2/18/24

More Quilting

Good morning, my friends. The day was lackluster yesterday, and sometimes that's the best kind of day. We're both in simmer mode, thinking about packing, and biding our time until it makes sense to get started. Mike has been making actual lists. I've been making lists in my head. Yesterday I started making lists of my lists. Today starts our last full week at home. The rubber hits the road a week from Friday.

Yesterday's sewing started with the day's Tiny Heart. This one has stem stitch and satin stitch.


The border was supposed to be done in chain stitch, but I substituted chain stitch for stem stitch on one of the other hearts. I figure I'm owed a stem stitch, and that's what I did.

It was cold and windy yesterday, but the kitties went out for a few minutes. Mole season has arrived at the Three Cats Ranch. It's not as if there are any times when it isn't mole season, but sometimes they seem more numerous than others. Sadie thought she might score one if she stood still long enough.


Smitty brought reinforcements to the effort.


My wrist was feeling pretty good yesterday afternoon. I'm starting to think the Bow-Flex might be the real culprit where my wrist is concerned. It could also be a combination of the two things. There is one exercise in particular that might be causing me grief, and so I'll probably back off on the resistance for that one. In any case, it felt good enough to continue with the quilting. Some of these turned out better than others.


I'm still just experimenting with lines and shapes, and trying to add in some traditional free motion designs. 


Sometimes I confuse myself because I'm focused on symmetry, but then realize the shapes where I'm quilting are not symmetrical to begin with. This would be less apt to happen on a traditional quilt with repeating blocks.


When I turned the corner, I stopped for the day.


Here's how this side looks.


Today's goal will be to finish off the fourth side, and then it will be ready for binding.

Also on today's to-do list is to bake some Candy Apple Mini Muffins. I'm sad to say all the recipes from Cooking Light seem to have disappeared from the internet, and that was where I found this recipe originally. If they turn out, I'll share the recipe in tomorrow's post. Fortunately, I went through recipes on Cooking Light before the magazine ceased publication and downloaded all the ones that looked interesting. This recipe was among them. All you need to know is that I found it on the Cooking Light Diet page originally, and so it's diet friendly. Besides...apples...and "mini". I think that's all I need to say about that right now, except that I have some very cute little mini muffin baking cups to use. 

The other thing on today's to-do list is to gnash my teeth waiting for the next Project Quilting prompt to be announced. That will give me something to work on while I wait for our departure day to arrive. It'll be the last project in which I can participate for this season's Project Quilting, so I'm hoping for a prompt that will jumpstart my creativity.

Right now, it's time for our Sunday morning Blueberry Oatmeal Pancakes, and to get a start on my day. It's still cold and rainy here, but we're expecting better weather later in the week. I really want to get out and do some weeding before it's time to leave, and so I'm hopeful that warmer weather will materialize. 

8 comments:

Barbara said...

Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known. ~ Sharon Begley

QUILTING IS BLISSFUL, DI said...

mole hunting--now that sounds like a fun pass time for kitties!!!
I am glad you are doing the Crabapple stitch along--cause I discovered that I thought I did the wrong heart a while back and was able to go through your's and discovered I had--today's I have done--so will do the other heart with that same flower in it at the lower left hand corner-with the flower facing to the left--the one I did in upper right corner--flower facing right--well--right or left--thanks--I got this now!!!!
hugs, di

abelian said...

I found your recipe, maybe. I did a Google search with quotes around the name, "candy apple mini muffins" and the recipe turned up in Google Books as a page from a cookbook named "Incredibly Decadent Desserts", by Deb Wise. The link is this long string of characters, so it's best if anyone wanting the recipe just does the same search, with quotes, as I did. Dot in NC

Vroomans' Quilts said...

I don't bake, but they sound delish. Someone brought my Mom a pound cake and we are going to share it with the gMonday quilt group = with peaches and whip cream topping. I'm just assuring all my show pieces are ready and waiting - the show is a month and half away, but things here are unpredictable.

Vicki W said...

Your embroidered hearts are so cute! Good on you to figure out how evil the BowFlex is! I wonder if KT Tape might help you. I use it a lot when I have tendon or muscle pain.

Kate said...

The exercise thing really is both a good and bad thing. Sometimes you have to back off on some exercises because they cause worse issues. Hopefully you can back off on that one and get some relief. Hope the project quilting prompt is one you can have some fun with.

piecefulwendy said...

I think your thoughts on both the Bowflex and the machine quilting might be right. It just goes to show that exercise should be kept to a minimum - haha! Your quilting is looking great!

Magpie's Mumblings said...

I think your quilt is coming along nicely. It will be a showpiece when it's done.
List-making already? It just seems like yesterday when you were showing us the plans for your trip and now it's almost here.
You could be right that the Bow-Flex is causing some of your wrist issues. Exercise isn't always what it's cracked up to be. I used to really enjoy taking yoga classes but had to stop when my wrists refused to let me do some of the poses without pain and the teacher insisted I needed to do them anyway. Somehow I think something that causes pain isn't such a good idea to keep doing.