What's been going on in my blog absence?
Let's see. We lost heat around shortly after Thanksgiving. Husband came home from working
out of town the week before Christmas and saved the day by fixing the heat. Having a husband with "fix it" skills rocks! Unfortunately the heat died again on Christmas Eve...the day my husband headed back to work. Had rain and below freezing temperatures for Christmas day. Heat fixed again two days after Christmas.
But hey...we had it easy compared to so many other people right now. I seriously can't watch or read the news anymore. It's too sad. I seriously expected the world to implode on December 21st.
I and my son spent Christmas on the couch under quilts watching our favorite movies and we had a simple dinner...which was a good thing because while the ham was cooking, it was heating up the house at the same time.
And on Christmas Day our neighborhood hawk decided to pay a visit and
I managed to capture this shot through the storm door.
And the rain and cold brought out the squirrels and TONS of cardinals too.
Have I ever mentioned that I love squirrels? Goofy little critters...
Can you spot all seven cardinals? There are two juvenile males and five females in the photo. And they were only a small fraction of the birds we saw that day. Frank and Jesse were in heaven. They were dying to be let out the door to chase the birds.
Needless to say there hasn't been a ton of sewing going on. Sitting in a cold quilting room does not inspire a lot of sewing. I did manage to make a few things though.
I completed two clothesline rugs which went to new homes. Both of which I forgot to take finished photoss of so here's the first one...in progress. It was made using 3/4" x 40" strips.
And here is the second rug (thank you Donna for taking a photo and sending it to me). This one was made from a batik fat quarter bundle that had been sitting around for the last couple of years. I don't know why I ever bought because when I got home I didn't really like it. But I have to say it made a beautiful rug.
During breaks from rug making, I made circles (from a charm pack I uncovered while looking for something else) using my Karen Kay Buckley Perfect Circle templates. I could make circles all day long with those templates because they just always come out so perfect and. I don't have a solid plan for them yet but I have a few ideas.
During those breaks I also managed to finish up the last of my triangle blocks. I now have 150 of them plus a few extras. Because this quilt is not from a purchased pattern, I'm having to work out issues as I go...like how many to go across and down. I've laid it out this way but am now thing I want to turn it so the points will be at the top and bottom.
I plan to set the quilt with a solid color and put a solid border around that. I'm thinking a dark red would be nice...or maybe a brown or dark blue. Thoughts?
NOTE FOR PIP: STOP READING NOW AND DON'T SCROLL DOWN ANY FURTHER IF YOU WANT YOUR PILLOW COVER TO BE A SURPRISE
And finally, last night I finished Pip's pillow cover that she won from me during the Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Day. She asked for a pillow cover in blues and I know the pillow looks kinda purple but I assure you its blue...Periwinkle to be more precise. I really really really LOVE this pillow cover! I hope she will too.
In closing, I hope y'all had a great Christmas. And if I don't make it back here by New Year's, I hope you have a great one of them too. Stay warm...or cool depending on where you live...and be safe.
Talk at you again soon!
