2 Busy Hands

January brings ...

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 21 Feb 2018 01:50:00 +0000

January brings a new year and a new addition to the family. Our grandson Zephyr Socorro was born on January 19 in Panama City, Panamá. Yes that means we started the year of with a bang in travel.

A proud G'ma. Zephyr 2 hours old.

This time I actually hand carried (as in carry-on luggage) my BabyLock sewing machine with me thinking that I would have lots of time to actually sit and sew during the periods of waiting. Somehow things didn't come about as I expected. Very little sewing as we were always doing something, or so it seemed. I took two UFO projects with me that I thought that would have been easy to sew here and there. NOT! How could I ever think that a modified pattern would be easier? These blocks were the start of a quilt for DGS#2 a couple of years ago that I discovered that I didn't have enough fabric to do a true Cathedral Windows patterns. So I cut out the fold over area and added the four sides to each block after turning over and basting the edge. Takes quite a bit more time and fiddling than I originally had figured. Thus this one will take a bit of extra time to get to even a flimsies stage, no less to the quilting stage.Yikes!!!! From this photo I actually changed the 2 shades of the circles and put the very dark one on the light block and the lighter one on the darker block. Looks much better.

Before leaving for Panama I was able to finish up a UFO to get me back down to the basement of the list; an at least 3 years old start, a steering wheel table topper, a Halloween pumpkin, wannabe Eleanor Burns.

Mr Grumpy Wonkers

I actually need to make more holiday ones this size - how fun to match the steering wheel top and the dash cover in similar fabrics and style. hmmmmm

And that is the sum total of January. Not an auspicious start to a new year in the quilting stage. LOL

2017 in review ...

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 11 Feb 2018 01:17:00 +0000

2017 has not been as prolific as I would have liked on the quilting, needlework and knitting side. Travel however, has been very prolific.

Early in the year we toured Mexico by car. A new way to travel for us - by car! It was wonderful. You can take a whole lot more "stuff" and yes, I took my small BabyLoc with me. And it actually got used:
~ a block for the birthday block exchange challenge

~ finished up the blocks on the "World Travels" quilt. Now to put them into a flimsie, This will take as much time or more as the blocks as there will be a lot of calculations and manipulations going on.

The rest of the year saw me working on between travel gigs, and then completing more birthday blocks, finished up the blocks for our quilt for our bed, (Christmas motif and colors), now to sash them into a flimsies in 2018,
another quilt for mom,

I sometimes wish that I could have done more, but the travel bug is satisfied first and we did a lot of that in 2017. A suitcase can only take so much in it and still be managable. Unfortunately I could not take any quilting with me when we went to Europe as I did not have enough space for a sewing machine. ha ha I really need to get into some hand sewing/quilting I guess. A hex project might be the way to go or an appliqué project. hmmmm how about a Rose of Sharon or a Baltimore quilt?

As we watched the 2016/7 local new year's eve fireworks in San Antonio, TX I got started on a sweater for myself. A replica of one I saw in a shop window in Montevideo, Uruguay last year. This will be an ongoing project as I usually only knit as we travel in the car. So far, the body is finished to the sleeves - is it long enough I wonder? No matter, it can be added to. The first sleeve is done to the armhole as well.

As we traveled throughout Mexico I also started a Norwegian patterned torque and later finished a neck warmer as well.

During the year I also started and finished a shawl with yarn bought in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Just needs to be blocked.

The color variegation here is difficult to see. Blue/black/green and variations of this scheme.

After finishing up the shawl I then started a cotton tee for myself with yarn bought in Valencia, Spain. I am thinking that it is probably too big so will be addressing that once I pick it up again. Yes, too big and so out it goes for another day to be ripped out and restarted.

Absolutely nothing was done under the heading of needlework. Simply not enough time and carrying space to accommodate all things in all manner.

2018 does not have as much planned so perhaps I can complete a few more projects that I currently have on the go! We shall see ....

An overviewing of blogging ...

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 06 Feb 2018 12:44:00 +0000

Yes, once again I will attempt a start at blogging. Somehow it seems like an awful lot of work to keep up a blogging site and the question inevitably comes around to, “why am I doing this? I am not trying to make a living through it ”. It all comes down to the fact that I enjoy writing and would somehow like to keep a written record of exploits and interests.

I currently have 2 separate blogs, one for my crafting and one for our travels and experiences and yes, neither is up to date. The platform used for these is “blogspot”; very easy to set up and to use. A second platform for a totally different blog is my own domain. That said, I then have 3 separate entities that perhaps need to be combined into one, to attempt to make it an easier endeavor.

I would have to say that I have used http://travelinduo.blogspot.com the most, both frequently and comprehensively, since going over to “blogspot”. Through this platform I have attempted, and this being the operative word here, to write about our experiences both traveling and everyday. Accompanied by select photos, I have acquired many an armchair traveler. Today however, this platform has been somewhat supplanted by “Instagram” while traveling, by offering a literal snapshot into our exploits and experiences.

The second ‘blogspot” is what I originally started for my crafts; needlework and quilting. http://2busyhands.blogspot.com It too has been only sporadically updated. The original thought was a platform for the sharing of my crafty activities and perhaps even the sharing of an idea, technique or how I handled a technique. In the end it became a repository for projects, along with photos.

The more comprehensive overall blog of course, is my personal domain http://startlogic.travelinduo.net

This one can be permutated outwards a multitude of directions and interests but badly needs to be overhauled and made much less bulky. With the ability to link into however many subdirectories desired, it can the “one stop shop” of blogging. The main menu page has many various links and these are what need to be overhauled. The main one, of course, is the “Where? (blogs)” from “Currently”, which will subsequently link you back to the travelinduo blogspot listed above. As I said, overhaul is much needed on this one. Perhaps this main menu page will be the first to be addressed with a link to a "currently under construction” pop up in places that are being redone.

I have yet made an attempt to store and organize my many, many photos. This however, will be an exploit for a rainy, bedridden day.

To emphasize the ultimate in laziness, traveling to any of the blog links in this entry will result in reading the same one at this time. This will definitely change as time and writing progress.

The work goes on but not the writing ....

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 19 Dec 2016 00:55:00 +0000

We have done a lot of traveling in the last few months, mainly in the US and Canada. This included the western US and Canada, but in Canada we can only claim parts of Alberta and BC. We spent some time parked in Spokane in the parking lot of a repair shop with troubles with our slides. From there we car tripped around the state and into southern Alberta all the way to Edmonton and then down into eastern BC. Throughout this time I avidly collected Row by Row patterns as we collected miles.

During this time a small amount of quilting was done; the most important one being the finishing of the flimsies for Mom. This will be sent back up for her to gift. I am really proud of how this one turned out as I had trouble putting it together and had many people offer input. From all the offerings, I took what I wanted and went full speed ahead. It is a much bigger one than I normally make but a good branching out for me. I finally got it finished in November and sent post hast via the FEDEX pony express. This was too large for Danny to hold upon it's entirety, even from a picnic table. This is just one of many to come to be done for her and will last far longer than she ever will. I have my marching orders. I have enough material left over that I will be able to make her a small baby quilt of baby wild animals in an "I Spy" quilt. Think that I will gather up some remnants of other baby animals and fish as I see them to add variety to it.

Now on to other quilts that I would like to finish up: The number one to be finished being the quilt for DS#1. The flimsies is finished

[not a very good photo but my resources were limited at this point.]

and the quilting done. Now on to the binding and labeling. For obvious reason not many more will be finished this year, far less than I had hoped (more to come as to this later).

I also was able to complete all the birthday blocks excluding Decembers that are part of a group offering that I joined.

dark and mediumpurple

royal blue with muted blue dots

oddly enough, this one is as it should be

And now to make a couple more of the block that I chose. Then I think some log cabins to off set them.

Shheeesh, the colors are not as they should be - not as bright and sometimes too dark. Hmmmm guess I will have to opt for natural light instead of the light at night when I finish.

The month of October found us jetting off to Uruguay in S America for a month of touristing. This is an area long touted as a do-able retirement area. Being that we were traveling by local transportation while there, it was not feasible to carry my sewing machine and quilting supplies. So knitting it was. I spent the entire month knitting on a project that I had bought while in BC this last summer - an acrylic yes, but still with a lovely feel to it. [photo] I was well near to finished when I realized that I really didn't like the outcome of the knitted yarn, which immediately brought me to a standstill. [photo] Now what do I do with the yearn? It works up so nicely and feels so soft. A decision to be made after I let this disappointment rest and stew for awhile, and then rip it all out.

I also continued to work on the NYB quilt for DDIL#2 as well as a Row x Row lap quilt for my mother.
I have finished a couple of the required NYB block sets:

and the actual row for Mom's is placed.

Now to get some fabrics in a medium and light grey to make like a window frame and a ecru/light beige grunge for the background to make like a wall. The backing for this will be a real busy but cute cardinal fabric. photo

Now we are into December and my time is even less available. I did manage to finish up a small stocking stuffer tonight.

This one for DH to carry all of his electrical cords and plugs in. Will it make him responsible for his own? hmmmm somehow I think not. This has become one of my responsibilities over the years and there is not much chance of it changing. At least he will know which are his in the suitcase. It works up quite quickly and I might just have to make a couple more for stocking stuffers as well. And perhaps enlarge the pattern a bit too. We will see.

The next project to be worked on will be to find and purchase the necessary fabrics for mom"s lap quilt. And if I manage to find the time to complete this, I will then go to work on finishing up the table runner for our table. It is sandwiched and ready to quilt. [photo]

And so I look a new year in the eye, but not yet the white of the eye. Along with the new year will come another month long journey, but one that I will take along the sewing machine and supplies and insist on an occasional day of sewing. We will be back the first part of February and then we are headed to a "sit fast and tight" for a month. Yeah!!!!

Wishing one and all the best of the holiday season.

Quilting, well about anything vs allergy season

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 11 May 2016 17:24:00 +0000

Allergy season, for me, appears to be getting worse each succeeding year. I always described it as "hay fever" but after having looked it up I have discovered that hay fever only occurs during the fall - duh "hay", "hay fever", the cutting of hay, etc whereas when it occurs in the spring it is called, or at least has been called, "rose fever". I guess because this is when rose bushes traditionally blossomed. But for me it is the trees: oak, pine, piñon, cottonwood, you name it. And right after this the sage will bloom which is also a deadly one for me, especially if it has been a wet season and the sage bush has had lots of moisture. AND this year is the absolute worst for me. Runny, itchy nose; full sinuses; scratchy, runny, red, puffy eyes; scratchy throat; and a cough to end all coughs.

Now add this to attempts to do about anything and you get a stalemate. Who will win? I hesitate to say it, but the rose fever won in my case. I have had a very miserable month to say the least.

About all that I have done is knit with an occasional attempt at sewing. It is hard to see through eyes that are about swollen shut and what little there is open, covered in tears.
I finished a 2nd and 3rd pair of house socks. [photos] I guess now I have had enough practice to make Brooke her socks. So out came the yarn and a set of double pointed needles were purchased. Yikes - they started the exact opposite of what I have been practicing with - they started at the toe instead of the cuff. [photo] So I venture into new lands with this project.

I somehow absolutely missed Stashbuster's numbers game for April. I have to go back and see if I can find them. Aaaah here they are: #11 and #16. As I totally missed these, nothing got done, not even a stitch sewn on my dash cover (#11) and World Traveler (#14 taking the place of #16 which I don't have at this time. So now I go on to this month's numbers. May's are #12, a 2015 Row by Row, and #23, again will be World Traveler as I only go to #14. Maybe I will actually do a few stitched this time on World Traveler.

In the meantime, over the last month I did get one of the OUR Quilt blocks done (that is #1 on my list). [photo] This one is #10, leaving me only 6 more to go. I then got #11 cut out. It will be good to get this one sone, whenever that may be.

I sent DS#1's quilt to the longarmers expecting it to be done in time for his birthday. Alas, nothing ever goes smoothly. She has stopped doing custom quilting and is now only doing pantograph quilting on the electronic machines. She now has 2 of them and they go full time. It is a much better money maker for her and I certainly don't see anything wrong with this decision. It is just another bump in my road. I want to do a square stippling in the large black empty areas of the quilt and shadow the boxes/cube effect in the hopes to pop the optical illusions found within the quilt. [photo] I found an example of what I am looking for, although it is much tighter than what I want.[photo] I will redo it into a much bigger, spacier stipple. I spoke with a company out of Stover, MO and they will be able to do what I want. So now I have to buy the backing and the batting before I can send it to them.

I also had joined the birthday block group, a group within the Stashbuster's group. The first block was due the end of March. It was completed and in the mail with enough time to get to her before her birthday. [photo]. The next one, called Variable Star, is due the last half of May and it is already completed. [photo]. I have the following one, Dutchman's Puzzle, due the third week in June, already cut and the fabrics bought and received for one of the following month's 2, Storm at Sea, as well. The second one, Shooting Star, I haven't even looked at but I must.

Summer looks like it is going to be a busy season once again. Row by Row starts on June 21 and I am ready and waiting. [photo with link] Don't know how it will go for me as I will be traveling the whole time but am hoping to get quite a wide variety/selection wherever we end up going.

And so it goes ... Miss Betsy hums along as well as Madam Singer [photo].
[photo of sewing ...]
Til we meet again, may your fingers be nimble and always busy.

The Queen's List

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 28 Mar 2016 17:06:00 +0000

Yikes, I discovered via an email from a friend that I am now #16 (probably even less today) on the Stashbuster's Queen' List - not quite within the ladies-in-waiting range, but definitely close enough. Thus I needed to pull out an unfinished Row by Row from the pile; one that is definitely close to finishing. They all need the quilting part which is time consuming.

My one finish that I have had is DS#1's quilt top and it is just a flimsie, ready to make the trip to the longarmer.

I am very pleased with this top and truly. Put my heart into the making of it. If DS#1 doesn't really like it, then DH is truly hoping that he can have it. How many quilts can he really use? Guess we can rotate them. LOL

Out came the first of the RxR rows that are unfinished. Psych' ready to go to work, being that it is Easter Sunday and all.

Oh, HAPPY EASTER everyone

This is one that is for us, no questions about that. It is a cute one and will be flourescent once finished quilting and bound. I grapple through all the spools of thread, know down deep that I really don't have the right colour of thread - purple is not a favorite of mine. I tried one that was variegated but alas, not dark enough. So I will have to put it aside til Monday when I can find a store to get some while we are on the road.

So, I pick up the socks. They are to the point of sewing the end together and the floating free lengths of yarn into the knitting. Ta dah! Finished Happy Easter my love.

what surprise, he was thinking that they were for me.

Now, what else can I do? So how about the trial for the new wool that I recently acquired?

. Yes I can make another toque. That will be a good test for the sizing and feel: A sleepless night and it is finished,sans the pom-pom. I also trailed another yarn that I had.Unfortunately it was of a lesser weight and the size of needles was too big for it. So smaller ones will suffice for the project for this yarn. We are on the move again today, leaving me with nothing left to do in the passenger's seat.

I still have a needlework project in the final throes of completion so that is a possibility as is another pair of socks to finish the last skein of rainbow yarn. Or maybe a pair of fingerless gloves? Hmmmm that is an idea.

Whatever is started, it will be put aside in favor of completing the row for an UFO finish in the next couple of days.

Photos to go up when I get my computer back ... It is visiting the repair shop for a seized spacer key.

Definition? ... glutton

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 17 Mar 2016 04:03:00 +0000

What is the definition of glutton, as in "a glutton for extra work"? I use the word and often wonder if I have the definition correct in my mind. So I decided to look it up. According to http://www.dictionary.com/browse/glutton?o=1

glutton:
noun
1. a person who eats and drinks excessively or voraciously
2. a person with a remarkably great desire or capacity for something: a glutton for work; a glutton for punishment

So "no" for #1 but a definite "yes" for #2. I am a glutton for adding extra projects and starting something new.

With that said, a few days ago I joined another online quilting group, the Birthday Exchange. I thought to myself, this is manageable. I can do single blocks for only 9 people over the year, all to be sewn in an effort to reduce stash. Besides, I will learn new blocks, blocks that I have never sewn before. Is that rationalizing or what? LOL Of course as fortunes would have it, there is a block due in 10 days (that means received by birthday)

The first block is called Broken Wheel and is desired to be done in colours of the individual's choice on a neutral background.

As we traveled by bus back from Mexico, I constantly rolled what little stash I have over in my mind. The neutral background is where I was stymied. Then last evening, I had an epiphany - I have the whole set of Fossil Fern FQs that I bought! Yes, I bet I will find a neutral with coordinators in that. And I did and immediately pulled them for my sewing session tomorrow:

The dark is actually a darker version of the medium lilac.

Traveling places on public transportation leaves one with a lot of time on your hands - you can only look out the window so long. I took my donation scarf with me to knit. I got it finished

(long enough to wrap around one's neck or sew together to make a cowl) and looked around for what else can I do, I still have 2 skeins of yarn left? Ah hah! How about I learn how to turn a sock heel using this yarn and make a surprise pair of socks for DH. Looked up tutorials and found what I needed and got started.

Getting the heel started was no problem. The frustration came in when it became time to turn the heel. The instructions sounded backwards and Mr Rippet [photo] came to visit a couple of times. (Sometimes he likes to visit a lot, and other times, he is content to sit and watch) Finally it looked somewhat right. Then on to the gusset. A gusset, in a stocking? This took a couple of tries as well. But it was finally accomplished (wished I had take photos along the way - will on the pair to this one) and then on the way back to the US I kept knitting. Upon reading the instructions for shaping the toe when I was back in the carro-casa, I realized I was supposed to fit it to my foot to ensure a proper fit in the shaping. Oh well, Mr Rippet can come to visit again! With trepidation I tried it on with needles dangling precariously and discovered a perfect fit. If it fits me then it will fit him, no problem. Onward to the shaping of the toe once it is long enough for his foot.

As for the Magic Cube quilt for DS#1, it is coming together quite nicely. Almost finished the piecing of the focal point of the quilt.

From this

I went to this Now I am ready to put on the sides in plain black. I believe that it will be called "Can You See Them?" referring to the illusions.

And lastly, what about friends who live out of 2 suitcases? Would they be able to haul a small lap quilt around I wonder? Have one just for them but ......

What does one do when ...

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 03 Mar 2016 01:48:00 +0000

When one's home is in the shop and one is staying in a hotel with limited space, what does one do?

Knit for starters: Finished up the second mitten and started the scarf.

I had a bit of trouble with the mittens as I really didn't have a pattern and I was relying on memory and the combining of patterns. Not a good idea. Then I was not using a row counter and was relying on my visualized counting. Again, not the best idea I have ever had. Still, they are now finished and I have a much better pattern from my mother. These little gems took far less yarn than I had anticipated so if the same is for the scarf, I am going to have yarn left over - not something that I wanted.

You drive an hour to go to a quilt store only to buy 1 piece of 1 yard fabric because you could not find anything further that you either needed or liked. This will be a better mix for the NYB that needs to be cut out.

Then you eat ice cream on the way back to town.

You make a trip to the RV to get a bag with another project that is in need of cutting of pieces. After gathering up all the necessary items to do this and returning to the hotel, you sit back and say, "You know, I am really tired and I am thinking that I will go to bed early tonight." Then you proceed to order pizza and pull out the computer and decide to write in your blog, after ordering more fabric online because you found something that you simply couldn't live without!

And what did you do with your day today?

What, already the end of the month ...

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 26 Feb 2016 20:12:00 +0000

I can not believe it, already the end of the month. We have had a busy celebratory month both in the touristing arena and for me, the sewing and knitting arena. I sew when we are in site and knit while riding in a car, so lately I have accomplished a lot there (at least for me).

First off, we have the new UFO Number Game announced. Yup, here they are: Low number is #4

Other number is #41. Oh yeah, my #4 has been finished - so will replace it with #6, DS#1s quilt. I do not have high numbers which gives me more time to work on #1, OUR Quilt, to bring it to a finish as well. At least to the flimsie stage would be nice. February's numbers, #7 - got lost in the shuffle, and assigned #3, Mom's Quilt, to replace the lack of the high number - completed as a UFO to move me down the list.

Remember the toque that I made? Well, it was made initially for DH but it is slightly snug on his head so it became a donation for my Mom's senior's group. But first I have to make a set for it. That means mittens and a scarf. Driving around Louisiana this last week, I started the mittens.

After many false starts and a couple of Mr Rippit's down to the ribbing, I have finally got it the way that I like it. I like the colours but am not sure if they are what a teen would like.

DS#1s quilt is giving me a pretty good learning curve. I am making a pattern called "Magic Cube" from KwiltArt. It is a pattern that I bought in Houston and got started right before the New Year so that it would be a good UFO to have. I changed the colorway however, to on a black background.
The learning curve involved the sewing of the triangles that made up the cube in the centre so that there was no "tenting" at the joins of all 6 triangles. Had yet to master that. IT came together beautifully and there is no "tenting" - so that is another skill that I have finally mastered.

The radiating spokes are also coming along once I figured out that the freezer paper method should have been drawn in the reverse. All is ok though, it will be reversed, but who will know - only me!

The cutting instructions are very vague and after reading them numerous times, I still had to revamp what I was doing. They are coming along just fine now and should have all four sides completed in a couple of days of sewing off and on. The name for this quilt still has not come to me. Guess it needs to flow a bit more and get put together for the inspiration.

OUR Quilt has progressed with the completion another block last evening. Once again I thank my guardian angel that all the seams and points lined up. This is going to be a majestic quilt once finished and am hoping for it to be on the bed by the Christmas season, including pillow cases.

And to a new start this year, the 365 Challenge. These are definitely hard to get my fingers wrapped around. They are so little and I often have trouble working the very small pieces. I collect the patterns as they come out but have little towards completing the blocks and catching up. So much of the time was focused on completing the quilt for Mom and after, I never got back into doing them. My next JOT will be to cut out some of the blocks, ready to sew together.

I did finish up DGDs 2nd (requested) pillow case, which now needs to get put in the mail. I have decided to use up a lot of the 2/3yds of fabric that I have and make pillowcases or maybe the pillowcase dresses for African children. And from what I saw in Africa, some of those little girls could use them along with a pair of panties.

On to more sewing ....

February 13

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 13 Feb 2016 17:28:00 +0000

February 13 is the start of our celebration month - my birthday.

My birthday present to myself? Well now, I will really have to think about that. Maybe it will be a set aside sewing time without interruptions.

Miss Mojo is very much in disgust - she is here waiting and I am not accommodating her on her whims. Lots of interruptions. For example... On Wednesday we drove over to DeRidder, LA where we met a friend from the AT - Bert. He is cycling across the lower US following Adventure Cycling's Southern Tier maps. Danny rode with him Thursday from De Ridder, LA to Kirbyville, TX. I on the other hand, sagged this endeavor, and got us home that night.

And now today, my birthday, we are heading to Houston to have seafood and maybe see a movie.

I will finish DGDs 2nd pillowcase today as I haven't done anything on it since the last post. THen I will continue to cut pieces for the NYB and DS#1s quilt.

UFO Bites the dust

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 09 Feb 2016 20:12:00 +0000

Today I finished and claimed another UFO - this time a quilt that was requested by my mother for her granddaughter. I designed, pieced and quilted this quilt, amidst much frustration and wailing (albeit silently).

"Wall of Dreams"

The design is that of photos on a wall. Hence the frames around the pictures and a shadow behind them. The pictures are actually cross stitch work done by mother.

(Sorry for the shadows from the branches of the trees) The quilt itself is quilted in a simple double cross hatch which pops the actual pictures. The cross hatching goes right up to the fram around the pictures. For the backing I found a horse panel and coordinating fabric which worked well.

Total size is 56"x 81" for a total of 7.44 yards busted. It was immediately sent off by FedEx to my mother. Here's hoping that she gets it before this weekend. My niece is coming into town this weekend and Mom should be able to give it to her then.

So now with a sigh of relief, I am able to concentrate on what is next. I immediately got out the easiest of all of the UFOs - another pillowcase for my DGD, that is ready to sew. I thought that it would be a quick put together. Ha ha the joke is on me. I used the stitch width to do a modified basting of the turn on the hem. Then I proceeded to sew the seams. Yup, all in long stitch. So then Mr Rippit came to visit and it wasn't such a quick sew up after all. So it sits on the sewing table and I am on the computer!

All the fabrics came in for DS#1s quilt so that will be the next one up along with the squars that are with the 365Callenge and OUR Quilt. So I will once again be busy and with somewhat of a time constraint. I have decided to not stress about the 365 Challenge blocks - they will get done when they get done. OUR Quilt is much more time oriented as I want it finished and on our bed at Thanksgiving: After all, it is a Christmas fabric themed quilt.

Another time issue is that I need to organize all my stash that is in the RV. I want to put them into a "do next" pile so to speak, although it will be in a plastic container. so onward I go ....

The end of January, ALREADY!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 30 Jan 2016 21:19:00 +0000

The older I get the faster that times seems to fly. Is this true or is it just a conceptualization of perspectives? Whatever it is, there is no disguising that we are already at the end of the first month of 2016, with very little to show for it.

A date with the surgeon and the subsequent post-operative sequelae has led to a very non-productive rest of the month, after our foray to New York City. Drugged and unable to concentrate for any great length of time is a very disconcerting feeling. So, away go the drugs and I will deal with the pain. It has slowly abated to where only an occasional tylenol is needed. Yeah! My head is finally clear and I am raring to go again, although still house bound and unable to walk more than a short distance at one time. This date also meant that I had to learn how to start and stop my sewing using the Stop/Start button rather than the foot pedal. Can't put the pressure on my foot like I would normally do. All in all a completely new learning curve. LOL You should see me when I forget to hit the Stop button - the air definitely turns blue.

As soon as I get mobile, I want to go to the storage unit and see if I have any wool that is adequate and in a great colour for DGDs socks. If not then I need to order some. They might get completed for Christmas. LOL

the end of 2015 brought us to the end of the year's Row by Row Experience. And what a year it was: We ended with >1900 row patterns, collected by our little roving band of quilters. We were a busy group. And January brings us to the new "Experience", with a whole new theme:

Home Sweet Home

Oh the possibilities here. I even found some very neat fabrics for backings already. Hmmmmm did I already order them? So now back to business of organization.

I have managed to get a few of the tiny blocks (3 1/2" unfinished) completed for the 365Challenge out of Australia. As I had wanted to use up a jelly roll that I had available, I started off with it. Even though we are currently only doing the dark palettes at the moment, I am so dissatisfied with how they look. I will continue to work on them at least until I get some lights to put with them before I make a final decision about them. For me, they are simply too drab and blah.

Maybe it is because the colours are more conducive to bigger blocks than smaller ones.

I have managed to cut and prepare 4 more of these little suckers and still the colours do not talk to me. I will keep chugging along.

I did manage to get some focal fabric and matching strips cut for a table runner that I would like to have for Mardi Gras on Feb 9. This is fabric that I had found and purchased last year while in New Orleans. I will make a redo of the Jinny Beyer's 2014 Row by Row.

And then we have the new numbers out for the Numbers Game.

Low number is #7

Other number is #21

On my list, #7 is DS#2s quilt which means a Star Wars quilt. I have the started fabrics in the storage unit and I know that I need more so this will be an ongoing endeavor, probably in the Fab4 for the month. And again, no #21. Using this as an extra bonus, I will continue to work on Mom's Quilt in order to get it completed.

To end the month I found myself ordering some more supplies. The Benetrex Fossil Fern fabrics have appealed to me for a long time now and I finally bit the bullet. Craftsy had a flat of the complete medley in FQs on sale for half price. So there you have it! Now to find the Star Wars fabric that I need to get that one done.

We are now ensconced in a park for a week where I can get out Miss Betsy and go full speed ahead.

Socks? Socks?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 15 Jan 2016 03:24:00 +0000

Well, as the DGD asked for socks I had to look for a free pattern. Found this one:

from KnitPicks.com as a free download. Does this look like Brooke? Now to gather some "WOOL" and figure out how to knit them without scratching myself to a bloody pulp.

Today I continued to work on the NYB foundation papers. Decided that my hurried start before new years needed to be done better, thus making it so much easier to do. Done and ready to cut out the first of the block pieces from the strips already cut.

As I would only be sewing tonight, I have decided to not get out Miss Betsy nor Miss Fanny - simply not enough time to sew after setting up and taking down. So instead I will adjust my sweater pattern and start on the sleeves.

Till this weekend ...

So what about my actual plans for the New Year?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 14 Jan 2016 19:58:00 +0000

So what about my actual plans for the New Year? Not resolutions mind you, just plans, and they can change at the drop of a hat. As I sat down making out my spreadsheets, I realized that I have many, many UFOs in various medias. The JOT and FAB4 mechanisms from Stashbusters are going to be very helpful. But the main thing, I think, is that I need to reorient myself to completing things rather starting new projects.

With that said, I find that I have 2 new starts that have to be done this year added to the "must do's" that are already in progress. So I am thinking that I am going be a busy person.
So here goes:
2015 UFOs: 2016 New Starts:
Mom's Quilt 365Challenge
DS#1s Magic Cube Hexie quilt
DS#2s Star Wars
DIL#2s quilt
DGDog#1 Toby's quilt
DGD#2 Buddy's quilt
Row by Rows x3
Fall/T-day table topper
NYB
Dash cover
DGDs 2nd pillowcase
2014 UFOs:
Row by Rows x2
World Traveler
OUR Quilt
... and this is only the quilting. There are a few knitting items sitting by my chair and some needlework still in the coach. Most had been moved to the storage unit and were the recipients of the fire last fall.
Knitting:
sweater
toque set
overcoat shawl
and DGD asked me to make her some wool socks! Guess that will be a 2016 New start LOL
Needlework (in the coach):
Christmas crackers for mom

And so I can honestly say, I will be busy. Luckily I will be off my feet for a couple of months and will be able to work a lot on these.

Oh and I forgot - I need to update my website and blogs. Busy busy!

I am also going to keep up my spreadsheets which are now finished. Of course, they can be added to. and I am sure that I will come across new things that just "have to be started"!

So now to work!

First UFO ...

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 14 Jan 2016 16:12:00 +0000

Why does the energy and drive take us to start things and work feverishly to complete already started ones as well as promises to ones self in the new year? That blank page needs to be filled maybe?!!!

I started off with good intentions as we always do. Unfortunately life got in the way: We traveled with our granddaughter to New York City and when you travel, there is no sewing machine to work on. So I took some hand sewing to finish up the first of the UFOs for the year. (3.4 yds busted)
a table topper for fall.

While sewing it on the plane, I also realized that it would make a good lap quilt if outside - not too heavy, not too light, just right.

This was the only thing that I took with me. A good thing really as we ended up with very little time in the evenings as we filled each day to overflowing, playing tourist and seeing everything that we could to the max.

I also finished up a knitted toque which turned out to be too small for DHs head. Oh well, now I will have to make a set of it and donate it to my mother's senior's initiative. (inner city children that often have no winter coverage)

Now on to making all the lists and excel spreadsheets for the year: UFOs, JOTs, FAB4s, To do's, and NEW projects that I want to do.

And so it goes ......... Happy "busy hands"

counting yardage in quilts

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 03 Jan 2016 02:39:00 +0000

How to compute yardage used without actually counting it (which I have really done in the past!)

Find the area of the quilt top as w" x l" = Area.

If you use "small pieces" like 2" patches, multiply Area x 1.5. If you use "bigger pieces" like 3" patches or more, multiply Area x 1.25.

Example: quilt top is 50" x 60" and is made of "small" pieces. 50 x 60 = 3000. 3000 x 1.5 = 4500.

Now add the quilt back, which should be the same as the top Area.

4500 (top) + 3000 (back) = 7500.

Add your binding. Find your perimeter as (w + l) x 2. (50 + 60)x2 = 110x2 = 220. Multiply perimeter by width of binding. If you use 2.5" binding, 220 x 2.5 = 550

top + back + binding = square inches

4500 + 3000 + 550 = 8050

Now divide square inches by 40 (WOF), then divide again by 36" for number of yards.

8050/40 = 201.25

201.25/36 = 5.59 yards. This seems about right for a lap quilt, including the binding.

So this is good for keeping track of the yardage used. Now to design an excel for expenditures.....

2016: Another attempt

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 03 Jan 2016 02:07:00 +0000

Happy New Year!

New Year's Day: a new year and a blank page to write on. Gone are the half finished saved blogs of last year, gone are the downer days, gone are the not so charitable thoughts, and not so gone are the UFOs of quilting and other 2 Busy Hands endeavors. Today brings all anew and it will only be what I make of it. So here I am, a blank page staring me in the face asking to be written on and I am only being positive.

Now remember, positivity is my word this year. So 2015, in a positive vein, what hapened in the world of Shirley's 2 Busy Hands?

As always, travel is a big part of our life and we did a great amount of it, both large and small. Why even a day trip can be exciting and give one a major experience. And in this context, my 2 Busy Hands often took a back seat and yet, always with a project near at hand.

The positive that came out of devastation, a fire in the storage unit where I keep my stashes, allows me now to downsize and update. What more could one ask for? Oh I lost some favourites but I will soon have more favourites and new challenges.

Like last year, I will once again join in the Stashbusters' UFO Challenge, even though I have only those projects that just happened to be in the RV at the time. I had cleaned a lot of them out so the number is low. Along with the UFO Challenge, I will also limitedly partake of the Numbers Game. And guess what, the low number is a number that I happen to have! I will always have a low number as they are between 1 and 10 but the higher ones I will find myself working on the last one for sure. For January, this month, the numbers are

3(small) and 51(large).

My list contains:

	Description	Date started

1	OUR Quilt - Sampler queen	2014
2	Row by Row x 2	2014
3	Mom's Quilt	2014
4	Halloween/T-Day table topper	2015
5	NYB	2015
6	DS#1 Quilt	2015
7	DS#2 Quilt	2015
8	DIL #2 Quilt	2015
9	DGDog #1 Quilt Toby	2015
10	DGDog #2 Quilt Buddy	2015
11	Dash Cover	2015
12	Row x Row x 2	2015
13	DGD 2nd pillowcase	2015

Some of these from 2015 are very recent additions. [snicker, snicker] Of course, the fun begins as I try to do something about this list. Photos? Can I be persistent in posting them? We shall see. It is one of my "want to do's for this year.

And then, to make things even more exciting and jumbled up, I joined or at least committed to being a part of a 365 [day] Challenge out of Australia.

This is a small part of this quilt. It is supposed to be 90" square when done but I am thinking mine will no dobt be smaller.

I am already a little late in that I just downloaded the information and decided on the colours. But the early blocks are simple ones and I will be able to get them done real fast to catch up. Of course, me thinks I will always be playing "catch up", starting this next week. We are heading out on our first jaunt of the year - a trip to New York City with our granddaughter Brooke.

As well as quilting I have UFOs under the headings of knitting, needlework and cross stitch. I will never ever want for a project, that is for sure. Some are large and others are small and portable. These go along with me when we travel. I did manage to finish up a 2015 knitting UFO - a toque and even putting a pom pom on it. Now I have to wait for more yarn to make a scarf and a pair of mitts. This will go to my mother for her charity senior's knot group that give to underprivileged children in her city. The children live in a very cold area during the winter and often go to school without any covering and warmth at all. This helps out a bit. Now to finish up a cold weather coat shawl and a brightly coloured spring/fall sweater (finally got more yarn right before Christmas).

I had numerous needlework UFOs but am unsure how many I actually have left here in the RV. I do know that the Christmas Crackers are here so they will be done before anything else. That will get a nice little pile out from beside my Laz-e-boy.

And last but not least, I will keep track of expenditures and busting.

Can I do it? I will certainly give it a good try......

May and still on the road ...

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 07 May 2015 02:07:00 +0000

With thoughts of being back in our home, we discovered that the needed repairs still were not finished and we had a meeting in NE to go to with friends on the weekend. Our only alternative, as there were no hotel rooms to be had, was to take our tent and utilize our already paid for RV site. We were the only tent in the RV park but we did have 50Amp electrical service to our tent. And ....

NO sewing machine, no sewing; the withdrawal is awful. So awful in fact, that I went out and did something that I had never thought I would do - bought the makings to do hexagon. Why???? I absolutely do not like the traditional hexagon quilts, especially Grandmother's Flower Garden. But they are so easy to carry in the car and feel like I am accomplishing something. Then I found a book that cemented my already budding idea of a modern hex wall hanger. [photo of book]. I bought some FQs to work with, hex cardboard templates (I will make my own from now on with index cards), glue stick, sewing needles, thread and even proper scissors. As my idea for this wall hanger has evolved, I realize that the colorway that I bought in the FQs do not really work for what I have in mind. So back to the drawing board, or getting new FQs - LOL.

I did take a trip to a couple of LQSs where I purchased the FQs and supplies as well as a couple of books and a piece of coloring fabric for a little boy snuggle quilt. 1-1/2 yes will make 4 quilts per the owner of the one shop so now I have to buy some space fabrics to go along with it. This quilt shop was found in Lamar, MO under a sign that said "Scream 'til your husband stops" which could be great identifier in their online presence. Unfortunately it isn't and the shop was hard to find. In fact, we drove right by it and had to turn around, and in torrential rain too.[photos]

I continue to work on the Christmas Crackers, minus the beads. The beads will be done once back in the RV. Almost finished #5 now. Half done!!!!! Well, maybe not as I also have to make the cracker once I am finished with the needlework. [photos]

Oh oh, got a call from the longarmer - Blake's quilt will be finished the end of the week so will be able to pick it up on Monday. Am real excited about that. As I have found myself in the mid top 20 in the Stashbuster's UFO Challenge, I badly need a finish. Now I will have one. Just the binding to do once I get it back and I have it all cut out ready to go!

We are hoping to be back in the RV by the end of next week. We shall see ... wish us luck ...

April and "homeless"

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 28 Apr 2015 05:26:00 +0000

Trying to keep abreast of the various projects on the go while being "homeless" is hard, very hard. The sewing machine is being carried in the back seat of the car but rarely sees the light of day. The projects found in the "sewing bag", a non disposable shopping bag to be exact, are incomplete as are the supplies that were brought to accompany them. The needlework is all about finishing what I have brought in the way of threads and then going on to another, leaving the unfinished in a state of flux. And the knitting is done haphazardly. You see, our home, the RV, is currently in the shop, for what started out as yearly maintenance. We are unable to live in it as we normally do because it is inside the shop, not in the parking area. Thus we are doing car trips and hoteling it, hence the sewing lament.

The numbers game continues and according to the Yahoo group many are forging ahead quite happily. As for me, there is no progress to be reported. And now there are 2 more numbers to work on for April.
-> #4, the "I Believe in Family" wall hanger - heck, I don't even know where this one is at the moment.
-> #32, not that I have a #32, so it is the last on the list, the Christmas Tree wall hanger. I know where this one is but, unavailable due to living circumstances.
And now, YIKES, the May numbers are out:
-> #9, "Paris in Spring" the backing incorporating the row by row for my friends quilt World Travels
-> #88, and no, I don't have one for #88 so will have to choose one of the previous months selections to work on

And then I also need to work on Christmas Toys and OUR Quilt from February, finish a block from Rainbow Jane from March, and heaven knows what other projects that are on the go, such as the Jinny Beyer Row by Row and the sample for World Travels to name but two.

I did get my Canadian Santa x3 back from the finisher. Not exactly as I had wanted but cute nonetheless. Guess I need to learn how to do this so as to be able to translate my ideas more accurately. (photo) If I want to use them for a Christmas gift, I had better get busy with the American ones now and followed by Mrs. Santa.

Maybe I will get to do better in May. They promise us our RV by the middle of the first week in May....

Aaaaaargh! Update down the road....

Christmas comes on the 25th of each month ...

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 25 Mar 2015 23:02:00 +0000

On Stashbusters someone, I don't know who, dedicated the 25th of each month to be the day that you work on your forthcoming Christmas list. To date I have never participated in this - today being different. I am working on the Jinny Beyer 2014 Row by Row. This is going to be a Christmas gift for a sibling. Rather than make it into a row, I turned the focal fabric 1/4 turn and made a wall hanger:

Today I went out a bought the backing and will sandwich it and get started on the quilting tonight. The binding will be plain Kona black.

I was good in this arena too and only bought enough to do the backing, and nada más. This will be, when completed, the first of 4 row by rows that I committed to making on the UFO Challenge as well.

But Christmas really did come today. I picked up my mail and there sat the package with my Jinny Beyer fabrics for her Craftsy BOM (free too). [http://www.craftsy.com/classes/search?query=Jinny%20Beyer] I am doing a challenge for this one with my quilting group in Panama - show and tell to be attended in January, 2016 (which to my way of thinking is not enough time to complete the Dec BOM and get it sandwiched, quilted, and bound before leaving on the 6th of January).

I also received the fabrics for my mother's cross-stitch quilt for my niece.

She has 5 of these horse subject cross-stitch squares, not enough to really make a twin size quilt. So I suggested that she incorporate the squares into a pre-printed panel(s) themed quilt. This is what we came up with... The lower right is a panel, the upper right is the backing and the squares and panel will be framed in the wood-grained fabric. Oh oh, I forgot about the white - guess I need to hit the stash in the storage unit before we leave here. This will be an interesting quilt to do and won't count for any of my SB's challenges - just a helping hand for my mother. I thought about putting the panel in the upper left hand corner and shadow quilting the horses with the cross-stitched squares down the right hand side. Will have to lay it out to see if I like it or not. There is also a panel of smaller blocks I believe in this series which I could use if need be. All of this will be a good chance for me to learn my new EQ7 for Mac.

It is always like Christmas when we go and pick up the mail.

Anyone up for participating in this year's Row by Row shop hop? The theme is water so the rows should be real interesting - in fact a few have already been announced and examples are:

Drop a line if you are ...

I have been working on the Granny squares for the coat that I am wanting to make. It is the project that I do while we travel short distances on the RV. This will not be so prolific now as I recently got my learner's permit for the RV and DH will be wanting me to drive this thing - not my favorite thing to do. I am now wondering if I am going to have enough wool in the end - if not, I need to order as it took forever to get what I have.

And last but definitely not least, I finished the flimsy for Blake's quilt. I made it extra long for a growing young man. I am actually holding it up at arm's length and still it bunched on the floor.

The photo doesn't do it justice but alas, it has gone to the longarmers for finishing. I will bind it with the same blue found in the outer-most border.

I feel prolific and yet when compared to others, I am not. Still I feel a great sense of pride in what I have done. I have a lot of wanna do's but am realistic in managing what I now get started to allow me the luxury of doing what I want, when I want and can.

Stashbusters Numbers Game

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 02 Mar 2015 02:29:00 +0000

Every year I rejoin the Stashbusters UFO Challenge as it invigorates me to finish some of the projects that I have on the go. 2015 is no different. What is different is the addition of a Numbers Game this year. In this challenge 2 numbers are drawn at the beginning of each month and those are then the corresponding UFO projects as listed that you work on for that month. You don't have to necessarily complete them, but you do have to work some on them. What a great incentive for people like me.

January's numbers were give a few days early because of the holidays. These numbers then were #8 and #35. For me this was my Spicy Spiral UFO for #8. This was a revisiting of a UFO that was color coordinated for our previous RV. So I added a coordinating color from the newer RV and renamed it Old Meets New.

As I didn't have a #35 listed, the last number listed takes it place and for me that was #25, the microwave bowls for DGD which she should have had for Christmas. Great way to push me to get her bowls done and sent off to here. They were completed and off within a week of our return from the cruise (with her).

And then came February's numbers, #2 and #64. Again as my UFO list doesn't go as high as this, I was designated to work on the last listed one which is OUR Quilt - a sampler quilt made out of a red/silver/grey/black medley.

So far I have made 6 blocks out of a total of 16 blocks. Just a few more to go here. This will be a holiday quilt for our bed and as such will be a slightly oversized queen size. Luckily for me it doesn't have to be completed until the end of November.

#2 on the other hand happened to be a quilt, Christmas Toys that would be found in the storage unit, not the RV. Lucky for me I knew exactly where it was in the unit and we were already scheduled for a couple of days of cleaning and revamping in it. So I was able to get it out and bring it. Horrors on horrors, I found that it is simply too small to be anything but a baby cuddle quit. I sure didn't realize that was how small it was when I was piecing it in Panama in 2010. Up it went onto my makeshift design wall (hanging from the valence in the main area of the RV) for reviewing, mulling and planning. And to add insult to injury, not only did I find the flimsy, but I also found 2 more panels each different presentations of the same venue along with the coordinating fabrics.

Guess I will simply cut up the coordinating fabrics and make kits out of them and hence they will become UFOs for next year if I don't get them done this year! They will stay here in the RV with me at least until I either start to work on them or they begin to irritate me. Then they will be returned for awhile to the storage unit.

And now, here we are in March and 2 more numbers have presented themselves; #7 and 17. Well, #7 was completed in December (DGS#1s quilt, a Christmas present) and I never took it of my list. So once again I am going to be replacing it, but this time with continuing to work on February's numbers My #17 is my Rainbow Jane, a very longterm project as the blocks are small and often using techniques that I am not overly thrilled with. This is something that I can work a little on but here again, I only have one of the 24 BOM kits that make up this quilt here with me and no trip to the storage unit in the foreseeable future. I think that I have completed maybe 5 or 6 of the 225 in total. Yes, when I looked it up, it was 5 completed blocks, 4 blocks and 1 triangle.

This doesn't show the finished triangle so I have to now update the Rainbow Jane blog as well as find the photo of the green "spanish moss" triangle and put it into the template. I will be able to work on the ones that I have here with me and that will work for this part of the challenge. Both surely won't help me finish up a UFO however.

Interspersed between working on the Numbers Game, I also worked on other UFO's and projects. The Main one for me was to finish up Danny's Request[ed] quilt. He wanted one that wouldn't get too dirty, or at least show that it was dirty when he came in from bicycling and sat on the beige la-z-boy. This one, per request, had to cover the whole chair as well as the foot rest so that he could rest his "sweaty sunscreeny legs" on it. It became a 60x90" Jelly Roll Race, quilt-as-I went, interpretation. As I found the colure rather dull and dreary, I added splashes of brilliant strips in his favorite colors of lime green and pinks.

Oddly enough, however, these colors go great in our bedroom. This is good as I still have 2 jelly rolls of the same colors left and will now plan an everyday quilt for the bed.

After having completed DHs quilt, my main focus in the UFO Challenge turned to DGS#2s quilt. Today I got it to the flimsy stage and will get it off to the longarmer in the morning, as it is way too big for me to tackle on my Miss Betsy easily. It is 52x88" as DGS#2 is now 6'4" and still growing at 16y/o. (Way too long for me to hold up and show the true length of it - me at 5'6"). The original pattern was called Bohemian Quilt by Joanie Holton & Melanie Greseth of Tailormade by Design (found in Quiltersworld, Winter 2014). I am unsure yet as to what I will call it, but it has to be something that suits both the style of the quilt and my DGS#2.

As I go along, working on the not identified numbers but listed UFOs, I find other quilts in some state of having been worked on in the past and keep adding them to the list. And so it goes, working towards the end result in the Numbers Game and UFO Challenge and that is to reduce the numbers of UFOs and subsequently the stash.

As a no-buy rule does not apply in this household, I am sure that I will accumulate more stash before the year is out, even though I try to pick a project that is stash oriented first. Think that I will have to start keeping tract of the "in vs out" and see if I am reducing any at all.

you can make do without buying ...

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 01 Mar 2015 00:11:00 +0000

Today I received an email from a friend who just returned from a family visit in Holland. She sent along a photo of the quilt that she and her sister made while there. It was made from scarves that their mother wore and were all sorts of textures and fabrics. What a feat that would be. They solved their immediate problem of fabric stretching by using lightweight fusible interfacing.

All the scarves were ones that their mother had worn over time.

This led me to remember how we were teaching the ladies in the quilting group in Panama that you can use other things to quilt with other than store bought cottons. First we started with making aprons from dress shirts and learning how to appliqué´by adorning the aprons. Then I went one step further and made a baby quilt out of chambray shirts.

They loved the quilts but unfortunately it had too much blue for a little girl and way too much pink for a boy. They are very gender oriented there. Still it sure was a warm one, with flannel backing and heavy duty batting. Then I went on to show them how to make quilts from polo knit shirts.

In this one I purposely made a mistake in the pattern to see if they would see it. Some did immediately and others couldn't find it for nothing.

In Panama we were fotunate, if you can call it that, to have a ngo of sorts that would gather unclaimed/no longer applicable (in the case of logos and such) new clothing from places like Lands End and resell them. We convinced them to donate the XXL and XXXL to the women's group to use for quilting. Otherwise you bought a XXXL chambray shirt for $2 and a polo knit shirt in XXL and XXXL for $3. I will be going there when I go back next January to pick up some cotton shirts to use for donation quilts.

All of this was stimulated by the "new" discussions about the "new" find of very good cotton for quilting - used clothing stores with men's cotton shirts, women's cotton dresses, and so on. "New"? I don't think so and yet it is being written about in various blogs as if it is. Another great source of cotton is my DHs shirts. Every once in awhile one will match exactly with what I am doing and the shirt will "disappear". LOL

Some members of Stashbusters are on what has been labeled "no buy" status. They shop their stash only unless it is for things like batting and backing. This is a noble venture, but for me impractical as my stash is in storage and I am in the RV a long long ways from it. So if I get the urge, I buy for a project, but don't collect random pieces of cloth. If I have a couple of coordinating fabrics that work well together in the RV I will buy to augment but nothing more. At least I can say that I am rarely tempted to just buy.

What type of sources do you have that aren't necessarily the quilting shop's fabric?

Back home and trying to find my mojo

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 28 Feb 2015 23:32:00 +0000

Well, isn't life just like that sometimes: As I tried to copy and paste the post into a new post, I completely deleted it. I can't find it anywhere. So I will have to redo completely. (originally from Sept. 2014)

As we settled into our home environment after our travels to Africa (the story of our African Adventure)and then DisneyWorld with DGS#2, it was a difficult time for my mojo. It appears that it wanted to stay on vacation and I couldn't really initiate anything that I wanted to. Not sure if it was because I have so many looming projects, or just that being back in the home environment and still in the traveling mode, that it is hiding from me. Or yes, maybe it is because as soon as we returned from DisneyWorld, we immediately started planning another travel experience.

You see, after we returned home we bought a new for us home.

You can see it here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/i3xj0r96lc5e20a/AABaP98xP_Mpi9-voZJ_FQcba?dl=0 And so of course we had to plan a new trip to try it out. The Mississippi Blues Trail and the King Biscuit Blues Festival for the month of October.

The trail travels all the way from Memphis (or even Chicago) to Vicksburg and then on into Biloxi, MS, along the Mississippi. Which is not to say that you are on the river road along the river.

This is my t-shirt.

With all of this traveling I delighted my mojo in that I never hardly had Miss Betsy humming at all.

All in all however, I did manage to accomplish a few things as indicated in my previous update.
~ I finished DGS#1's quilt and presented it as a Christmas gift.
~ My Christmas blocks have been completed and are now back from the finishers. Love them.
~ the front of the double-sided Halloween has been completed.
~ My Canadian Santas are currently with the finisher.
~ I finished my Spanish Travels quilt.
~ My Santa Stamp cross stitch project to the point of needing to put it into some form of finishing.

So how should I finish it? A pillow, a wall hanger, framed....

As well, I started or worked on:
~ DGS#2's quilt

an oddly coloured rendition of the color way for his quilt

The first row was finished before the new year rang in.

~ my Granny Square Coat
~ a halloween/thanksgiving table cloth (quilted for the picnic table)
~ a halloween pumpkin wall hanger (a wannabe Eleanor Burns)

~ an country Santa cross stitch with which to learn how to stuff and finish on my own
~ a blinking lights Christmas Tree wall hanger
~ Danny's Request[ed] quilt which I am going to try my hand at a Jelly Roll Race quilt, modified to my way.

the backing - try and manipulate 60" wide by 108" of fleece backing and batting in a RV

the started cutting of the jelly roll strips after sewing all 80 of them together, end to end

~ my first row by row as well as cutting out 3 more

my chosen fabrics and the resulting row

soon to be a table runner.

Not the most impressive of the rows that is for sure.
~ set of 4 microwave bowls
~ a sampler bed quilt, OUR Quilt

the front page of the pattern

my fabrics

~ a wall hanger called World Traveler for our friends that we will be visiting this summer
the starting of the design on my makeshift design wall
~ winter scene with a lady in red cross stitch

No new starts in Needlework but then I have enough UFOs to last a lifetime doubled. Seems like the more I mull over it all, the more I can come up with. Guess I was busier than I thought.

As to the Row by Row Experience for 2014, I found myself organizing a lot of the shared rows after the shop hop ended. This took a lot of time in the evenings when I couldn't really see that well to accomplish other projects. I found a lot that I would like to make and some fabulous eye-candy. A lot of the rows can be easily figured out and made without a pattern which is helpful.

Which brings me up to the Christmas season and a new travel adventure with the grands over New Years.

DisneyWorld 2014

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 28 Feb 2015 21:33:00 +0000

Our next journey takes us on a car trip to DisneyWorld which leaves one a bit of time for needlework while DH drives. So what to take? That was the decision to make as we prepared. I decided on the Witch canvas that I had ordered many months ago that finally came. All the other projects/UFOs are large canvases and I didn't want to deal with them in the passenger seat of the car. I am sure there will be no time once we get to DisneyWorld for sitting quietly and stitching. :) There is a back and a front and I took only the front - big mistake as I left some of the fibers with the back. Ahhhhh the learning curve never changes. This will be finished as a stand-up witch with a plastic tube down the center where I can put a tree branch and hang ornaments on. At least that is the plan. I know how I want it but will I be able to get it across to the finisher? As I travel it is slowly coming to completion. I will leave the broom until last as I really don't understand how that is supposed to be done. Might have to go in to the LNS and have them show me.

During the time leading up to our trip east, I was able to complete a few things:

~ the Canadian Santas - finished in totality, including the little charm maple leaf. They are now gone to the finishers but won't be finished until Feb 2015 due to the heavy volume of Christmas currently being experienced.

Feb 28, 2015 Addendum:

I have got to phone and find out if these have been finished. I am really excited to see what they look like and how ropy poly they actually became. Not phone but sent an email.

~ Merry of the Christmas blocks finally was completed. When I gathered up the blocks I could not find the "T". I know that I did it and that it has to be somewhere. Ended up looking through various venues in the storage unit and yup, there it sat in all it's lonesome glory. Grabbed that sucker right quickly.

Then they too went off to the finisher. "Don't expect them until the new year." I was told.

These wonderful blocks were returned to me in fabulous form. I love them - much more than when I did them. Now to decide what to do with them, keep or gift?

~ Joined an informal exchange group for the Row by Row Experience.

Wow, imagine the possibilities that an exchange group can give. Of course, it only makes sense that you share in equal parts with each of the members and only the rows that you actually want. I am sure there will be many that I am not particularly interested in. All exchanges will be accomplished after the end of the Shop Hop. Mapped out my plan of attack on the close proximity shops to DisneyWorld - only 4 possible ones, but that is 4 more than I would have had. DH is so supportive of me that he even had me mapping out what it would mean in extra miles to hit a few more. Definitely not worth it as the DGS#2 has to be back for school and it would add a couple of days on to the trip at least. Oh well, maybe they will come in the exchange. One can only hope.

~ As for in the quilting department, I went as far as deciding on which UFO to attack next. I have to have a quarterly finish done by the end of September and the way that I am going now, that might just be a hardship on my part. Life just keeps getting in the way. Am going to work on Spanish Travels next, but first I have to get back from Florida.

August, 2014 Finished this quilt. I quilted it on my Miss Betsy, Janome 6600 in straight double lines to represent the crisscrossing of our travels in Spain by rail. We went from the dark Atlantic to the blue Mediterranean and points in between.

The backing is the blanket that we had bought for the train rides so the size of this quilt was limited by the size of the backing blanket.

~DGS#1's quilt has been gotten to the flimsy stage and it to went of to the long armer's.

This was promised for November as it is a Christmas gift.

What a time I had getting this quilt back before it was too late for Christmas. The quilter came through however, and I picked it up physically rather than mailing it and had it bound and wrapped in time for Christmas. Thank goodness it was long enough for him, and yes, he does want a pillow case to go with it. He loved it and cuddles into it as soon as he could. Phew! Even though it was somewhat of a hassle, she did a nice job of quilting it

and I will use her again, but only when there is no deadline attached to the return of the quilt.

As I go through my photos for completing these blogs, I will also update the status of all my other projects. In the meantime, happy Sewing, Quilting, and all other forms of activities that gives you immense pleasure.

With much encouragement ...

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 28 Feb 2015 17:20:00 +0000

With much encouragement from friends who are avid readers of my two blogs, I once again, opened up my blog page. OMG, it is almost a year since I published anything but when I investigated further, I found three draft blogs. So my Celebration Month resolution is to finish and publish these three blogs and bring me up to date.

So I start with the blog draft titled DisneyWorld from September ...