A Sunflower Block and Greeting Cards

Last week, I made a four inch sunflower block for the outgoing President of the Mt. Hood guild. February is the last meeting of her year. In addition to quilting and longarming as a business, she is a gardener who loves sunflowers. The directions were to use a yellow fabric with a dark center with white to separate the petals.

Four inch Sunflower block

I mailed it to the guild and heard Monday that it had arrived and would be delivered to the President at the February meeting. While stitching it, I wondered if it would make a good block to stitch when I have little bits laying about. . .hm m m . . . .Gertie, my inner squirrel thinks it is a grand idea and wants to make a plan. I am not sure! Making the block was goal number 15 on my January list.

Making a Valentine card

Sunday, my friend Theresa and I went to a greeting card make and take session.  Lorie, who was my supervisor before she retired from nursing at the hospital, started this group to stay in touch with co-workers. There are people who have retired as well as some who are still working. 

Valentine card

We play from 11am to 2pm one Sunday a month for about seven months of the year. I haven't gone since before COVID; but decided to give it a whirl in December. It was a fun activity to share with my friend Theresa. 

Sentiment inside of Valentine card

Lorie brings supplies and samples for at least three cards. There can be 15-20 ladies in attendance and there is ALWAYS laughter and conversation. It is a great way to catch up. The fee to make a card is two dollars. I like to have a few cards on hand to send to special people throughout the year. 

Birthday and thank you card--inside was blank

The last two months, Lorie has also brought a small box of leftovers and challenged Theresa and I to make a couple cards from the scraps. I'll admit, I do have fun playing with the scraps! 

Cards made from scraps

Next time I'm participating, I'll try to remember to take more photos of the process. I only managed one this time. I was too busy playing!

Inside of one scrap card

Going to the get together and making cards was goal number 16 on my January list. It was nice to catch up with my friend Theresa and it is always good to get in a visit with Lorie. 

Inside of second scrap card

I Met Cynthia. . .

A modern quilt at the show

Last Sunday, I attended the Westside Quilters "A Quilted Paradise" show. From where I live, it was an hour drive to the show. My husband offered to drive. I took him up on his offer. I used an ice pack on the way there which helped with pain management. We arrived as the show opened.

It was great to walk through the aisles and see over 150 beautiful quilts. I found that I couldn't stop to read the signage on the quilts because the pain across my back, up my neck and into one shoulder would engage. My daughter wanted proof I saw quilts so my husband snapped a photo in front of this one.

I was really bad. . .I forgot to ask him to photograph the signage so I could attribute the maker. If you attended the show and know, please message me. I will add the information to this post. I liked the modern feel of the piece.

Next, I worked my way to vendor Cynthia Bunz's booth. I've followed Cynthia for years via her blog, Quilting Is More Fun Than Housework. For at least the last couple of

Cynthia and me in front of her booth

years, I've participated in her Oh Scrap link up on Saturdays. Cynthia is a master of using every scrap. She is generous with her knowledge and so supportive. 

She's been working on the scrappy paper pieced banner for a number of months. Getting to see the banner in person was extra special! I got to see many of her patterns up close and personal too. The absolute best part was meeting her in person. 

She agreed to have a photograph with me. While I had fully intended to thank her in person for inspiring me to play with scraps, I totally forgot! I attribute forgetting to being tongue tied around a celebrity! I'm really glad to have met her in the flesh!

We left soon after meeting Cynthia. My ice pack was still a little cool so I used it on the way home. I was sore the next day; but, my pain level wasn't any greater than it was before I went. 

It's been a month since I was last able to sit at a machine and stitch. This week, I have an acupuncture appointment to calm the nerves in my neck to encourage the muscles to stop going into a spasm. I hope acupuncture works. I so miss machine stitching!

Baby Quilt--Saturday Workshop #6 (Free Hand Cutting Gentle Curves)

Fabrics for the baby quilt

Next month, I'll begin posting about the other virtual Saturday Workshops that my guild has held this year. 

Before COVID, Saturday Workshops were held one Saturday in January at a church. Members led the classes. There was always a great variety of classes. Some were three hours and some were six hours. At most you could take two classes. A half day class cost $10 and a full day class cost $20. The fee went toward facility rental.

Last year, we had virtual classes every Saturday in January. It cost $5 for a half day class and $10 for a full day class. While it was fun to be able to attend all those classes, it was also exhausting! (Kudos to those instructors who figured out how to make their classes virtual!) 

This year, we had three classes in January. From February through June, one full day or two half day classes are scheduled. Class fees are the same as last year. 

Second cut

If you renewed your $40 annual guild membership by March 31, Saturday Workshops were free. (The board thought this would encourage members to sign up early.) I paid my membership and was money ahead. There were eight half day classes and three full day class scheduled. Each class that I've attended has been fun. I've picked up some great tips! 

Last Saturday in a three hour virtual technique workshop, Rosanne H shared how to create and to stitch gentle free form curves. I've made these before; but, I always learn tips. I had two take aways after class: 1. You can't go wrong, it's only fabric. 2. I've practiced enough now that I will no longer be tentative about how to place the fabrics to be able to stitch the curves!

I had planned to only listen to the class because I wasn't feeling well. Gertie, however, was not satisfied at all with that approach. I didn't want another project. Gertie wanted to play. I didn't. She suggested that I could start the baby quilt and use this technique to construct the top. I sighed. I told Gertie "Okay."  She did back flips of joy!

Center panel of top finished

A neighbor, who lives across the street, is expecting a little girl in July. Some of these fabrics were in my friend Martha's stash and some came from my friend JoJo. I purchased the two gray flannel fabrics.

My favorite fabric is the duck print. I considered cutting it into two sections; but, Gertie suggested it would make a bigger impact if I left it in one piece. I had to admit that I agreed with her.

I pieced the yellow to make it wide enough to fit the area I wanted to fill.  I loved being able to use the larger chunks of the scraps. With about 40 minutes left of the three hour class, I had pieced the center of the top. At this point, Gertie reminded me that if I were making a pattern, I might have a few blocks stitched!

Top at the end of the first sewing session

I did share my progress with Rosanne and she shared my photo with the class. It was fun to see all the different fabrics, orientations and curves that people constructed. The variety was amazing!

It was tricky to cut a curved border that was longer than my cutting mat. I found using a pin to hold the layers together above the cutable area allowed less shifting of the fabrics.

About 40 minutes after class ended, I had pieced the top. I stopped for the day at this point. The last border on one side had ripples. I wanted to think about how to fix it over night.

The following day, I tried making a deeper curve; but that didn't help the ripple issue. What did help was to take a few seams in the strip. In the end, I managed to remove most of the wave in that border.

Pieced back

I pieced the back. I knew I wanted to use the grey dotted fabric for the binding. To ensure that I had enough to go around the quilt, I cut the binding before I started laying out possibilities for the back.

Because I hope the child will drag this quilt everywhere, I used the plain gray flannel fabric for the back. Gray won't show the dirt as much as yellow would have! Of course, I didn't have enough grey fabric. I also had a curved edge on one side the grey flannel.

I needed all the fabric I could get, so I laid a yellow strip along the edge; but, it wasn't long enough. No problem, I pieced it with a piece of the dot print. I still was a few inches short of having the back wide enough. I was able to cut a strip of the gray dotted fabric. When I added it to the back, I was relieved that it was big enough for my top! 

Backing ready to receive pieced batting

If I had had another brighter fabric chunk, I would have pieced another curve into the backing. I love the interest effect the curve provided for the back. 

Next, I pieced some chunks of 80/20 batting to make a piece large enough to cover the top. I piece the leftovers of my batting together. I'd rather purchase thread or fabric so I use every bit of the batting leftover from a previous project possible.

I laid the backing on my kitchen table. When the backing is larger than my table, I use clamps all around. When the backing is smaller that my table, I use masking tape to hold the backing in place. 

Basted and ready to quilt

In this case, the backing was a little larger than my table on one side. I used a combination of tape and clamps to hold the backing in place! I laid my batting on top of the backing and smoothed it in place. I laid the top on top of the batting and smoothed the top again. I got out my basting safety pins and pinned all the layers together at medium intervals.

In about an hour, I had pin basted this 40 inch x 42 inch top! Perhaps, over the next couple of days, I will complete the quilting. My plan is that the quilting will be simple and add texture.

I plan to use my walking foot to stitch wavy lines as the quilting. I think that a yellow and gray thread would blend well in the light and dark fabrics respectively. I plan to use polyester thread in the needle and cotton thread in the bobbin.  My goal is to keep the quilt soft and snuggly.

This was goal number 10 on my February list. It has been a fun and a relatively quick project. I definitely will use this technique again! Thanks Rosanne H for sharing the curved piecing technique!

Jingle Bell Dance Blocks Completed

Scrap selection for the blocks

In May, one of the Mystery Mavens suggested we have a block swap. This small group formed to stitch the Bonnie Hunter mystery quilt because it is more fun to stitch a project together. Bonnie's mystery stitching begins in November and ends in January. We spend the rest of the year finishing the mystery or stitching other projects. Some members stitch other patterns of Bonnie's. It is a fun group of ladies.

Debbie suggested the swap and suggested the pattern. While I was "in" for the red and green color way because I have a lot of red and green scraps, others were not. In the end we decided to use the color wheel and to make complimentary colored blocks.

Joen Wolfrom's color wheel

My inner squirrel was all in for the swap. I resisted for about a minute. Fabric selection is the part of the quilting process that causes me the most angst. I believed practicing with the color wheel while constructing the blocks would be a good growing exercise for me.

The group also determined that we would use our stash and that we would make three Jingle Bell Square blocks and three hour glass blocks for each person who wanted to participate in the swap. Because this swap was to be fun,
we set the due date months out. We talked about kitting the blocks and sewing them as a leader ender project as a way to make blocks without taking away from sewing time on our other projects.

Rainbow color wheel

I planned to sew my blocks as leader/enders until I started to pull possible fabrics for the process. What you see in the photo is some of the green fabric choices. In my head, I planned red blocks with a green accent. I sifted through the chunks in the red drawer and pulled possibilities. I did stitch a few red blocks. Because I couldn't close the green scrap drawer, green became my main fabric color. 

I sorted the fabrics into color ways. Sometimes, it was a struggle to find the third red or green fabric to finish the block. Sometimes it was a struggle to find the red or green accent fabric! For the first blocks, I used Joen Wolfrom's color wheel. I liked it because it represents the true colors. Some of my fabridcs had a lot of gray tones in them which made it harder for me to decipher what colors I had. 

First block

I also used the  Rainbow color wheel. I liked this color wheel because it contained the complimentary colors of the shades. Sometimes to make a block, I had to use fabric shades to have enough fabrics. Of course, as I used up the scraps, my options became more limited so I had to stretch myself to really look at the fabric to determine what colors I was really working with.

I've mixed batiks, tone on tones, and small prints together as long as I could determine the color range was complementary. It was a good exercise. My eye is better at seeing the yellow or the blue hues in the green now. While I wouldn't say that I'm a color expert, I am more confident pairing fabrics. I also am more confident using the color wheels. I ended up using both through stitching the blocks.

Some of the greens from my stash

Once I had selected and cut the fabrics, I stitched them together following the block diagram. I did my share of unstitching. If there was a way to misplace a block element, I did it. I also did it more than once! Hour glasses oriented vertical instead of horizontal, center sashing that was flipped so the accent color wasn't against the inner hour glass block and points that didn't match, cut off or were floating in the background.

For a simple block, I found it challenging at times to end up with an 8 1/2 inch unfinished block! In the end, I finished the main blocks as well as the additional hour glass blocks for the exchange. My inner squirrel patted me on the back for stretching my fabric selection skills.

We plan to exchange the blocks towards the end of September. When we exchange, I don't know if I'll stitch the blocks into a 4x6 configuration or if I'll make more blocks. I don't know if I'll use the small hour glass blocks as a partial border or if I'll make more. My next steps will depend on what the blocks look like together as well as what my inner squirrel wants to do. Already, she is getting excited about the block possibilities that might be making their way to our studio!

Blocks ready for the exchange

This was goal number eight on my June goal list. I'm linking to Oh Scrap/Quilting Is More Fun Than Housework. I'm enjoying that my green scrap drawer closes easily. There are however many more block possibilities residing in that drawer!

Regarding COVID:

Worldwide: 176M cases; 3.79M deaths

United States: 33.4M cases; 600K deaths

Oregon: 205K cases; 2,759 deaths

In the United States, the number of deaths and hospitalizations continue to decrease. However, there is yet another variant which is causing an increase in the number of COVID cases.

In Oregon, about 56% of the state population has received at least one dose of the vaccine. Now, people could pick up a $100 gift cards for Safeway or Fred Meyer (grocery stores) when they receive their first shot.

Friday, the county where I live was moved from the moderate risk category to the low risk category. We have reached 65% vaccinated meaning that people have received at least one dose of the vaccine. This is a big step! We are also about five weeks from our daughter visiting us from London. . . .I hope President Biden lifts the travel ban soon so it will be easier for her to arrive!

More Masks--

First mask ready to cut

A friend sent me an e-mail last week asking me for "Terry Masks" for her family. She said she had recycled t-shirts into masks. She wanted to be able to slip an additional filter into the mask for extra protection. Her pattern didn't allow for that function and she had seen the ones that I had made for my family.

She doesn't sew. She wrote, that her family would be happily surprised to get out of the "Seattle Grunge" kind  that she had created! I chuckled over that comment! I decided that I would need to stitch three pair of masks for males and two pair of masks for females.

I have little fabric that "speak" male. I won that red fat quarter several years ago. I don't remember what I made with it initially, but, it was the perfect fabric for this purpose!

The view at the mid-point

Over a couple days, I stitched 10 masks. Friday, my husband mailed the package to my friend who lives in Washington State near Seattle. Those of you who have stitched that many masks in a morning or an evening. My hat is off to you! I don't have that type of production in me!

I used a twist tie from the grocery store as the nose wire in most of these masks. I found that a nine inch by thirteen scrap was large enough to make a mask. I used more packages of my grandmother's bias tape. I now have all of the bias tape in one drawer.

There is the outer fabric, the lining and a muslin facing in this project. I used 1 3/4 yard of fabric. I have now used 35 3/4 yards from my stash in projects this year. This project was an addition to my finish a long goals so I won't be counting it as an "official" finish.

10 finished masks

Regarding Covid--
Worldwide:
4.02M confirmed; 1.38M recovered, 979K deaths
U.S.:
1.34M confirmed; 210K recovered, 76,696 deaths
Oregon:
3,160 confirmed, 71460 negative, 120 deaths

The Oregon Governor is allowing Oregon to slowly begin to open. In counties where there is little Covid activity, the county can apply to open boutiques, jewelry stores, furniture stores and art galleries as early as May 15. Kids summer camps also fall in this category.

Some outdoor parks opened on May 5 for people to be able to walk and hike. Social distancing and masks are to be used. Gyms might be able to open around the first of June.

Rice is still hard to find as is flour. We may have meat shortages; but, so far Bob has been able to purchase the items on the grocery list. We have quite

Readying the clippers for cutting hair

a bit of meat in the freezer so we should be okay for six months or more with what we have on hand.

Growing up, we canned and preserved foods in the summer months that we ate in the winter months. Our pantry was well stocked. In my married life, we've continued to keep a stocked pantry and have always had the space to do it.

Yesterday, I cut my husband's hair with dog clippers. In my life, I've trimmed horses, cattle and dogs but, I haven't trimmed human hair. I was nervous about clipping his ear or gouging his scalp. The first time, I used the shortest guards that came with the clippers. While the haircut felt better to Bob, it wasn't short enough for him.

He encouraged me to take the guard off and to cut it again. I took a deep breath and I recut his hair. I drew no blood. The results are good. I think it looks like he did see his barber. I trimmed his eyebrows, ears and nose too. He loved his hair cut. I hope that by the time he needs another hair cut, the barber will be open. Although I would cut his hair again if needed.

After the hair cut

I was surprised at the pile of hair that came off of his head. It was a windy day. We decided the best place to cut hair was outdoors so the hair was blown away before I could photograph the pile! I'll also admit, I hadn't seen his "curls" in many years. I did like seeing them!

He said he would do clip my hair for me; but I politely declined his offer. My hair can continue to grow. I can braid it if it bothers me too much!

We are still encouraged to shelter in place as much as possible. On Monday, I have a chiropractic appointment and that will be my first outing since March 19. She was the last place I visited. I will be wearing a mask during my appointment. Thursday and Friday, I will be teaching CPR skills at the hospital. I'll be wearing gloves and a mask the entire day.

Today, is Mother's Day. My mom dropped by for an unexpected overnight yesterday. She was on her way from Woodland, Washington to Bend, Oregon because she wanted to check on her Bend house. At 82, she lives her life according to her rules.

Happy Mother's Day to all moms. Moms of fur babies count too!

December recap

Desserts at high tea

Happy New Year! I wish you all good fortune in the coming year. I've been thinking about what I want to accomplish in 2020. First, I need to recap what happened last month.

I listed seven goals for myself in December. Of those goals, I decided not to do one. I amended one goal. Instead of having a sew day with Miss K, we had a sew afternoon. Making the amendment instead waiting for a whole day meant we made progress on her project which was the end goal. I completed two goals and made progress on two other goals. Anytime I make progress, I deem the month a success!

Teaching wise, I taught 26 participants in health care provider CPR.  I helped train eight Water Safety Instructors and completed a lifeguard instructor review for seven people. Three of those participants also renewed their lifeguard cards so I trained a total of 44 people this month.

The breakdown for teaching in 2019 was:
Bloodborne pathogen training 18, Lay Rescuer CPR 68, Lifeguards 17, Lifeguard Instructors 48, Water Safety Instructors 8, Swimming lessons 147, Babysitters Training 34, Healthcare Provider CPR 334 and Inservice Training 22  for a total of 696 people for the year. 

For the quarter, I had two finishes for the Finish-A-Long program. I'm okay with two finishes. I finished two book club quilts-- A-B-C quilt and Trio of Sisters. This month, I'll get back to the projects and again begin making a dent in my project list. The Finish A-Long program has helped me accomplish more finishes so I plan to continue participating.

A container of Chex mix and fun sock gifts

What made December fun was partying, lunching and sewing with friends. My friend, Pat, who lives down the hill from me, hosts an annual Christmas party. I caught up with three friends I hadn't seen since the last party which was great! The potluck dishes were delicious and the dice game we play for the wrapped ornament present was hilarious.

Mid month, I went with a special friend to lunch at the Mountain View Golf Course near where I live. I've never been there. Service was great, the tomato soup was delicious. I will have to go another day!

I took a drive to The Dalles with a friend who had business to conduct. We chatted the whole trip planning what classes we will be teaching together in 2020. We also got together to watch the last basketball game of Miss K! (I sent my friend the wrong time so she arrived after the game; but, we still snuck in a short visit!)

Leaf quilting detail

At the end of the month,  I met up with two coworkers at Cafe Yumm which offers a variety of vegetarian and vegan menu items. This restaurant is also located close to where I live that I've not tried. I had a Yumm bowl which was good. We try to get together every couple of months to catch up. I do miss working with both of them!

Also, mid month, I attended a tea with two other friends. Not only did I get to catch up with them; but, the retreat center where the tea was held featured a quilter. We looked at about 120 quilts of her work. Tea, quilts and friends are a great combination!

I participated in two sew days with the Mystery Mavens. This is the group that I formed to play along with the Bonnie Hunter mystery which is "Frolic" this year. It is so much more fun to be sewing along with a group!!!

I am so fortunate to have such a wealth of friends!

Before the haircut

Progress on the leaves quilt is coming along. I have quilted backgrounds on nine of the 24 blocks which represents about 31 hours of quilting. While I was sad that I was unable to finish this quilt in time for my daughter's birthday, I am excited that it will be finished in time for her birthday next year! I have found that I can quilt for about three hours in a day. I cut the hour into 15 minute segments. I stretch at the end of each segment and then I do a different activity for about an hour. The stretches and activity changes sure help my body endure the quilting.

I am enjoying the quilting process and there is something to say for quilting the same filler in the background. Not having to think about what comes next has allowed my mind to think about other projects as well as planning the next section of quilting that beast!

After the haircut

The actual name for the quilt is "Leaves" but, I affectionately call it "The Beast" because it is 100 inches by 108 inches which is a huge project to quilt on my domestic sewing machine!

On a personal note, a hairdresser cut about six inches off of my hair. I hadn't had a haircut in almost two years! I had considered growing it to donate it; but, didn't do more than consider when the other gals in the "donation" group decided not to donate. They cut their hair at the end of summer.

Shorter means that it takes less effort to wash and to dry. My hair is still long enough that I can pull it all into a hair tie. Having it this length makes it easier to keep my hair under control when I teach swim lessons. About 40 years ago my hair reached my waist. This time it reached the middle of my back. I don't miss the length!

Merry Christmas

Cross stitch on linen 

Merry Christmas! I hope you are enjoying family and friends today. This year, the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas evaporated!

My friend, JoJo, will be moving to Alabama by the end of next month. I am so going to miss being able to run by her house to pick her brain for ideas to challenges. I will miss the awesome lunches she prepared, the laughter we shared and all the Bowdee adoration! (Bowdee is her dog who took a special shine to me!)

JoJo stitched the ornament which I will cherish as a keepsake. I can't imagine cross stitching on linen. She included red which is my favorite color and yellow which is her favorite color. She stitched the words in French because I love France. She included a special button from her collection. She included sewing motifs because we both enjoy quilting and stitching.

Earlier this month, I pulled out my "Christmas" clothing. I used to add an item each year; but, in the last ten years, I've reduced my inventory to three favorites. I have a couple sweaters and a sweatshirt that I look forward to wearing during the season. Because they are "seasonal," these items have been around for a long time.

Thirty one years ago when the kids were in elementary school, we took a trip to Disneyland.  My dad's mom lived in Morro Bay, California. We spent a couple nights visiting with her. She enjoyed shopping and sharing what made the area paradise to her. She loved the variety and uniqueness of the shops in and around Morro Bay.

One evening, we went to dinner and in a store window near the restaurant, I saw a sweater that I loved. The store was closed so having a closer look wasn't an option. Her agenda didn't have a trip back to this location. The following day, she altered her agenda. She drove us back to the store, where I bought the sweater. It wasn't on sale. Rarely, do I purchase clothing that isn't on sale. (I figure any savings means more fabric and thread buying ability!) I remember that the sweater cost $30.

The sweater is a deep pink with pearls embellishing a white leafy design at the neckline. I was attracted to the neckline because it reminded me of  the edges of a snowflake. I was also attracted to the pearl embellishment! Over time, I lost some pearls. Now that I have done a little beadwork, I understand the importance of knotting the thread so that if it were to break, one wouldn't lose a bunch of beads.

In my husband's grandmother's bead stash were some pearls that were about the right size and color for the sweater. I added them and restitched each pearl to the neckline. These will be in place for years to come!

The free standing lace embroidered snowflake was the ornament that I won at Pat's Christmas party earlier in the month. My friend, Martha, loved snowflakes so getting it at the party was extra special.

Now, I'm off to make some more memories with family. Life is good!

November Recap

Framed thank you notes

At the beginning of November, my friend, Gail, sent me a photo of the thank you notes the grandkids, J and K, had written to her husband, Dick. Dick had invited us to see his trains run. He has made an amazing display of trains, track, countryside and cities. The girls were awed with all the details of the layout. They wrote their thank you notes after their visit and I mailed them. Dick and Gail purchased a frame and mounted the thank you in a frame which they hung for their open house guests to see.

Barb and a project that she stitched on my machine

In this day and age, a written thank you note is a rarity. Miss J was concerned about "writing" her note since she just turned six. She said she is in school but, she hadn't learned how to "write" yet! She came up with a plan and she completed her thank you. Miss K completed her thank you entirely on her own. I was impressed with her vocabulary and sentiment! Kudos to their momma, A, who has supervised their thank you notes from the time each could make marks on paper!

One day while I was out walking the dog, I had a conversation with my neighbor, Barb, across the street. Her Bernina was in the shop because the thread cutter needed repair. She was waiting her second week for the part. She was in the middle of a special project that had to be finished by November 22.

Barn block

Barb and I purchased our machines from the same dealer at about the same time. I asked her if she wanted to borrow my machine. At first she said no. Then she said she would think about it. A day later, she said yes! I was happy to share Joie, which is my 790 Bernina, for about a week. Barb shared with me one of the embroidery projects she made during the week!

While Joie was away, I used Inky, my 1947 featherweight to do some piecing. I also used Bernie, my first Bernina to do some applique and to begin the quilting on my book club quilt. I made a quilt block for an outgoing guild president. The outgoing president has had several barn quilt painting sessions so the block choice fit! I "painted" my quilt block with micron pens and needle turned appliquéd the lame windows. I liked it finished.

I also combed my stash for the "Frolic" fabrics which is the Bonnie Hunter mystery that kicked off on Black Friday. My neutral bag isn't in the photo. I did purchase a few fabrics because I had no aqua and I wasn't sure about the light blue. I formed a Facebook group made up of Mt. Hood guild members to stitch this mystery. It took me a long time to piece the mystery quilt from last year. My thought was working in a group would help us all move toward the finish line. We meet tomorrow to support one another. I'll be posting progress from time to time!

Frolic fabrics

Last week, I shared my finished Karen Kay Buckley project with Karen. When I take a class with a teacher, I try to drop them an e-mail after the class thanking them for the class. Once I finish the project, even if it takes years, I e-mail a photo and thank them again. Karen not only wrote back with some nice comments, she asked if she could share my project on her social media! Of course, I said yes! A day later, she posted it on her instagram account. I met someone who lives sort of in my neck of the woods who might join one of the guilds I am member. I felt like "Queen for the Day" with the recognition from Karen.

With my book club, I led them through three drawing exercises. I was impressed with everyone's efforts! We had a few laughs and people said it was a fun day. . .WHEW!!! I was hoping for that kind of a review! In January, we will have the reveal for this book at a tea shop. That will be my last activity. Later in the month, we will discuss our next book! This is the third book that I've led the discussions.

This month, I taught 23 kids in swimming lessons, 30 participants in Red Cross lay rescuer CPR and 15 participants in American Heart Healthcare Provider CPR for a total of 68 people.

In terms of my November goals, I completed six of my 10 goals. I made progress on two other goals. I did not do the November embroidery lessons. I did stitch the October embroidery lesson. I haven't documented the lesson yet! I'm not too far behind!  I have had one finish to report this quarter. I am quilting a beast. . .the leaves quilt that I shared with you in the last two posts. I am making progress and having fun which is what counts in the end!

We had a nice laid back Thanksgiving. My mom who recently began splitting her time between Woodland, WA and Bend, OR, had planned to have dinner with us. In Bend, she woke up to eight inches of snow one morning and four the next morning so she decided to skip driving over the mountain pass. Her decision was a smart move as the previous day there had been an accident that closed the highway for a number of hours. She had dinner with my brother instead.

Shading exercise I shared with my book club

My husband cooked dinner which we shared with a couple friends. They brought dessert and appetizers. . .it was great pairings all the way around!  Later that evening daughter A and I did some pre Black Friday shopping. It was a little crazy; but I was home by 10pm. I did over sleep the following morning; but, daughter A and I did a lot of shopping. I still made it to the first store by 5am! We went to a lot of stores and because few door buster deals were on our lists, we avoided most of the crowds. I have missed two Black Friday shopping days--both times I was on a trip in the last 27 years we've been going. This year, we went out for breakfast to celebrate our finish! We might need to make breakfast part of our tradition!

Our neighbors for the last five years are in the process of moving to more acreage for all their livestock. Our new neighbors moved in enough supplies to have Thanksgiving in their new house. Yesterday, they were moving in beds and other furniture. Sylvia, the previous neighbors' milk cow, came for a visit. The new neighbors were trying to catch her which she was having no part of that game! I was able to catch her and walk her back to her digs. It is nice to know our new neighbors are kind and helpful. Life is always good!

Walleye Fishing

Down river view

First, Happy Mother's Day to all the Moms who are reading this post. . .I wish your two legged and your four legged friends and family make your day extra special!

Bob and I haven't been fishing in a long time. Last fall the trip that we had planned was rained out.  Scott, who Bob roomed with in college, called and set up a walleye fishing trip. The guide, Touché, calls his business Fly by Nyte Fishing.

His wife, Kathee, manages the booking part of the business. Touché and Kathee have been married 52 years. When they talk about each other, they do so with love and respect. They are each other's best friend. It is cool to see relationships like theirs exist in this day and age!

Across the river view

We were up early last Sunday morning. (I got up at 3AM.) We drove about one hour and 45 minutes to be in Rufus Oregon by six in the morning. Well, Bob drove and I slept! I find that the time passes quickly when I'm reviewing the inside of my eyelids! Bob has teased me for years about how long trips take me! 😴

Rufus is a tiny town on the Columbia River near The Dallas in Oregon. It is part of the region called the Columbia River gorge. It is almost always windy in this area and sometimes, the gusts are

View from the dock

so strong that fishing trips are canceled. On our day, the weather was beautiful.  Right away, I snapped a few photos because the river was like glass. Usually, the water would be choppy and there would also be lots of other boats on the water.

The most boats we saw at any given time during our 7am-3pm fishing excursion was five. I was really surprised.

Girlie resting as we traveled to another fishing hole

This time of year, the hills are covered with spring green new grass which makes the hills appear to be the texture of velvet. I enjoyed the views from the river almost as much as I did catching fish and getting acquainted with "Girlie," the guide's dog and sidekick.

Girlie is a three year old Australian shepherd or in that part of the country she is called a cow dog. She was so well behaved and such an expressive dog that she was fun to be around.

She and Touché are joined at the hip. The inside of the boat is like her living room. She knows all the stops and routines of the day. While we traveled to the various fishing holes, she rested.

Girlie's "Is it lunch time yet" look

When we were getting close to lunch time, she looked right at Touché as if to say, are we there yet? It was obvious when we were arriving at her swimming hole and squirrel chasing area because she was primed to exit the boat as efficiently as possible!

Touché was a great guide. He has been fishing and hunting his whole life and has been a fishing guide for at least the last 20 years. He told us he was 80 years old. . .If I would have been asked his age, I would have thought in his late 60s! His boat was comfortable to ride in. On a windy day, the cover would have been extra nice!

He shared lots of fishing tales in-between netting our catch. He told us often not to worry about snagging the bottom with his fishing gear because that  was where the fish were.

Girlie's "Are we there yet" look

This was my first time to walleye fish. Bob has been a couple of times. It is a delicious white meated fish. I thought fresh caught Alaskan halibut was the best until I ate walleye!

I managed to catch two walleye. When they bite, their bite is so light that you might miss it; but, you need to reel the line in, otherwise, they take your bait and live another day!

We hadn't had our lines in the water long before I had caught the first fish.  Touché estimated it to be about five pounds which he claimed was a nice one. To me, any keeper is a nice one!

He said the spawning season had ended so the female fish were a little fatter. In general, the fish this time of the year are smaller than those caught in February or March; but, these fish are better eating.

Patty, Scott's wife, caught the next fish. She had been on five guided trips and this was the first fish she had caught. It was cool to see her catch a fish. Feeling the fish take the bait and then run with it is such a thrill. Some fishing trips no one catches anything. My dad always said that was why it was called fishing rather than catching!

River view of Mt. Hood

We each caught another walleye and then Scott caught one. Next he caught a bass. I lost a couple bass and he lost a walleye. Just because you manage to hook a fish, doesn't necessarily mean that you will successfully land it!

After lunch, we all had a few more bites; but, Bob was the only one to land a fish in the afternoon. Even as our day was ending, the river was still calm. I never tired of seeing Mt. Hood from the river. I have a different view of Mt. Hood from our property. Touche' turned the boat so I could get a shot of Mt. Hood, the river and the hills. Notice how few boats are on the water.

At the end of the trip, Touché loaded his boat and we drove the couple miles back to his shop where he cleaned, filleted and vacuumed packed our catch.Bob and I both agreed that we would like to take another trip with him. We  had a great time catching up with Scott and Patty who live a few miles away in The Dalles. I hope another fishing trip is in our plans!

Catch at the end of the day

Mesh Grocery Bag--First Finish 1st Quarter 2019 FAL

Bag ready for top stitching

A few days ago, I stitched my first mesh grocery bag. I decided that before too many more days passed, I would stitch another so I could apply what I learned from my first experience to my second! This time, I cut the top bands at 3 1/2 inches. I cut four pockets--two at 9x15 inches and one at 9x12 inches.  I had a little piece of fabric left so I cut another pocket at 9x10 inches. The pattern directions were to cut one at 9x15 inches and the other pocket at 9x12 inches.

Finished bag

This time I applied fusible stabilizer to all the fabric pieces. The stitching result was better. It was easier to stitch the top band to the bag. For the next bag, I will cut the band at the recommended three inches. After I topstitched the top edge of the pockets, I layered two together and basted a quarter inch around the edges. Next time, I would baste the bottom at 1/2 inch so it would be easier to place under the lower edge of the bottom fabric piece. I also stitched a center line to divide the outer smaller pocket on one pair of pockets into two sections.

Gail and Connie with their mesh tote bags

I still had some stretching with the top bands. There really is no way to be able to stitch those with the fabric side down. The bottom fabric also stretched a bit; but so much less than without the stabilizer. It worked to stitch the side seams at 1/8 inch and then again at 1/4 inch. It was also wise to use a shorter stitch so that when I cut out the squares at the bag bottom to make the box corners, the seam didn't unstitch as much.

I have enough mesh to make at least seven more bags. I wish I could remember why I thought mesh bags were such a good deal! Actually, I thought that this was the soft type of mesh that is used in accessory bags. Perhaps, I will make a few to see if they will sell at the guild bazaar.

I used 3/4 yard of fabric. I have 56 1/4 yards to meet my goal of using 57 1/2 yards from my stash this year. This was goal number 16 on my First Quarter FAL list and my first finish for the quarter.

This project and the previous grocery tote I gifted yesterday. I had a stitching day with Gail and Connie. It is good to have stitching days with friends. I am fortunate to have some special stitching friends. Gail and I worked together years ago. One day at work I discovered that she was a fellow quilter! I liked her even more after I learned that fact! I met Connie through Gail. She finished 25 projects last year and started 40 new ones! She is so resourceful. I always learn cool tips from her. We had a fun day sharing what we have completed, what we are working on and what we are planning to work on! Life is GREAT!!!