1/3/14

Low Key Day

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It was nice today to be back into a routine with no real obligations to fulfill, no cooking to do (because we have leftovers coming out of our ears), no housework to do, and generally, plenty of time just to chill out. The weekend ahead looks like smooth sailing for all the same reasons. Even Smitty was ready for a day to just hang out in the sewing room.


Before I started sewing this afternoon, however, I walked with my friend Sue. I'm estimating we walked about four miles, which is the farthest we've been able to walk since my knee started hurting back in August. I'm still being very careful with it recognizing that any inflammation or pain I'm might experience is masked by the cortisone injection I received a couple of weeks ago. I can always feel it complaining some when I walk, and so I'm just starting slow to see how it fairs later in the day. So far, so good today. I haven't noticed any ill effects. We'll walk again next week, and if it seems okay, we may go our whole distance

When I got home I just lazed around for a while, reading email, looking at Facebook, and taking it easy. I ventured into the sewing room a little after noon and made the first block for the 2014 Rainbow Scrap Challenge. I'm doing this pattern by Barbara Weiland Talbert. If you like this, you can find the free pattern right here.


I'm only doing twelve blocks, one per month for the challenge. It will end up probably about a wall-hanging size, or maybe a small lap quilt. Here is the block I made today.


Today I cut the background pieces for the entire quilt. I'll cut the pieces for the sewing machine and the spools of thread as I go. The buttons are just lying there for show. I won't sew them on until the quilt is quilted, but I wanted you to see how it will look. I'll probably invest in some buttons so that I can have consistency from machine to machine. Also, I note that the pattern has the buttons matching the color of thread. I'll probably do that to since my goal is to do the machine and the thread in complimentary colors. Also, I think it would be fun to embroider a needle in silver metallic thread, and so I will probably do that with my sewing machine when I'm ready to quilt it...a long time from now. Tomorrow I'll link up to Scraphappy Saturday.

Soscrppy

With that finished, I turned my attention to the Corn Flowers table runner that I started back in October.


When I left off with this I had the strip sets made for the candy corn flower petals. Today, I traced the applique templates, fused them to the fabric and started cutting them out. The pattern suggested using a straight edge and rotary cutter to cut the straight sides and scissors to round off the corners. That worked pretty well. I have five ready for fusing to the background.


There are quite a few of these...thirty to go.


I'll still need to make the stems and leaves, but when I'm ready, I'll form them into five-petal flowers like this:


I decided to quit then and do a few things around the house, but before I left the sewing room, I pulled fabrics for my January NewFO project...this "We're On A Roll" wall hanging.


I have all the fabrics I need in my stash. Some are scraps, and some are previously uncut pieces.


I'm not sure when I'll start on this, but I'm ready to go now.

So that was my day. This could be a productive weekend unless I get distracted doing something else. Our weather was cold but sunny today, and I was thinking about you folks living back east in Snowmageddon (as our local weather person put it). I hope you all have power and that you're staying warm and dry. We haven't had any big snow events so far this winter, but there's still plenty of time.

21 comments:

Michele said...

That is what you call leisurely? Smitty and Gracie need to relearn you what that really means. LOL. Yes the temps are brutal and I'm not happy about it.

Margaret said...

Hi Barabar, I just saw apost on Constantly Quilting blog about a new fabric line coming out and it is right up your alley. Purrfect Notions by Jacqueline Decker for RJR Fabrics. Thought you might want to check it out.

WoolenSails said...

I like your idea of taking it easy, lol. I spent most of mine, cleaning and dusting and tomorrow he has to do the last of the cutting for the counters, so it will just get messy again, ugh. Will be so nice to have my sink back, tired of using the bathroom sink to rinse in.

Debbie

Sherry said...

Your on your way to another year of lovely projects.

Denise :) said...

I love your statement: 'this could be a productive weekend unless I get distracted . . .' Story of my life! Lots of lovely fabrics to play with, that's for sure! Enjoy!! :)

Junebug613 said...

We had a short day at work, and since it was the first day since last Friday that I felt fairly normal, I went into my craft space and pulled out a UFO. I have quite a few (who doesn't?), and started making some lists. I'm looking forward to some NEWfos, but I am going to really make an effort to get some of the UFOs finished. I like your first block, and I love candy corn, so I am enjoying seeing that come together.

Cath said...

Having a low key day here as well since it is 42 degrees celsius....blah! Nice to pop over to your place and find some distraction
Cath @ Bits 'n Bobs

Tami C said...

Smitty is looking really relaxed! It was good to hear that your knee is feeling good enough that you are able to resume your walks with Sue. I like your first Dream Machines block. Your candy corn applique pieces makes me crave some candy corn! That January project of yours is really cute!

Patricia said...

Glad your knee is better. Don't over do it. Like the machine too. I've saved that pattern... it has me thinking of possibilities.

Sheila said...

What a cute sewing machine pattern. I'm going to enjoy watching this quilt grow each month. Enjoyed reading your post today.

Brown Family said...

You always have such cute projects!

scraphappy said...

What a sweet sewing machine block. I love the happy, bright blue you chose. It will be such a fun project by the end of the year.

Cathy said...

So many fun projects, so little time.... sigh. Those sewing machines are just one of the cutest things ever. And I really like the button accents and the thread spools in the complementary colours. And cold..... it was 1 degree fahrenheit here yesterday. You can guess it was a stay indoors and sew day, for sure.

Quilter Kathy said...

Love this pattern! A perfect challenge idea!

Val's Quilting Studio said...

I agree with many of the others...the sewing machine pattern will be fun with this scrappy challenge and the quilt will be adorable by years end! Keep walking girl!!! (I'm a walker too!)

Anonymous said...

Great projects (re)starts. Have fun!

Lyndsey said...

Sounds like a perfect day. The machine pattern is very cute and I've got a copy stashed on my computer for making at some time in the future. I love the way your block has turned out. I must get started on my rainbow challenge block but I'm already being distracted with the thought of work tomorrow.

Ellen said...

The sewing machine block is really quite cute and would make a wonderful wall hanging for the sewing room!

ipatchandquilt said...

I love the "corn flower", super cute! We went for a walk too, cold but sunny here too!
Esther
esthersipatchandquilt at yahoo com
ipatchandquilt dot wordpress dot com

Kate said...

Love your block for the Rainbow scrap challenge. You got a lot done. I have been able to sew more now that the holidays are over, eveb with the fact I had to go back to work.

quiltzyx said...

You sure did quite a bit on your 'leisurely' day! I think Smitty understood the leisure part better than you did....

The sewing machine looks great - you're off to a nice start.

I like your cornflower petals too. I hadn't even thought about how they were made, but now I understand! Hah!

I finished the laminated coasters - worked out well. Pics later. And I worked on the 2 eyeglass cases that my aunt asked for, but don't like how the first one came out, so will scrap that & try it a different way. Oh that learning curve....!