Odds and Ends Bits and Bobs

 The girls wanted to watch a Christmas movie together, and that gave me the chance to finish off the last little bit of binding on Soul Searching.  It is officially done before the end of the year!

Next, I finished sewing the string blocks together into a flimsy.  I have made quite a few flimsies this year and not a lot of finished quilts but it is what works for me right now, so I am calling it a win.   

The weather is glorious today and I have the sliding glass doors open to let in the ocean breeze.  Now I have to decide whether to make some trial blocks for new 2021 quilts or settle in for some more hand quilting and sappy Christmas shows.   Difficult decision.....  I might go with some quilt block drafting.  I have a plan for a new challenge quilt!   I need to try out my ideas and do a bit more planning I think.

Strings

 I've been making string blocks for a long time now.  I am ready to be done with them!   If I use a setting with straight rows of color, it will be a very big quilt and I will need to make more blocks.  I do have one queen size bed that could use a quilt.......

If I lay the blocks out in diagonal rows, I have plenty of blocks to be done.   They are 8 inch blocks, so an 8 by 8 layout will make a 64 inch quilt.   I think that is a decision that makes itself.   I think I will go and pin the rows together before the dog scrambles the design for me.  Honestly, I do enjoy the diagonal swaths of color.   I should have just enough extra blocks for a baby quilt or a couple of throw pillows.  

We took a beach walk in the afternoon instead of this morning because it was a bit chilly.  Just a few hardy souls were out windsurfing in wet suits or huddled under blankets in chairs.   I have just started a roasted chicken in the instant pot for dinner.   We will find a festive holiday movie to enjoy after that or force the family into board games if everyone is in a good mood.  I do enjoy vacations!  

We are supposed to be seeing family over the holidays, but it is starting to look a little bit iffy.   My nephew is under quarantine after his girlfriend tested positive and everyone else has gone out to get tested.  I get tested pretty regularly with all my school exposure.  My most recent test on Sunday came back as negative.  

New Button for 2021

 I am working on a new button for 2021.  Step 1 of the process to to post the image online so as to generate a link.  Here is my new button image.  Actual button and code are coming soon.

Update.  The button is posted in the right hand margin, and the new 2021 page has been added to the top pages tab.  

Vacation Day 1

 On the first day of Christmas vacation, I sewed together 70 blocks for Framed Nine Patches.  

The sunrise was beautiful this morning.   It has warmed up enough that my toes did not get numb from the damp sand.  

I finally finished the puzzle that has been residing on the table since before Thanksgiving!   It is strange to have a wide open table again.  

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.