Monday, November 11, 2013

The Weekend Wrap-up


The mini retreat/sew-in on Friday went well - it was awesome to be pampered and surrounded by fellow quilters - at least one of whom was also a hand quilter!  I didn't accomplish all that I set out to, but then my expectations were a little unrealistic, I must say. I tried to participate in the mystery, but my inexperience in making a quilt from a pattern caught up with me - not to mention that using a rotary cutter is not "finger friendly" (a fact I learned the hard way on Wednesday when I cut all the squares for my star flower project).  So I brought home the salvageable fabrics and all the instructions and will try again (with plenty of spare fabric - just in case ha!). I did get a couple more of my pineapple miniatures stitched together, and I did baste several papers for the aforementioned star flower project. 
 
These will finish at 3" square. 
These are about a third of what I basted on Friday - they will be the 6-pointed star points/flower petals. 



Saturday morning we got most of the dirt moved to our raised beds in back - for our garden.  DH ordered the correct amount of topsoil per the company's calculations but we had quite a lot leftover, so DH ran to the lumberyard to get enough boards to make a 5th box.  Our original plans were to have just enough room - with an extra bed, we will have room for more veggies.  This was taken mid-project with my iPhone and the sun shining right at me, so forgive the less-than-spectacular photo quality.  



Saturday afternoon I got a little piecing done on my Martha Washington's Flower Garden, but I wasn't able to stitch as long as I would have liked ... I think cutting the star flower fabric on Wednesday set back a little the healing of that nerve. :-(  I stopped as soon as the nerve flared up ... I'm learning to try to be content with even short periods of time with my needle and thread. ;-)

I woke up early Sunday morning - 4:00ish early. I stayed In bed for another half hour or so trying to fall back to sleep - to no avail.  I did a little more basting of star flower papers - I decided to do a few hexagons so I could get an idea of what my star flowers would look like. I had hoped to get a picture of the pieces put together, but just as I finished up the last hexagon, I got a phone call - an offer from DD - an offer I couldn't refuse - watching the Ts so she and DSIL could run some errands and have some couple time.  That T-time was a perfect ending to a pretty wonderful weekend!

Have a marvelous Monday!  Be sure to thank a veteran!

18 comments:

  1. Good morning! Glad you enjoyed the sew-in! And I am LOVING the mini-pinapple squares...soo pretty. i occasionally wake up early like that and do that very same thing ~ lay there thinking SURELY you will go back to sleep, but NOPE, haha. Hope you have a good day!

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  2. A wonderfully productive weekend! Good for you!

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  3. Your pineapples look beautiful. It sounds like it was a good weekend and will pay off in loads of great homegrown foods next year.

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  4. I thanked a veteran today and will include that happy ending in my own blog post.. already posted it to fb though... my honey is a veteran! lol Love all your projects... those mini pineapples captivate me... are they hard??? Thanks for sharing a fun filled weekend... including your grands :) Kathi

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  5. Your projects are going to be lovely, when finished!
    I'm excited, for you, about your raised beds! Can't wait to see what you'll have growing in them next spring :) We currently have 'all things green' growing--lettuce, cabbage, collards. Oh, and some carrots.

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  6. Sounds like you had a good weekend! Love your little pineapple blocks. Adorable.

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  7. I'm glad you enjoyed your retreat and I know you were lovely with your earrings! :-) Garden beds look great. SIL does that...thinks it is easier to keep weeded.

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  8. Sounds like you had all sorts of projects going on! It's always good to get some things accomplished and marked off the list.

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  9. I did thank a veteran today :)
    Sounds like you got a lot of projects worked on this weekend.
    Is your garden for next Spring?

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  10. The sew-in sounds like a lot of fun. I am glad you enjoyed it.

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  11. Quilting, sewing & gardens... sounds like a perfect weekend for you :)

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  12. Oh new soil for a garden is MONTHS away from us in Chicago. I will live vicariously through yours

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  13. How nice and I love those blue and white blocks those are just fantastic. I am so glad you had such a great weekend.
    I hope your finger gets better so you can quilt longer. Your raised beds look great too. You will be so excited for spring. Have a great week!

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  14. How nice to have that garden space right in your backyard!
    What is a mystery quilt? I guess I've heard the term, but never have understood what it is.
    Did you know other people at the retreat? I've wondered if I would like something like that, but don't know anyone who is a quilter. I'd hate to go and feel like every else knew each other and I didn't know any one.

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  15. Hi Kathy, I well remember going to Mystery Quilt retreats and being panicked because I was not an experienced quilter. Such fun it was though-however at that time I wasn't used to sewing for an entire day and evening. Glad you got some other things done though. Wish we were close to each other, I'd come help cut the fabric for you. Love your Pineapple Squares.
    Have a great evening.
    Hugs, Noreen

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  16. A "sew in".....how neat is that! And, I love the blue and white pieces. Have a wonderful week!

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  17. Your raised beds look wonderful. I need to get busy in my garden. I'm still putting pots away and would like to plant some more fall greens, but may have waited too late. I am glad you had a nice weekend.

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I am SO glad you stopped by! No proving that you're a robot here ... I want to hear what you have to say! ;-)