about 6-7 more yards.  I'll use some in the back, but I really would like to find another nice project for that fabric.  

Whirlwind days

I spent most of last week at the library setting up Light Up the Library.  I noticed that almost everyone coming in has the sniffles and heard that COVID is going around.  This calls for an additional dose of "Airborn" each day.  So far, so good.  The busyness continues this week with some great programs to entice folks to buy raffle tickets.

Saturday, Melissa from Thunder Road Speedway put up a tree with a host of swag from "The Nation's Site of Excitement" (really only Central Vermont's site, but they like it).  I was pleased that Melissa took a picture to add to her social media as a way to promote the Friends of the Library program.  There are 15 gift card copies pinned to the tree so we will raffle off the tree and also draw 14 more winners two weeks from today.

Other trees include a pink one with flamingos and disco balls, The Nightmare Before Christmas, figure skating, hand painted ornaments by the artists' guild, and more.  Then there are the gifts and gift certificates - something for everyone.

This afternoon Donna "Thunder" and her band will play for the grand opening, and Wed. another local musician will entertain us on the piano with a holiday sing-along.  The weekend is taken up with three performances of my friend Alan's version of A Christmas Carol.  He never turns any volunteer away, so now there are 47 people of all ages involved.  

Hoping for driveable weather all week!  We are at the point in the year when we wake up to a little bit of snow every morning,  But there is a storm predicted for late Tuesday, but I hope that, in true Vermont fashion, the roads will be clear by mid-morning.