Star #21...

...out of 90.  

I've been working 6 days a week for the past month or so.  Even though the extra shifts aren't all that long they're still enough to punch a hole in the middle of what could've been a productive day at home.  Hat also started working 6 day weeks around the same time... 10 hour work days for him not counting (unpaid) half hour lunch plus 1.5 hours driving.  Poor husband.   If we didn't live under the same roof we'd never see each other.  As it is, its just while coming, going and sleeping.   Besides going to work, nothing much else has been getting done around here beyond the bare basics. 

Youngest son C stopped by one evening this week with his youngest, my granddaughter.  It was a nice evening so we sat outside.   I'm really proud of what a wonderful father he has turned out to be, and grateful he lives very near by so I get to see him and his babies often :)

Oldest daughter "rayray" drove up from Indy yesterday for sort of a surprise visit, no real reason just to sit and catch up on news.   The best kind of visit!   I've been blessed with wonderful kids, I really have.

We (darling Hat, me, 4 of our "kids" plus 2 of the grandkids) are getting away for a camping/beach vacation in less than two weeks.   I'm really looking forward to it!

inches of progress, miles to go

I really thought I basted (a measly) 6 diamonds this week. Until I went to dutifully photograph this pitiful progress and realized its actually (measlier!) 5 and a half!  Dilemma... should I (cheat and) hurry up and take those last few big basting stitches to make it complete 6 OR ...photograph real life.?  

It is what it is.

 

linking up with Jessica at Life Under Quilts, Monday Morning Star Count.  

Star #20

"Monday Morning Star Count" on a Tuesday. Yep I'm late. Again!


Last week I counted #17 & #18 done, but that was inaccurate... actually those were stars #18 & #19!  So this completed star makes 20 done out of 90... 

..plus some basting.  Linking up with Jessica at Life Under Quilts.  Hope everyone had a good week.

 





Star Count

I completed 2 stars this week and basted a few more diamonds.   New star count is 18 out of 90.  inching along.  I took the photo of my progress on Monday morning but then didn't get around to blogging about it until now (aka Tuesday morn).  No real good reason other than 4th of July weekend was fun but hectic and I am worn out.

I only bought 1/8 yard of this sunflower fabric but now I'm thinking it would be a good choice for the quilt backing. 
hindsight is 20/20 vision.
 

It just started raining here with some pretty impressive force.  I hear a lot of thunder too.  I think that's a good sign I should end this post before the computer gets hit by lightning.  going to (sort of) link up with Jessica @LifeUnderQuilts BlogSpot and her Monday Morning Star Count.

monday morning...ok, afternoon... star count

17 out of 90 whole stars completed.
1 out of approximately 25 partial stars completed.

I did some basting this week.  not a lot.  and I stitched one star.  woot!!!!  almost all this progress was accomplished on Tuesday evening while Hat and I watched Deadliest Catch.  We really like the show, and on Tuesdays they show the previous week's (or two's) episode(s), then a show called The Bait where the cast discusses behind the scenes stuff, and then the actual new episode, which is sometimes also followed by another program called After The Catch where the crew again assembles and talks about more behind the scenes stuff.   we like all of it.  and its great to watch all that snow and ice when we are sitting in the middle of sticky summer humidness.  stitch stitch stitch to the sounds of seagulls and waves crashing.

I try to baste 3 minty green "background" diamonds for every one star since that's about the ratio needed. I sorted my fabrics into color families and am working through one family at a time (yellows, reds, greens, browns).  I'm getting near the end of the yellows although I will need to repeat some fabrics later. 

linking up with jess @LifeUnderQuilts

Summertime

its been a month since my last post.  I was just starting to get the hang of blogging and now im afraid ive forgotten how I did some stuff again... I actually forgot how to even get to this blog place, and forgot the password when I found it.  good thing I don't use so many passwords, I just kept guessing at the "usual" ones I use and one of them worked.  yay!!

not much quilting progress in this past month because summer got in the way.  we did a lot of yard things including build an extension of the porch to help connect to the pool.  sort of a boardwalk.  this is phase one of the pool deck. the actual deck may or may not get completed this summer but I already enjoy the new part.  we completed this part just in time for memorial day and hosted our big family for a cookout/pool party.  wonderful time by all, wow the kids and grandkids sure grow up fast.

two weeks after the cookout we hosted an adult-family canoe trip.  hilarious time.  I love our family, they are just the funnest people.  casualties while canoeing included clothing, keys, a wedding band and 2 smart phones... worse than usual but still a great time!







the family that canoes together stays together :)



we had a total of 5 canoes and 2 kayaks.

this weekend I did actually get busy again on quilting!!  well ... sort of.  I finished colorfastness testing new stash fabrics, then prewashed, ironed and starched them all. (bleahhhh!!!  "laundry" is not my favorite part of the quilt process!)  and last nite I cut diamonds from some of them.   today is going to be more cutting of diamonds and then... maybe ... even... stitching!!  woot!

 

going to (attempt to!) link up with Jessica at Life Under Quilts BlogSpot for her Monday Morning Star Count.



I think I just posted blog post number two!  Partly for practice going to try #3 now :)

oooo..... don't tell hubby aka "Hat" I secretly am lusting after this... this week i bought some fabrics that will go great with current quilt which i am not even remotely close to finishing... but i absolutely love the pattern above and it is already on my bucket list.  its called "Third Weekend In October".  The quilt im working on contains the same colors that are in this one, and i actually really do need more fabrics to finish it, so my recent shopping spree can be mostly justified.   b u t... yes there are one or two (OK maybe 7!) fabric cuts that made their way into my bag that have nothing to do with current project but will be sooo perfect for background and creek parts of Third Weekend In October.  While i was inside fabric store going crazy his dear self was outside organizing his fishing poles and bait and i don't even know what... i really just close my ears when he starts telling me about leeches and bee moths and... ugh.... i am careful when i get into his truck so  i don't get a hook stabbed into me.  but he was very patient.  LOVE YOU HAT!!!

oh wow... and here is the quilt photo i found online that resolved my diamonds vs hexies struggle...  this photo is my inspiration.  its actually my cell phone lock-screen wallpaper.  its the basic pattern of the quilt im making.  its very old, and the current owner found it in  a dumpster.   i love the creamy turquoisey green background... and the scrappy ness~... and the greens, golds n browns.  but i don't like blues in general, or pinks here, or orangey reds so substituting rich autumn reds.  

heres the "map" i drew of quilt im making.  finished size is appx 4'x5'... good for snuggle up on couch with, but not bed sized.  i would never finish anything if that big.