winter blahs

 I don't mind gray days...I get to sew without feeling guilty for not going outside. But winter is a different animal. It teases us with two mild, sunny days, then punishes us with high winds, pouring rain and deep freeze temperatures. Maker up your mind, MotherNature!!

 Today started mild and gray, but turned nasty in the afternoon. I had gone to the local quilt shop to wallow in sale fabric. I spent a good portion of my Social Security check and have goodies to show for it. When I was through, I drove home in a snow flurry. Looking out the window next to my chair now, I see it beginning to collect on branches and shrubs.  

At the sale I found my favorite leather thimble! (Penny ate the last one, naughty girl!) I found a new Sandy Bonsib book, fabric and background to make a sea glass quilt, a quirky armadillo pattern I intend to make for one of my new step-grandkids, a fat bright quarter pack to make the armadillos with, Ruby Star 10" squares and two jelly rolls, and a jelly roll of solid white. (not in the picture) I already put away the three fabrics I bought yardage of. Two batiks and a beautiful botanical background fabric. Cha-ching!

I have to finish the bat quilt before doing anything else, so I finished sewing the center and cut all the pieces for the border bats.

Center sewn!

Ready to make some border bats.

I got the borders sewn to a vintage top I had hanging around, and quilted it. The binding was also made, and I sewed it on today. I'll be hand sewing a couple of nights; it is 89x100! 

With my new borders, this quilt will look great on the queen sized guest bed. I love both the fun 1940s and 1950s fabrics and the hummingbird piecing pattern.

Panto: Espalier

I found this wide back fabric in Hiawassee that looks great on the quilt.

Binding attached and ready to hand sew.

                                                              

You can't see the snow flurry too well here. This was on my way to the house from the studio, about 4:45.

The snow inn the air makes the whole scene look like it's behind a veil.

My daughter texted today that she got the package of her Christmas gifts                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     . The biggest hit was the box! Her cat Maxine claimed it as soon as it was empty. 

                                                                                   

Black cats can hide well in dark places...

A New Year, a new start!

My back problems have finally improved as much as I can hope for, and I feel like I have been given a new lease on my quilting life. This post will be my 2022 year end accounting of what I accomplished, even with my many back procedures and thew resulting down-time. I feel pretty good about what I was able to do.

I quilted 88 customer quilts, the lowest number in ten years!

I made and finished 53 quilts, 32 of them were charity quilts donated to both guilds, 11 were gifts and 2 were prizes after I did a trunk show or demonstration. I kept 8 of them...oh dear!

I repaired 27 quilts, and made 3 customer tee shirt quilts. These were my salvation when I couldn't stand and quilt for more than a couple of hours. Plus, they make my customers so happy when they're done and beautiful again!

I quilted 12 Quilts of Valor, my lowest number in quite a few years.

That makes 212 quilts passing through the Wazoo studio, handled and lovingly cared for by me, It makes all the painful parts of 2022 worth it.

The first customer quilt of 2023 is this patriotic beauty, made for a son who served in the Navy. It is a Quilt of Honor, because he didn't serve in a combat area.

I really like the pattern my customer chose for this project. It has movement and wonderful color placement.

We chose this swirl and star panto to compliment the swirly fabrics.

Nice starry backing.

Daughter number three came for Christmas, making the week a joy for us geezers. We ventured out for short hikes, and some shopping in Blue Ridge. It felt good to move around without back pain!

It was a gorgeous day for a hike around the lake at Vogel State Park.

The views were awesome.

We snapped a selfie half way around.

New Years day brought more rain, but also this spectacular full rainbow. It was a perfect start to the year.

I also changed out the studio quilt by the door from the Christmas log cabin quilt, to my favorite quilt I made with Ruby Star fabric in 2022.

Now, let's get into our sewing rooms and get to work on 2023!