I have epiphany's on occasion, those light bulb moments when your head is raised from the immediacy of the now and you can see the light above the thread balls.  If we stay in Cali-I need to work part time.  I was exploring teaching in the quilt kingdom to prepare for the possibility of a move to the northwest.  I knew I wasn't going to learn a whole new system to work in education at this time in my life if we moved.  However, prepping for classes, subbing 2 or 3 days a week, doing prayer ministry 1 day a week, program's chair for our guild and just life in general has made me entirely too busy, to the point of stress in the middle of the night.  I knew some changes were coming-they had to.

I went away for my annual retreat to the green woods of Julian with two good friends who have made the pilgrimage for 15 years.  We stay in our respective motor home, 5th wheel and cabin during the day, reading, studying and, in my case, sewing.  Then we meet at 4 to go into town for dinner and fellowship and return to our individual dwellings around 7pm to do the same.  I always come back rested and refreshed.  I worked on Celtic Solstice as I finally had the 5 million 3.5 inch squares pieced.

My conclusion is:  I make much more money working in the district occasionally than I do teaching a quilt class-as much as I like it.  I probably won't take on another class and that will lighten my load tremendously.  There is a lot of prep involved and I am making quilts just for the teaching rather than the joy of it.  I also am not, NOT going to start another large project until I have finished four, FOUR that I have in progress. I have honestly at least 15 unfinished quilts and hangings-that is just silly.  I have enough material to supply a small country with individual quilts-that is just wrong.  So, I am going to start making quilts for my family (who want them), and friends and then we will see where I am at that point.  I also hosted our last speaker, Lenore Crawford so I am officially done as Programs chair-YAY!!! I had fun but glad to be finished.

Speaking of Lenore-I took this 2 year project to her class and made significant progress over the two days-i didn't have ANY material on it when I showed up at the class:

I think this is the kind of work I would like to do-I have a lot of finishing to do on this piece but I love the process and it is easier on my neck. I am thrilled that the flat piece of Kaffee Fassett dotted fabric actually looks folded and rounded.  There-that's it-my epiphany-quit 3 things before I take on 1, finish 4 things before I start a new one! School ends on the 18th of June so I have the summer off and enough time to quit one more thing before I start again in Sept. Jesus usually has to put me in a corner before I can see the path-I love Julian-God is so good to give me a wooded quiet corner.

My sweet sister in law will be here for a short visit from Utah-can't wait to see her and our nephew and his family tonight for dinner here-so I better get busy!

Had to put the Mystery Quilt in Moth Balls

I spent the last 5 hours cutting fabrics for the 75x75 inch size of the Celtic Solstice Mystery.  I needed to get it off my plate and I was storing all my green, orange, neutral, purple and yellow stash on the floor behind my desk-enough!

Clues 1-5 in order with notes for each clue about what I have finished and what I still need to do

After seeing the reveal I knew I wanted to make the whole quilt-also knew I don't have time right now but if I put it away half done I probably won't ever finish it-but now it is an organized kit and it has a chance of completion!  I love the colors-will be a great fall quilt.  To see all the beautiful quilts that emerged from this quilt along by Bonnie click here.

I have my first finish for 2014.  I had Marilyn bind the quilt as she does a great job and I can work on something else.  This for the Aiming for Accuracy quilt I did at the end of last year: "A Million and One Blocks"

A Million and One Blocks

Back showing quilting.  I did a red thread in the bobbin and a beige on top. I also did a no-no but it worked for me-I used a 100% cotton new sheet that was given to me so I didn't have to piece the back and it blended with the quilt.

Clue #5 Anyone know what this block is called?

Greg and I had to make a trip to Poway to do some shopping.  When I came back I got some more of these blocks done-like them a lot-quite sure they have a name but I don't know it-do you?  Got 25 done-only plan to do 50, not 100.

Clue #5 BH Winter Solstice

To see what everyone else (and there are many) is doing go HERE.  Quilters are doing some wonderful things!  My precision is getting better and I am noticing that I am automatically adjusting with repition and blocks are getting more accurate-this last batch had to be trimmed very little.


We are having an Old Geezer Game Night on Tuesday and since I thought New Year's Eve was Wednesday for some reason, I have already lost a day so I won't be posting until New Years day.  I will take pictures of the Sweet and Sour Pork I am making and will add the recipe.  My mom was paid to make Chinese dinners for the President and Vice-presidents of the company she worked for-she was that good.  She used to hire my aunt and I to do all the chopping and peel walnuts-the skins not the shells for her walnut chicken.  She was pretty amazing.  It was the only food she ever really cooked.  I did most of the cooking from 12 on.

A few at a time

So, Friday night I worked for an hour and a half and got 17, four patch units done for clue 4 and 8 more pinwheels for block 3.  Saturday I can sew for about 4 hours so am hoping to finish the 4 patches entirely and make 12 more pinwheel blocks.  If I can do that I will be done with clue 3 and 4 and can go back and finish block number 1 next week.  I also need to clean and cook a turkey and get ready for our friends who are coming to breakfast after church on Sunday.

Pinwheels and 4 patches

 I am learning some tips that I didn't know, so the process is good.  However, I am going to have to work fast and furious (without ammo) after Christmas on my niece's wedding quilt.  On to the turkey prep (we were not home for Thanksgiving and didn't have leftovers at my friends so, when rejected Thanksgiving turkeys were on sale last week I bought a small one).

I get More Done When I Work

I must be a time waster, thrower awayer, squanderer, tosser because when I work, I seem to get as much done as when I don't.  Yesterday I worked from 8-3 stopped by the store on my way home and took a nap off and on during Judge Judy.  Greg made a nice dinner from the leftover chicken I made the night before and after dinner I made 5 dozen deviled eggs (they were already boiled and peeled). After cleanup I sewed 15, 1/2 square triangle units, trimmed them, put 4 more pinwheel squares together, and then cut out all of the purple (198 pairs) for the first block of the Bonnie Hunter Mystery quilt while watching TV with Greg. 

I have to say, the amount of pieces in the BH quilt are a little overwhelming to me.  The love of the colors will keep me going:)

Block 3

Block 1 of Bonnie Hunter Mystery Quilt

Got these done tonight-like the white/purple better than orange/purple

It has been fun being at a school site the week before Christmas break. Little gifts being scurried about by little beings-well, since I am at a high school-maybe not so little but it is a lot of fun.  Greg took all the eggs and cookies to their designated recipients-not sure if I will get dog cookies done or not-maybe not?

My First block for BH QAL-really the 3rd block in the series

The block is 3.5 finishing at 3 ".  That is why there are so many pieces.  I see a UFO in my future:)

You can join the Quilt Along by clicking on the Winter Solstice Mystery button with the cute green bear on my sidebar or at quiltville.com and click on the Winter Soltice tab.  I am loving the colors and looking forward to having a little more time after Christmas to work on it. I am collecting my pieces as i go so i can jump right in next week!

Finished all the decorating I am going to do today.  looks like Christmas!

Going to the theater tomorrow and a concert on Sunday

No more posts this weekend.  

Have a blessed one!

Bonnie Hunter Mystery Quilt Started

Yesterday i caught up on sleep, addressed Christmas cards to out of town family and ordered the last 2 presents online and had them sent. YAY!  Today I started cleaning, have the last 2 boxes of decorations ready to put up before bed, and worked on cutting pieces for the BH QAL.  A January start would have been better, however, my plan is to get everything cut and a few of each unit finished before Christmas then I can possibly get caught up after Christmas.  Am liking the colors in my very first totally scrap quilt.

Unit 1 large wedge pieces still need purple star points cut.  Unit 3 almost all cut-she said 200 triangles but it seems she means 200 triangle units which would be 400 triangles. Just going to work on this 1/2 hour a day.

My kids gave me a gift Certificate to Undercover Quilts in Pike's Market for my B'Day so Ava and I went to spend it.  Found some lovely Aboriginal fabric.

Finishes this Month

My DIL wanted me to make a laundry basket to match Sloan's room so I took home the pink one and made the yellow polka dot one yesterday-all French seams and kind of a complicated construction.  Also finally finished THE TREE!  Lastly, I sewed the leather handles on my purse last night-so 3 things done!

Front of bag using pockets from my old Levis

Back of bag

Side showing hardware

I like the design of this purse.  My friend made a pattern for a smaller version which I am going to borrow becaue this is a little large for me as an everyday purse-but it will be perfect for a carryon.

Finished gathering the fabric for Bonnie Hunter's Celtic Solstice Mystery scrap quiltalong that starts Nov. 29th.  Had to buy 4, 1/2 yd background pieces for variety-everything else I had in my stash. 3 years ago I didn't have a stash-scary.

Love these colors!

Got to get ready for a day out with my friend, Chris!  have a blessed weekend!

Tomorrow I need to start the  samples for the Color Theory class that I need to name something else or no one will sign up:)