Forward then Reverse

I ground through a lot of gears last week, and I'm not even sure I know what that means because in real life, when it comes to cars, I'm shiftless.

At any rate, I wasn't idle.  Progress was made on the H2H charity quilt, for example.  I got the top sewn together.  Woot!

I also finished a backing for it, using leftover strips, scraps, and trimmings.  What strings I have left may become the binding, if they're wide and long enough.  If not, I'll proceed to plan B, or plan M, as it were.  Daughter M. thinks a navy blue solid binding would be nice.  I can see that.

Someone asked me the names of these fabrics, and I wish I knew.  They were in a boxed quilt kit from JoAnn Fabrics, but I actually found the kit, along with another one, at Goodwill.  They were all decent quality fabrics and seemed to play together well, despite the various different prints.  

As mentioned previously, I used the nine-patch lattice quilt pattern at Oh, Fransson! but made it a couple rows wider/longer.  Mine measures 53 x 68.

Here Come The Judge

Norm needed a break from the routine of sitting around waiting for his fractures to heal, so we ventured to a couple of thrifts a town or two over.  Thrift stores are about the right size for him to amble around on crutches without getting too pooped.  He thought he might be able to do the Super Walm@rt, but I knew that'd be too much at this point, unless he rode the rider cart there, which he refused (can't blame him).

So a-thrift shopping we did go.  At the first little store, there was an sweet ride parked outside.  I remarked to the checker at the register what a cool looking old muscle car that was, and she said, "You mean my car?"  

It was her car!  They were short a vehicle so she had to take the collector car to work.  Gee, that never happens at our house.

I asked if it had been restored and the answer was a surprising no (this is, after all, the Rust Belt).  It is original (except the tires, of course), and they have owned it since 1972.  It is a 1970 Pontiac GTO Judge.  I asked her if I could take some pictures on my way out, and she said to go ahead.

At the second store, Norm pointed out an old guitar, and we both immediately thought of the John Hiatt song, Perfectly Good Guitar.  "Here's your chance, Paulette," he said, "a Harmony with a crack."

Which is what we were looking at, but that wasn't quite right, as far as the lyrics go.  

It started back in 1963

His momma wouldn't buy him that new red Harmony

He settled for a Sunburst with a crack

But he's still trying to break his momma's back

Oh, it breaks my heart to see those stars 

Smashing a perfectly good guitar...

Anyway, I knew what he meant and it was funny just the same.  Wonder how it sounded?  I wasn't going to ask someone to climb seven feet up onto that shelf to fetch it down.

What I did find was a rust brown Steubenville Woodfield plate for 50 cents and some fascinating gargoyle postcards for five cents apiece.  I'm planning to frame some of them to display come Halloween. 

Reverse

Back before I got the quilting bug, I was into genealogy.  One of my shirttail relatives recently asked about a branch of my dad's family he was starting to explore, and I said I would haul out my research and tell him what I knew.

And there went Sunday afternoon and evening.

My great-great-grandfather James Henry Owen c. 1900.  Deeds date to 1850s.

I had forgotten two things (which reminds me of another John Hiatt song*):  (1) how much I enjoy genealogy and (2) how fast the time swirls down the drain as you're pondering the minutiae.  Wow.

Now there's only two things in life,

but I forget what they are.

It seems we're either hanging on a moonbeam's coattails

or wishing on stars...

*Buffalo River Home, by John Hiatt

What's on YOUR Bed?

That was the question posed by Bonnie Hunter of Quiltville a few days ago, with an invitation to link up and show everyone.  It just so happens that I have a Chunky Churndash quilt from one of her free patterns on my bed!

I originally blogged about finishing this quilt here.  In the meantime, different quilts have seen rotation, but a couple weeks ago, I put this one back on.  Spring has sprung, but it's still been pretty chilly at night.

It's a fairly small bedroom with the queen bed taking up most of the space.  Kind of hard to photograph the quilt, but if I stood in the very corners of the room, I could get most of it in frame.  And no, I don't have a headboard on this bed because that's how I roll (translation: I haven't bothered to buy one yet).  I do use pillows, however, usually three or four of them at a time!

Anyway, what I love about this quilt is the super scrappiness of it, and the memories those scraps bring to mind.  I used a lot of my late mother's scraps, along with some of my own, but this was a few years ago when my fabric stash and scrap collection were smaller. There are a few vintage fabrics in there as well, and the narrow red first border is from a man's plaid shirt.

It all came together in a beautiful quilt that remains one of my all-time favorites!

Check out the other wonderful quilts at Bonnie's What's on YOUR Bed linky party!

Muggin' and Peepin'

It was necessary—necessary, I tell you—to go to the Goodwill store this morning.  Since I am making coffee every morning for the rehabbing hubs, it has come to my attention that he likes a certain type of coffee mug.  Hey, we all have our preferences.  That left a choice of two in our cupboards, one with the name of my former employer emblazoned across it and one with snowflakes on it, neither of which I particularly wanted to be reminded of first thing every morning.

So he needed some new mugs, is what I'm saying.  I found these.

The retro kite was cool and seemed appropriate for this time of year, but the singing cow really cracked me up!

The green and yellow floral is mine.  Not that I really needed a mug, but why not?  It's pretty and springy, and for 49 cents, you really can't go wrong.

My daughter and her boyfriend came for dinner Saturday evening.  She still looks forward to an Easter basket.  I also gave her the table topper/wall hanging she designed with some leftover HSTs, called A Patch of Sun.

Do you know how difficult it is to find Easter candy without dairy in it?  Thank goodness for jellybeans and Peeps and the marzipan egg.  The Reese Pieces were wishful thinking, as it turned out.  My geezer eyes got tired of reading the fine print list of ingredients before I made it to the very last word, which was MILK.  Oops.  Those went to her boyfriend.

Lucky for me, they make sugar-free Peeps!

M. helped me lay out the H2H quilt after dinner.  I'm loving this one!  I'm going to start sewing it together this afternoon.

As I trimmed the nine-patch squares, I put all my trimmings into a little dish.  It looked like a little nest when I got through.

This chick didn't last long enough to get too comfy!

From the Rabbit Hole

I'm popping out of the rabbit hole for a quick post on what I've been working on this week.

I am making a lattice quilt for this year's Hands2Help charity quilt challenge, using the Nine Patch Lattice Quilt tutorial at Oh, Fransson!.  I decided to make it a little bit bigger though, so it should be twin size instead of lap.

All my nine patches are made and I'm in the process of trimming them.  Pretty funky, no?

The background neutral is a tan.  I don't remember the exact name of the color, but it's one of about a half dozen similar "tans" I bought a few months ago when I was making a different quilt.  Downside of buying fabric online: Things don't always look like they do on your screen.  Upside:  More fabric to use later!

I also made a couple of string blocks for a String Block Challenge at the String Thing Along blog.  The idea was to use some "ugly" fabrics to make a block that will go into a charity quilt Brenda will be quilting.  I don't think all of these fabrics are ugly, but I did try to use a few less loved bits.

I don't know about you, but with everything else to keep up with and the holiday tomorrow, I'm bushed!

This was our pet rabbit, Thumper - such a sweet bunny!

Thanks for stopping by, and have a Happy Easter!

Sunday Sundry 4-1-12

The road of life finally opened up before me this past week, and I took full advantage, putting pedal to the metal.  I was able to knock out ALL my UFOs, every single one!  And not only that, I renovated my sewing studio, courtesy of IKEA, who sponsored the project.  In an evil twist of fate, however, I dropped my camera and it's no longer working, so I have no proof of anything to show you.  I guess you're just going to have to take my word for it!

And if you believe that, I've got a bridge to sell you...APRIL FOOL'S!!!!

Oh, how I wish it were all true (except for the non-functioning camera part).  It would certainly be more entertaining and exciting than the reality of doctor appointments, traffic jams, and the ordinary day-to-day dealings.  Some productive things did happen this week, though, including:

• Daughter M. bought a car, which I was able to facilitate.  Ever since then, I've had the Mercury Blues floating through my head.  "I'm gonna buy me a Mercury and cruise it up and down the road."
  
• I made some truly decent meals, including last night's pan-fried fish fillets with homegrown parsnip fries.  Around here, you can leave your parsnips, a root vegetable, in the ground over the winter.  Dad dug his out of the garden recently. Slice, toss with olive oil, salt & pepper and bake in a hot oven until they start to brown.  Mm, what a delicious spring treat!
  
• Finished the Iron Work QAL blocks.  Ready for the next step!
  
• Cut out my Hands2Help charity quilt and started sewing strips together.  I am making a nine-patch lattice quilt.

I made a quick run to Goodwill today and found a couple Pyrex treasures hiding out on a low shelf.  The blue color reminded me of Easter eggs, which then led to the idea of posing them outdoors a la an Easter egg hunt.  Now, wouldn't that be fun, Pyrex lovers?

Gotta get ready to take supper over to Dad's.  Tonight it's sloppy joes, or whatever you call them in your neighborhood.  Spanish hamburgers?  Loose meat sandwiches?

I love this new song from The Shins, but I find myself wishing it were three times as long as it is.  Sorry about the ad first.  It's worth the wait!