Squeaking under the wire...

...I was feeling so smug about meeting my November OMGover at Patty’s Elm Street Quilts, with finishing the redwork/Irish Chain quilt top. So I thought...I have extra time and can rejoin Wendy’s Monthly Mini Challenge which I have been missing out on.

Once again, with lantern in hand, back into the quilting cave...

....found a half way finished “what not”
...can’t remember the why or wherefore or what the reason was for piecing it...

Maybe an orphan block...who knows? Did some quick very basic machine quilting, added the binding and here it is, November 30, 2018...last day of the month but a finish.

I will try to be more organized and creative next time around!

That’s it for now...

Happy stitching everyone...let the Christmas countdown begin!

Pat

OMG! for November and early winter thoughts...

Here we are heading towards the last week of November - how did this happen? Can I get off at the next stop...the days are moving too fast. The decision to join in again with Patty’s OMG for this month has been a good one and I can’t really explain why this is working, but for the 2nd month in a row, I have met my goal. All those redwork blocks and nine patch blocks have been joined together and a simple border of the solid red has been added. Right now, my “finishes” are all about emptying old UFO bins and creating tops. Any quilting will come later as budget permits. On this particular quilt, I am thinking perhaps a scalloped border and then bind everything with the red and cream shirting fabric. The redwork blocks were chosen mostly for the significance to our family or traditional redwork history. The horse shoe is a symbol of good fortune, of course, but it must be placed upside down so it stays with you and does not fall out. My Mom’s favorite flower was lily of the valley and the anchor within the star is for my Dad who was career Navy.

Here is the link so that you can check out everyone’s progress.
https://www.elmstreetquilts.com/2018/11/one-monthly-goal-november-finish-link-up.html

At Taylorsoutback, we are pretty much settled in for the long Wisconsin winter...The kitchen is busy with heartier meals and my love of baking makes it hard to stay focused on those daily WW points. Mr. Outback’s plum pudding is in the frig wrapped in rum soaked cheesecloth and I made foccacia the other night to go with soup...

With the return of our David and Jena from Italy, where they took a cooking class in Tuscany, the menu has come to include homemade pasta...I had previously made pasta using my KitchenAid attachment and had moderate success. But who knew this could be accomplished much easier with only your own 2 hands. Mixing the egg and flour, rolling out the dough thinly, cutting the prepared dough into what size we wanted, a quick cooking in boiling water and then...topping off the finished pasta with homemade ragu...and oh yes, accompanied by glasses of Chianti Classico...yum! These images are of our 2 cooks showing me the process and when I tried it on my own, it was so much fun!

And lastly, since there was leftover chalk paint from my behind-the-sofa cupboard, I decided to follow through and redo my little desk and display shelf area also. Good to check off yet one more chore on the to do list before beginning holiday preparations. (Better look quick - the desk top won’t stay this uncluttered very long!)

A little quiet handquilting in the evenings by the fire helps to wind down from busy days and gives me time to think about what December’s OMG might be...

All for now - wishing you a productive week as November comes to a close.

Pat

November progress...

Here at Taylorsoutback, the days are busy as we head into Thanksgiving week...I came across a list that serves as a solid reminder of the blessings in my life (found on Pinterest, of course!)

When I read the daily reports of what many California folks are enduring with all the fires, our snow covered countryside is certainly something to be thankful for.

Just a quick posting this time around - I continue to make good progress on my Redwork blocks for the November OMG and will share that at the end of the month.
Wish I had a bigger photo of the flannel quilt, made for our David and Jena, that is now finished. While at my recent retreat, the binding was completed and the quilt is now being enjoyed and especially welcomed for its extra warmth on our cold November nights. Winter has definitely arrived early...

A close up of the long arm quilting that was done - love the diagonal lines and all those “bubbles”!
Rhonda used Quilter’s Dream batting and the quilt is also backed in a coordinating flannel. It finishes to 94” X 104”.

Also gifted this sewing notions tray to my dear friend, Connie, who drove up from southern Wisconsin for our Retreat...don’t get to see her often enough! This was fun to make using hand-dyed wools - have not worked with wools very much. Her favorite candy bar is a Bun bar...so just had to include a few of those along with the chunky pincushion which is stuffed with crushed walnut shells.

And, also, another idea brought home from retreat...this inexpensive LED lighting strip (again - Amazon comes through!) which mounts on my sewing machine and provides wonderful additional light...much needed for these 74 year old eyes...it even comes with a dimmer switch...That’s about it for now...back to those redwork blocks...the clock is ticking!

I hope each of you also have all 10 things on that list at the top.
Happy stitching!

Pat

OMG for November...and Retreat...

Here I go again...linking up with Patty at her One Monthly Goal ...I am jumping in to join her OMG link for November. So to start off, my goal for this month is opening up another UFO bin...this project dates back to 2008 - 10 years ago...all the redwork blocks have been embroidered for quite a while but the alternating pieced blocks had not been started.

The overall quilt will be based on the classic Irish Chain. After finishing the embroidery, I realized there was no more muslin left to complete the top and could not find any when shopping...what to do? Thankfully my friend suggested the little cream and red shirting. That yardage joined the embroidered blocks and Kona solid red and disappeared into the back of the quilting cave.

While at Retreat the past 5 days, I pieced all the 9 patch units and cut the squares that make up the 9” finished alternating blocks. During the next few weeks, my goal is to complete the pieced blocks and hopefully (big hopefully there!!) get the top together. We shall see...

As for my October OMG, as mentioned in the last post, the goal of piecing all those tiny 9 patch units was met, so off I went to our Annual Fall Retreat determined to join everything together for a completed top...

This is the result...50 X 59 - Settler’s Trail by Primitive Gatherings...

The backing and binding fabric has been waiting for 8 years...now, I just need to get it machine quilted and I think an overall, easy uncomplicated pattern will be the best choice...

Our Retreat of 5 days was wonderful - being with friends I don’t get to see often enough and all the sharing, catching up, inspiration that goes with that...we had such a good time and I feel refreshed and charged up! Our first night fell on Halloween, so there were some costumes...witches, a wood sprite, a masked quilter with a cute vest and a whoopie cushion!

Oh...and a T-Rex...(that is yours truly underneath that)

We sewed, laughed, shared wine and snacks and caught up with each other...took some beautiful walks in the woods as where we stay has terrific trails for hiking...everything a Retreat should be.

This morning we woke to a fine, gentle snowfall...

Not really ready for this kind of weather...
And apparently my car was not either...it is only a year old and yet when I tried to start it to load everything up...nothing happened...Mr. Outback drove up with our truck (we are only about 1/2 hour away) and attempted to jump start it, but no luck...it was towed this afternoon to our dealership and we must wait until tomorrow to find out anything more. Still under warranty, but it is a worry and I love my red car so much...

The drive home...

I much prefer the day before when we walk through all the fallen leaves, enjoyed the fragrance of the evergreens and felt the sun’s warmth.

Happy stitching everyone!

Pat