Stabilizing Robin's Song

I very much wanted to show the start of the feathers on Robin's Song-----but I'm not done with the stabilizing yet.

 I have five or six more lines of stabilizing to put in.  But I thought you might like to see some of the blocks before they are filled with quilting.

 Maybe I'll get those few lines put in tonight--but there are no guarantees.

 There are quite a few people who have more to show for their efforts than I do.

I'm thinking you might want to visit them via the following linky parties:

 

  

I don't know that I can have a finish by Friday, but I hope to have a lot more quilting on this quilt.
Happy quiltmaking, everyone...... 

Robin's Song Quilting Progress

Finally!--I'm quilting Baby Blanche's Robin's Song.
No, I will not be posting pictures of myself piecing the backing, or layering it, or pin basting it.  Not a whole lot of fun, just necessary steps.
Right now I'm only at the point of stabilizing it with very fine thread. As you can see, it's on my Necchi BU (treadle) from the late 40's.  Once it's stabilized, I also want to spend some time at my 1936 Singer (in it's original straight leg treadle).  I love the view from the Necchi, but I like the space at the Singer, and that one is out of the afternoon/evening sun (although the view from the Singer in the morning is pretty great too.)
I thought I'd be at the fun part of quilting by now--but I had two therapies today and spent time re-organizing paperwork into more file folders and time on the phone with people working out various logistics.
Sweet Teen left for her BF's family's shooting range while I did more paperwork [she tells me she's practicing with their 22], and now, instead of starting more quilting, I need to back off and let my poor horribly aching head rest.  Then I'll get back to some fun stuff!

There are some lovely people having linking parties, so I'm linking this too.
Please visit Connie Kresin

 

and Heather and Megan

 

Since it's so late in the day that I'm finally posting, I can assure you that there are some glorious projects already posted.  I'm sure we'll all enjoy visiting the blogs and leaving comments.

 

Happy Quiltmaking......

 

Audrey's Spring Breeze - Finished!

Audrey's Spring Breeze was finished sometime yesterday evening, although it does still need to be signed.

 It is just stuffed with quilty goodness.

 Most of the quilting was done with Fil-Tec Glide in gold.  This gold is just an amazing color that looks good on many styles of quilts.

 I used a little bit of lime green left over from another project from several years ago to quilt the little "bean seeds"  across the hand dyed green squares....

 and little bit of Glide azalea (I think) to trail across the pink squares.
The six inch white border is stuffed with a meandering feather with "grass curls" tossed in every so far.

 Here's a better view, from the back, that also shows the combination of leaves and transposing feathers in the outer pink borders.  I've been quilting those trailing morning glory leaves for 17 to 20 years but hadn't used them for while.  I thought they travelled around the corners nicely.

 Here are a couple of more views from the back.

 I used what looks like a wide violet piping with the green binding.  Actually, the binding is comprised of two strips of fabric (one 1.25 inches wide, the second 1.625 inches wide) sewn together, ironed in half so some of the violet shows on the green side, and then applied to the back of the quilt, flipped to the front, and stitched in the ditch between the two colors with invisible thread.  I've tried this technique several ways, but still haven't perfected the process enough to be totally satisfied with it yet.

 

And, speaking of morning glories, here's our first of the season--a little wobbly in New Mexico wind.

Usually we don't see a blossom until July. I did scatter seeds all along the fence in the background, but none of those are up yet.

Now I need to buckle down and start working on quilting the next project!

I hope you'll want to stop by a couple of linky parties and leave some comments for others:

Karin at Sew Many Ways is doing her 67th "Sew Darn Crafty"

(Sorry, I've lost the button for Sew Darn Crafty)
and Sara still has her weekly party going:

     

Memorial Day Update:  I have linked this post to Judy's Monday Design Wall at Patchwork Times because there is nothing on my design wall/floor/table.  I have finally managed to get Baby Blanche's Robin's Song basted, so I haven't managed to piece anything--although I have plenty of designs in my head and on my computer.

Spring Breeze Getting Close!

 Spring Breeze was layered and pinned at least a week ago.  I used many fewer pins than I usually do because I decided to do quite a bit of stabilizing quilting.

 I used Fil-Tec's Bobbin line thread for both the upper thread and bobbin thread, so the stabilizing is barely visible.

 I found an older spool of bright lime green to quilt some leafty things.

 Then I quilted the body of the quilt.  I was so happy when I finally reached the big white boarder.  But I've only managed to get a few minutes here and there to work on it.

So....I now have about 1.75 white boarders to finish and then four of the narrow pink outer borders.

Addition to Post:  This is being quilted on a Necchi BU from the 1940's that is in 1919 Singer treadle irons.

I'm going to share at Karen's Find a Friend Friday, since we can share our whole blogs, not just one post there.

I'm still hopeful I can finish this, write a new post, and share it a couple more places within the next few hours.

Sweet Teen is visiting a friend, so I'm just sharing my place with the wind and some smoke from the fires in the Gila and Manzanos. We noticed the fire in the Manzanos yesterday evening as we were driving Sweet Teen to an FFA Officer get together.  It was reported that it was set by a couple of boys who got separated from their party and wanted to be found. Later it was reported that it was set by a group of 11 boys, fresh graduates of Belen High School.  Hmmmmm.....lost in the forest, high winds, fire-setting.  Gotta question that logic.  I understand the boys may be charged--and, if so, their parents will be charged with the cost of fighting the fire. I read a report the the fire is contained and being monitored for hot spots. There is a crew of about 80 still monitoring--and the wind is still pretty wild here (about 25 miles or so from the fire).

Quilt Update: Audrey's Spring Breeze

 Finally, the borders are on Audrey's Spring Breeze. I pieced the borders by fussy cutting a striped fat quarter and using some of the other fat quarters.

The white border is not a perfect match because I just can't find my bolt of white bleached muslin--how could I possibly misplace something so huge!!!!!
But it's still very pretty.

Now I just need to get the backing made and layer the quilt and get on to the really fun part, the quilting!

This is such a lovely statement of spring.  I've watched the tree in my front yard leaf out as I've been working on it. I came home from my morning appointments and walked into the house accompanied by bird song.  Love it!

I'm going to link to some favorite linky parties.  Be sure to stop by and leave some encouraging words for other quiltmakers.

Quilting by the River

Esther's Blog

Freshly Pieced

Happy quilt making........

Quilt Progress: Spring Breeze

I awoke barely after my usual time this morning and worked quietly while the sweet teens slept.
It's been suggested that I set a timer and just work 15 minutes at a time.  I think I may have to do that.  I paused numerous times today--ahem, got distracted.  This afternoon my brain just said, "Enough!" and I took a two hour nap!

This needs two borders yet--and a backing.  Then I'll be able to baste it and enjoy the quilty goodness.  I'm thinking of using my favorite gold Fil-Tec Glide thread for feathery quilting.

I do hope I'll be a bit more efficient getting the borders cut and onto the quilt.  And I did piece extra blocks so I'll have pretties to help widen the backing.

I'm also thinking of writing up the instructions since this quilt would look good in a wide variety of colors and wouldn't necessarily have to be so girly--I just needed the fun of making a girly quilt, and I know our little Audrey will enjoy it.  I am making it long enough that she should be able to nap under it for quite a few years.

Last night's shower left us with some puddles, and then this evening we enjoyed another shower, although it wasn't enough to register at the weather station at the mid-school. 

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms, all the women who are great nurturers but never had children,  and especially to those who carry that deep but unfulfilled longing for children in their hearts.

Happy quiltmaking....

Oh, do check out what other crafty people are doing.  Visit Karen's blog.

Quilt Progress and Sunshiney Goodness

 Just a bitty-bit of progress on Audrey's Spring Breeze.  I'm wondering if the impediment is lack of focus, lack of sustainability, lack of organization, or just plain fatigue.  (Had plenty of the latter yesterday.)  I did sew one more HBT this a.m.

The great joy was this---a sunshiney breakfast--freshly ground and brewed coffee, muffins, lemon curd eaten in the sunshine.  For years, and certainly for the long winter months, I've been out of here while it was still dark. Sunshine just makes me happy--and even more so today when we're not predicted to have winds more than 10-15 miles an hour and temperatures in the low 70's.

I'll have a house full of sweet teens for movie night tonight.  Now I'm off for more therapies--and hoping I'm not in tears by the time we reach the end of speech therapy.  (Earlier this week a medical professional said something to me about how young I look, and I had to admit that [since I've never felt "pretty"], I've been more vain about my brain than my looks!)

Update:  Sweet Teens are here.  I'm back from appointments--quite a bit more fatigued than I thought I'd be, but still hoping to get some stitches made.  Going to link to some linky parties--please stop by and meet some new people and their creations and have a really great time!

 Thanks to Karen at Sew Many Ways

Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict

and Amy at amylouwho

Marcia's Crafty Sewing

Happy quiltmaking.....

Progress: Spring Breeze Quilt

 Progress is slow--at least in comparison to quite a few past quiltmaking projects.
There are soooooo many ways to make half square triangles--and most of them are just not very enjoyable.  So I'm just trying to take a few minutes here and there, between naps and chores and therapies and doctor visits and am telling myself that once it's done, it's a quilt, and that's all that matters.

So, right now I'm making green windmills from white broadcloth and some of my hand-dyed greens.
Next step will be to piece the pink print and white windmills, and then I can move on to easier piecing and larger areas and will feel I'm accomplishing more.

Sweet Teen wanted some help with one of her essays yesterday on the surprising level of stress felt by many high-achieving, affluent people.  I really hope she finds her passion and just follows it.  She says she wants to be the first Asian-American justice on the U.S. Supreme Court.  That sounds like waaay too much stress to me.--However, my brain was struggling to hang on to sentences, word order, and word choice yesterday!

Today's schedule includes another evaluation and an appointment with the rehab specialist, hopefully with the opportunity to go over some of the previous evaluations, although I know he won't have received all of them yet.

Happy quiltmaking....

Linking to:

Quilting By the River

Fabric Tuesday #85

Be sure to stop by these blogs and check out the work of people who've left links to their works.  It's a great way to discover some new blogs, catch up with the work of possibly more familiar bloggers, and discover new quiltmakers.  Bloggers love comments, especially those of us who work in semi-isolation.

Work in Progress

This is for Audrey--it will look different in real life since these are not the fabrics; it's just the drawing I did in EQ7.

I have some of the fabrics cut, and I decided to start with the little windmills since my brain and hands just aren't thrilled about doing half square triangles right now--so I need to get that part over with! I do have most of the green half-squares pieced.

I also can't find the almost full bolt of white that I know I put in a really sensible place!  I will definitely not be taking any pictures of my sewing room for a while because it is just too cluttered.  (A local lady has been collecting fabric scraps to make quilts for a local charity, and I really should box up some for her, but I haven't done so yet!)

I've accomplished very little today (and I will not be making a list of what I intended to do and didn't do, because then I'll feel even worse!).  I'm coming to realize that in the aftermath of a brain injury, there are days when very little gets done.  On the other hand, if I would consider naps a healing therapy, I'd feel I accomplished something today.  I was totally exhausted after creating lesson plans and a couple curriculum materials (which the current sub will not bother to use), and I think I've had three naps!  I guess that's what my brain needed!  I did get some new gaskets in our water hoses so that we have less undirected water loss outside, and I did water.  Sweet Teen and I got quite a bit of yard work done yesterday, although not as much as needed to be done.  I do wish a magic carpet would come along and carry away all the tumble weeds that have collected around the base of anything in their paths (think bushes, furniture, the grill, the fence line, etc.)!  However, that won't happen, and there's just not a good way to dispose of them if we want any room for garbage in our little dumpster--at least no good way that I've found!

Every day involves therapies and/or doctor appointments.  The friend who took me into Albuquerque on Friday helped me use the time between appointments by visiting some thrift shops, so maybe I'll manage to take some pictures of a couple of finds later this week.

May you all accomplish oodles of quiltmaking......

Goin' Dotty?...

These are among the many things I want to be working on.....a collections of dots and stripes begun for Sweet Teen a year or two ago (I really don't remember) with some new dotty fat quarters recently added.

Other than that, I have a whole bunch of projects I'd like to be working on--but the main project right now is getting more evaluations and diagnoses, or at least more accurate ones, for my injury.  March 8, 2012 is etched in my brain--even if I have a hard time hanging on to a few other little things!

This week included an MRI of my brain, which turned out to be a horrible experience leaving me in tears because of the sensory overload--as well as a whole lot more testing at more facilities. (Yesterday's excursion began at 7:00 a.m. and ended about 8:30 p.m.  In the course of the day I was assisted by and received loving gifts of care from a precious group of friends who got me where I needed to be when I needed to be there.) I'm thrilled that today I have only one evaluation--although it will involve, as do most, a round trip of over 60 miles!  At least it's just one appointment!

I so want to get in some quiltmaking time today--if for no other reason than that I've learned to spend quiltmaking time praying for the recipients, and in the praying, I, too, am blessed.

Happy quiltmaking, all!