June 2022 – Chopin – A Passionate Quilter From Texas

June 29, 2022

To Do Tuesday – 28 June 2022 and Cabin Fever

CABIN FEVER definition:

Boredom, restlessness, or irritability that results from a lack of environmental stimulation, as from a prolonged stay in a remote, sparsely populated region or a confined indoor area.
A condition that produces restlessness and irritability caused from being in a confined space.

Does Cabin Fever remind anyone of how they are feeling now or is it just me! I have everything a quilter would want, yet I just cannot get with the excitement of making, much less working on one that I have started! The big “C” did not impact our lives in 2020 and 2021 as other issues were going on. We had thought last November and December that we were back to where we could just get up and go somewhere. NOT NOW! I have been through Cabin Fever when I lived in Sterling Virginia during the winter months which were 6 months long, but NEVER in Texas where the temperatures stay at 100-114 every day since May.

I would love to go on a trip (even with the high cost of fuel) BUT where to go? Where are the idiots not protesting and killing people? Anyone know? If you do, let me know.

So I decided that I would do something different! Read a book! Now I have plenty of books in the library to read, but I thought it would be nice to purchase a Kindle. I decided on a Kindle Oasis – bad move! That one went back yesterday and it was an expensive one, but I could not read the screen well as it was not a white paper background.

On to the next one, my friend Wanda is a very avid reader and has a Kindle Fire, so I decided I would purchase one of those. I ordered the Kindle Fire HD 10” and it is a neat toy to have, besides I saved $200.00. (I won’t tell you how many Apple products I have that I can read a book on, but the Kindle is lightweight and I can take it with me.) I mainly did this to start reading again. My favorite authors are Clancy, Grisham, Tony Hillerman, and Mary Clark Higgins and of course all of the O’Reilly books. I subscribe to Bill and each year I receive a free book, so I can either read the hard copy or read it on the Kindle as long as I do not have to pay for it. I joined the unlimited with Amazon for 3 months free so we shall see what they offer me as whether or not I keep that subscription.

I am calling this week a lost cause because I have another dental appointment in the morning. Our lives are beginning to feel like Ground Hog Day – EVERYDAY!

ON TO QUILTING:

I did succeed in selecting the fabric I like for my Wedding Ring Quilt and made 2 1/2 blocks and this was after the other 2 fabric selections bombed! There is more cutting to do and a lot of sewing to work on. Hopefully after tomorrow I begin to have the desire to cut and sew. I have not selected the colors where it is blank. They need to be a color to really make the quilt pop!

I am moving along on my Bat’s and Boo’s Cross Stitch, slowly but surely! The Kindle acquisitions have kept me from doing anything but trying to decide to keep it!

I now have 4 blocks completed on the Moda Holiday Stitch-A-Long. I enjoyed completing Block 5 before Block 4 (it has a lot of circles).

This next week I will continue working on the above projects, and start on my 20 Churn Dash blocks for the SAL.

Other than that, I know NOTHING. I do hope this Cabin Fever leaves me soon. Maybe if I start reading a book it will help me become inspired with my quilting this week. I plan on setting time aside for reading.

I am curious though, anyone else feel like I do now? I guess it will go away as soon as I give myself a good talking to! There is one thing that I am pleased with – I have met my goals for exercise, move, and standing 2 months in a row. It took me some time to get here but it is worth it! AND we did get 6 tenths of an inch of rain last night! Happy Dance on that one.

Hugs, and stay away from Cabin Fever!

Nanette

Linking To: My Quilt Infatuation; Confessions of a Fabric Addict; Finished or Not Friday ; Em’s Scrap Bag; BOM’s Away; Sew Fresh Quilts; Crazy Mom Quilts; Oh Scrap; Scrap Happy Saturday; Slow Sunday Stitching Quilt Fabrication Mid Week Makers; Peacock Party; Design Wall Monday, Scrap Happy Days, Quilting Patch Linky Party, To Do Tuesdays

June 26, 2022

Slow Sunday Stitching – 26 June 2022

Happy Sunday! No changes here weather wise, just hot and dry. Prediction is for chances of a weather change for the week. Hopefully some rain!

I have been working on Bats and Boo’s. i am on the last pumpkin. Then I will start on the Bat’s. The tread has calmed down somewhat. But I won’t be buying anymore Weeks thread!

OK now for an update on the Wedding Ring project. On the Third attempt for fabric selection I finally got it right for a controlled Scrappy. I am happy that I did not give up on it. I do not like to give up on a project I had planned to make. When I do throw in the towel it usually is the right thing to do.

So I went back to the Stash Room and found a Focus Fabric – a Robert Kaufman Screen Print I had purchased years ago and that got me inspired. I also spent time watching Shar Jorganson’s You Tube video on making the Wedding Ring quilt and studying the way she did the cutting. Great Video! Here is what my quilt will look like! I have not decided on the colors for the blank spaces. That fabric selection will come after I finish all the blocks I make. I have enough made for 2 blocks. Using Shar’s method of cutting things shall go quickly. Sewing it together will take longer LOL

On the embroidery project – the Moda Holiday Stitch – A – Long I have finished 4 of the 14 blocks maybe by Christmas it will be finished. I enjoy working on it when the day just does not go the way I want it to go!

Well for now that is all there is. nothing going on here other than quilting as it is just too hot and too expensive and dangerous to take a trip. Maybe after November!

Hugs, have a great week! To be honest, I am ready to get out of Dodge for awhile

Nanette

June 24, 2022

To Do (Tuesday) Friday! 24 June 2022

Good afternoon! This is an historical day in America and I am so proud of PresidentTrump who added the 3 new Conservative Judges. He will go down in History of this Nation for appointing these Judges! The Supreme Court did their job and stuck with the Constitution as written! It is not the end of abortion because there are states that will allow it. People need to understand that and not destroy our cities NOR SHOULD THEY HURT THE Supreme Court Justices and their families. In the last 50 years things have changed drastically to prevent pregnancies. So if someone doesn’t want to be bothered with having a child, then take responsibility and prevent it through planning! END OF STORY.

Now on to where I am in quilting…… NOWHERE…. I have decided to not continue on with Lori’s Smith small 6” applique blocks project. I really hated to tell Jaydee because it was I that agreed to work on it. But even working with the grid I made for the first 6 blocks, I had a difficult time working with tiny tiny pieces. So that is GONE!

Next on the list was to make a Wedding Ring Quilt. Long story short – I auditioned 2 sets of fabrics that I thought would work! The first one bombed – that was the French General fabrics. The second go round was to use blues and mauve/pink. That took time to prepare the fabric, cut the pieces out for 4 melons only to find out it looked like @@@@! So I came into the Studio today and watched Shar Jorgenson’s You Tube Video, but that did not help me at all. I sat and looked at all the fabric I have in this studio and could not find anything that I would/could use. That is because I can not do scrappy! So this project is gone, fabric put up and templates put back in the drawer out of site! I did not waste a lot of fabric making the one block, just spun my wheels for 4 days! Oh well! (After thought – I may TRY one more time to make this quilt using a focus fabric) My problem is that I think Logically and scrappy blows my mind because it just does not make sense!

By now you must be asking – what is next? Well for this afternoon I am going to work on my Bats and Boos cross stitch and the old Moda Holiday Stitch-a-Long project to clear my head of a feeling of failure! I hate it when I give up on something, but I have learned 2 things in my quilting life – Number 1 – If it is not fun – don’t do it! Number 2 – Realize that I cannot do scrappy like others! Too much logic and abstract reasoning in my brain. Oh well.

Here is were I am on the hand projects.

Have a great week-end and see all on Slow Stitching Sunday! And it is only 109 this afternoon! Wow – cold wave! LOL

Hugs Nanette

June 19, 2022June 19, 2022

Slow Sunday Stitching – 19 June 2022

Well, not sure what I will be doing today. I have completed my applique goals for the last week. I have been working on Bats and Boos cross stitch but for some reason having some issues with the Weeks thread (the orange color). The issue has slowed me down on finishing the 2nd pumping, but it is looking good!

Next on the list of Stitching Projects is the start of In the Garden by Dawn Heese. I have the Bunny blocks ready to applique. The first fabric line I picked out bombed, so I turned to my favorite batiks. The theme on this one is brown, beige, green, orange and yellow flowers with green leaves. These are LARGE blocks – should finish about 18” I cut them larger to allow for the applique work.

And last but not least, I finished preparing 2 blocks for Lilly Rosenberry. YUP, colors are green yellow and orange and they are batiks!

As you can see, I will have plenty of applique to work on and enough that I won’t get bored, just need to start on them. Looks like I am in the Yellows, Orange, Green color mood! LOL

We did a massive tree cutting job in February and then did zero scapping and adding cactus plants along with our North Folk Pine tree. Clay also set up the bird feeders where I can watch them while working in the Studio where we spend our daytime. I think we would go nuts if we only had the house to stay in all day and all night. We both have hobbies and this 800 square feet of fun space makes high gas prices and the horrible heat palatable. Here are a couple of pictures of what I get to look at while enjoying our days in the Studio.

It is fun to watch the Cardinals and Doves and other birds come and enjoy the feed and then they take a bath in the bird bath. We also have a lot of fun watching the squirrels trying to jump into the bird feed. As you can see Clay has it fixed so they cannot reach the feed. They were able to jump from the bird bath into the trays, then one of them made it up the pole into one but the white dome stopped that! Now they come and eat the feed that the birds flipped out onto the ground!

This is the view from the other window (bay windows). It reminds me so much of the years we spent traveling to Sierra Vista Arizona during the winter time. (still missing that).

About a month ago I looked up and saw this little bird that had purple, red, orange, and blue feathers. I finally looked it up and it is called a Bunting. So unique and so surprising to see it here in HOT HOT HOT South Texas.

As you can see in the pictures our grass is dying. Almost 2 months of 100 degree weather with no measurable rain. In fact since last October 2021 we have only had about 4 inches. Not enough to sustain grass.

This morning during my walk I saw 3 Deer Doe’s and each had a baby. They would stop and listen to me as I would talk to them. They are no bigger than a small dog at this time but fun to watch. I hope they survive the summer. We only provide them water as the herd was getting too large in 2017 for us to continue feeding deer corn.

Speaking of my morning walk, the humidity was so high and the temp was 77 degrees I am T-I-R-E-D! Needless to say I am ready to just hang it up for the day but cannot do that as I have too many things to work on and I want to start on a new pieced quilt to work on during the day.

Have a great week and enjoy your stitching!

Hugs, Nanette

June 15, 2022October 10, 2022

To Do Tuesday – 14 June 2022 (On Wednesday)

Well we have progressed from the warmest day EVER on Sunday at 114! Check out the humidity – @15%! This week there will be some more 100’s but the African Dust (an annual thing) appears to keep the sun from shining! I am still doing my 20 minute mile at 6:30 in the morning. I prefer the early morning so I can partake of the 90+ humidity with about 78 degrees. Sounds like fun Huh! As I start out it is not bad, but by the 3 trip to the gate I am looking for that nice BIG fan sitting by my chair on the Studio porch to cool off!

Today was a grocery store experience!!! I only do them every 2 or 3 weeks. Enough to make a person just quit eating! Fuel is $4.60 a gallon. Bicycle time! Just heard the Federal Reserve hiked the borrowing rates .75% – Recession here we come! What fun it is – just like Christmas, but I am certain that Scrooge is here to stay another 2 years and 6 months! Yikes!

I mentioned that I found the greatest Hearing Instrument Specialist about a month ago. Well, that did not last long – he was either promoted with the current company to District Manager, or moved to another company for a promotion. He was great! I have a new Audiologist to see next week for adjustments to the new hearing aids. I combined it with my dental appointment next wee since they are with blocks of each other – YEA. (gas saver).

Then this morning my Dentist office called this morning because tomorrow’s appointment is now cancelled – he has COVID. Is that stuff still around, or is it just a cold? Hum. Either way, I do not want any of it!

OK On with what have I been doing lately since I missed last week. I have finished 20 of the Churn Dash blocks. Mine are 6″ instead of the 9″ blocks that the Chooky Blue SAL group is making. I will be making 20 each month for the 4 months. I believe that everyone else is making 8 each month. This is my Squirrel project for the year!

Next on the list was to work on Lori Smith’s Fit to Frame – Pattern 6 with Jaydee. I was able to squeak out 2 blocks. Jaydee finished 3 blocks! We are not in a race, and hopefully I will be able to catch up with her as soon as I finish a few other things.

Here are Jaydee’s blocks:

Now for my 2 blocks – (I am not sure I like my fabric selection, but too late to cry over spilt milk now).

When making small applique blocks, I always draw a grid background for a few blocks.

Next was to prepare applique for 3 patterns, Lilly Rosenberry, Lori Smith’s (done), and In the Garden. I will start with Lilly. I have 2 blocks ready to applique! The only thing left is to cut out 72 circles for the 2 blocks. All of the bias strips required for the stems are finished and ready to applique.

I wanted something different for this quilt!

You ask, “how is ‘In the Garden’ going”? Well, yesterday I traced the 4 bunny blocks onto the background fabric, and all the pieces will be ready for applique by Friday. I am using some fabrics that I had in my stash that I think will make this an unusual quilt. I have two dark and two light beige bunnies cut out and 3 of them ready to baste onto the background fabric. Tomorrow will finish selecting the fabrics the flowers and stems and cut them out. Then I will have all 3 applique projects ready for applique.

Next on the list is Bats and Boo’s Cross Stitch. I have progressed from the center to the first pumpkin. I ordered some Weeks thread (dyed and expensive). I had no issues with the black thread but now the orange thread is giving me a problem. I was almost through with the first pumpkin but that had to rip some stitches out and when I did the thread really messed things up. I may be making my stitches too tight, or using the wrong needle. I will be working on this project this week.

Well, that is it. I will be working on piecing a Wedding Ring Quit as soon as I decide which French General fabric I want to use! In the evening I will be working on the hand projects.

Have a great week, stay busy, and enjoy life!

Hugs, Nanette

June 12, 2022

Churn Dash SAL – 12 June 2022

Greetings, again!!! I am really starting to get on top of my current projects, a Wedding Ring quilt, 3 applique projects, and my Cross Stitch project. Now if I get bored with one of the evening projects I can jump from one to another. I joined the Churn Dash SAL by Chookyblue as my first Squirrel!!! Mine blocks are 6” and I am using Aunt Gracie fat quarters from my stash. The background fabric is Michael Miller’s Couture fabric line – a fantastic fabric, feels like silk!

The Churn Dash SAL will run 4 months making 9” blocks, but because I am making 6” blocks I will be making 4 blocks of each color for a total of 20 blocks each month finishing with a total number of 80 blocks when the SAL is over. Probably enough for 2 small quilts or one very large quilt! Depends on the setting. But they are so much fun who cares!

Have a great week!

Hugs, Nanette

June 12, 2022June 12, 2022

HQAL and Slow Sunday Stitching – 12 June 2020

OK everyone – it is now 18 days and it will be July! Time is flying by but the hot days and mornings are not flying by fast enough for me. I do not like the heat even when it is in the 90’s, so you can imagine how much I detest this summer. Since the first of May it has been 100+ and the pictures speak better than words ever could. Additionally the weather forecast is not looking good for rain the rest of the year here in South Texas. Maybe this winter it will snow again – won’t bother me! A picture speaks better than words!

I have been working on my Lori Smith’s Fit to Frame – Pattern 6 with Jaydee. She has finished 3 blocks and I have completed 2! (Hum – too many projects going at one time is my excuse! LOL! These are Jaydee’s blocks.

I changed the bottom leaves on my Block 1. I am working from a grid sheet (background fabric) for the first 6 blocks. It is easier for me to handle for the small 6″ blocks.

I have Block 1 of Lilly Rosenberry ready for applique, but will not start on it yet as I have 36 each 3/4″ circles to prepare. When I selected the fabric (1895 Hoffman Batiks) for this project I wanted something other than red and green. I think I will really like it. Now to finish making the 36 circles!

I have been working on my Bats and Boos Cross Stitch project and working on the pumpkins. I am finding that I really enjoy CS and seem to be able to focus and relax when working on B&B’s. So I will be spreading my evening hand work time between these 3 projects. (I need to join a Cross Stitch Party).

In The Garden is hanging around waiting, waiting, waiting. The Squirrel project is coming right along! I am ahead of the game! I do not have a quilt that I am currently hand quilting, but I figured this is hand work and maybe it will count for both HQAL and Slow Sunday Stitching! Do check out the ladies who are hand quilting today!

Hugs, Nanette Have a wonderful week, happy stitching but do not watch the News, fill up your vehicle, or buy food – it is depressing! Time to make a Red Quilt!

This Hand Quilt Along is an opportunity for hand quilters and piecers to share and motivate one another. We post every three weeks, to show our progress and encourage one another. If you have a hand quilting project and would like to join our group contact Kathy at the link below.

Kathy, Margaret, Deb, Nanette, Sharon, Karrin, Daisy and Tracy

June 5, 2022

Slow Sunday Stitching – 5 June 2022

Happiness is meeting my goals – walking and quilting projects. I guess it will take a Hurricane or a Tropical Depression to break this horrible heat wave – 100-107 degrees! Oh well maybe in September it will really be Fall!

I have been preparing my applque projects. I have the fabrics washed (still have to iron them) for In the Garden, Lily Rosenberry, and Lori Smith’s project is ready for applique.

I have succumbed to doing a SQUIRREL! YUP, Chookyblue’s Churn Dash SAL! I am using my 1930 Reproduction fabrics. Yesterday I was in the sewing mood and made 3 CD’s. The SAL group are making 9” blocks, but I prefer smaller blocks, so I am making 6” blocks and will make a total of 64 blocks. Everyone has been asked to make 8 blocks a month which will yield 32 blocks within 4 months. I will do 16 each month so by October I will have a new quilt!

I have been working on Bats and Boos Cross Stitch – finally. It took me awhile to get things correct and understanding how to start, but now that I am there, it will go faster! (LOL) I ordered some more of the floss just in case I needed some extra and received it yesterday only to realize that I thought I was getting the Weeks Dyed floss I got DMC! I do not need any DMC floss as I have enough to start a store! So now I re-ordered the correct ones and waiting to see if I can return the DMC thread. The DMC thread I have was made in France (you can tell how old it is) but well preserved! Maybe I need to wear 2 pair of glasses when I order on line!

Center Complete with partial bottom of a Pumpkin!

Speaking of on-line ordering things on-line, my ”go to store for my fabrics” as most of you know, has been Carly. I started purchasing Moda Marbles from her in 2003 and continued on until that stash is so big and then turned to 1895 Hoffman batiks for my stash. Carly has always been the greatest person to go to in purchasing fabric on line. She decided to sell the business this year and very close to turning it over to a new Owner! I am so happy for her and especially glad to hear that she will be a Consultant for the new Owner in the transition phase and I will miss her so much. She will continue her sell (25% off) until the ‘paperwork’ is completed in the next week or two.

I needed (oops) WANTED some orange 1895 fabrics and placed an order Friday with Carly – the sale price is $8.24 a yard. I had no idea she was close to finalizing the sale of the company so I squeaked in to add to my stash! She is one of the best on-line shop owners (also had a quilt store) and I wish more would follow her business plan. My fabric is due to arrive Tuesday!

Today’s goal is to finish pressing fabric for In The Garden, preparing Block 1 for Lily, and maybe I will do some applique. Whatever I do it will be enjoyable!

Have a wonderful Sunday and a great week of stitching. I will be seeing the Dentist tomorrow and will be glad that will be over with. Rest of the summer is FREE from appointments after the check up for Clay on the 28th! YEA FREEDOM!!!!

With our world being totally destroyed around us I am choosing to do more quilting, cross stitch, and applique and watching Gunsmoke, Beaver, and going to bed with Clay and watching Andy Griffith! What else could be more relaxing when shutting the world out but a travel back in time when our world was not so crazy, at least not as crazy as it is now. Have a wonderful Sunday and a great week. Stay either warm or cool. I chose COLD!

Hugs, Nanette

June 1, 2022June 1, 2022

To Do Tuesday – 31 May 2022

Greetings to all as we close out the Month of May!!! I will be starting June with a personal goal of absolutely no stress from anywhere and just enjoying our lives! I am very blessed to have a husband that I love being with. Our first of the 3 ”Anniversary Dates” will be 3 June – 26 years ago when Clay called me while I was living in Sterling Virginia and I knew my life would be changing, and it did! Time to start on the 27th year!!!!

I have completed my goal of walking 28 days of 31 days this month! Reducing my walk to 20 minutes at my pace of 20 minutes for the mile has really become enjoyable. Doing a 1.5 mile in the hot hot hot weather (even though I walk around 6:30 AM) is just not doable at the age of 77. I will resume that in the winter – if we ever have winter again.

I am pleased with my progress on my applique projects. I have all traced all the pieces for In the Garden, Lily Rosenberry (block 1 only), and Lori Smith’s project with Jaydee. Next step will be to select fabric for Lily and In the Garden.

Lori’s project is first on the list and I am using Jo Morton’s Rose fabrics for this quilt. The blocks are 6” blocks. I decided to make a grid of 6 blocks and have the 3 ready to go. Tomorrow I will do the other 3 and then bag each blocks pieces and hopefully start on the night work Thursday evening.

Lily and In the Garden pieces are all traced, cut out and ready for fabric selection.

I FINALLY figured out how to get started on Bats and Boos Cross Stitch! Last month I ran a thread every 10 spaces on the Aida Cloth to help in the counting of stitches. Of course I did it wrong the first time and used a light blue thread! That bombed so I removed them and counted differently and used a copper brown thread to mark off the 10 stitches. The pattern indicated to start on the upper left quadrant, but I decided that would not work for me and started in the middle! SUCCESS! This pattern is the same as the Bats and Boos Quilt!

My goals for next Tuesday is to have all the applique projects out of the way, maybe a quilt quilted on the long arm, and definitely starting on the Wedding Ring Quilt. If you would like to see my OMG for May and OMG for June click here!

Monday is my lovely dental appointment. I will be happy to be finished with that appointment, then there will be 2 more appointments and I will be finished! YEA! I am still loving my new hearing aids. My brain is getting used to them.

Have a wonderful week of stitching.

Hugs, Nanette

June 1, 2022

OMG – May 2022 Finishes and June 2022 Goals

Greetings from lovely South Texas! Life is good, but only because we stay home away from the grocery store and gas stations and the news! I have been working diligently in finish all my UFOs. This last month I finished the following quilts. I am not in a hurry to finish everything on a time schedule, but am ready to establish goals. I enjoy posting on each Tuesday with Linda for weekly accomplishments.

A new border border for this quilt. Previous one was a plain white border. This one makes the quilt really pop!

Designed this quilt on EQ8 about 3 years ago – So happy with the outcome – based on an Antique Quilt

Stars Around the Garden – Great Designer and pattern to work with!

I have also finished preparing the new appllique projects I will be working on. Next step is to finish selecting the fabrics and cutting out the pieces! These are my OMG for June – hopefully I will have all of them started on. Lily will take some time (long time) to finish, In the Garden is not a difficult one and the 24 blocks that Jaydee and I will be working on together will take some time, but they are small blocks – 6”. I appliqué in the evening and piece quilts during the day.

A Lori Smith project working with Jaydee on this one.

I will be working on a Wedding Ring quilt this month. It would be great if I can finish it, but I also need to do some long arm quilting. It will be a short month so I will see how I do. This is a practice block I made years ago before making my first Wedding Ring quilt. The quilt was gifted to a friend.

I will use either Marti Michell templates of Shar Jorgenson’s templates to make the new Wedding Ring Quilt. I am THINKING of using French General fabrics for the quilt.