Catching Up, again

 I seem to have put my blog posting on the same schedule as my house cleaning...pretty darned infrequently! My new system for cleaning is to keep an eye on a couple of the pictures hanging on the wall - if I notice gooey, stringy cobwebs hanging off them I make myself vacuum some time in the following week.  

I'm just going to give you some pics of a few quilts that I've completed for customers over the last couple of months, ok?  OK.

This quilt came with a special request to add a couple of hearts in the quilting.

This was so stinkin' cute.

This is a special quilt for some Florida people.

I love these Quick Curve Ruler quilts!

Another quilt made from embroidered blocks.  This is #3 for this gal.

Scrappy - my all-time favorite quilts.

Like many people these days, I've had it up to the wazoo with politicians.  I was SO ticked off with one local provincial representative that I actually wrote a letter to the editor.  They edited out some of it, but I think they should have kept the comment that Oosterhoff is part of the governing provincial party that has mandated the regulations currently in place.  WTF???

I have a new t-shirt to get me through the rest of the year.  This arrived in time for me to cry in my wine over the cancellation of the annual Tobermory retreat with the Beach Girls.  This cancellation might explain some of my fit over Oosterhoff.  He gets to play with his friends, but I don't???  WTF???

Then I soothed the savage beast with copy-cat Starbucks Pumpkin Scones.

This was my most interesting volunteer in the garden this summer.  It's a kale plant in the same spot where I had one two years ago.  It's been feeding us for weeks (a fact that DH is not particularly impressed with, seeing as it is a green leafy vegetable).  These days if he makes any kind of negative remark over supper all he gets from me is an eye roll and "suck it up, buttercup".  Yeah.  Not winning any BEST WIFE, EVER awards.  Oh, covid... how many marriages are facing some less-than-stellar-days thanks to you?

On a personal quilting note, I stitched up and quilted a whack of Christmas panels.  Since this pic was taken I have cut them all apart and trimmed to size. These will be donated whenever I get all that binding finished.

The current GOOD news is that Biden/Harris won the US election.  I cannot wait to see Trump get his arse booted out of the White House.

COVID NUMBERS

Worldwide: 49.9 million cases and 1.2 million deaths.  Daily increase in cases 540,000.

USA:  9.9 million cases and 238,000 deaths.  The US hit a new daily high of over 130,000 cases yesterday.  Sad.

Canada:  261,400 cases and 10,493 deaths.  New cases yesterday 4,246.

Ontario:  84,153 cases and 3,233 deaths.  We hit a new daily high of 1,328 new cases yesterday.  Sad.

Let's Get Caught Up, Shall We?

Oh, fer crying out loud.  Now Blogger has gone and changed the posting format.  I hope this all comes out the way it usually does...

This started out as a bunch of butterfly blocks from a guild Block Of The Month.  Whoever won the blocks donated them back to the guild.  I thought (?) I had given all the guild donation quilt stuff to the new chair of those projects, but apparently my organizational skills are not what they should be.

I had a cute lilac print in my stash that worked well with the blocks.  I needed to add some of the little antennae to a few blocks.  The back is a girly flannel, printed with a shoe design.  You'll have to take my word for that. 😀

Here's a four-patch posie quilt done by one of the Binbrook Guild members.  I led a demo station at the February meeting and this gal either had hers already pieced at home or was inspired to get one made after seeing the demo...I'm not sure which.

Looks great though, eh?

The same quiltmaker owns this.  She made this in a class I taught many years ago.  Her setting is different from the pattern, but it looks good - I like it!

Here's the sour cream coffee cake I mentioned in my last post.  I still have a tub of sour cream in the fridge so I may have to make another one of these.  Note to self:  For Gawd's Sake Woman!  Cut it in half and put some in the freezer instead of eating the whole thing in the space of a week!

Here's my Covid Journal up to May 22nd.

5/4 Worldwide 3.5 million cases and 274,000 deaths. Considering that situation occurred over four to five months, the numbers are mind boggling.  Canada 59,474 cases with 3,774 deaths. The U.S. has 1.1 million cases, 67,000 deaths. Dr. Birx is seemingly against the reopen protests because of the danger of virus transmission. The Republican-dominant Senate is reopening today, while the Democrat-dominant  House of Representatives is staying closed. The U.S. estimate on number of deaths has gone up to 100,000. Effective today, Longo's grocery stores (southern Ontario chain) requires all customers to wear a mask. In the U.S. a security guard at a dollar store in Michigan was shot and killed over this policy. Dear God, USA. Will you ever get your shit together?

5/6 Ontario will allow garden centers and hardware stores to fully open this weekend. Low rate hydro will continue until the end of May. Otherwise, emergency orders will stay in place until May 19th. After a failed experiment (on my part) with Zoom, I had a practice session with a willing friend and figured out what my audio problem was. Now I'm ready for the next Zoom birthday party which is planned for next week. Fyi, Zoom is no better than Messenger video chat (imho) although the paid version has a lot of features. Customer porch dropoff today - we managed an in-person chat 70 feet apart.

5/7 Donned my mask and made a grocery run for milk, veggies and fruit. Made a great score with a tub of Lysol wipes. Woo hoo. Whoops! One of Trump's valets tested positive yesterday.  Hamilton reporting 474 cases and 23 deaths.  Haldimand is at 196 cases with 30 deaths.

5/8 Mike Pence's press secretary tested positive. I was up around 5 again this morning (two days in a row, grrr). Early morning scrolling through my IG feed...those recipes look too good. So, this afternoon I made a sour cream coffee cake, a la Barefoot Contessa. Two hours later I got a message from a friend offering us some of the cinnamon rolls that she'd made. Well sure! We'll eat them too!  Here is a link to a news article outlining how the White House buried the CDC'S  guidelines for reopening.

 https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/cdc-report-reopen-white-house-1.5562558

5/9 Mother nature is on a tear...freezing temps and SNOW. Fuddle duddle. Ontario gov't is permitting education workers to voluntarily & temporarily move over to the health care sector, with wages & benefits continuing.

5/10 A Quebec based Cargill meat plant will close...64 workers are now positive. U.S. Coronavirus Task Force- three members in self quarantine due to exposure. Dr. Fauchi NIAID Director, Dr. Richfield Director of the CDC, and Dr. Hahn FDA Commissioner.

5/11 Here is a clip from the news: But the director of the University of Washington institute that created a White House-endorsed coronavirus model said the moves by states to reopen businesses "will translate into more cases and deaths in 10 days from now." Dr. Christopher Murray of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation said states where cases and deaths are going up more than expected include Illinois, Arizona, Florida and California.
And another: China, where the pandemic began in December, was the first country to reopen factories and other businesses after declaring the disease under control in March even as infections rise and controls are tightened in some other countries.  However, a spokesperson for China's National Health Commission says a rise in newly confirmed cases is a growing concern.  "In the past 14 days, there were seven provinces reporting new confirmed local cases," Mi Feng told reporters at a briefing on Monday. In Ontario, bad, bad Doug Ford entertained his daughters - who do NOT live with him - on Mother's Day. That’s against all your own rules there, Dougie.

5/12 This morning's news is reporting that today Dr. Fauchi will caution about a rushed reopening of the economy - which is at odds with Trump's urgent demands. Canadian premiers in BC and Ontario want the borders to stay closed. Me too!

5/18 We had LifeLabs come to the house and do our bloodwork.  We’re both overdue and we have a doctor’s appointment scheduled in a couple days.

May 19 Ontario schools are staying closed until at least September.

5/20 Virtual doctor’s appointment for DH and I.  Our doctor passed away in February but his sons are all doctors, and they are taking over his patient files.

5/22 Canada 82,480 with 6,342 deaths. Ontario 24,628 with 2,100 deaths. Daily cases in Ontario have been going up for the last 10 days - Mother's Day?

Here's ME, PERSONAL news:

• My back/hip are giving me no end of grief.  The virtual visit with the new doctor has given me some relief in the way of "better living through chemicals".  I'm on a stronger anti-inflammatory but I still don't know what's going on.  It could be a flare-up from the car accident 20+ years ago when I was bedridden for the better part of three months with a herniated disc.  Up to yesterday, the longest I've been able to work at a  single stretch is 2 1/2 hours.  However, that's up from ONE hour a couple weeks ago.
• Much of the veggie garden is planted, and I noticed yesterday that the beans have started to sprout.  I'm picking asparagus every day, which gives us a meal's worth every two days.  I've already got a couple loads in the freezer for winter soup.  The past couple of days I have also been picking lettuce.  Every year I start a few lettuce plants and get them out super early under little cloches, and every year the plants that sprout all by themselves are ready for early picking at the same time.
• Last Saturday a crown on one of my molars decided to break.  Half of it flew the coop but the other half is staying put (so far).  Dental clinics are still all closed, so I phoned the office to see what message they'd left for patients on their voice mail.  I was directed to email the dentist, so I did that with a description of my problem.  She replied within an hour:  My office like almost all other dental offices has been ordered close during this outbreak and all of our PPEs have been ordered to be donated already. At this point I can prescribe you some pain medications, or perhaps some antibiotics if needed. However, last night, we were sent an email from Royal college of Dental Surgeons permitting us to reopen partially to treat urgent dental needs, we are getting prepared for that purchasing new PPE and equipment, I think  we are ready to screen our emergency patients by the end of next week, and then book for treatments asap after that if you could wait until then. If you feel you need  to be seen sooner, there are some emergency dental clinics that are open in Hamilton. I will attach a list of them with this email, if you have to get a tooth fixed, it needs to be classified as an  “emergency” care, so, please,  contact them so they can evaluate the situation and let me know if I can help you in any ways, regards, Since my tooth didn't hurt, that was all fine with me.  I had my emergency assessment yesterday and will hopefully get the replacement crown this coming week.  That is all dependent on dental clinics getting the go-ahead - because the tooth does not hurt and is not infected it's not considered an emergency.  My Tuesday appointment may, or may not, happen...we shall see.
• Since I was already out, after the dentist I went to the bank, the liquor store, the pharmacy, and the garden center.  I came home kind of stressed.
• I'm r.e.a.l.l.y. tired of the bad news.  Now the USA is basically on fire because another bunch of cops murdered a black man.  Dear God, when will it stop?  I am honestly starting to get depressed, and that is not like me.  Maybe I should order some new shoes.
  

Jelly Roll Heart Quilt & New Year's Happenings (1 UFO down...)

This is a lovely, modern Jelly Roll quilt.

I really like the way the pantograph echoes the heart shape.

On New Years Day I stuck with my traditional activity - a friend came over, we stitched the afternoon away, then had Chinese Food for supper.
I started the year off by putting these UFO blocks together - this was a Block of the Month project at the Caledonia guild in 2016/2017.  After I completed the blocks I decided I was tired of the colours - I think I have too much red/yellow/blue in my house these days.

I completed the quilting and the binding the first week of the year - a UFO knocked off the list and the start of a new box of Donation Quilts.

I am currently practicing Cathedral Windows blocks.  This is going to be a hands-on lesson for the Binbrook Guild on January 27th and I really don't want to make an ass of myself.  Today during the blizzard (which has now turned to rain, on top of the several inches of snow...tomorrow should be a doozy of a driving day!) I finished up the instructions.  I also washed and ironed the couple meters of white fabric for the kits.  Hands-on demos take a lot of work!

Here are two blocks stitched together with the additional two print squares added.  This is a good project if you like to do hand work - this whole thing is hand sewn.  The idea, if you want to make a large-ish project, is to make these four-sie units, which are nice and small and easy to maneuver.  Pile them up and eventually start stitching them together into larger units.  As you join these together, the additional print squares are added. 

NEW YEARS COMMITMENTS

Notice that I didn't say "resolutions"?  Not that it makes any difference. 
Anyhow, the story goes:
I'm part of an online forum with two groups.  One for weight loss and the other for exercise committments.  Foolishly, I stuck my nose into BOTH forums - I have committed to losing 10 pounds this year. Weigh-in day is Friday morning(s) and you have to report your weight change from one week to the next. What I like about that system is you know what you were eating for the past week, so you can tell very quickly if you are doing something stupid. Week 1 - up 0.8 (included the NY Chinese - bad!), week 2 - down 2.8 (lots of veggie soup & salads & few starches), week 3 up 1.6 (oh, way too much bad stuff).  This is looking like a roller coaster to me and I sure HOPE the trend goes downward.
In the exercise group I committed to doing three x 20-minute Youtube videos every week.  So far I've done yoga, Qui Gong, Over-50 Exercise, Classical Stretch Essentrics, a weird Asian (fun!) aerobics class, and African Dance.  The African Dance is my favorite so far.  Although the Over-50 Exercise is surprisingly strenuous, and I've had to pause it to go change from a t-shirt into a tank top. 
This past year I've been noticing that I often don't have the strength I used to have, so I'm trying to fight the clock and hang on to whatever pitiful bit of youth I have.  I can still do sit-ups, push-ups, and planks.  And I want to keep it that way.

Hong Kong Nights Quilt & Donation Quilts (2019 personal challenge)

This quilt is realllly big.  I had to tip the tablet cattywampus to get a pic.

The maker used a beautiful collection of Asian prints for the blocks.

And I absolutely love the corner triangle she added.  That provides such an interesting touch.

Oddly enough, those print blocks are all cut on the bias.  I was really impressed that they were not stretched out of square when the 3-d flange was added to them, and then additional sashing too.  She's a really, really good piecer. ⭐
The setting triangles were a design challenge for me.  When you actually LOOK at them, they're not triangles, they have a square block inserted at the top.

Backs are so lovely...

2019 PERSONAL CHALLENGE
Last December, I set a personal challenge for myself to complete at least five quilts for donation.  I had such a collection of panels - that was where I started. 
When the contents of my Donation Box were counted up and there were SEVEN ...pretty darned pleased with myself. 👍

AND, the gal who pieced the Hong Kong Nights quilt above, brought along five small quilts that she wanted to donate.  She was happy to have me add them to my collection.

On Thursday last week I delivered all twelve quilts to the Caledonia & District Food Bank for inclusion in their Christmas hampers, then I treated myself to an afternoon out and lunch with a friend. 

Some Pretty Spring Inspiration and Retreat Quilts

This was quilted last month, when I R.E.A.L.L.Y. needed something pretty.  It's Rainbow Trip from the book Garden Fresh Quilts.

The maker chose a lovely panto featuring feathers and flowers which suited the quilt perfectly.  I'm always so impressed by quilters who can tackle a challenging project like this and keep all their pieces where they belong.

RETREAT QUILTS
Every year the Binbrook guild goes on a three day retreat to Crieff Hills in Puslinch.  It's less than an hour away from home so it's a really easy trip to take.  The retreat center feeds us three meals a day and we take care of our own snacks and (ahem) adult beverages.  I also buy a one litre jar of honey there every year.  There's a local apiarist who sells product at the center.  The last several years we've run these as UFO retreats, instead of having a class.  I have so many UFO's I think I only did the class one year, so there has not been much change for me.  We also have Sew Little Time come on Saturday and set up her shop.  I showed excellent restraint this year and did not buy a single bit of fabric.

I promised myself I would not start any new projects in 2019 until I got some of my own sh*t finished, AND got rid of some yardage.  Last month you saw that I finished up two little panel quilts, and here I've done two more.  Yay me!!  These will go in the donation pile for either the Women's Shelter, Children's Aid Society, or ...I also plan to talk to the local food bank.  They put together Christmas hampers and might want gifts for families. These were assembled from my own stash.

Still about the Binbrook guild, one of our very important members passed away last fall.  Her mission over the last several years had been piecing small quilts for St. Joseph's Hospital, for the kids who are in there for some kind of treatment.  The newspaper wrote a story about her when she was up to 600 quilts.  By the time she passed away someone said she'd hit the 1000 mark.  Apparently her sewing room was still FULL of fabric.  A few of our gals helped the family with a rescue mission (so to speak) and the guild members are working through the remaining fabric.

I took two kits:  they'd been prepped with pre-sewn rail fence blocks, and a hunk of fabric already cut for a border.  I pieced the blocks together, added the border and brought the tops home.  Last weekend I got them quilted and bound.  They have a cozy flannel backing which makes them super snuggle-worthy.

STASH
So far this year I've managed:

• use up 32 m. 
• deduct the 8 m. of fabric added 
• net -24 m. of fabric in projects that are COMPLETE.  

That's my rule - if it's not COMPLETE I can't mark it off my stash report.  I have a list of  projects I want to complete this year, which in all honesty is the same list for the third year in a row.  Note to self:  stop watching so much tv.

Aah, WINTERRUPTION

Another February Winterruption with the Beach Girls has come and gone.  And I just want to point out - in this pic there is not a cocktail glass in sight.

The girls arrived Thursday, late afternoon.

• unpack
• cocktails
• supper (which included Happy Birthday To Me 🙉🎵)
• movie

Friday:

• breakfast
• field trip to Ottawa Street, Hamilton .  We went to the toy store, an import store, an antique store, a couple fabric shops, and a consignment furniture shop.
• late lunch/early supper at the Black Forest Inn
• stop in at Vintage Soul Geek 
• walk across King St. to Denningers (damn, I wish they'd had some bacon-wrapped tenderloin in the freezer.  Best. Appetizers. Ever.)
• stop at the drug store and check twelve thousand of DH's lottery tickets from the past year.  OK, twelve thousand is a bit of an exaggeration, but there WERE lots of tickets.  What is wrong with the man, he buys tickets but never checks them???  I took his $46.00 in winnings AND all the free tickets.
• return home, put purchases away, change into jammies & yoga pants.
• settle in front of the tv for two more movies.
• supper was potato chips and assorted junk food.  Healthy, no?

Saturday:

• breakfast
• sewing day
• lunch
• sewing
• bar opens at 3:00 🍷 for appetizers and afternoon cocktails
• supper
• settle in the living room for two MORE movies
• now that we've seen FIVE movies, a little pop-quiz to see who could remember the title of Thursday night's movie.  ❓❓❓ Nope.  I had to look it up.  At least we're all forgetful together. 

Sunday:

• Stupid, stupid, stupid (!) weather forecast for today. 
• breakfast
• the girls were all gone by 9:15 this morning.  I wasn't even out of my jammies yet.

On our "sewing" day I finished the binding on these two little panel quilts that I'll be donating somewhere.

I sorted out the progress I've made on my Nine In The Middle  Leaders & Enders quilt from Bonnie Hunter's book.

From this point on, I will be adding the brown cornerstones as seen above.  Once those are all done I will add the completed sashing strips to the sides of the 9-patch blocks to create these:

Our next get-together will be the semi-annual SOLO meeting in April.  Until then...it will be Messenger chats.

Christmas VacationTo-Do List Wrapup

Chic Picnic - quilted & bound & labeled.  Many of the fabrics in this have special meaning for me, so the whole time I was hand stitching the binding I just felt... happy.

The fabrics are so busy that the time spent to custom quilt this was wasted, but since it's mine... I figure I'm worth it.

I used up some random fabrics on the back.

In keeping with the "word" theme of the quilt, I included my QUILT GIRL comic strip yardage.  (Spoiler alert:  she saved the day.)

I made two kids drag-around quilts which I'll donate to the Catholic Children's Aid.  A big pat-myself-on-the-back for the mitered striped border on the right.

It was a few years ago that a friend gave me the panel, the border print, and a half meter of the stripe.  I had the remnants of a whole bolt of the stripe in my own stash, so I used it on the back.

Sixteen placemats quilted for Meals on Wheels.

I completed eight out of fifteen items on my list, and the day is not over yet.  I've already taken Sadie for her walk (brrr - chilly wind!) and DH has supper under control, so this afternoon I will tackle the mending pile.