Retirement Countdown Quilt

 

I have started a new quilt for myself. A block per week, reflecting something I experienced. They are 4 inch blocks to countdown the 196 weeks until retirement. Block 1 is our conversion to a new computer system at work. The login for our region is Mountain Epic.

I've decided on a color pattern sticking with the blue side of the color wheel: lime, green, teal, purple, pink and, of course, my FAVORITE color Fuchsia.  That's the reason my yellow crocus are chartreuse.

Block 2 celebrates crocus and bubbles.

Gold Digger sparkling mimosa at Blue Bench Brunchette.

Block 3 is the “blessed biscuit” given to me by a stranger when I was visiting the Pechersk Lavra in Kyiv

3 down 193 to go.

January Progress

 

Slowly making progress on handquilting Biggs.  The row nearest the camera is complete as well as 2 sides on the borders.  My current strategy is to focus on one row at a time from the outside in.  This is perfect weather for hand quilting without a frame.  Need to finish before it gets warm

Most of the Sashiko centers are finished, so this is 1" filler grid and  3/4" wide rows to the swags.

Each of the corner "stupid flowers" are boxed in with an extra double row of hand stitching.  That part is finished for the whole quilt.  Now just some narrow rows out from the flowers, that serves like stippling to make the machine quilted flowers pop. 

 I also did a bit of sewing.  This is a Kimono style jacket, Simplicity 8172.  I made one last year out of a knit that was heavy, and made me feel fat rather than someone wearing a flowing jacket. I found a purveyor of used silk saris on line.  It's much better, but I may look for a different design to use the other 3 I bought for light jackets and skirts. 

This month I've also been working on decluttering.  We successfully passed along a couch and large display table which makes the living room feel twice as large.  I have re-homed dozens of books.  And like most home projects things spiraled out of control and the living room project became an extra project in the bathroom.  It's complicated. 

(The removal of art & wallpaper border became paint & new cabinet pulls.)