Feathers to the Front of the Line

My "cleanup" projects are stacking up.  I have overflowing bags of strings and crumbs and selvedges that I really want to work on.  However... my next throw quilt is anxiously telling me I need to get started now if I have any hope to have it completed by the end of July.  Which I'd like to do without rushing any of it, knowing that I always run into unexpected snags.  I started reviewing the instructions, templates and fabrics so I can dive into the work.

I Like Thursday: Jumpin' June

June is flying by (although the heat last week slowed things down a bit).  Lots of good stuff happened.

I've been really enjoying the garden.  It's been a good spring for growing and for the first time in two years the yard is not overrun with ticks.  I'm finally getting the hang of the garden's rhythm and I can identify many more plants than I could when we first moved in.

I'm not the only one enjoying the yard:  look at all that grass (and clover) and one bitty bun.  He's behaving better than the deer (who decided to lop off two mallow plants and a sunflower that had been doing so well).

Observations and Tweaks

My trip to Kripalu gave me a chance to play with a couple of my recent projects:  a yoga mat and a water bottle carrier.

Overall I've been really pleased with the yoga mat's performance.  I have been using it sporadically at home the last several months and brought it to my yoga weekend for a good workout.  

I had already made modifications to the grippy sections (by adding on those triangle sections above the chevron) after a week or two.  The center tends to stretch because the block bias runs top to bottom.  It would have been better with a  different pattern and likely a solid, unpieced back.  It creeps about on the rug a bit.  That's fine at home, but I was afraid it would really slide on the hardwood/linoleum floors at Kripalu.  

While I was there I placed my mat over one of their yoga mats, which stayed put really well.  On the one hand, that kind of defeats the purpose of making my own mat.  However, it made me happy to take my classes on such a colorful mat (and I dislike the way their mats smell). 

Half and Half Headboard

I finally finished my Two Colour Mystery quilt (the pattern is now officially called Half and Half).  It's been a fun and frustrating project as I tried new things and experimented.  

This was my first time participating in a mystery quilt.  I was intrigued when Joanne announced the two color mystery quilt on Canuck Quilter.  I have always enjoyed watching others' progress with mystery quilts, but haven't had the time nor faith in my color selection to participate myself.  But only two colors?  Hard to go wrong with that.  

Around the same time, my mother had asked for a wall hanging to cover the wall above her new full-sized bed.  (Interestingly enough, not a quilt for the bed itself... how long before she hints about that?  LOL)  Excellent.  I could join in on the mystery quilt and know what I was doing with it.  I let my mom pick out two fabrics from my stash and set to making the baby sized blocks.

Kripalu 2024

There's nothing like a weekend away at Kripalu (which I can't believe was a whole week ago).  Beautiful area, great food, even better company and some yoga to top it off.   

Each time I go there's always interesting things to discover and rediscover.  This time I found a tiny little shrine by the parking lot.  I wondered how long it had been there and I had just passed it by.  I rediscovered a few places that I love - swinging chairs and hidden shrines (although I found out a few shrines had been taken down).  The hammocks were new!  I got a chance to spend some time in one of them, swinging in the breeze and watching the clouds.  To top it off, there was so much green!  We usually come before the wisteria is in bloom; I enjoyed sitting under the purple blooms.

Spring Pignic 2024

A pignic!  First one I've been to since October 2019.  It was a small gathering of maybe a handful of boars and twice as many sows.  Members of the Pig Patrol reminisced about a pignic from years ago that had over 70 guinea pigs attend (and who knows how many humans).  This year's event hearkened back to our very first pignics.

It was great to see each of the Pig Patrol people in action.  I was also amused that my original Dustpan of Doom™ has been duplicated (and they both came in handy).  For those not familiar with the device:  a human should never stick a bare hand to separate guinea pig disagreement.  They're likely to come with worse wounds than any of the guinea pigs.  The dustpan can be inserted between the opposing parties, and as they wonder how this blue wall appeared, one of the pigs can be safely scooped up or convinced to go elsewhere.