1/13/17

Midnight Obsession

Sleep eluded me last night. I was awake almost all night as if I'd had several shots of espresso just before going to bed. After lying in bed for hours, I finally got up and made this Cobblestone block for the Solstice Challenge. This one is to celebrate our record-breaking snowfall event during the week.


Here are the blocks I have so far. They're a diverse group to be sure. 


I figure when it's time to sew it all together, I'll do a simple setting with either white or black sashings. My thinking is that I'll set them in the order they were made as a sort of time capsule of the weeks between the Winter and Summer Solstices (Solsti?).

As I mentioned in yesterday's post, we needed to drive into town. We have snow tires, and the roads have all been plowed and sanded now. We had no problem getting into town. It's always a pretty drive down the hill on this tree-lined road, but it was especially pretty yesterday.


We paused briefly at the top to take this picture of the Willamette Valley from the other side of our hill.


When we got home, Mike paused to pick up our trash can on the main road. I think our trash pick-up was canceled this week. Fortunately, we don't produce much, and so we can stand to wait for the next go-round. What you're seeing here is the area to the left of our mailbox. It's a long-ago-abandoned Christmas tree farm. There are lots of those up here.


Here's the Three Cats Ranch House in all its snowy glory.


We don't usually get many icicles because our cold weather doesn't ordinarily last this long. There's quite a crop now.


Check out this bad boy. 


The way things are going, it might reach the ground in another day or two.


You can see it there kind of in the middle of this next image. Mike has the driveway and the area in front of the garage all plowed so we can get in and out. Beyond the plowed areas, we have more than a foot of accumulation.


So, I'm blaming my attempts at quilting the stylized stars for keeping me awake last night. I couldn't get them out of my head, and when I left off yesterday, I wasn't at all happy with what I'd done. When I looked at these last two rows this morning, they didn't look so bad. 


The image below shows some of the first ones I did. I was experimenting with how to join them together, and I'm still not happy with any of my attempts.


One thing is certain. It's important to keep the center pentagon or the star is lost completely. This one looks like one of those spindly starfish...or maybe a five-legged spider...or a very sad snowflake.


While I was up last night, I did some practice on paper, and I made myself another nice big practice piece to work on. I have some other ideas about how to make these work now, and I'll spend some more time practicing today. I haven't given up on this yet, but if I can't get comfortable with them, I might resort to another diagonal grid. For sure, that's something I can do.

It's late morning now, and I've spent a good part of the morning in bed sleeping off my midnight obsession insomnia. Time to do something productive.

17 comments:

claudia said...

I would be lost if I couldn't sleep at night! My room mate's room is open to my sewing room. (He's in a loft over it) It's private for him, except all the noise from downstairs drifts up. I wouldn't be able to sew!
Your place in the snow is beautiful!!! I bet it really pretty the rest of the year too. What is the elevation at your place? Winter sure has been strong there this year!

Debbie said...

Your stylized stars are very interesting! I like them! I see what you mean about the center being important, and the joining looks tricky. I will be watching to see how you accomplish it. They would be good in a border too.
Way too much snow...you have had the storms this year.

Junebug613 said...

That is a beautiful road. I'm sure it can be downright scary if it isn't plowed and sanded though. I just know that when you get those stars figured out, that they will be fantastic. I've had 3 nights like that, but I can't blame anything in particular. Night before last, I was up until 3am. Last night I finally got a "normal" night's sleep.

gpc said...

I really like the stars, and your property looks lovely. We have just as much snow but not as pretty in our gritty little town. I am making the solstice blocks, too (being inspired by you) and I also started on the idea of theme-of-year, but mine aren't looking as lovely as yours do.

CathieJ said...

I think your stars look quite pretty. Maybe the variegated thread is throwing you off. I really love your snowy scene. It is always so much prettier than here in the suburbs. It is so sad that the Christmas tree farm is abandoned, but you have quite a nice view.

Lana said...

Your snow pictures are so pretty. Love the ones of the road & the fence. I've downloaded the Solstice blocks but haven't done any yet. I hate when I've got so many projects floating around my brain that I can't focus on which one(s) to work on. Sometimes that can give me insomnia. Hope you sleep tonight.

Vroomans' Quilts said...

Pretty snow pictures! My sleep pattern just gets jostled due to so many years working nights - I just fall into that pattern and then takes forever to get back to the 'norm'.

crazy quilter said...

Beautiful snow pictures. They look like a postcard! I think your stars are fine,don't sweat the small stuff the quilt itself will be the 'Star' of the show. So sorry you had a sleepless night, I have those myself from time to time but since I still work I don't have the luxury of sleeping in the next morning. I usually work the day (as hard as it is) and then early to be the next night . I know you never actually catch up but I do usually sleep well the next night. Pet the kitties for me.

Kristin said...

That last one looks like it's saying "come at me bro!"

Brown Family said...

That is an ice stalactite! It is beautiful. I hope you get back on schedule with your sleep!

Jenny - the lilac cat said...

I've really enjoyed your snow pictures and adventures over the last couple of weeks. Feel sorry for Smitty who must be getting very disheartened missing his walks. I actually love your stylised stars - stunning.

Shirley said...

I love your blog and the photos, always a joy to read it! The stars are pretty, I think they would look even better when using a thread in just one color, the eye then sees a whole star instead of one cut up in pieces.

piecefulwendy said...

Oh for the snow you are having, but your drive into town is beautiful. I like your Solstice blocks. Mine are going to be pretty eclectic too; I haven't done the latest one yet. Hope to today. Keep working on the stars, I think you're close!

Dana Gaffney said...

I'm happy to see the two of you getting out, now I'm not going to worry about that ice spear :). Abandoned Christmas tree farm sounds like the trees are free now, it's wonderful, beautiful and makes me think it should be in a children's book. I like the stars, they're airy and original.

ES said...

The photo of the Christmas trees above the fence made me catch my breath! The snow, the trees wow. It's super hot and sticky and humid here in Manly Vale, NSW. My girls would love to see snow and those beautiful trees:) we're making the most of the beaches though, Fairlight, is my current favourite. I've given you place names in case you want to google some images:)

quiltzyx said...

What a giant icicle you have - wow! Have you ever made Snow Ice Cream? I saw someone in Colorado mention it on FB a while back, but don't actually know anyone who has made it.
On your quilty stars, it could be the white part of the variegated thread that kept you up that night. They do look good tho'.

Kate said...

Beautiful scenery! Snow is so pretty, as long as it doesn't keep you from getting places. I like how your stars turned out. In a way, some of them look like fireworks, which would go with the quilt too.