Betwixt and Between

Good morning, my friends. It was kind of a dull day yesterday. I got in a Bowflex workout, and then I did some quilting. My problem is that we're close enough to a trip that I don't want to start on anything I can't finish, but I don't have enough of anything else to fill my time. It's a little too early to start packing, although I have a menu planned and a grocery list made. Today I'm getting my hair cut. Tomorrow we're doing our grocery shopping. After that, it'll be close enough to the trip that I can start planning and packing. And all of that to say that yesterday had me flopping from chair to chair trying to decide what to do next. 

By now, you should know that baking is a good way to spend some time, and that's what I did. I used up another 2-cup portion of frozen shredded zucchini making these Shipyard Galley Zucchini Muffins. They'll be our little pre-breakfast snack between now and the time we head out on our trip. (I still have two 2-cup portions of zucchini.) 

The Shipyard Galley is a deli and bakery in Mattapoisett, Massachusetts. We've never been there, but this recipe was shared by King Arthur Flour. I note that the recipe I've linked to uses all-purpose flour in the muffins. The version I downloaded some time ago used whole wheat flour, and that's what I used in these. They're tasty, and not too sweet. You might notice the recipe makes 27 muffins. I made just half the recipe and distributed the batter to make a dozen muffins. 

Outside, I checked the bird feeders and filled what needed filling. I found Himself cooling his tummy furs on this flat rock. That's some wild catnip behind him. The hummingbird feeder is hanging well out of his reach, but over his head, and so this is a very entertaining corner of the garden for kitties.

He was comfortable enough that he decided to take a snooze right there.

With that finished, I went to work quilting two more blocks for the New Mexico Kitchen quilt. The fajitas were first.

Then the guacamole. 

It was tempting to keep going, but I'm trying to keep from breaking myself again. I left it needle down on the salsa block. I'm at the top row of blocks now, and so I have the quilt turned upside down with the top blocks closest to me and the bulk of the quilt resting on the table. It's easier to maneuver that way.

I'll finish up the final two blocks today, and then I'll go to work on the sashings and borders. I have in mind to stitch some chili peppers in the outer borders. Already I've practiced those a little bit. I want to practice a little more and get that muscle memory better engrained .

In the sashings, I want to do a kind of pointy thing that reminds me of New Mexico-ish stuff. I printed this picture, and I'm thinking of directing those arrows toward the cornerstones. Don't look at the whole design...just look at the arrows running horizontally. 

I have something like that in mind. I'm a little stuck on the direction they should point. I have four horizontal rows of blocks (three horizontal sashings) and three vertical rows (two vertical sashings). 

So the vertical sashings can go in opposite directions. Each line of arrows can point toward the adjacent cornerstone. But then, what about the horizontal sashings? There are only three sections, and so they can't be done symmetrically. Either, I point each row of arrows going in opposite directions like this (I hope this makes sense...the green arrows indicate the direction)...

Or I make each row go in the same direction like this. I'm kind of partial to this way, but what do you guys think? Does it even matter?

And just now I looked at the first design again...

Maybe I do the horizontal rows with the rows of triangles pointing up or down instead of sideways. That might be the answer. As you can tell, I'm still mulling it over.

Okay, so that's all I have for you today. I'm only hoping to have some time for sewing this afternoon. My haircut appointment is in the middle of the day, which kind of shoots the whole day when you get right down to it. Breakfast is next. I'll just take the day hour by hour and see where I end up.