We're into August, now, pulling ourselves through summer one week at a time! I've been feeling a little under the weather for the past few days. Nothing too bad, but generally tired with a few nebulous symptoms that seem to come and go. I suspect that a lot of it boils down to the typical failure to do what we all should (but not enough of us manage): getting sufficient sleep, managing stress, maintaining a healthy diet (including drinking enough water), and exercising.
I took a two-hour (or longer?) nap Sunday afternoon, which is almost unheard of for me. I'm not a big napper, generally, but sometimes you need that extra sleep, no matter when you can grab it.
I'm still chugging along with the "Tall Tales" quilt. Slowly, but making progress. I probably average about a block a day, slowed down by the days I'm putting together new "kits" and those other days when I spend no time working on it at all.
These blocks seem like they should come together quickly-- and maybe I'm just slow-- but there are quite a few steps per block, so they take longer than you might think. (And again, I'm making two of each one, whenever possible.)
There are 23 on the design wall at the moment. (That's 23 for one quilt, 22 off to the side for the other quilt.) This photo was taken before I added the last five to the wall.
What a little trouble-maker! And he has the gall to look pleased with himself!!
Frodo, startled from his nap...
I took a two-hour (or longer?) nap Sunday afternoon, which is almost unheard of for me. I'm not a big napper, generally, but sometimes you need that extra sleep, no matter when you can grab it.
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I'm still chugging along with the "Tall Tales" quilt. Slowly, but making progress. I probably average about a block a day, slowed down by the days I'm putting together new "kits" and those other days when I spend no time working on it at all.
These blocks seem like they should come together quickly-- and maybe I'm just slow-- but there are quite a few steps per block, so they take longer than you might think. (And again, I'm making two of each one, whenever possible.)
There are 23 on the design wall at the moment. (That's 23 for one quilt, 22 off to the side for the other quilt.) This photo was taken before I added the last five to the wall.
Kits ready to go, off to the side...
One thing I've learned about foundation paper piecing is that there's always at least a little waste as you trim things down to size. It's unavoidable, though I try to keep pieces as close to the finished size as possible without missing the targets. Some of the scraps are too teensy to use, but there are others big enough to go into my box of crumbs. Along with the crumbs generated by the "Hunter's String Stars" quilt, they're starting to accumulate. I'm looking forward to indulging in a little crumb piecing, one of these days!
I've been using a scrap to keep my chain-piecing going smoothly. I'd toyed with the idea of starting a leader and ender project-- a simple lozenge quilt, to be precise-- but the thought of putting everything on hold to find and cut enough pieces to get that going gave me pause. I wasn't up to making decisions about what fabrics to use, and I was afraid I'd end up losing my momentum on "Tall Tales".
Then I saw the little tray of bonus triangle off-cuts from the "Hunter's String Stars" quilt and realized that they were the perfect little leaders and enders project. I haven't been using them for long, but it already feels like progress. It's nice to know they're getting done! Sitting down to sew long, boring chains of tiny HSTs wouldn't have been much fun, but this way, I hardly even notice I'm working on them.
Then I saw the little tray of bonus triangle off-cuts from the "Hunter's String Stars" quilt and realized that they were the perfect little leaders and enders project. I haven't been using them for long, but it already feels like progress. It's nice to know they're getting done! Sitting down to sew long, boring chains of tiny HSTs wouldn't have been much fun, but this way, I hardly even notice I'm working on them.
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No progress to speak of in any other crafty pursuit. The doily is going slowly at the moment, and I still haven't started on the next machine quilting project. Eventually!
In dog news, last week Frodo found something truly disgusting in the yard and-- obviously, as any dog would add-- rolled in it. Stinky! 👃💀👎 He had to go to puppy prison (his crate) for a while. I snapped a photo for posterity, wiped him off the best I could with a couple of clean rags (he hates it and doesn't make it easy), then left him in the crate to dry. When we went back for round two of cleaning, he'd worked his Eskie magic and looked clean again!
What a little trouble-maker! And he has the gall to look pleased with himself!!
I like them better when they're staying clean and keeping me company in my craft room. 😉
Luna lazing behind a storage crate...
Frodo, startled from his nap...
How about a gif of Frodo running in circles around the coffee table?
(Notice there are no throw pillows on the couch. This is because Frodo likes to grab them, run with them around the room, and "kill" them by shaking them/chewing them. Donald is convinced he's doing this just to get some attention. All I know is that until he calms down and matures a bit more, I won't bother making new decorative covers for those pillows!)
And just because I've never done it and want to see if it works, here's a video clip of Frodo being a little too interested in the quilt top. (I've since folded and repositioned it so it's out of harm's way-- or so I hope!)
And just because I've never done it and want to see if it works, here's a video clip of Frodo being a little too interested in the quilt top. (I've since folded and repositioned it so it's out of harm's way-- or so I hope!)
Let's see if this video thing works...
I hope your August is off to a good start!