It all takes time

This may not look like much, but it is a week's worth of English paper pieced hexagons, all basted and ready to inspire the next batch. I'm not really sure what direction these will take in the end, but it will take a lot more of them to get very far. These, too, are not going very far just yet. The orange cast will probably go this week and be replaced with a longer-term version. I'm going to try my hardest to keep working on the hexagons for as long as Paul is laid up. It really is nice to sit with him in the evening with my handwork while we watch a movie together. He's turned down my offers to teach him to knit. So, it's just me with needle in hand and both of us hoping this healing thing goes well. After all, the past week's subzero temps and tonight's freezing rain will fade away in due time and make way for maple syrup time. And crutches in the woods simply won't do.

Oh hex

The day started out with intentions of cutting a few dozen hexagons to try out these 2-inch hexagon papers I found at Antoinette's quilt shop in Plover. The papers are printed freezer paper pre-cut shapes. (Yes, I could cut my own shapes from freezer paper, but I know I won't.) Just press them to the wrong side of fabric, leaving 1/4" seam allowance around each, cut and baste for perfect hexagons. The shapes are can be used repeatedly -- until they no longer stick.

As I was saying, the idea was to cut a few dozen hexagons just to have a handwork project available for whenever the mood strikes. I had just finished ironing the shapes to fabric when the kitchen door opened and Paul yelled for me. So much for the hexagons. So much for his farm chores.

The next five hours were spent in urgent care (without any handwork) while Paul went about the business of having his fractured ankle treated.
There will be another trip to Marshfield later this week to see the orthopedic surgeon. Paul will be on the injured list for a couple of months. The poor guy is going to go crazy. Our sons will do double-duty with their jobs and the farm. I'll go to work. When I'm home in the evening with my uncharacteristically housebound husband I'm going to do handwork -- piecing hexagons -- while dreaming up ways to help him stay on this side of the sanity line.

Oh, so close

The finish of Kit and Violet's flannel quilt is finally near. The final borders are going on today, but you won't see the quilt until it's all finished. I'm hoping to get it to the long-arm quilter next weekend, and then, at last, to the happy couple.
On the way to the finish line, there were a few bumps in the road. One of those was the backing fabric. This quilt measures about 92x108" -- no small little lap quilt indeed. A quilt this size requires about 9 yards of backing fabric. If you've been to a quilt shop lately, you know that's a tidy little investment, so I opted to shop for a bargain that would still meet my fabric quality standards. My quest took me to Connecting Threads where I found a small floral flannel in what looked like a suitable color to coordinate with the top. I should have trusted the color description, which was mint. Instead I went by price and a hunch that it wouldn't be a bright mint. I was wrong. It was a bright, springy mint. Fresh as toothpaste. Definitely wrong for this quilt. Nine yards of wrong. Even at the bargain sale price, it was still nine yards of a terrible color for this quilt.
Welcome Rit Dye (I find it in the grocery store's detergent aisle). Rit Tan is a miraculous little box of fixing that I've used it on several quilts and fabrics that were just too bright for my purposes. It took two boxes this time, but 9 yards us a lot of fabric.
The original toothpaste-fresh color is obvious in the strip here. The background fabric is the mint flannel after two rounds of Rit Tan. The foreground is the border fabric for the quilt. You'll probably agree the the new subdued mint is a pretty little print that will coordinate nicely with the mood and color of the quilt. I've said it before; I'll say it again: I love Rit!

Happy Mess of Memories

I'd be very happy to take another year like 2011 (without the lousy governor), thank you very much. Having a real Christmas tree again was the the start of the happy ending. Since a real tree was a health concern the past few years, having one this year became a symbol of the happier, healthier times we hope will continue.

When our kids were young, each one was allowed to pick out one new ornament for the tree every year. Of course a few tree-crashes and years of use means not all have survived, but the ornaments still hold plentiful memories for me. Even better, the kids were pleased to find some of their favorites when they were here for our Christmas celebration over the weekend. After seeing some beautifully ornamented trees in other people's homes, I briefly considered changing my tree-decorating approach. The themed trees are lovely indeed and ever so tempting -- especially those color controlled schemes. But once I started hanging one memory after another, I knew there would never be one here.

I love our happy mess of ornaments that reflect each of our different tastes as the years went by. All the cows Jane sent for years ... the "baby's first Christmas" ornaments ... my personal favorite: Mama Bear, Papa Bear and five baby bears all lined up in a bed ... the nursery rhyme ornaments Mom sent when the kids were little ...the crocheted satin balls Grandma Ruesch made ... the 4-H projects made by Alyssa ... the sometimes reluctantly made projects by the boys ... the single surviving red ball from our first ever tree ... even the angel the kids selected many years ago ... all of them combine to make one happy mess of a tree. Our Christmas tree .. and the passing year ... leave me feeling just as pleased as the jolly snowman Jeannine stitched on the cutest-ever pillow.

Happy New Year!