We’ve had some snow the past few days. Blizzard conditions, lots of snow, very cold wind chills — schools, stores, banks & even some gas stations are closed. Road crews are doing what they can, but some people are at their wits end.
Today on Facebook:
As you can see, there are a few comments. One of my favorites: On a scale of 1 to “laying in the road,” how ready are you for Spring?
We’ve been keeping up with it, with humongous thanks to Kate & Maddy! Maddy wanted to see a little snow while she was here, but this is way beyond! 😂
My knitting time has been limited, but I have been plugging away on my Farfalle Cardigan! Unfortunately, with the changing of the clocks, I didn’t have an opportunity for a picture in daylight. I’m just about to the third increase on the first sleeve, and then it’s straight mosaic garter stitch until I reach the specified measurement. I’d be a bit further if I hadn’t sailed right past the second increase… I had to rip out & redo about a half-dozen rows. Così è la vita!
QUILTING:
The quilting has been a bit slower, too, but somehow I’m only one block away from the required number. Here are the latest two:
This is a block I found online called Sunset Trail (the sample looks more like a sunset).
This is the one I showed last week as a concept of a block. It’s made from all of the corners that I cut off (and saved) while making previous blocks. I sewed the cut-off triangles together to make half square triangles & then arranged them in a way that I liked (it reminds me of the Economy block). The squares are small, so I had to do some math to add a border to make the finished block the correct size… and I did it wrong, so there are two borders. Quilter’s Math is different than Knitter’s Math, but my biggest mistake was thinking I could do it all in my head!
The last block will also be made up of half-square triangles — some of these & some others — I’m using scraps! I sewed & pressed a bunch of them at class last night, now I need to trim them. I’m sure I have enough for three blocks… choices, choices! Most everyone else in class had their quilt tops assembled with sashing & cornerstones, and were working on the border — it was so fun to see them all coming together! Soon… I’ll be there soon!!
READING:
No change… (bedtime pages): No Time on My Handsby Grace Snyder. I think I’m at the point in the book when she really starts getting into quilting… she just got a sewing machine!
M’girl has arrived! Maddy was sitting at the kitchen table when I got home last night. We all had a fun evening together — chatting, playing cards, catching up, and laughing our heads off. Merriment will continue tonight when Ali & the kiddos come over!
I’ve been seeing more squirrels & chipmunks running around, and also this…
…in the yard a couple of times, on a little perch/ledge just below the garden bed at the edge of the ravine. I thought maybe there was a burrow there, but I’m not so sure… at least yet. After rummaging around the yard & sitting on the perch, they take off down the hillside (amazingly fast) — through the little stick structure that my kids/grandkids constructed down there almost a decade ago — to who-knows-where?
Don’t forget to “spring forward”! I still have a few clocks that I need to physically change — a couple of alarm clocks & the wall clock in the kitchen most importantly.
Start to Finish: February 6-ish to February 27, 2026
And, as promised, I’ve also resumed kitting on my Farfalle Cardigan… it took me a minute to figure out what my notes, scratches & numbers meant, but I’m back on track (and those notes will be helpful going forward). I’m just about to begin the third repeat on the first sleeve, so it’s slow going but, hey, I’m not in a race with anyone (it’ll be nice to have a finished sleeve though)!
QUILTING:
Oh man…
I had to do some laundry at Ann’s the other day. I took all my quilting stuff so I could lay it out on that large, unobstructed expanse of floor she has over there. On the left, 12 finished quilt blocks, per the pattern. On the right, 13 finished quilt blocks + some ideas for combos for the others I’ll need to make it big… really big! I want it to not only cover my bed, but have a good drop, so I’m probably going to do a double border & I’m considering doubling or even tripling the sashing, too. It’ll take a lot of playing around to figure it out.
But, first, I need to finish all these blocks. I’ve lost count, but these were finished yesterday/last night.
The one on the left is one of my new favorites… which makes up for the one on the right, which is my new least favorite. It’s been suggested that the last favorite block be positioned in the lower left corner — mostly in terms of a wall hanging, I’m guessing — but that would be my side of the bed… so whichever one is in least favor when it comes time to put it all together, it’ll go on the lower right. heh.
I spent some time the other day trimming all of the half square triangle blocks that I made using the cut off parts from previous blocks.
It was tedious, but very satisfying, and…
…this will likely vie for “favorite” status. I sewed it all together last night, but I’ll need to border it somehow so it’s big enough.
I’m so close to finishing my Sophie scarf — I can’t wait to show you, but if you’ve seen Kym’s latest, you already know what it looks like! In some weird coincidence, we were both knitting the SAME SCARF in the SAME YARN and the SAME COLORWAY at the SAME TIME!
Blinders are on in terms of other/new projects, as I really want to get back to the Farfalle cardigan.
QUILTING:
Sawtooth Star & Patchwork Chain
Ohio Star & Log Cabin
I can’t tell you how many Log Cabin motifs I’ve embroidered or knit over the years, but I can tell you that this is the first one I’ve ever sewn! I’ve been enamored with quilt designs/patterns for years, and I really am delighted to finally be doing this.
There are only two blocks left to make: Postage Stamp & Chevron. I’ve already chosen my fabrics & would like to get them sewn up over the weekend… because now comes the hard part!
Choosing fabric(s) for sashing, border, backing & binding. We started auditioning last night. The sashing will be a “frame” around each square, and a contrasting (or not) square at each intersection.
But I’m also considering adding to this — duplicating a few of these blocks or adding new ones — in order to make this a usable bed-sized quilt. Y’know, because the one currently on our bed isn’t bright enough?
BUT, ALSO, HAVE YOU HEARD?? (Yes, I’m shouting!) George Saunders has announced that Lincoln in the Bardo is going to be made into a movie & an opera! OMG. I am dying. If that’s not enough, Tom Hanks is one of the producers and is going to play Abraham Lincoln in the movie! And while I can appreciate opera, I would not say that I’m a fan… but, boy, I sure am interested in this one! Hm. Maybe there’s a birthday trip to NYC & my first visit to The Metropolitan Opera in the cards this year.
