Feline Friday - 3/27/20

Given that Momma's office door is locked during NYS on Pause, she can sometimes work from home while her deputy is in the office to do some work and answer the phone.

On Monday, I spent the first hour watching her work on the dining room table. I've wondered for a long time what that table was for as she generally drops her work bag there when she gets home and then eats on the coffee table.

I was exhausted from so much snoopervising so I had to take a quick nap or three.

Eventually Momma set up her "standing desk" to check emails.

I'm pretty sure it's still the ironing board but I snoopervised anyway.

Yes! That is a stink eye!

This level of snoopervision is exhausting and I'm not sure how many more work from home days I can sustain this...I might need my own deputy...

Luckily we took an exercise break in the afternoon to play.
I'm hoping we take more breaks next time Momma works from home!!!

Swivel

As a follow up to yesterday's pointless photos of the back of my new project blocks...
I now present the fronts!!

Sample block for block A.

I'll be making this into a doll quilt and I think the
next rounds need the dark gray and orange/gold.

Block A1.
The next quadrant is cut out and will be started tonight.

Block B1.

Wednesday Weather Report #149 - 3/25/20

It's clearly Spring when the temps change as often as they did in the last week but I'm sure anyone with a sugar shack is enjoying this type of weather as they continue to gather sap and make maple syrup. 

March 18 - 24, 2020
44 - 51 - 65 - 29 - 33 - 34 - 38 F

I didn't take a picture but with no where to go over the weekend I spent a lot of time working on my shoofly quilt. I cut out and started stitching 44 more blocks. I also started cutting for the "arrow" border that came to me during a mistake.

Somehow I haven't posted about my new project yet...Quiltmania magazine is doing a mystery quilt, named Swivel, where the blocks can be EPP or hand sewn. I'm clearly doing the former! Each of the 6 issues this year will contain 2 blocks and at some point we will get finishing instructions. I even splurged and ordered the fabric bundles from Homestead Hearth so my blocks will match the magazine pattern. I very rarely buy fabric kits but the thought of not having to pick fabrics every month was very intriguing. It was my birthday gift to myself!! The ad said that the kits would include a fabric available only with the bundles and there would be extras included. No clue yet on either after the second delivery.

Before the first fabric bundle arrived yet I pulled together some fabrics to make a sample block. The bottom left of the above picture is a quadrant of the sample block. I know the pic is kind of worthless for anything other than proving I am actually working on something but this is the 3rd of 4 quadrants. I hope to create some borders and make this into a doll quilt.

The top right shows the blue fabrics in the first bundle. This is the second quadrant of this first "A" block.

Last week I received the second bundle of fabrics - purple and greens. I am still waiting on the March issue to arrive (supposedly mailed 3/7 but still frustrating as it's now 3/25) but since the magazine subscription came with access to the digital magazine I was able to print the papers onto cardstock and get started on a "B" block. This block has fewer pieces so it's going together faster. I still despise those long pointed triangles but I'm getting better at them.

WWR #148, FF, NQD, IC, UGRR and CV19

Hello my furry friends - it's been a hell of a week, hasn't it??!!

Like my St Patty's day collar? I do!

Momma has been meaning to post every day this week but with a scheduled day off and the whole Coronavirus thing, her work has been crazy, like full on cat nip crazy! NY's Governor has asked most businesses to close completely but asked any essential businesses to cut their staff by 75%. Local Governments don't seem to be listed on the essential list but government needs someone there to keep it running so Momma stays locked inside the Town Hall every day. She says the phones and email have been extra busy. By the way, as a staff of 1, Momma has only sent her right hand to work today. LOL.

Wednesday should have been Momma's annual dinner meeting for 20. When it got cancelled she decided to take the day off and sew. I have pictures to share but since I spent most of the day outside so I can't prove anything...

This Irish Chain was an online sewalong.
Top is complete. Pieced backing is in progress.

The last of the Underground Rail road blocks - triple sashing is next.

March 11 - 17, 2020
36 - 45 - 43 - 35 - 36 - 45 - 40 F

The 2nd annual Cedar Waxwings invasion started this morning. They like the berries in the ornamental pear tree. The deer nibbled on the lower branches so they are higher up in the tree than last year. Apparently they don't feel the need to follow social isolation rules recently introduced. I might need to have a chat with them.

 

And last but not least in this long email...Tomorrow is supposed to be National Quilting Day. Momma stole this idea from Facebook but she is going to hang a quilt in the front window (it might snow tomorrow!) with a sign that says Happy National Quilting Day. Won't you join her?

Momma has also read that people are rehanging their Christmas lights to brighten things while on quarantine. Momma also thinks this is a good idea and hopes to dig them back out this weekend.

What are you doing while on lockdown?

Feline Friday - 3/13/20

During these heated political times it's best not to let one's dirty laundry air in public.


Luckily, Momma only left her clean laundry on the dining room table.


I had a lovely nap yesterday!







Don't forget to vote for Zorro this November.

Wednesday Weather Report #147 - 3/11/20

Only in Small Town America does it take 35 minutes to pick up take-out at the restaurant 3 doors down from work. Hahahaha! I chatted with an old co-worker and his wife and then chatted with a neighbor and his wife who asked if he could use his high-level metal detector on my "virgin" yard. Oh, yes, please! There were plenty of other people to say hi to as well.

We tried a little bit of everything spring-like this week!

March 4 -10, 2020
40 - 41 - 34 - 32 - 51 - 62 - 53 F

I think I need to do a little more scientific research but it *feels* like we don't spend much time in the 40's/teal. It feels like we often jump straight from the 30s/blue to the 50s/green and viceversa,  so it was nice to start off with a couple of warm-ish days.

This - my friends - is the very last of my Underground Rail Road blocks for hexie club!!! I had originally prepped a blue batik for those outside triangles but discovered I had used that blue already. In the grand scheme the duplication didn't matter much more than it was the only duplication in the whole quilt but it still bugged me. I went digging a little, discovered there was actually a lot of blue in the other blocks and then found this green that works nicely. It matches the greens in the center of this block, pulls out the greens in some other blocks and will match the green in the border fabric.  As Chantal told me, it was meant to be...

Feline Friday - 3/6/20

Look Momma - it finally stopped snowing!!! Woot!!

Yes Zorro and the sun finally came out!! Double woot!!

Wednesday Weather Report #146 - 3/4/20

It's been a weather roller coaster again this week: we had a blizzard, a lake effect snow storm and several rain storms. Mother Nature is off her meds *again*! I have no idea what to expect next...

February 26-29, 2020 :: 34 - 22 - 24 - 18 F
March 1- 3, 2020 :: 36 - 52 - 47 F

I finished the Carpenter's Wheel block. It was amazing how quickly I finished the last quarter of the block given how long the first quarter took me. I was just dreading those 100 pieces.

And I'm almost done with this Wagon Wheel block - 2 more seams and then applique it to a background.  I actually glued these pieces - curves are easier with glue and the center didn't need to be basted. The center of the wheel should be covered with a circle but I'm pretty sure I'll stitch a hexie instead. Wink. I have just one more Underground Railroad block to finish and then I can start working on my triple sashing idea.

I am pretty sure this is 4 paws of approval for my Irish Chain Quilt! The overall quilt is 7x9 blocks and I just have 3 more long seams to put the whole top together - two of which are already pinned. I've been working on it piecemeal between chores. Kind of a quickie reward for cleaning the fridge kind of thing.

Happy Hump Day!!

The Bibliophile Files - 3/3/20

It was another good reading month. 13 books in 2 months is pretty much par for me. I am trying to get back into my morning walks so that might increase my reading some. Woot!

One of the titles is a little out of character but when you are trying to accomplish a reading challenge, you just kind of run with it and are sometimes quite surprised with the book. I needed a K book and this one just kinda showed up when I needed it.

I've made a bibliophile tab for the people who have asked for more info on my reading challenges. I can also add the books I've read for the challenges if anyone is interested.

FINISHED
     The Fifth Witness -
     Liar Liar - I was hoping this series was more of a police procedural but it's more about one cops life as she deals with the psycho that got her brother killed. I'm hoping the next book in the series will get back on to the track **I** want the series to take. LOL.
     The Trial
     Murder Beyond the Grave - 2 real life crimes that were later turned into a tv show. Yes, truth is stranger than fiction.
     Case of the Sin City Sister - a sister who works with her PI father and takes care of cats. A lighter look t police procedurals
     Big Cherry Holler - I enjoyed this 2nd book of the trilogy. I even enjoyed that the author read the book but I did think the details of their marriage "problems" were a little thin. They had some real big issues but they could have been fleshed out better.
     Becoming Kareem -Thankfully not so much about basketball as finding the good or bad "coaches" where ever we are in life.

IN PROGRESS
     On my iPhone - Magpie Murders
     On my home stereo - Silver Linings - I like this book but the CDs are so scratched I can only listen to it via the DVD player which means I need to be in the living room instead of where ever I can plug in my CD player/stereo. And that means it's been slowing going...


And now it's your turn - what have you read in the last month? Anything counts: novel, magazine, quilt pattern or cereal box. I am particularly interested if you have read any 'O' or 'E' books that will help me with my reading challenge...