HQ45 - Pemberley quilting

Today is the 45th day in Home Quarantine.  I spent my morning quilting on Pemberley - finished one of the corner blocks and have three more of these big blocks along the border to do.  There are 16 of the big blocks and I was hoping to complete the hand quilting before my guild's quilt show in September.  These stay at home days have given me the time to almost all of the blocks completed, but now the guild has cancelled the quilt show.

While I quilted, I listed to My Dear Hamilton on audible.  Its the story of his Alexander Hamilton's wife, Eliza (Betsy)Schulyer Hamilton.  I do enjoy listening to books while I quilt, much more than music or watching tv.  I just finished listening to America's First Daughter, (about the daughter (Martha, Patsy, Jefferson Randolph) of Thomas Jefferson. Odd that Eliza was called Betsy and Martha was called Patsy.  I guess Betsy could come from Elizabeth, but her name was Eliza.  Not sure how they got Patsy out of the name Martha.

 I find that historical novels make learning history much more interesting.  Just have to take into consideration that many times the stories have been embellished. Both of these books were written by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie.  The authors provide clarification in the end of the embellishments they made and why.

HQ Day 44 - Lone Star / Rose Star

Today I decided to work on my Lone Rose Star quilt.  This has been a difficult one for me to name.  Basically its a Lone Star quilt, and I have EPP'ed some Rose Star blocks to encircle the Lone Star....so I call it my Lone Rose Star, but then there are multiple Rose Stars.  Hmmm...I may have to change this name.

I debated on the layout of the star point so I took two pictures:

I decided to send the pictures to two friends (Darlene and Brenda ) and get their opinion.  I was so glad they picked the one that in my mind I had already chosen, the one where the center is yellow - pink - green.

Today I got it put together and laid it out to see how the Rose Stars will look.  I still have to square it up, add a border the same as the background so that the stars will fit and make one more Rose Star.  I actually have two more Rose Star blocks, but I made them before I decided on the grey background and both of those stars have grey on the out edge and just get lost in the background. 

The assembly of this quilt top was a real challenge for me with all the Y seams.   Its not as wrinkly as it looks in the picture as I have it laid out on a sheet and could not pull it tight.  Once I get the borders on , I will be able to pull the stars away  from the Lone Star a little bit and maybe that will give it a little better look. 

HQ Day 42 Wild Rose Duchess Table Topper

Is it possible that it has been a week since my last post????  These days are going by faster than I thought.  I lose total track of what day of the week it is and my goodness it has now been 6 weeks.
I thought I would have a lot more done in 6 weeks, but then I didn't factor in making masks, fixing hubby breakfast, lunch and supper, and cleaning projects in my projection of all I would finish. 

 This is my Wild Rose Duchess table topper that I completed last night.  This was a on-line workshop being sponsored by Kristina Hadjimichael.  It was a fun one, but also several new things I learned in making this topper.  I think I put my binding on a little too tight as the topper puckers a little...but I can live with that.

Next project pineapple blocks which I love to paper piece.  I spent at least two hours gathering fabrics from my stash.  Had to rob several project boxes where I had set aside fabrics for future or current project, but gotta do what is necessary when fabric stores are closed.

HQ DAYS 32, 33, 34 35 - Pinning Technique

Well this post will cover 4 days activities.  Days 31, 32, 33, and 34 were spent making face masks, primarily for a local hospital.  I took a little break yesterday afternoon and this morning to get my Coronaville and Temperature Quilt caught up.  This afternoon I will get back into the mask mode and make some for a local volunteer fire department that contacted one of my friends with a need for face masks.  This is sure making a dent in my fabric stash :) which pleases me.

 This is the 5th full week I have been in Home Quarantine, or I guess I should say the current reference Stay-At-Home.  I don't actually have "the virus", so not quarantine I guess.  But I like the HQ term so will continue to use it.

My block 35 is the purple house with red door and yellow roof.  I am enjoying picking out fabrics from those I have pre-cut to make my houses - and trying to keeps color balance through out the quilt.  I have them all on my design wall and I am afraid I may need a bigger wall before this is all over.  Right now, they are saying in SC it may be June before we can start moving about.  The "elderly" \, which I am considered one, may be asked to stay home longer than others.  But that's ok - that is the way it started, and I sure do not want to get the virus or give the virus to any of my friends and family.

My Seasonal Temperature Quilt is coming along nicely.  Spring blocks have the green between the temperature blocks and this green fabric makes me happy.

I know I have talked about how I have learned to pin my quilts in the past, but today when joining one temperature row to another, I thought about it again and decided to share it again.  My dear friend Darlene (who I sure miss spending time with) taught me to pin at a diagonal when I want to match seams. This allows you to sew right up to the seam before pulling the pin out and works fantastically, especially since I press my seams open - and flat.  I have also started pinning straight edges sideways - this way I do not have to worry about the raw edges being even and can sew right past the needle without hitting it. 

One thing I have learned is to push the pin through twice and it won't come loose while you are sewing.  For years I only did it once, and on long seams the pins would work their way out.

 I am taking an on-line class with Katrina Hadjimichael and noticed that she pins straight on the seam line, rather than perpendicular to the seam.  She then removes the pins as she gets to them.  It's always interesting to me to see the ways people do things differently, which is one reason I enjoy workshops.  I had signed up for a Mexican Star workshop that was scheduled for April, and sadly has been postponed.  I sure do miss spending time with my quilting friends.

HQ Day 31 - Quilting on the porch

A continuation of my earlier post.   Our power went off at 8:45 last night, and came back on at 1:30 today.  When I see on facebok all the damage done to trees and homes of some of my friends, I feel so fortunate that all we had to deal with was a loss of power.  Thankfully, no injuries or loss of life - Praise God.

I spent most of my morning sitting on my front porch and enjoying the beautiful blue sky, cool breeze and birds chirping so happily.  Saw my neighbors going up and down the road, many of whom I have not seen since this Stay-At-Home started and even had a chance to chat with some when they stopped and talked from their car.

The lighting was so nice outside, I could sit in the shade and hand quilt with a soft light on my quilt.  I had gone to Bojangles and gotten coffee, and stayed out on the porch for several hours.  It was right about the time the sun started eating up my shade and I decided to go inside that the power came back on.  So I spent the rest of the afternoon ironing binding for masks and cutting out a few more to work on in the morning. 

HQ Day 31 - Til the Storm Passes By

One of my favorite gospel songs by the Gaithers is Til the Storm Passes By.  I tried to copy a link to a YouTube of them singing this song, but could not get it to work.  Last night we had a bad storm and today all the power is off...has been off since 8:45 last night.  Lots of wind, lightening, thunder, and darkness last night and I thought of this song.  We are in a storm of many things these days,  but this morning when I got up, still dark but gradually the sun arose, the birds sang and the storm had passed by.  Power is still off, but that makes everything still, quiet. My heart is at peace as I see it as a reminder that this storm in the world will also pass by.

I did not make this quilt, but pulled the picture off the internet (Etsy)  This is a Storm at Sea quilt  - pattern offered by Generations Quilt Pattern

‘Til the Storm Passes By

Gaither Vocal Band

In the dark of the midnight have I oft hid my face

While the storm howls above me, and there's no hiding place

'Mid the crash of the thunder, Precious Lord, hear my cry

Keep me safe till the storm passes by

Till the storm passes over, till the thunder sounds no more

Till the clouds roll forever from the sky

Hold me fast, let me stand in the hollow of Thy hand

Keep me safe till the storm passes by

Many times Satan whispered, "There is no need to try

For there's no end of sorrow, there's no hope by and by"

But I know Thou art with me, and tomorrow I'll rise

Where the storms never darken the skies

Till the storm passes over, till the thunder sounds no more

Till the clouds roll forever from the sky

Hold me fast, let me stand in the hollow of Thy hand

Keep me safe till the storm passes by

HQ Day 30 - Happy Easter

It sure did not feel like Easter to me when I got up this morning, but then my daughter called and wanted to know if I would take a picture of her family around the cross .

And when I came back in the house, I had a message from my other daughter and her family at their family cross.

I did not hear from my son, but I am sure they were at their church this morning.  At their church the congregation gathers in the parking lot, everyone stays in their cars, and they listen to the service together over the radio.

I am so blessed and so thankful for my family and for God's loving grace.