A lot has been going on...

This is a wonderful day.

I've never seen this one before.

- Maya Angelou

Ray had his left rotator cuff operated on about 18 years ago. It was an excruciating recovery and at the time, he made the comment that he would never have the right one, which was already torn, repaired. I guess we should never say never. The right one is so painful that he has to have it fixed. We have spent the last few weeks "getting ready". There have been lots of doctor appointments and physical therapy sessions (which didn't help but insurance dictates that, generally, you have to try everything before you have surgery). Ray's EKG was a little irregular so we added a few cardiologist appointments and a test this AM. The cardiologist has now cleared him for surgery.  Ray also really wants some outside things ready for winter. The days are generally crazy! Surgery is only a couple of days away.

In the middle of all of this, we both have had birthdays. They seem to come fast but we are grateful that they keep coming!

I have found minutes for quilting most days. I looked through this book by Kim Brackett a while back

and decided to make this.

Here is a close up of the simple blocks.

I made a bunch of strips and put three strips together but I goofed!

I rearranged.

The only way these were correct is if I used the wrong side and that wasn't going to work!

So I redesigned the block.

Putting four blocks together resulted in this.

The quilt is together in this photo but not well pressed. I used bonus triangles (from the ends cut off after joining pieces on the diagonal) to make the border. This is now in the "to pin/sandwich" pile.

I was going to make a courthouse steps log cabin block from various scraps. I came across this colorful fabric that was leftover from a quilt backing. There is enough to make the whole quilt so I will use scraps but it won't be scrappy! The center block will be various navy fabrics. (These photos were taken at night - sorry)

I have 6 blocks done.

I also finished putting the blocks together for this quilt and added a red border. It is now in the "to pin/sandwich" pile.

I've been playing with some scraps making log cabin blocks. Each block will finish as a 4" square. I have a ways to go.

I also finished this sweater. I think this is my first selfie in a mirror. The pattern is called Xstatic by Isabell Kraemer. I used Venezia Sport by Cascade Yarns. It is 70% merino wool and 30% silk.

I'm not crazy about the neckline; I prefer a higher neck on sweaters. I tried the sweater on as I was making it and I must not have had the shoulders where they belonged because I thought the neckline was higher. I do love the finish on the neck though. 

I'm not sure what the next few weeks will be like but we'll be looking for wonderful days.

Catching up

Where do the days go?

I have a finish. The Flip Flop Quilt is done. I found the fabric when I was cleaning out fabric drawers. Thinking it would be a good quilt for summer, I decided to get it done. 

I machine quilted this donation quilt with a walking foot and straight lines both vertically and horizontally using Aurifil #1135 yellow, 50-weight thread. 

This quilt measures 55" by 55".

The back is a black dot fabric with the extra flip flop fabric.

Since I last blogged ...

• We attended the University of Wisconsin Marching Band Spring Concert. We go every year with a group of friends. It was Director Mike Leckrone's last concert - he is retiring this year after 50 years as the band's director!

• I finally blocked this scarf that I finished knitting in February.

• I began and finished the podcast of Friendship Album 1933. I thoroughly enjoyed listing to it.

• I decided the borders of this red/white quilt would be more squares from my 2 1/2" square collection. Now I just need to get this sandwiched and quilted.

• I've started another quilt using 2 1/2" squares. This one will use all batiks.

• We spend a pleasant day with my brother-in-law and his special lady. After lunch, we visited the New Melleray Abbey, a Trappist monastery, near Dubuque, Iowa.

     We were able to see their beautiful church.

     I loved the windows

     and this unique organ.

• I've done some baking. First I made 4 batches or chocolate chip cookies

and then 4 batches of big ginger cookies. They are not all for us!

• I've spent some time playing with my Cricut Maker. I bought a pattern for a guitar box and was amazed at how hard it was to make. I must have failed gluing in elementary school. These are versions 6 and 5. Whew!

In the next picture, you can see the box part.

I also made some bookmarks. Someone is graduating from preschool and I though these would be fun.

• Ray mowed the lawn for the first time this spring. I snapped this picture on Friday because a wild turkey was crossing our lawn.

On Saturday we had quite a spring snowstorm. I snapped this picture from the porch through the screen.

Sunday we woke to a beautiful day.

One thing I haven't done is erase my white board. I have this message left from Easter where I usually write grocery lists. Although he has to reach rather high, Griffin writes a message every time he visits. I always hate to erase it.

"hi I was here. I like to write stuf. Griffin"

I guess there are a lot of things I haven't done . . . so this week I'll try to accomplish a little more on my to do list!

The column quilts are done and so is my sweater

The last column quilts are done. Orange Columns and Medium Blue Columns  join Blue Columns and Yellow Columns.  

Orange Columns is 50" by 56". This donation quilt is quilted with a walking foot. I sewed horizontal lines 2" apart using #2784 blue Aurifil thread.

I cut a strips off of the side and bottom edge so I had enough for the binding. I still ended up 6" short so I used some 2 1/2" squares to make the binding long enough. 

 

The back is blue grunge fabric. 

Another donation quilt, Medium Blue Columns is 56" by 58". I used a length of fabric for each quilt and this was the shortest piece. 

Oops I should have flattened this on the floor. 

The back is the same blue grunge fabric that I used on a couple of the others. It looks different colors depending on the light. I think I might have enough of this fabric for another back unless I decide to use it in a quilt. 

Using Aurifil #2730 blue thread, I machine quilted this with horizontal straight lines every 2", 2", 2", 1/2", 2", 2", 2", 1/2"... I didn't have enough medium blue for a binding so I thought this stripe would be fun. Now I wish that I had put a 'wild' binding on each of the Column quilts.

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I finally finished my Norwegian sweater. 

I had to buy buttons and with our weather, it took a couple of weeks for me to get to a store. 

I wasn't sure if I was going to like the neck detail but I do. I'm very happy with the way this sweater turned out.

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Our weather outlook is more snow. The ice storm last week was horrid but the scenery was nice on a sunny Saturday morning.

The ice coated trees and grass glistened in the sun.

We've had heavy, wet snow and wind this week added to the ice from the ice storm. The kids missed more school. One even told me that he is bored with snow days this year! We have more storms predicted in the coming week. Will it ever end? 

At least I'm making progress on the pile of quilts  that I wanted finished. Only 3 to go and all of the tops are done. One needs quilting, and two need the binding hand sewn. I'd make even better progress if I quit starting more quilts!