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Thursday, January 23, 2014

New Direction

I'm hoping my projects will take a new direction this year.  I have a couple of quilt tops done or almost done but have yet to get them finished, either by myself or outsourcing.  I've found that I so much prefer smaller projects that I can quilt on my own.  My plan is to make all those wall hangings I want for my railing at the cabin.  I've been planning this since the day we moved in there.  At first I didn't want seasonal hangings but now I'm all for it.  The way I figure, I can put them up and take them down just like the seasons change.  Last fall I started my Twister Jack block but didn't finish it yet.  I had too many other things to do than work on a Halloween project.  It's ready to go whenever I am though.  Right now what I'd like to do is my cabin hanging.  So far I have a log cabin block, bear's paw block, Smokey the bear block and a pine lodge block.  I also want to make a log cabin (house) block, flag, snake, sun and possibly more animal blocks.  Size will definitely be an issue with this.  I want it to be something we look at and remember a story about it.  I'm hoping this will be an outlet for me to make several of the projects I have on my list. 

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

New Vest

I just finished a denim vest that my hubby ordered from Mary's sewing place.  Ha, Ha.  That's kind of what it seems like sometime.  In fact, I told him one of the most intimidating phrases is "You know what I could use?"  That always leads to some sewing project.  It's not that I don't like doing it, in fact, it's just the opposite.  I loved making this once we got past the preliminaries like style, material and function.  I spent all day yesterday playing around with different pockets to put on it and learned a lot from it.  I was glad I could make something for him since he is very supportive of my sewing habit.  Couldn't ask for anyone better!  Now I just have to prepare myself for the inevitable dirt that will befall this brand new vest and I know it will come.  But I'd rather have it be filthy and well worn than pristine and still in the closet.   Amen.

Saturday, January 11, 2014

My New Design Wall

Sounds really fancy like out of Project Runway or something.  But all it is is a piece of flannel material taped to a wall.  The fabric pieces stick to it so you can display it all before you sew.  I decided to make a Christmas tree skirt out of what I was using for years which was an old round tablecloth.  I cut squares of the tablecloth and mixed them with other Christmas material that I had.  I needed to spread them out to see how they would look best and then I made my design wall.  It works great by the way.  Half of the skirt is done and I already found a piece that doesn't go very well.  Now back to the other half.

Friday, January 10, 2014

We're #1

Yes, that's right.  We're #1 in snow totals for the season in Erie, PA.  This came as a surprise to me for several reasons.  I guess the first was because we were actually here so little so far.  But really I've seen a lot more snow here in other years.  I think one thing that happened this year was the temperature changes.  Usually when we get snow it's cold and it stays cold.  This year it spiked to above freezing temps and then plummeted to frigid ones.  That got rid of a lot of the snow where in the past we would have a snow covered road all winter.  But like I said I remember times when we were literally snowed in.  I also remember those times with -15 degrees during the day so these cold temps were bad but still not something that I've never experienced.  I guess all in all you learn to live with it, drive in it, shovel it and enjoy it since you have no other choice.  It is also a sign that I'm getting older and not much phases me anymore.