Tie up the Loose Ends

 There is time for one last finish before the year is done.   This quilt just needed a few extras in specific colors to finish up the pattern.  The first few rows are sewn together, now I just need more of the 8 inch sashing strips to get the rest sewn together.   I picked up groceries this morning and then baked a delicious crust free spinach quiche.   Las night there was a most tasty chicken and tortellini soup.   There will be lots of fabulous leftovers for lunch this week while everyone is home.   I keep thinking that I will have to go back to school tomorrow and then remembering with relief that we have two weeks off for the holidays.   I always enjoy vacations, but this one is going to be such a relief.   

Before I start cutting fabric again, I think that I will go and check out Oh Scrap!  I need to firm up some plans for the new year.  It will be here before we know it.   

Final Countdown

 

Just two ScrapHappy Saturdays left in RSC2020.  Not to worry though, that means that in three Saturdays, we will be celebrating RSC2021.   I will work on a new button today and a new page for the new year.   I would love for everyone to share a summary of all of their 2020 finishes next week to inspire others for a new year of scrap busting and rainbow quilts.

I have just a few more nine patches to frame and I can web one more flimsy before the day is done.    How are your end of the year plans coming along?  I am starting to see so many fabulous quilts coming together magically at the end of the year.  I think that is my favorite part of the scrap challenge, pretty little blocks all year long, and then lots of great quilts at the end.  

Sunday Slowdown

It isn't that I don't do anything on Sunday, it is just nice to not have to do anything.   I picked up groceries (ordered online), spent some time pressure washing, did a bit of painting on the patio and ran a few loads of laundry.   Nothing is better than freshly cleaned sheets!

There was a morning beach walk of course, and a rocket launch at 12:30.   Now I've just polished off a toasted ham and cheese and I am ready to put a quilt top together.   

It has passed inspection by Lizzie, she always wants to make sure quilts on the floor are fully appreciated.  I had sewn these blocks into rows as I made them during the year, but while walking the dog, I decided that they should be more scattered.   It is still a rainbow like layout, but pairs of colors are staggered so that it isn't quite so linear.  Although I have enough blocks completed, I might need a few more of specific colors finished up to complete the layout I have in mind.  Maybe the extras will make a nice stripe to break up the back.   I think that I just need to cut a few more sashing strips and find some cornerstones in the 2 inch square bin.    At some point I will have to start quilting some of these, but there isn't room for a quilting frame with the tree up, so it will be a project for the new year.  For now, I will visit Oh Scrap! and Kathy's quilts to continue to shop for new ideas to try out in 2021.    

The End is Near

 

The girls and I trimmed the tree this week.   We are making an effort to enjoy holiday festivities.   

This morning's sunrise was not much, but yesterday was quite pretty.   

Just 5 days until winter break. I think I can make it! I'm not sure at this point how many students will remain in person, but we will all do our best.  We sent home both boy's basketball teams on Thursday to quarantine.   That was quite a shock, the number of affected students continues to grow.  With the news that a middle school teacher from a local school has died of COVID, it is starting to sink in that this is a serious situation.   Just 5 days, I won't think too hard about what comes after that.   

It is dreary and rainy here today which seems like an excellent excuse to sew.  If I can cross just a few odds and ends off the list, I will feel ready to start some new quilts in 2021.   

ScrapHappy Saturday Winding Down and Ramping Up

 As the quilts from this year start to get finished, it leaves room to start thinking about new projects.  I have some framed nine patches to try to wrap up  today and then I plan to start of some end of the year mental and physical organization.  Everything is a bit scattered on both fronts, but I will try to make it a little better.   

Are you starting to think about new quilts for the new year?   I finished off quite a few during the original quarantine, so looking for new schemes seems like a well deserved reward.    

There is usually a big push to finish off the semester at school going on right about now, but we all started late, so exams won't happen until after the holidays.   It is amazing how that one small change is making everything feel different this year.  OK, maybe it isn't just that one small change, but everything still feels different right now.   

Sunday Plans

 We have rented a boat to take out as a family today so that will involve a picnic lunch with lots of leftover turkey and ham sandwiches.  I am still trying to convince Ryan to just stay here for the extra two weeks until winter vacation begins, but I haven't had much luck so far.   They have already cancelled spring break and added an extra week to the semester break, so it will be a long stretch at home for him either way.     

It was a peaceful sunrise this morning. There is a fall like quality to the air right now which is a such a  change of routine in Florida.   

Soul Searching got a binding applied yesterday.   Leftover bits of whatever was left from the black backing squares

Here is the back, lots of 10.5 inch squares in a brick layout.  I never seem to have lots of yardage for backing fabrics, but it is so much fun to puzzle together whatever is on hand to make something a bit more creative. I am especially fond of the day of the dead and fire hydrant fabrics.  The zebra stripe are fun too, leftover from a valance and curtain that I made for Sydney's bedroom in our old house.   

There should be some time for quality balcony sitting this afternoon to get the handwork done.  Sewing is a bit awkward right now with all the "extra" bedrooms filled up.  

Kurt and I are sharing one desk in the family room for my sewing machine and his home office.   Yesterday I spread out on the kitchen table.   I had just enough time to sew together the sprout blocks, which Lizzie is enjoying quite a bit.  Framed nine patches are next on the list, but I'm not sure where all the parts and pieces ended up.   

I also puzzled together a wooden organizer for the utensil drawer.   It is made of craft wood from Joann's glued together and painted white.  I think that I will go and check out Oh Scrap! and Kathy's Quilts this morning to see what handwork and scraps sewing other people have going on during this long holiday weekend.   

Ending and New Beginings

 For every project that I get finished up this time of year, I dream of what will go on the list for next year. Soul Searching is all quilted up, and I was thinking of doing some variation of a log cabin or courthouse steps with the 1.5 inch strips that remain.   I seem incapable of cutting just enough of the needed subunits and so every quilt seems to lead to another.  I think this is an excellent problem to have!   

Here is the cat quilt that I finished up for a friend from work.   It was small and quick and o so cute!   

Soul Searching was next because I really wanted to get one more done before breaking down the frame again.   With all three kids home right now, it was not the right time to have a huge table taking up most of the family room.  I still have a closet full of flimsies ready to finish, but they are patient as am I.  

Another beautiful sunrise to start the day!   Each day the sun comes up again, ready to continue the cycle.   

I hope that you have started to think about finishing and fresh starts.   I am looking forward to turning the page now, and dreaming of new quilts is a nice way to start to plan for the future.  

ScrapHappy Saturday - Wrapping it Up with a Bow

With the holidays right around the corner, the end of this disater of a year is near. I can not say that I will be sad to see this one go. At this point I am amazed that we have any kids left at school. We are marching them out for quarantine at an alarming rate. The first round has started to return though, so maybe we will reach some sort of equillibrium? I had 0 in person learners in my first period class yesterday. There is a post quarantine kid scheduled to return on Monday though, so I won't be all alone for long. I've been in to cover for other teachers and there are quite a few tiny classes out there. I am wondering how many will just decide to switch to e-learning after the holiday? I know of several students who have been quarantined 3 times. The kids are pretty good natured about it though, even though we have some pretty irate parents demanding for thier kid be allowed to come back. Glad I get handle the happy kids and not the grumpy adults! And truly, the less crowded the classrooms are, the safer it is for everyone. I have another top to quilt for a friend from work. It is adorable with machine applique cats. She has only ever done stitch in the ditch which she was afraid would mess up the design. I accidentally left it in my classroom on Wednesday night and had a nightmare that my room got quarantined and I couldn't get the quilt out which was making me frantic. Another of my coworkers had a dream the same night that all of her kids refused to wear masks and were hiding under desks taunting her. I guess we are all starting to feel it. Only two of my own students have been positive so far that I know of, but I'm scheduled for another COVID test this morning just to be sure that I'm OK. Obviously we are not travelling for Thanksgiving, but Ryan is coming home from UF. All of his classes are online, but he is able to spend time with his friends in clubs and such, so he still wants to stay on campus. Anna is home with us right now, her campus at New College is pretty empty right now and few of her friends are around. We will see what happens next semester. She might do a hybrid and just stay on campus a few days a week for lab classes. I don't want to be all doom and gloom though, plenty of good things happened this week.

There were a couple of rocket launches, including this night launch which was manned with astronauts headed to the ISS.   There were quite a few people out on the beach for that one. 

I saw a beautiful double rainbow on the way to work Thursday.   Ironically, Kurt also saw took a photo of a different rainbow the same morning.   

Then there was this group of chatty little birds in the grass at school with the one little oddball happily amongst them.   

Plenty or reasons to smile.   I am going to keep looking for more of those, 

So Close

We have lost 42 kids to quarantine since last Friday.   This is my first period class.  One lone student survives, and she is due to be out next week.   At some point the quarantines will start to return, but it is odd to look out at a mostly empty classroom and then open the meeting to see everyone online now.   

There was a launch last night.   

It was beautiful.   

Wrapping up the Year

It is a beautiful fall day in Florida.   Any day that starts with a walk on the beach is sure to be a good one.  

 

There is a quilt on the frame, it should not take long to finish it up.   Finishing up is the best part of the end of the year with the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.