So little to show for the passing of a week

This post may come as a shock to some who know that I don't spend a lot of time on hand work. But since most of the piecing I have done this week has been for the Indigo Challenge with Sandy, to be shared at the end of the month, I had to scrape the bottom of my quilting barrel to come up with anything to share.
First off--quilting on my BIG hand quilting project that has been basted and waiting for years! (I can see from the photo that this needs more lines for the background quilting.)

When I started quilting this I was having shoulder troubles and finally gave up on it until I could have the surgery. That got postponed a couple of years. Then my healing was slow, and I felt like I couldn't stress my shoulder. But eventually it got better, and now I have no more excuses. I gave myself a swift kick recently and committed to at least quilt 30-60 minutes a few nights a week. Back issues keep me from doing more at a time.
This quilt was to commemorate my youngest son's time as a missionary in Brazil--he has been home for almost 10 years (yikes)! He'll get it eventually.

Then there was the stitching I did while we were on the road for about 3 hours today (Saturday). My Stars in the Garden mini hexie quilt is my "go to" road trip project. The problem is that I don't enjoy stitching hexies and this little thing could very well be my lifetime project. I forced myself to attach 3 hexies to this flower today. That was all I could manage.

I keep a photocopy of the potential finish in the lid of the project box. As I finish a section I cross it out. When I look at what I have crossed out I try and tell myself that I am making progress. Then I remind myself how many years this much has taken and I realize I am practically standing still on this one. (Don't roll your eyes at me, Sarah--the hexie queen!)




















I  also made a smidgen of progress on my Circa 1880 quilt. I stitched my final "rogue" block, and laid out the row it will call home. This was foundation pieced, and I still have to remove the papers from the block. This will be in row 24--it is the last one I will make from my own blocks. The final three rows will be made from swapped blocks, when the last of my swaps are completed. This one is so close, I can almost taste it.  

I have a few more patterns that want a home where they will be loved. Most of them are wool projects. Some are patterns I have already made, some are duplicates, and some I'm just sure I never will get made. I am not separating them--I just want to send this out as one bulk group.

If you are interested, please mention it in your comment--and if you don't know whether or not you are "no-reply", please include your email address if you are serious about it. I will choose a random name from the interested parties.

Just for fun, I am sharing a photo of me that was taken exactly 60 years ago. I came across this as I have been working on my Mom's history lately. 

And exactly 8 years ago I began my blog. What fun it has been to build a blogging community with so many kind and generous, fun-loving and mischievous (you know who you are) quilters. Thank you all for reading, commenting, lurking, or whatever it is you do here. :)

Until next time,
Janet O.

A busy summer

...makes for very little stitching.
The quilting on my scrappy baskets (made from the leftover scraps from one of my Mom's quilts) is almost finished. Notice the tiny baskets in the corners. I still need to ditch stitch around the red in those blocks.

 I used a wash away marker to mark the orange peel design in the last border and I haven't washed it away yet.

This top was made back in 2011 or 2012--I'm too tired to look it up. But I recall that in 2012, not long after I began my FMQ career, I took a class from Karen McTavish on "What to Quilt Where". We were each to bring a quilt top that had us stumped, and she would talk about what she would recommend be quilted on it. This was the top I took, but to be honest, at that point in my quilting life EVERY top had me stumped. 

When the top was spread out on the table she pointed to the setting triangles and indicated that they would be great places for feathers. I remember that the voice in my head said something like, "Not in my lifetime."

 This shot gives you a better idea of the quilting designs used. It is still hard to tell it is an egg & dart design in the red border.

 I brought out my hexie project recently (Stars in the Garden). Don't faint, Sarah! I needed some handwork for our extended family camp out. I have made a little more progress on the star to the right. This might even get finished in my lifetime, if someone else stitches it.

Last Sunday was my sweet Dad's 93rd birthday. 
My older sister and I joined him for this photo. She is the one without the grey hair. : )
The quilt behind us is a Kim Diehl design made by my Mom years ago--hand quilted and needle-turned applique. 

Was supposed to be on a road trip in Oregon right now, but yesterday the transmission died in our van just two hours into our trip. Sat at the side of the freeway for almost 4 hours in 100 degree temps before we went home in a tow truck. Hope you had a better day than that.
Janet O.