Crazy Times

I never thought that we would have to wear masks out in public, no handshakes or hugs, and standing 6 ft from another. Meetings on line, shopping on line( I am a toucher, I need to feel fabric before I buy it). It is hard for me to be positive and not allow myself to go to the dark places and “What if ____happens?” So after cleaning the sewing room I decided to start making masks. We have been, averaging about 40 masks a day. With this going on I haven’t been doing much more than sitting in the sewing room sewing, hubby is answering the door, cutting elastic, and fabric. An assembly line at its best. We even got silly making Sugar Skull ones and I was surprised at how fast those went.

One gentleman wanted one big enough to put his beard in. His beard rested on his chest. After thinking a while I made one with a pocket on the inside bottom of the mask. He was able to put the beard into it and then tied the mask on. Looked ok. Later tonight I will be writing the pattern up so I don’t forget how it was done, just in case.

On a much happier note, we have had quiet a bit of fun with the “Bear Hunt”. We have 6 Bears out on our front swing , and they change where they go on a day to day basis. The younger kids and parents stop as they walk by to see what the bears are doing.

As you can tell not a lot of chances to visit so I am taking advantage of it. Just everyone be safe and take care of yourself and each other.

So Far So Good

We are staying in and trying to be good. It is amazing how we take the small things in life for granted. Today Mary(daughter) and I were making masks and “Miss Thing” 5 yr old Destiny’s nick name now, was out in the back yard playing. She comes running in and telling us that our Blue Spruce tree in the was haunted. She was so serious. When we asked what made her think that she replied that when she was under it getting pine cones it blew “raspberries” at her. Since we were trying to stay serious also we told her to tell Grandpa. She did and so like a good grandpa he went out with her to chase any ghosts away and to tell the tree not to blow raspberries at her. I really wanted to get this on a video, but I was laughing too hard. See those little things can really change a person’s outlook.

I guess instead of a Blue Spruce, it will be now called the Raspberry tree.

This was taken last winter.

Not much sewing lately

The last 2 days have been full and not a lot in the sewing room. We had our yearly furnace/air conditioner inspection done and there were a few questions with the electrical wiring done. We called an electrician out and bottom line we HAVE to update the wiring in the house. This has now involved the City with permits, inspections, and their stuff, and then the electricians. For something that “Is a fire waiting to happen.” We are waiting for the electrician to fit us in. So today will be sewing.

We are in shutdown mode where we are getting out just for the necessary things. This morning with be going to the hardware store to pick up some things and might as well as get some paint to paint the inside of the house. What else to do for the next 4-6 weeks.

I am making masks for 2 of the hospitals in our area, after making 30 of them most have gone to City workers who have to work and have no PPE. It is more clinics not having as many supplies.

The facebook group Distantimaunti sew a long is coming along I am only 2 blocks behind, but today I will be catching up.

I hope you are surviving this trying time without going stir crazy. The squirrels are my entertainment lately. Enjoy the little things.

Self Isolation

This week our area has been staying home more and have finally gotten into the routine of not going to exercise, run to this store or going anywhere. My Quild has started making masks for 2 of the hospitals here, but my problem is my stack is disappearing. Granddaughter is still working so 6 found new homes for her and her shift. Oldest daughter’s best friend came by and took 3 as she is a dog walker. Daughter In Law took 2 for her and a friend for work. She works in offices in a hospital.

I decided I could whip out so many every day and life is good. WELLLLLLLLLL we noticed that we were having power surges and called an electrician (he wanted one instead of his paper one) the city power and light company came out and he took 1 as they have nothing to protect them when working in the public. I don’t know how many are making it to the hospital but there is a big need for these. These are how many I have left after sewing all week.

I will keep making more daily.

Electricity surging. There is good news and bad news…..Good news the Good Lord is watching over us. Bad is the wiring in the house is old and outdated( just like me) and the breaker box is the same that was put into the house in the 1950’s which caused 1 in 5 house fires. So next week new wiring….I will have to dig out the hand sewing.

Today I am doing something fun. Around here parents and adults are walking their kids thru the neighborhood “Bear Hunting”. It is from a Children’s book. We have Teddy Bears in our windows and the kids hunt for them as they walk. I have a bear in 2 windows, and will put a few in our front swing, and in the front garden. I made the bears for a craft fair and that had to be cancelled due to the virus.

This is has been a potpourri of stuff today.

Be safe if you have to get out.

Happy Saturday

Yesterday was a “Pitty me” day. I get those from time to time and two wonderful friends called and we had a good laugh. As a retired person who lives within 3 miles of all my children and most of my grandkids, my life hasn’t changed a lot except the socializing. When I woke up this morning and checked out my emails and facebook and morning computer routine, I have realized as old as I am (66) I need to step back from the life of technology and go back to “socializing” as we did before the computer socializing. I have wonderful neighbors who we used to sit on my front swing and visit, now it is a wave. Even in this time of self isolation I think visiting over the back fence or while working is the garden is something we need to do more of. Outside of groceries I haven’t been outside my house. I need some fresh air and my neighbors.

I happened on a Blog here on WordPress that listed Quilt A Longs across the world and I looked a few up and decided to follow the Facebook group distntimauniti. We are appliqueing the sweetest blocks.

These are blocks made by Isabel Lopez from distantimauniti

Today will be a day of quilting and spring cleaning 1 room ( I don’t want to do too much today) So as my Dad would say “chin up and one foot at a time.” Leaving you with a little Virus humor from my Texas family. Thanks Sarah I needed this.

Big plans for this week.

Got your attention? Hope so.

We had plans to do a Craft Fair Saturday and then leave Wed for 2 weeks in Washington DC. This has been on our bucket list for a while now and so hubby started planning and all was set until……………….yes the Coronavirus. All this has come to a screeching stop. We mopped around for a while with the “Whoa is me” looks at each other. We did this for about 2 days and then decided we better count our blessings. We’re both retired and don’t have to worry about jobs, schools, and this type of problems so many are looking at.

Today we started a puzzle to fight boredom and I have pulled out fabric to start on Charity quilts. I plan to make one a week until our guild meets again. At this point it has been cancelled until May. Our Quilt show until June.

I am posting a photo of my first attempt of using rulers for quilting and posted questions about puckers on the back. Your suggestions of pressing and spray basting was a blessing. I usually press then spray baste, but not spray and press. I will be doing this from now on. Thank you.

Find something fun to do today.

Everything is cancelled around here

Our Governor and Mayor have cancelled all activities for the rest of the month and possibly into April. I understand the reasoning for this and have to say I agree with them. We have no viruses known in town and it would be wonderful to stay that way, but I don’t think it will. Last week we went out to do our Monthly grocery shopping and Sam’s and Costco’s had no meat, nor toilet paper. Or Water. I think when we as a people are not in control of their lives they have to control something….so they have all the toilet paper known to man/women. We went out today to just look and you would think Sam’s was giving hamburger meat away with the lines and the amount people were buying. Might not be the best idea unless there is toilet paper someplace.

In our house we tend to face struggles with a sense of humor. If you are laughing it is hard to be sad or at least for the moment. I made these last year for a Craft fair and thought it might bring a giggle.

Might be something for this season also.

Here schools are closed for 2 weeks and then they will decide what to do. Teachers are preparing to teach from home. Sending prayers for the world.

A sleepless Night

Yesterday was met with only 2 hours of sleep. We’d planned a trip to Washington DC, and was worried about hubby traveling with this Pandemic Virus going on. He has COPD and lost the top left lung to cancer a few years ago. This year alone he has had pneumonia twice and that is with the pneumonia shots. With this said what did I do? I made about 5 pounds of Peanutbrittle, cleaned the sewing room and made labels for my 4 quilts I just finished the bindings on. I understand the seriousness of this virus, but I was blowing things up in my mind. We’ve postponed our trip (nice to be retired), and I got things accomplished.

Today we hit the grocery store to get a few things and had to laugh some. Toilet paper shelf EMPTY, Bread EMPTY, Sodas EMPTY. Then I started taking a few photos.

Forget the fresh and stock up on frozen.

Meat dept not too many choices.

We had to laugh at this because our town has 0 cases of the virus so far. My philosophy is to laugh at things you can’t control otherwise I would be crying or a basket case.

On a serious note, please use your common sense when getting out and around, and keep an eye out for your neighbor.

I am glad to have a clean and organized sewing room to start a new project in. I have a list and so proud to say only about 5 UFO’s. Have a great day and laugh.

When is a scrap quilt not a scrap quilt?

Last night at Quilt Guild we had Kathy Delaney as a guest speaker and she asked this question. “When is a scrap quilt not a scrap quilt? I always thought a “scrap quilt” was when you used only your scraps. You know in Split Rail quilts or Log Cabins and so on. She explained to her it is when you don’t plan it out, or when it is a Kit. She had so many applique, and other beautiful quilts. Some of the applique quilts she explained she used different fabrics for the blocks and no fabrics for the flowers were the same.

She had one quilt made of 10 fat quarters and no 2 parts of the star block were the same. I purchased 3 of her books.

Her book “Beyond The Basics” is exactly what I needed to help keeping me from having to be so “Unscrappy” with a scrappy quilt. She has you take 10 fat quarters, cut the pieces for the quilt out of each of the 10 fat quarters and put all like pieces in bags you can’t see into. You take a piece out and sew it where it is needed. The only way you can change the fabric is if you are already using that fabric in the block. I do think that I will give it a try. Think it will work?

I also wanted to thank everyone for the suggestions on keeping the puckers out of the quilt backs. I took out the quilting and then ironed it and guess what. NO PUCKERS. Thank you so much for the suggestion. It has taken me all week to get the quilting done along with all the other stuff I needed to do, and tonight I will sew the binding on.

Tomorrow will see me making peanut brittle and fabric Easter Eggs. I plan to start on a little scrap quilt. I don’t want to start too large. Just in case I give up. I also need to make a few 24×24 matching quilts. Our guild makes baby quilts 24×24 baby quilt for parents who have lost a baby at birth, or shortly after. In theory 1 goes with the baby in burial, and the parents keep the other. An organization called 2 Little Giraffe Project provide a box with different items to help grieving parents. A wonderful project. I plan on making 3 sets before we go on vacation. Some fun days ahead.

We love and appreciate hearing from you.

Needing Quilting advice.

This last few weeks has been crazy, but we have made it thru. I hate to admit it but I live my life thru lists, and calendars. I carry a calendar in my purse, on my phone, on my sewing table, and kitchen wall. With hubby’s Dr appointments, granddaughter sitting, her school days, and what I need to get done I have to have them. So far this week no Dr. and little else so I made my weekly to do list this morning and have put a bit of sewing time into each day. This weekend I started quilting this quilt and am loving the look so far.

For some reason I get at least one pucker on the back side I decided to spray baste, and pin it. Normally I would pin closer but thought with the spray I wouldn’t need to. Well I got my usual pucker. I ripped out what I did and re did it. No pucker. How do you keep from getting those nasty puckers in your quilts? I quilt on my sewing machine so there is something I am doing wrong and would love to find out what it is. Last night I was able to finish about 1/2 of it and so by this weekend I hope to get it finished.

Today I am making Peanut Brittle for the upcoming craft fair and if I can work it right tomorrow I will be able to work in the yard for a while. Today in the 30’s and tomorrow in the 60’s Spring is almost here. Not doing a lot outside till after Easter in case we get more cold weather. March has arrived mild so it may leave vicious.