Speedy Sewing

Before I get started, I wanted to say how much I'm appreciating reading all your comments for the book giveaway. It seems we all came to quilting in similar ways with just enough difference in the mix to make it thoroughly enjoyable. If you missed the giveaway, you can find it at that link I've given you back there. Be sure to read the comments!

Yesterday was an egg pick-up day and a grocery shopping day, and that left me pretty well wiped out by the time I got home. Also, it poured rain. Oregon in February...gotta love it. Anyway, the only sewing that was accomplished yesterday was to barely get started on the newest Hocuspocusville block. Of course, I started with the cat. And then the spider. And then the tree...in case the cat wanted to run up the tree...because of the spider. That's what I'd do.

That was as far as I got before I needed to quit and get on with my day. When I finished working on it this morning,the cat had a much more substantial tree to climb.

Today I'm getting my monthly pedicure and running a few errands. It's possible I'll have more time for sewing today, but just in case, I took some time for some speedy sewing this morning. The tenth block for the Solstice Challenge was released today. It's called "The Coffee Shop." Mine celebrates Black History month with a little nod to President's day too.

This "civil rights fabric" has been waiting its turn all month. For most of the quilt, I'm limiting myself to scraps from my stash. However, doing a "seasonal" quilt has meant purchasing a couple of fabrics. I found a fat quarter of this in somebody's Etsy shop, and I've been waiting for the right block to come along to use it. Since this is the last block for February, phew! Just in a nick of time.

With that finished, I had just enough time left to finish off the square-in-a-square blocks for Kathleen Tracy's Welcome Home Mystery Sewing Along.

These are 3 1/2 inches, and still need trimming. I was digging through my tiniest scraps for these yesterday. You might remember the beginnings of this quilt from yesterday's post. The square-in-a-square blocks are to be used later.

So that's all the sewing I've had time for today. There might be time left over in the day, but I'm usually tired after I've ventured out. The weather is much better today and we're even seeing sunshine on the hill. Sadly, I'm driving down into the valley where there is thick cloud cover.

Nearly all of the tomato seeds have sprouted now. They're sitting in the laundry room window, and since the catio was built, it doesn't allow in as much light. I'm going to set them up with a grow light this afternoon just to make sure the little buggers don't get sad and depressed.

Just before I took this picture, I turned them around so they're facing away from the window. You can see how they're all bent over reaching for the light.

Also, I'm going to get some more sourdough bread dough going again today to be baked tomorrow. You might remember my sad sourdough bread pancake from a couple of weeks ago. Since then I've become almost 100% certain that the dough was overproofed, and so I'm going to try it again. Glutton for punishment...that's me.

There are two starters in the refrigerator right now...one for white sourdough, one for whole wheat sourdough. I've been keeping them alive for about a month now, and when I want to bake bread, I use what I pour off at feeding time to make the starter for the next loaf. When I fed them yesterday, I used what I poured off for this starter. Yesterday morning, it filled only about 1/4 of the jar. When I checked it just how. Whoa, Nellie!

You cannot even begin to imagine how happy this makes me. Look at how frothy it is! That is one vigorous starter. So...it seems my success is assured, right? Well, as always with bread, my fingers are crossed. Wish me luck.