This was the week that was....Part 1 (long)

Seems like a person can moved through some of the days on a quiet note...few errands to run, phone is quiet, no appointments or places one needs to be...and then a week occurs that contains far too few hours and you just want to hop off the spinning top and go back to those quiet notes. Such has been the case at Taylorsoutback, which included various get togethers, annoying automated phone calls (political & so called charities) must do errands and a run to the ER  for my Mom which overshadowed everything else.  Her health continues to be an ongoing concern, though at this week's end she is feeling somewhat better. Increasingly frequent doses of reality no longer allow me to deny that she will soon turn 86. While helping her dress when she was being released from the ER, my eyes took in how frail she has become. The advancement of severe rheumatoid arthritis has affected each and every joint and my heart breaks.


And so, evening quilting offers that comfort and therapy that I have spoken of in earlier posts. These are the 2 recent blocks that have been offered on Barbara Brackman's Civil War Quilt.
Cotton Boll - uncertain about the colors and may do over...

And Week #9 - Birds In The Air

If you follow Barbara's blog related to this project, you read about the quilt that was cut in half because of bickering among family members. Inked in one of the blocks was a drawing of the kneeling slave. What a coincidence that I should receive this in the mail from my dear friend Dee, who does wonderful cross stitch work. At our Liberty Ladies in February, one of the members shared the cross stitch pattern with us.

Apparently it is available - suppose to be free for downloading at http://needleprint.blogspot.com  (you may have to search Archives, I could not readily locate the pattern) Dee stitched this poignant design on a gorgeous piece of linen and presented it to me for my birthday. It was wrapped in violet covered paper that just says Spring!

In a different direction - I have been making a lot of half square triangles - HST's - A while back. I signed up on Rossi's blog and took the Process Pledge. This is Part I of making the quilt that I will post about during the entire process. Rossi prompts us to document our quilting journey from start to finish rather than just showing the completed quilt. I started getting nervous right off the bat as she wants us to post everything and that includes the good parts and all the mistakes and misgivings.  Talk about exposing your quilting soul to the world...here goes...
A year ago for my 66th birthday, I placed an order with a Canadian fabric shop near near Vancouver Island, B.C. It was one of the few sources of an incredibly beautiful (IMHO) collection designed by Debbie Mumm in honor of the 2010 Winter Olympics held in Canada. Since we have long held a love of all things Canadian & I wanted to recognize my Wisconsin Gramdma with French-Canadian roots, this fabric called to me. Canadian Cottage was the name and it had to be mine! On its arrival, I fell in love with it - the roses, the distinct maple leaf, flag and crown motifs - with one misgiving...the aqua blue polka dot turned out to be lighter than anticipated. My chosen quilt design was Delectable Mountains in the Fons and Porter Quilts From the Henry Ford. Would this light aqua disappear against the rose covered background? Is it just too pale? But I loved it so - and it reminded me of the aqua waters of the rivers and streams we have traveled by on our trips to Alaska. And it goes so well in our bedroom...Plus I had 4 3/4 yards... Last summer I began the center medallion - a hand pieced circle with diamonds. My applique experience was hardly off the ground but I stuck with it and thought the results were nice....

 Misgiving #2 - to my disappointment, when I started adding the pieced HST borders last week, I discovered that things looked way, way off...the center medallion was not positioned correctly on the background. The only thing to do is handpiece a new center medallion, lesson learned and get it positioned correctly this time!
What I like about this project is using Triangles On A Roll for making HST's - when the directions call for almost 400 of those little puppies, TOAR is the best answer. Here is how I do it:

The 2 strips of fabrics are cut at 6" wide (running selvedge to selvedge) and placed right sides together with the Triangle paper pinned on top. For this quilt, I am making 2" finished HST's.
The sewing machine is set up for a very close stitching length. This will make it easier to remove the "perforated" paper later. Needle down to allow for easier pivoting and continuous sewing...

 

Stitching on the dotted lines, follow the directions of the arrows until all sewing lines have been covered.

If you enlarge the image, you can see the line of stitching on the paper pattern.

Now, you can start cutting the paper patterns apart...you will be cutting on the center solid line this time. Use a rotary cutter fitted with a blade you keep just for paper.

The paper pattern is easily removed along the perforated sewing lines. then press open.

Ready for a final trim check...

There are multiple ways to make HST's - you probably have a favorite...I find when multiple units need to be constructed and you are working with 2 colors, Triangles On A Roll are very efficient. and so the Process continues...
All for now - thinking I will go back to work on some more applique - just heard from our Jena that our son Dave, and his friend, Scott were stuck overnight - in the cold - somewhere along the Denali Highway enroute to a remote lodge. My mind is playing images that are understandable to all Mothers - no matter the age of our children. More comfort and therapy needed until we hear the full story...stay tuned for Part 2.


Tomorrow I turn 67 - today I feel a little older than that...

Pat