A Fail and a Few Finishes

'Home is the place where, when you have to go there,

They have to take you in.'

                                    'I should have called it

Something you somehow haven't to deserve.'

~ The Death of the Hired Man 

by Robert Frost

My mother used to quote the first two lines to us but I didn't know the author although I'd read many of Frost's poems. I'm fortunate to have a large family that gets along. We write; we call; we visit. What a blessing to just belong to this group; people who have known you all your life. {Although I'm now old enough that's it's generally me who has known them all their lives.} In another sense, family encompasses a larger group. We all share this beautiful blue marble, the only home all of us have ever known. That makes us all one family. Please make good choices. Stay the course.

Tree blocks as a possible border for Shadow Stars

The trees were supposed to border the Shadow Stars but they don't have enough weight. Is that because they are on point? Would bluer green leaves make a difference? Would colored setting triangles? {As opposed to the empty whiteness of now.} IDK. The trees don't seem to have a relationship with the stars even though I deliberately made tiny triangles to echo the tiny squares. Now it looks like they should have related more to the star points. {Does that make sense?}

How easy it is to see problems with a digital camera. Disappointing but not a complete loss. They will be useful somewhere else once the "much too dark" trunks are replaced with lighter fabrics.  It's not exactly a fail as they will wait in the Parts Department until becoming a different quilt.

On the other hand, I found a useful way to move several older pieces of fabric along. They were purchased specifically with my grandchildren in mind but never made it into a quilt. All will be moving to larger beds this summer in a musical chair progression. Out of the crib to the trundle bed. {What do you call the crib mattress without the sides? The one that is barely off the ground.} Out of the trundle bed to the toddler bed. Out of the toddler bed to the twin. So these fabrics will become pillowcases to celebrate their growth.

Many people posted pillowcases with enchanting crocheted edging. My grandmother taught me how to do this so I added it, too. Mine look more old-fashioned. Well, not exactly, but they aren't as bohemian chic as the ones I've seen online. But they look adorable to me. For two cents, I'd keep them for myself.

Pillowcases with crochet edging

Other animal prints made nice cases, too, but crochet didn't fit their theme.

Children's pillowcases

Cases can be made with cuffs or a flap - an extra bit of fabric to hide the pillow and keep it inside the case. Mine just have the cuff but I may try the flap later and want to keep the instructions in one place. My {standard} pillows measure 18.5" x 29.5" so my case should finish 20" x 31". Yes, it could be narrower but this will be easier to get on and off. DH's king-size pillows are 20" x 36" and need pillowcases that finish 21" x 40".

1. A pillow with a cuff
• Three-quarters of a yard for the main fabric; a third of a yard for the cuff
• From main fabric, cut a single piece for front and back 41" x 28" each.
• From alternate fabric, cut front cuff 41" x 10".
2. A one fabric pillow with a flap
• Cut one piece 21" x 75.5". 
• Use the other half of the fabric to make a second pillow.
3. A two fabric pillow with a flap 
• Seven-eighths yard for the front; one and one-quarter yard for the back.
• Cut front piece 21" x 32.125" and back piece in another fabric 21" x 43.625".

Shell crochet edging

Crochet edging supplies:

• a thick tapestry needle with a rounded end 
• a steel crochet hook size 2
• Size 8 pearl cotton in any color you choose (one ball edges three cases for me}
• washable marker
• ruler or guide marked 3/8"

Crochet edging:

1. Mark the pillowcase at 3/8" intervals about 1/4" from the edge.
2. Use the tapestry needle to make holes without breaking threads in the woven fabric then
3. Make a single crochet in the hole followed by 3 chain stitches.
4. Repeat around the edge of the pillow.
5. Slip stitch into the beginning.
6. Two chain stitches.
7. Seven double crochet in the first opening {the 3 chain stitches}, 1 chain, 1 single crochet in the next opening, 1 chain. Repeat around the edge.
8. Slip stitch to the beginning of this round. 
9. Tie off and bury threads.

Seven pillowcases finished. Three with cuffs only; four with crochet.

And twenty-five more face masks. No more sheeting or pillowcase ticking and only two yards of batik left. I line them with 100% cotton t-shirts. One good thing is that I'm finally progressing on DH's t-shirt quilt.

Reading

Each of my children grew up with a different books series which I read as they did. They certainly made interesting dinner conversation. For the oldest, it was Phillip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy. The original book, The Golden Compass {known as The Northern Lights everywhere else in the world} was made into a movie and recently into a television series.

Recently I discovered a prequel trilogy is being published. The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage begins shortly after Lyra's birth and concerns how she arrived at Jordan College. I'm ready to reread the original books.

My contributions have been to stay home, make masks, and donate money to my favorite charities.  It's all I can do. Stay safe everyone.

Enjoy the day, Ann

Placement Matters

"There are many kinds of selfishness in this world, but the most selfish is hoarding time, 

because none of us know how much we have, 

and it is an affront to God to assume there will be more."

~Mitch Alborn in Finding Chika

Masks

We are all doing what we can to fight this virus - the bravest on the front lines, the rest of us donating to charities, tipping delivery people heavily, and staying home.

Homemade masks

I made 40 masks this week with my tightest weave fabric for the front, cotton t-shirts for lining, and polyester or quilting thread to sew the ties {because I have no elastic.} With spring cleaning I'd already pulled extra t-shirts and fabric remnants that made good ties so it was easier to switch to this task.

Reinforce corners by backstitching

There are loads of patterns online. I liked the fitted masks best {that look like a brasserie} but DH liked the rectangular ones with side pleats so I made some of both. What I found is that it should cover from bridge of nose to under the chin and from jawbone to jawbone. Aim for the width of your ears on the short sides or it just gaps when put on.

Delivery drivers, grocers, homeless shelters, rehab centers, nursing homes, and vet clinics are among the people and places that can use these to free up professional masks for our front line heroes. Mine went to a collection center for distribution.

Tip: Instead of adding four ties, make two longer ties {16" for each tie end plus the width of the short end} and zigzag them so they can better take the stress of tying. Also backstitch at mask corners to reinforce those points of stress.

Cooking

Making chicken broth with vegetable peelings

It recently occurred to me that I could again make broth with vegetable peelings rather than tossing them straight to compost. It extends the vegetables that must be acquired. My grandmother taught me to make it this way but after finishing college, it didn't seem necessary. Time to pull this method out again.

Quilting

The addition of pink gives these trees the glow of spring... even though the greens lean to the yellow side. {In my mind, that usually indicates fall.}

Springtime tree blocks laid out with with pink and green

With spring in mind, an apple tree seemed in order. Lovely red and white plaid paired with red polka dots and a large circular print indicative of green apples. My mistake was adding those active prints to the light side of the trees. Instead of a tree, it's simply a mess.

First attempt at apple tree quilt block

I laid out a new one with only polka dots and whites on the light side. It's the right-hand one on the bottom row. The circles and plaids now sit with the green - where their values match. As you can see, this arrangement works much better.

Spring tree blocks sewn

And no, I didn't unsew the first tree. These triangles are too small and fiddly. I just tossed it... into the scrap bag. It's a learning experience.

I also finished two more tote bags. There wasn't quite enough fabric for one on the left but I made it anyway. It will just be a grocery tote; too small for a foster child. {It was already cut when I switched to mask making.}

Reading

Psychologist Mary Pipher wrote Reviving Ophelia about the needs of adolescent girls and now has written this one about cultural and developmental issues women face as they age. In some ways it reminds me of Atul Gawande's Being Mortal and in fact, she references his book and several of the same research projects. Atul's book addresses end-of-life issues while this one focuses on how women age.


FUR
One finished quilt, eight totes that took 11.5 yards, plus 8.5 yards for masks makes 27 yards this month. YTD = 47.5 yards.

Please stay safe.

Enjoy the day, Ann

Trees and Totes

Want of foresight, unwillingness to act when action would be simple and effective, lack of clear thinking, confusion of counsel until the emergency comes, until self-preservation strikes its jarring gong. These are the features which constitute the endless repetition of history.

~Winston Churchill

Quilting

Trees might be a possible border for Shadow Stars. If not there they could make a good quilt on their own. It took lots of drawing to determine which variation would work best. How many leaves on each side? How tall or short should the trunk be? Does it need roots or not? And since I want a specific size on point, none of these variations came with easy measurements. Of course not.

When I finally cut some triangles the real work began. It's difficult to get them laid out well. There's too much variation in the top one and the bottom right is too light.

First attempt at tree blocks

My next attempts were at the bottom of this photo. I liked the tree on the left and began to fill in the background above it; however, orange leaves still didn't work as well with the tree on the right so they were exchanged for blue. It needs more tweaking.

Creating tree blocks

The trees don't need as many different fabrics as I'd expected although they sure need lots of triangles. In fact, each block has 82 pieces. Who thought this craziness up? At least this is a good time to sit and sew. It's amusing how significantly the blocks shrink when they are sewn. {It doesn't take much to amuse me.}

Tree blocks laid out and sewn

By the end of the week there are five tree blocks.

First set of tree blocks

I'm surprised how few different fabrics are used in each tree. I expected to need ten or more just for the green leaves but most have three fabrics there {with another three or four in the background.} They also take a very light hand with the accent colors. Good practice for me who always thinks more is better.

Tote Bags
With all the extra cleaning, an older stack emerged. Tote bags - good for groceries, overnighters, or work bags. Shockingly, the Texas Supreme Court ruled banning plastic bag unconstitutional a few years ago. What a selfish, short-sighted decision that current inhabitants can do whatever they want without regard to future generations. Surely we can do better.

Tote bags

These are shoulder bags based on a free pattern from Back Porch Quilts in Pacific Grove. Each uses 1.5 yards. One yard for the sides, lining, and straps. Half a yard for the contrast on the front. These fabrics have been paired for a while. Now is a good time to finish them.

The purple one is mine; a reminder of our other sister who loved birds and that color. The others are for foster children. A quick way to pack might be a better gift than a pillowcase. I'll make more throughout the year.

Face Masks
We gave two boxes of procedure masks that we had from the last wildfire to the local hospital. They aren't N95 level; just what sick patients wear. Now we could use a few homemade ones to keep from spreading coughs and droplets to others {if that happens to us.} This article discusses the effectiveness and breathability of various materials. Realize that the pillowcases they mean are NOT the pretty ones we cover our pillow with. They refer to the feather-proof ticking that holds the feathers or foam of your actual pillow. Oddly, some is already in my stash and I just sorted our t-shirts. This will be next week's project. Our local hospitals don't want these but making them for us will not take the good ones from the people who need them most.

There are inspiring stories worldwide of the creative ways people build connections, hope, and service to each other while fighting this pandemic. Just like Mr. Rogers said, "Look for the helpers." I hope you are all well, safe, and busy as we all do what we can to help each other.

Enjoy the day, Ann