I Like Thursday: Plants, Green and Goofiness

One last I Like post for May.  How can June be around the corner?

My rosemary survived the winter.  It's happy to be on the deck.  My dad gave me a pot of Russian red kale, which has been growing like crazy.  I also planted some sage seeds I got last year.  I wasn't sure if they'd germinate, but they did!

I like the feeling after swimming:  a complete reset of my attitude, more than I can get from a walk.  Makes me think of Temple Grandin's hug box.  I come out of the pool feeling both like I've accomplished something and totally relaxed.  I wonder if it works kind of the same way?

NYB Geese & E Blocks

Another set done!  This is the last set of three I'm doing.  I'm getting close to the end (although recent events may prevent me from finishing them by the end of May as planned).

These are a modified E block (seen in the lower left).  I modified the inside ring with the dental look like the last set I completed.  Then I modified the outside ring to include a set of triangles like flying geese.  The inner triangles were simplified (single fabric instead of two-tone). 

Next up is another I block, a modified J block and reworking the three B blocks.  So close!

Sharing with:
My Quilt Infatuation - Needle and Thread Thursday

I Like Thursday: Chocolate and Pretty Things

I have attended the Newburyport Chocolate Tour with my mother the last couple of years.  This year it was a beautiful day - perfect for wandering around Newburyport.

First stop was the Garrison Inn.  It was a tough choice which chocolate to take from their wonderful selection.  But I was more impressed with the marble floor.

NYB Modified C&A Blocks

These blocks have the stripy arc from the F block that make me think of dental molding.  These have a modified C block center (dental on the rim) with a modified A block outside edge (dental and solid triangles).  The block in the lower left is an original A block, for comparison.  I really liked that dental look on the F blocks and wanted more of that in the quilt.  Forty-five pieces!  This is the most complex block of the lot.  

It's funny how the blocks fight with me.  I had wanted to do the second block with the dark and light blue for the stripy bits.  But I could not get a gold/yellow combination that worked for the triangles.  I really wanted those colors, though.  When I finally made the triangles blue, everything else fell in place.  It's a pretty block.  Hard to say which of the three is my favorite.

I Like Thursday: Sewing, Cooking, Videos

Knowing that I'm now using an older machine for all my projects, a friend of mine sent me this story of a sewing machine that nearly burned down the house.  Yikes!  I've started to unplug my Singer when I'm done with it instead of just turning off the light.  Thanks for the good advice!  It's good to have friends that look out for me.

I have no idea how I found this recipe for chicken stroganoff.  Mom used to make beef stroganoff when I was a kid, but I almost never buy beef.  So when I saw this recipe I was intrigued.  And the spices!  this is not like any stroganoff I'd tried before.  It is delicious and easy to make (we had it for dinner Tuesday night).  

NYB F & Modified B Blocks

The three F&B blocks bring my finished number to 38.  Only eight left to go!  These had the F block middle and a modified B block outer rim (I doubled the number of spikes).

I really liked the dental portion of the F block (you can see in the lower left).  I'm incorporating that into a modified version another block.  I've started work on those and hope to be done by the end of the week.  Lots of little pieces!

I'm having problems as I approach the end of these blocks.  My color pallet is shrinking.  I finished off some fabrics.  Others are in pieces that are not the right shape - either too skinny or too squat to use where I want them.  With so few blocks left to go, I am loathe to start adding new fabrics to the mix.  I can't run out and buy more of the fabrics that came from my stash.  However, I did cut too many background pieces (in an effort not to get to the end and have too few).  It may be time to start cannibalizing a few of them for the colors I really want (or at least the ones I know don't look good in the background).

I Like Thursday: Trees, a Chuck, and Mabel

Spring is really leafing out.  How delightful.  I love this trio of trees.  They look the same all summer, but in the spring, they're different colors.  How pretty!

I like that whenever I visit home, my mother gives me newspaper clippings of stories that might interest me.  She handed me this article (found it online, too).  Think the Drapes of Doom that I work with are big?  According to this article these are 10 feet wide and up to 370 feet long.  Now those are some serious drapes!  I can't even imagine how heavy they'd be!

Mabel's Adoption Day

Today is Mabel's Gotcha Day.  In less than a year I've gone from one pig to two pigs then back to one pig.  Wowza.

NYB H&D Blocks

Easter and NEFFA and life slowed down my stitching.  So I am very excited to have completed my next set of blocks.  These are the H block center and the D block outside (without the solid outside edge).  This makes them a C-size block.

My sister came over for candy making and stayed to play with her quilt.  We reviewed what I'd done so far.  She's loving it.  Yay!

She'll be back when I'm finished piecing the rounds for the final layout.  I'm up to 35 completed (although three need modifications).  Eleven left to go!

Sharing with Confessions of a Fabric Addict - Can I Get a Whoop Whoop?

I Like Thursday: Holding

Not much this week - life got in the way of sewing and blogging.  I'm hoping for more time to myself this week.


I chuckle every time I see this picture of Darius Goff at the library (the building is named after him).  He's my dad's doppelganger from 130 years ago.

Get a load of these little green army men doing yoga.  Silly, but cute.