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.)

It's Fine

 

I am finally quilting the Benjamin Biggs Quilt.   It has not been without it's challenges.   The plan is FMQ around the applique in white thread to secure the design, then add hand stitching.  My FMQ is not as precise as I'd sometimes like, but considering I'm doing it on a $100 Singer, it's fine. 

My least favorite process which involves crawling around on the living room floor sandwiching and pinning layers.  Cat Management failed to warn me that the batting I had on hand was 5 inches short on one side.  Replacement batting purchased.  Also had an issue with the tape I had available to hold the backing in place.  Long story short, found some wrinkles on the back side. 

This quilt is for me, not for judges.  So I decided the wrinkles were fine.  And will be less noticeable after washing when everything scrunches up with shrinkage. 

I made a template a year ago for a Sashiko inspired center.  Meanwhile I forgot the planned geometry and my first one has some sections that are off size.  If I hadn't told you, you wouldn't have noticed.   It's Fine. 

The first time I went bold and used a highly contrasting thread, I was able to produce tiny stitches (8 per side) because I used a silk batting and a plain cotton backing. 

Due to the combination of cotton batting and 2 layers of white on white fabric these stitches are 6 to a side.   It's Fine. 

Sometimes I get distracted by my marking lines and it helps to look at the back.  These are the organic flowers that I FMQ on the joining corners of the blocks.  

In the end, it's all going to be just fine.

Lupine

 

I rather stupidly included some very detailed flowers into my design.  Because they are my favorite wildflowers.  Made some progress on the lupines.  Had to return to the fabric stash for blues as the purply-blues I first picked, blended too much with the background. 

After I added the leaves, I decided to do a re-design, so there will be a 3rd lupine instead of the leaf I'd planned.  And one this side is done, there's the mirror image for the other side.   But once all that fussing is over, there will be large expanses of stylized leaves that should go quickly. 

Apple Cake

 

Hung out with my 4 year old granddaughter this week end.  We made pillows from some of her art. Every time she says applique,   I hear apple cake.  After practicing this weird new word, it became apple lick cake.  Sounds like I need to develop a new pastry recipe. 

This is her self portrait.  She picked out the thread to match her original. Traced from original with pencil and used a tight zig-zag. 

I found a 12" pillow form someone had re-homed to me.  As we were wrapping it, she decided that she really wanted it for her bed because it's the right size for her. Guess that will be sorted out when it's opened at Christmas. 

Here's her original art. 

I didn't know she could write her name.  We had to practice her age a few times.  I forgot to take a picture, but used the same zig-zag technique to add this to the back of the flower pillow. 

Sewing for me

 
My favorite hobby is buying fabric and patterns for clothing I will never sew for myself.  

My last attempt was 8 years ago.  But my post-menopause body is a different weight and shape from when I had that figured out.  So I'm starting from scratch again. 

I started with this super basic pattern.  Fitted and has a side zip. 

While looking for muslin fabric, I found this shirt, but decided I'd rather wait and make something really wearable from this shirt.  I thought that using the finished hem and button placket would be worth while.   It's also a very nice Brooks Brothers cotton that I got at a thrift store for a couple dollars.

I muslined the pattern with an old mauve bed sheet.  After a full day, I got it looking this close to working like it would fit me. There were still issues with the neckline and hip width.  But I naively thought that would be easy to adjust. 

I was feeling super clever at re-using the buttons so I wouldn't have to use the side zip.  But there wasn't enough fabric...so I had to piece in an arm section for the front bodice.  It worked really well. 

But the front neckline was all kinds of messed up.   I spent hours swearing, tucking, rolling and tacking down. 

After a half dozen extra darts and tucks, I have a shirt that's actually wearable.  And unlike earlier versions, doesn't look like I'm wearing a tent.

Final fix was replacing the functional button with an oversized fixed one. 

Extra thanks to my Buddy Beve who is my sewing spirit animal.  I can send her pictures of my failures and she alternates b/w advice and cheerleeding.  

For Me

 

After a big quilt project, but particularly an art quilt, I find myself needing to tidy & organize the sewing studio.  Fabrics that were in project bins, need to find new homes in the fabric library. 

In doing so, I found some happy fabrics that cross color categories, and decided it was time for new napkins.  22" squares with hemmed edges in 3 fabrics that kind-of go together. 

The hotpads I've been using were actually practice squares for FMQ from years ago.  Now stained and one with burns.  Same color-ways.  3 layers of cotton / bamboo batting scraps. 

Looking forward to enjoying some impulse buy fabrics from my travels.