Assignment Completed

Last June my friend Susan asked if I would sew some small bags for her as samples.  I was glad to agree.  She's done a lot for me and I was very happy to do this for her.  Besides, a new project is always interesting.

This morning I finally finished!
Here's the group of bags.  Looks like I kind of stuck with one colour scheme.  But actually, it was just whatever seemed to fit the design and had enough fabric available.  As you can see from the 1" grid in the background, they are not large.

I had figured I could finish a bag in one or two days.

 Here's the first bag I made.  It's a simple thing with a spring clip holding the top closed.  I did change this pattern a little bit in this way: instead of folding the tops over and making a channel, I sewed the bag and lining together at the top, turn them right side out and then sewed the casing for the spring clip.  It made the bag just a bit longer which seemed like a very good idea.  This one is called a "Little Pouch."








This is the second bag I made, the one that really threw me off for quite a while.It's called a coin purse and doesn't look at all like the pattern.  The pattern shows a puffy, squat little bag.  I think the fault lies with the pattern which had a round shape with two darts in it, and some pleats to make at the center top.
I couldn't get it to puff out, and I tried three different times.  I finally got sick of remaking the bag and put the whole project away until we got back from Arizona in the middle of December.  I took it out again and just simply sewed it to the handle the way it was.  I think I'd have to draft a totally different bag for it to come out as pictured on the pattern.  I was so relieved to get this bag out of the way, even though it's not really acceptable, as it doesn't look like the pattern.

  This third bag was quite fun.  It went together quite simply.  I did have to shirr it somewhat onto the handles, but that was too hard.  This one was quilted before attaching the handles. It's called a "Petit Chic Purse."

 The fourth bag was the most fun.  I had some fairly heavy material, so I didn't bother quilting the bag as suggested, but added a little gold tassle front and back, which I thought was just the ticket.  This one was called a Cosmetic Pouch/Wallet.  It went together very quickly and easily and I like the way it puffs out.

Here's the bag that was finished this morning.  It was also fun to make, but a little more complicated that the Cosmetic Pouch/Wallet.  This is the "Casual Chic Purse."  The front of the bag had four sections: from left to right: background, 1st print, 2nd print, background.  The prints have tucks in them and a bit of gold thread machine applied in a loopy design.  This bag also went together quite easily.



Now this final bag was not included in the project, but is my own idea of a gift for Susan.  It's a technique I learned at quilt club several years ago.  It begins with a large square (36", except I made it 42") which is layered with batting and backing, quilted and then the edges are bound.  Then it is folded in half on the diagonal and the two sides are drawn back over the center, and sewn down.  The result is a large sturdy bag with a center section and a large pocket front and back.  I added a zipper at the top of the center section and a large snap with a decorative button on the outside pockets.  There are two fair long handles, so that when carried over the shoulder the bag hangs about at waist to hip level, making it easy to grasp.

I have one bag like this made on the 36" square and use it all the time to transport my laptop.  Who ever thinks there's a laptop inside a quilting bag?

It's Growing

Not a plant this time, but my latest quilting project.  This is going to be the left side of the Pinwheels and Patches, the part that hangs down from the mattress.  It needs to be four blocks wide and 13 1/2 blocks long.

The pinwheel blocks are coming along a little bit easier than they were, mainly because I'm being incredibly careful making them.

The finished blocks need to be 6" square when sewn into the quilt, so at this point, before they are sewn together they need to be 6 1/2".

I begin by cutting two white 4" squares and two coloured 4" squares.   I draw a pencil line diagonally across the white squares.         4 1/2" is slightly larger than most directions will specify, but I want to have the extra fabric in order to trim the squares precisely later on.

 These squares are sewn together a scant 1/4" on either side of the pencil line.

 They are cut apart and pressed open, with the seam allowance pressed toward the coloured half.

 Each of the four squares are very, very carefully trimmed.  The 45º line on the ruler follows the division between colours.  Any fabric left over is trimmed so that the diagonal seam lines come exactly to the corners and the squares are exactly 3 1/2" each.  This gives me four half square triangles.



These squares are place on top of each other and the seams are "nested" into each other.  The squares are sewed together with a scant 1/4" seam.

These two halves are now placed on top of each other, with the points directly above  and the colours opposite.  I put a pin through the points to keep them directly aligned.






 When this block was turned over a "boo boo" was found.  The seam underneath had wrinkled a bit.  So we take our stitch ripper and take out a few stitches, then sew the block back together with smooth seam allowances.







This seam is pressed halfway on each side, so that on each side the fabric is pressed toward the coloured cloth.

Take the stitch ripper and very carefully pick out the stitches in the seam allowance of the seam you just crossed over.  Fold those allowances back and you get this pretty, tiny pinwheel that allows the seam to lie flat on either side of the centre crossing.

Turn the block over and have a gander:
Not really quite as precise as I had hoped so I'll have to use the 4 foot rule.  Does it show from 4 feet away?  If not, don't redo.

I think this particular block might undergo a bit of revision, but on the whole, the meeting of points in the middle is improving.

Can't go much lower!

The sun is out; the sky is clear; the thermometer shows something pretty scary: -33ºC!  This thermometer is quite helpful as the left side shows the degrees in Celsius and the right side shows them in Fahrenheit.  This is the lowest we've seen since we arrived in Alberta on December 18.  I think it's a day to stay inside, sew, cook something warm and nourishing, maybe read a bit beside the fireplace.

Knitting would be on the list if it were not for my "trigger" finger, which is improving greatly following a cortisone shot last Monday, but still needs time off from repetitive actions such as knitting.

Our friend and helper S. took care of the cat and the house while we were away.  It seems she took much better care of the potted plants than I do because they
have responded by sprouting flower stalks.  This diffenbachia has flowered three times before this.  The first time it was an amazement to me.  I didn't know these plant could even do that.  It's still in the early stages, but as soon as these little blooms open I will have to either put it in the computer/sewing room or chop off the flower stalk as these tiny flowers send out a powerful scent at night.  It's much like the smell of daffodils, which I find also annoying.

The next photo is a close up of the flower stalk with the almost open tiny flowers in each head.

I've had two or three of these diffenbachia for several
years now.  They're a good houseplant for me because I'm not very attuned to plants.  Sometimes they become very dry before I notice that they need to be watered.  These plants, which we used to call "corn" plants seem pretty blasé about bad treatment.  They just keep growing and putting out new leaves.  Sometimes the stalk will almost reach the ceiling.

At that point I take the plant outside, take a butcher knife to it and slice the top part off from the stem and simply replant it (the top part) in some fresh dirt.  It's as if the plant never even blinks.  It just picks right up from where it is and puts out more leaves.

But there was one more surprise for me when we returned: that was not the only plant getting ready to bloom.  The other diffenbachia at the head of the stairway was also putting out a flower stalk.

This plant has more than one stalk in the pot and it's the shorter stalk that is blooming here.  This all strikes me as interesting and makes me wonder if S. gave them more water or more fertilizer during the weeks we were away.

Well, they are not the sort of the houseplant you keep for its blooms, as you would an African violet.  It's the glossy foliage that counts here.  So it doesn't really matter how these flower stalks got started, other than to give evidence that the plants were very happy with the care given them while we were away.

New Year's Greetings

Greetings and best wishes on this first day of the new year: 2014.  Have to get used to writing that four!  How many of us are determined to lose some weight?  Well, count me in, and I actually started my "wine and cheese" diet on Monday.  It's simple: a good breakfast, a good dinner at 1 or 2 p.m.  Then don't eat anything until 9 p.m. when you may have one small glass of red wine, three Breton crackers with cheese, just enough so you aren't really hungry when you go to bed.  Wish me well!  I need to shed some of those insidious pounds that keep sneaking onto my middle.

My first project this year: finishing a quilt that I started some years ago, perhaps as many as five.  I saw this bright, cheerful pattern on Elaine Adair's blog and decided to make a scrap quilt like it.  At that time I finished enough squares to just cover the top of a queen-sized mattress.  Had a hard time with the pinwheels, so it was put into the closet to await further progress.

This week I took it out and decided to make a summer quilt for our bed.  The one we're currently using dates back to 1998 and there are parts so frayed that every now and then my fingers go right through the top fabric.

I like to make the quilts for our bed very large.  That way there's no fighting for covers during the night.  The Dear One has a habit of rolling himself in the quilt every time he turns over.

I find the pinwheels fiendishly hard to make.  You can see in this square that the points are not meeting properly.  I like to think I'm a good quilter who cuts and sews very accurately, but these squares come close to defeating me.

I tried to work out something for the sides and bottom that would harmonize with the already-made center, but, really, nothing but more pinwheels and patches will do.

The horrendous prospect is that there need to be 90, yes, ninety, more of these miserable buggers!  ('Scuse the language, please.)  But I am persevering if nothing else, and eventually the last square will be made and the quilt will be finished.

Wish me well in this also, please!

Yosemite

December 8, Sunday
After finding a room of refuge from the storm at Tehachapi and resting there for the night we enjoyed a wonderful hot breakfast in the motel breakfast room.  The road was still closed when we checked at 8 a.m., again at 9 a.m., and finally at 10 a.m. the road was opened to traffic.  Highway 58 was chock full--two lanes of traffic, almost bumper to bumper, travelling at about 20 mph.  From Tehachapi the road was almost all down hill.  Conditions improved from clear sunny skies with wet roads and snow covered hillsides to dry roads and no snow to be seen.  Traffic picked up speed and pretty soon all was normal again.

Hwy. 58 joined 99 at Bakersfield.  It was a good thing that it was a Sunday morning as traffic around Bakersfield was light.

We stopped once at a rest area and then arrived at Merced and checked into a Motel 6 by 2 p.m.  We took a few things up to the room, turned on the heat and then went for a walk to a supermarket to pick up some food.  We passed the afternoon reading, watching t.v., writing emails.  D.S. #1 in Yosemite soon called and we discussed road conditions into Yosemite.  At this time snow tires are sufficient.

December 9, Monday
We had figured on a two hour drive to Yosemite, but because the road was narrow and twisty and Jim is a careful driver it took a bit longer.  Then the navigator (myself) made a mistake and took the first left in the park and had to make about a 15 minute circle (because the roads there are one way) to reach Yosemite Lodge where D.S. was waiting for us.  What a treat to see him and give him a big hug!

He had reserved a room for us for the next three nights, and it was lovely.  Here's a view from our balcony.  The weather was just especially wonderful; there was fresh, white snow all around and the sun was strong, making everything sparkle.  We enjoyed these birds that came chattering around our balcony.

I'm not sure if it is a kind of bluebird or a blue jay.  I'd guess a jay because of the crest.  What a gorgeous blue!

We had a nice meal in the cafeteria, which offers lots of choice, from soup and salad through burgers all the way to a complete meal of fish/meat, veggies, etc.  We skipped dessert and were plenty full.

That afternoon we went for a short hike on the valley floor.  Late afternoon and evening we spent in our room with D.S. having a very good visit.

December 10, Tuesday

Had a slow morning, a dinner around 1 p.m. in the cafeteria again.  We drove to a parking lot just beyond Curry Village and hiked to Mirror Lake, the same hike we did last year in October.  This time the lake (which was completely dry last year) was covered with snow.  We went a bit further a took a loop back for a total hike of approximately 5 miles.  It was exhilarating to be out in the snow with the sun again shining brightly, making everything gleam.

Late afternoon and evening we repeated our relaxation and visit in our room.  Such a good time!

December 11, Wednesday

Our hike today was from the meadow below El Capitan up the talus slope--no trail, just rubble, snow and bush to the base of the cliff.  D.S. said that perhaps just a few of the million visitors to the park each year ever get to the base of that impressive cliff face.  Here's the view from the base, looking straight up.

That evening as Jim was having trouble with the extremely slow internet provided for guests he asked if we could go to D.S.'s room and use his connection. That worked like a charm.

Meantime D.S. was showing me a video on his DVD play of the competition to be the fastest team to climb the nose of El Cap.  That was amazing and actually pretty scary.
We went back to our room and together watched another video about Alex Honnold, an extremely gifted climb who of "free solos."  I'm just always thankful that I don't know when D.S. is climbing!

As we were returning from our hike that afternoon we noticed that the moon was visible in the afternoon sky.

This is our last evening here.  Tomorrow we drive on to visit D.S. #2 and his family.

Sorry!

I'm sorry to leave you hanging there, having negotiated the Tehachape Pass, early in December.  We had some other adventures and misadventures along the way home, which I will tell you about later.  We did arrive home safely a week ago today, but are still having some internet issues.  We hope they will be solved before this coming weekend.

When the internet is all fixed I'll be back with an update on our trip home, and on the projects I've finished in the meantime.

Today is Christmas, so we both wish all of you a blessed day and a coming year of joy and personal contentment.
Your own Grammilou

Catching Up

After a very pleasant time at our condo in Arizona we packed up last week and left on Saturday, December 7 about 8:45 a.m., driving north on Hwy 60.  We turned north on 72 to 95 north.  All this area was pretty typical desert, but with irrigated agricultural fields along the way also.

North of Parker on 95 the landscape was very different, very hilly along the Colorado River.  Nearing Lake Havasu City the hills were more like sandy mounds, covered with off road vehicle tracks.

We stopped in Lake Havasu City for a bathroom break and took some cold diet cokes into the car.  We drove north to I 40 and turned west.  The sky clouded over and the wind picked up.

At Barstow we switched to Hwy 58. That's a strange road, part of the route was good expressway, and part of the route was just two lane road.  Completely inadequate for the traffic is carries, especially considering that semis make up a huge proportion of that traffic.

At Mojave I suggested we stop for the night, even though it was only 3:30 PST (we had started in MST), but Jim preferred to put on some more miles.

Not too much farther along we encountered more heavy wind and this time combined with blowing snow, and the onset of darkness.  Pretty soon we were creeping long behind a semi at about 20 mph, with trouble lights blinking.  The road surface was polished ice and there were many vehicles in the ditches.  On the other side, the eastbound lanes there was a semi jackknifed across both lanes.  Behind that truck there was a solid two lanes of stalled traffic for a few miles (seemed like).

After a bit the truck we were following came to a stop, and the whole line of traffic also stopped.  We waited, turning the engine off to conserve gas as we were getting low.  After a bit some cars and pickups cautiously went around the stopped semis and after a while longer we decided to join them.  We found that a semi eastbound had spun out and come to a rest across the ditch between the eastbound and westbound lanes.  It was blocking the left lane of our west bound road, but, fortunately, the cab was at right angles to the trailer and car/pickup traffic was able to creep around and continue down the road. We formed a kind of convoy through the swirling snow, inching along with our trouble lights on until we came to the first exit for Tehachapi where we left the road and bought some gas.

By the time we headed back, the expressway was closed.  Traffic could exit but not enter.  We drove on into Tehachapi itself and were blessed to find a large, comfortable, warm room at Best Western Mountain Inn.

Five p.m. in the evening we were settled in and enjoyed a "light" supper of hot chocolate, crackers and cheese and settled down for the night, very thankful not to be spending it on the road or in the ditch!