Rainbow Scrap Challenge: Brick Wall

I struggled to write this blog post: if I should post, what I should post.  Last Saturday morning, a few hours after my green post, I was working outside with my husband, building a compost bin.  At one point, the tractor bucket slipped off a Tpost, collided with my hand (which I already know should not have been where it was), and was quickly raised by my husband.

Unfortunately, three bones broke in my left (dominant) hand.  My third metacarpal broke, shifted, was pushed down and out of joint.  My first two thoughts?  No more quilting!  How am I going to write?

An ER visit Saturday, a visit to the hand specialist Tuesday, and surgery Wednesday all together mean I’m a threadless, fabric-deprived woman right now.  My hand is so swollen, and moving the fingers is so painful, that at this moment, it’s hard to imagine I’ll ever sew again.

I know that’s not reality, so I ordered some neutral 1.5” strips to sew with my 1.5” scraps each month without needing to hold the rotary cutter.  Since I can’t sit at the machine until the swelling goes down, I’m enjoying plotting new quilts and have placed a fabric order that is quite contrary to my 2018 goals, but will give me a fresh view to admire while I rest.  Vicki so kindly sent me a gorgeous fabric postcard, so I have that propped up by my lamp to enjoy it as well.

In the last week, I’ve felt cheerful more than depressed.  My tendons and nerves are okay, my fingers weren’t damaged, no bones shattered, and my husband’s quick thinking saved me from more serious damage.  Laying on my back with my hand above my heart has been challenging.  I’m not good at resting!  My family has been over daily to help James juggle all the work, and I am so grateful that we have had many meals brought or promised already.

I will certainly treasure all the link ups this week, and I hope you will too!

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,
katie z.

Stash Report Week #12

IN this week: 0 yards
OUT this week: 2 3/4 yards

IN YTD: 0 yards
OUT YTD: 23 3/4 yards
YTD Total: 23 3/4 yards out

I finished a baby quilt and a little purse.  The movement is not much, but good!

Bottle Green

If off-kilter is your bent, have I got a week for you!  Spring break was peppered with fevers, stuffy noses, and a canceled trip.  Fortunately, it was better flavored by a successful trip, garden planting, needed rain, a new shed, and some long-delayed debris burning. The Assistant had a wild hair and sorted her box of fabric, sorting out what she’d like trimmed down to useable sizes, so my cutting board has been busy.

I also had a list of 13 garments to cut and sew.  Sunday night, before illness assaulted me, I cut out the lion’s share.  I now have 12 cut and 6 sewn, so progress has been good.  The ballpoint needle in the machine and the many colors of thread has forced my green sewing to the back burner.

A small pile of green 4-patches is waiting for a few more friends, so I should be able to finish my 16-patches next week.  If this round of illness is through and the anticipated rain arrives, I’ll have ample time for a few more skirts and my normal sewing as well!

I wonder what glorious greens have been sewn up this week?

from the room of Zana's Ninis,
katie z.

Finished Quilt: Animal Brights

A year (or two? Or more?) ago, Shelly of Prairie Moon Quilts sent me three cheery fat quarters as a prize for my participation in her 350 Block Challenge.  In my stash, they sat and sat, huddled together in a lonely state.  When I made my UFO Challenge list for Judy Laquidara, I selected these three fat quarters as one of my projects.

When their number was drawn this month, I pulled them out with a few friendly coordinating solids.  After a bit of puzzling, I opted for a simple rail fence.  Of course, I fouled up my original plan by sewing the colors together out of order (I wanted yellow in the middle), and then my quilting plan, by starting my diagonal lines from the wrong corner.  Oh, well.

It’s done, it’s cute, and another UFO bites the dust!  (In the picture, I see someone bedaubed a corner with Nutella, so it's already back in the washer.)

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,
katie z.

P.S. This is the next UFO in the quilting queue.

St. Patrick's Day

Ah, Stained Glass Stars, how glorious you are... when you're done!  I don't know that I will set these blocks on point, but it seemed a lovely way to enjoy them for the time being.  I'm glad I only have a few blocks to make each month, but I'm glad I'm trying something more challenging than my preferred quilt blocks.

 I cut my churn dash blocks this week, sewed all the components, and now I have a pile to assemble. These six are the beginning.  I find many of my green fabrics are very similar in color, but that's okay for this quilt!

 In the meantime, as my leader and ender, I almost sewed all the pairs of strips for my 16 patches.  Now that I've trimmed the backing on this month's UFO, I have two more strips of green to sew up.

from the room of Zana's Ninis,
katie z.

P.S.  Check out all the blocks that are just the right color for St. Patrick's Day!

Stash Report Week #10

No changes, no changes at all.

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,
katie z.

Viridescent Views

Remnants and shreds of time filled in the few blanks of time in a week chaotic and car-intensive.  I had fond fantasies of finishing my six Stained Glass Star blocks, but, alas, I completed only one as well as parts for four more.  I must confess I am not enjoying the assembly of these blocks very much, although I do love the appearance of the final product, so I'm tackling them first.

To inspire myself to keep on, I'm going to post all the blocks on my wall.  I'm not holding my breath for a few more sewing minutes next week, but as the calendar is not booked up with appointments, I have a decent chance of it.

JoJo's been busy with his trains behind me.

from the room of Zana's Ninis,
katie z.

P.S.  Check out the luscious greens this weekend!

Stash Report Week #9

I’m holding steady at 21 yards out for the year.  With another empty spool, I’m up to 8 for the year.  This is pretty unusual for me, but I’m working hard to use up odds and ends, like colored thread that isn’t enough to quilt an entire quilt, so it’s not my usual methods.  I guess I’m ready to clean things out a bit!

from the room of Zana’s Ninis
katie z.

Apple, Acid, and Lime

How are your green scraps stacking up?  At first gander, I didn’t pull much from my scrap boxes, but since I’m also cutting into my beloved and hoarded hand dyed fabrics, the piles are growing.  Green definitely needs two months in my books, as there are so many hues and shades for me to tackle.

Looking into the month ahead, I’m a little nervous that the scraps won’t get sewn up by month’s end. Next week is full of appointments, and two weeks later is spring break.  I also have two quilts to finish as well as clothing for the Assistant, who is in need of skirts and shorts.  First up is the Tshirt quilt, and then I’ll do the Stained Glass Stars, I think.  We’ll see how this weekend goes since we have even more non-stitching craziness to manage: selling a car, buying a truck, dismantling a decrepit shed and purchasing a new (and larger) shed.

Whew!  I need to go bury my head in some fabric.  (Ooh, and I did find a new project, which will be my reward if I survive the next two weeks!)

(Be sure to see what green goodness there is to see this weekend.)

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,
katie z.

March Goals and February Review

In February, I wanted to...
1. Scraps: 16 patches, churn dashes, Stained Glass Stars.  Done, done, and done!

2.  Hopefully finish the Tshirt quilt.  I didn’t receive the backing fabric until the end of,the month, but I have it all ready to baste and quilt now!

3.  UFO #1, a red and cream Ohio star quilt for my niece, whose birthday happens to be in February.  Tell Colette I Love Her is done!

4.  Make progress on the dragon quilt.  This, too, is ready to baste and quilt.  

In March, I would like to...
1. Keep using scraps: trim, 16-patches, Stained Glass Stars, churn dash, and hexagons.

2.  Finish the Tshirt quilt.

3.  UFO #8, a baby quilt from a few fat quarters and some supplemental fabric.

4.  Finish the dragon quilt, as Q has a birthday in early April.

5.  Sew some clothes with/for the Assistant and my sister.

6.  Mending.  Oh, how I dislike mending, but it’s filling the end of my ironing board!

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,
katie z.

March UFO List

I had hoped to finish the Tshirt quilt and/or the dragon quilt, but, alas, neither was in the cards this month.  I did finish the Ohio star quilt, and I didn’t start anything, so it was still a good month!

1. Pillow
2. Scrappy DWR
3. ABC appliqué
4. 9 patches and stars
5. Dragon
6.  Hand piece done hexagons
7.  Christmas Jared takes a Wife
8.  Tshirt quilt
9.  Stained Glass Stars10. 16 patches
11.  Churn dashes

February 1: 12 projects
Started: 0
Finished: 1
February 28: 11 projects

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,
katie z.