A few months ago my nephew and his wife bought flights to come up for a visit from Colorado. They were to stay at my parents’ house. We were all so excited because we don’t often see them. In the last 10 years, I may have seen him twice and met his wife only once. Anyway, I was pretty excited. Mom and Dad planned a brunch. My sisters and I planned to take them on the ferry over to Seattle to visit some of the touristy area around Pike’s Market.
Well, none of that was to happen for me. I got sick about 10 days ago and by the time the weekend rolled around, I felt awful. I missed every bit of the weekend. How disappointing! I am sure they had a lovely visit and the brunch seemed to go well. My kids were there and my husband too. I spent the afternoon dog-sitting my grand dog and binge-watching the Apple TV show, Trying. (By the way, if you haven’t seen this show and are an Apple TV subscriber, I think it is really cute).
Just before getting sick, I did manage to finish this little strip quilt for Project Linus. Above you can see the backing which is a green batik my sister gave me. I machine stitched the binding with a zig-zag and it looks great.
This quilt was such a good use of these random strips. Most from a scrap bag donated to Project Linus and some from my bin of strips. I tried to alternate the widths to keep things balanced. Other than straightening up some of the strips, this was a breeze. Unfortunately, the monthly Project Linus meeting was yesterday and I was not feeling up to going. So this quilt will sit and wait until the May meeting for donation.
When I was feeling lousy, I went poking around in the sewing room. I wanted to make something and decided to use some fabric given to me by a friend of mine in California. It is an older line designed by Kim Diehl – so very traditional reproduction fabrics. The main reason I was drawn to these this particular week was included in the fabric Stephanie gave me were stacks of pieces already cut into squares and rectangles. I looked through a book, Homestyle Quilts, and chose a pattern that could be easily modified to use the squares that I had.
Even though I sewed just between naps; a little here and some more there, this sure did come together quickly. This was mainly because I had very little I had to cut. Cutting pieces can be very time consuming!!
At this point, all sashing strips are done and I am on the hunt for some darker green yardage for the setting and corner triangles.
Just in case I get lucky here, the above picture is the fabric I would like to use for the setting triangles. It is the same as what I used for the block centers. I don’t suppose any of you have a piece of this sitting on a shelf, collecting dust? It is an older line so I am unable to find any on-line (though I have tried mightily)! If you do happen to have about a yard or maybe 1 1/2 yards, I would love to buy it from you. Leave a comment!! I’ll cross my fingers. 🙂
Recently finishing up the hand quilted mini I posted about earlier, I wanted another hand work project for the evenings. Changing things up, I have been working on a crochet project. This afghan is so soft – I can’t remember where I picked up the first few skeins of yarn. Having only three skeins, I somehow decided to start an afghan. What was I thinking??? Never having made one before I wasn’t clear as to how much yarn I really needed. Let’s just say it is a whole lot more than three skeins! Luckily I found some on Etsy and a bit more on Ebay. So, I will be able to make this a good size to snuggle under on the couch. But jeez – yarn adds up and a project that takes 10 or so skeins is expensive! Crocheting in the evening feels meditative. Especially now that I have the rhythm of this pattern solidly memorized and don’t have to pay too much attention to it. As with quilting, I am not precise when it comes to crochet. Sure, every now and then there might be four double crochets where there should be three but in this sort of pattern, I don’t think it matters a whole lot. Plus, it’s how I do things…..
Hopefully this virus will end sooner than later. I am bored and want my energy back. Plus, my husband is probably tiring of listening to me cough! Hope you are all healthy and enjoying the spring time. Our skies are blue today after a very rainy night. Hurray!
Sorry to read you’ve been so under the weather. Obviously you are getting better if you are bored but man it sucks to miss the special family time. Great job on the Linus quilt. I really like that other pattern you’ve started although having said that I dislike setting on an angle! Bernie
I love the way a quilt looks when set on point. At first the triangles seemed like a challenge but really, it isn’t difficult.
I have bronchitis and it is taking forever. The coughing is just exhausting. Can’t last forever tho…. Right? Right???
My brother coughed his way to pneumonia and the hospital and his recovery has been so SLOW!
It’s hard to be patient isn’t it!
Yes I have done a couple on point ones – I usually do so many quick easy quilts but perhaps I will try to do one for myself set on point one of these days. Bernie
Bernie, hope your health restores soon and much energy with it! Your Linus quilt is precious. I took a stack of flannel strips and made something similar. It isn’t quilt large enough and I’m out of flannel so I must shop….give quilters a reason!! Hope someone has a yard or so of the green fabric. Happy Quilting!
Blessings, Dawn, Central Valley, Ca
Thank you Dawn. I have a bin of flannel scraps and am thinking of doing a simple patchwork with them. I don’t know that I have made a flannel quilt, tho I have backed quilts with flannel. But it would sure be cozy and at this point, that bin just barely closes. So, I will need to make something with them. Thanks for the note and hope all is well with you!!
Oh rats! I am so sorry to hear you are still under the weather. No fun at all – and especially rotten when you have to miss “the good stuff.” I didn’t know you crochet too. I do too though I haven’t done a thing since I began my quilting journey. Something else we can have fun talking about. Sure hope you are completely mended and rested by Saturday. Rest dear friend.
I am determined to be better on Saturday. I have four more days till then. 🙂 Don’t you worry – we will get to hang out this weekend!
Oh drat, it’s no fun being sick at any time, but especially when you are looking forward to something. I hope you are feeling much better soon! The Project Linus quilt looks great and I’m sure it’s meant to be donated next month in order to get to just the right person. Good luck with the green print; I hope someone can help you out.
Thank you. I know there are worse things than a virus but it was disappointing timing! I like your thought on the Project Linus quilt. That is a very sweet perspective. Thanks for the note Yvonne.
Oh Bernie, I coughed myself into pneumonia in 2019, and I don’t want you to do that. I actually lost weight coughing! Hope you have been to a doctor – sorry to sound bossy, but hey, I thought I didn’t need one because I didn’t have a fever. My doctor gave me quite the scolding when my husband finally convinced me to go after a month of coughing. I’m so sorry you missed the family event. 🙁
Your “homestyle” quilt is very pretty! Hope you can find more of the green. LOVE the afghan!
Linda – I remember when you were sick. That was a miserable experience. I went to the doctor last week. My lungs were clear so that’s good.
I wish I could find that green print but it isn’t looking too promising. I am sure there is something else that will work though. 🙂
Hope you are feeling better soon, Bernie! The Linus quilt will make someone little person happy with all the bright, cheerful fabrics. I wil check my stash and see if I have any of that fabric!
Thank you Wendy. My fingers are crossed but really, I am not holding my breath (no pun intended) – It is an old print…..
Love your quilt! So sorry you had to miss seeing the family. Do get well soon!
Thank you Carole. I am surprised how taken I am with the quilt. I don’t normally use these prints but I really like this. Maybe because it is different from what I normally use??
So very sorry for you virus, but mostly that you missed seeing family. I really hate when that happens. You did some nice work, in spite of it, and that is a good thing. Hope you are well on your way to feeling better!
Thank you Kathleen. My consolation is a wedding that happens in September this year. I will see all the family then. So it is fine.
I appreciate your note though.
Wishing you well! It is awful to feel crappy when there are people to see and activities to do! I like your strip quilt and your top. Sorry I don’t have that fabric. Fingers crossed that someone does or that you find something just as suitable soon!
Hopefully you will recover soon. I just want to congratulate you on being considerate of everyone else’s health. I can not tell you how often I or people I know come into contact with sick people who didn’t stay home! Then we get whatever they had! Boo!
Sending you healing wishes and big hugs. Feel better soon.