Monday Meandering 2 - 10 - 2020

Success! I finished the challenge quilt Friday and turned it in on Saturday morning.  Unfortunately, I forgot to take a picture of it! Sigh.  It will be hanging at the Mid Atlantic Quilt Show with the other Country Piecemakers challenge quilts at the end of the month so I'll get some pictures then.  I like it so much better than the one I did last year.  (See it here.) I've decided I am very literal when I try to make creative quilts.  You'll see what I mean when I post pictures at the begining of March.

Most of my sewing time last week was dedicated to the challenge quilt but yesterday I worked on some string blocks for Covered in Love block drive.  You can read more about it at Kat and Cat Quilts. Although I like making blocks and sending them off for someone else to actually make the quilt, these string blocks seem to take forever!  I will have 5 done eventually and will get them in the mail sometime before the end of the month.  It is nice to use some of my strings though.

Before trimming the block. 

Two blocks trimmed.  Sorry, not my favorite block.  

I also received a nice package of fabrics I ordered from 1,000 Bolts last week.  Here are the two that I was able to get washed during the week. Yikes that bottom fabric is wild!  However, the plan is to cut the strips into 2.5" squares and make four patches.  Hopefully this fabric will look much better when I just use this for four patches as I plan to cut along the white lines... hopefully it will work the way I think it will work.  The light blue fabric is a wide back to finish up a patriotic top I'm making for TAPs. 

And here are the light colored fabrics I got at the same time. Just basics except a small patriotic remnant. (hum, the center fabric is definitely white, not cream.) I may have to quit buying fabrics as I haven't used the fabrics I bought last year from 1000 Bolts.  Sigh.

Exactly a month ago we were in Cartagena, Colombia.  We enjoyed the city tour that started at Castillo de San Felipe -- a fort up on the hill overlooking the city.  In 1597 the fort was just earthen works. Within 20 years more fortifications were added but only a fairly small section known as the bonnet, because of its shape.  If you remember your history European countries were expanding through conquering.  In 1697 Cartagena was attacked by the French. The small fort at the top of the hill was not enough to protect the city. In the picture below the bonnet is visible as the tallest point and the little wall/building to the right. I'm not too sure how far back it goes because I was pooped after walking to the main section and I wasn't going any further UP! 

The second attack in 1741 by the English was not as successful. Additional fortifications and canons had been added.  Although the harbor and forts closer to the water were taken, Castillo de San Felipe protected the city.  That was the last attack by Europeans. It continued to be expanded ending up with tunnels, cisterns and 62 canons. The fort continued to protect the city until 1821 when Cartagena became independent.  It was neglected for most of the 19th century until the late 1920s when restoration began.  It became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984.  

Looking from the fortress out at the city and ocean.  Notice the two venders set up on the walkway up to the fortress.  It was quite the walk up the hill to the fort.  From the fort we went to the old town section of the city.  

There were a large number of tourists and even more vendors selling hats, leather goods, and much more that I have forgotten.  We could barely walk without having someone try to sell something to us. We had some free time to walk about the old town area. One of the shops we visited was a chocolate shop where we bought several bars of chocolate although we haven't opened them yet.  But the samples at the shop were very good!  We also stopped for some liquid refreshments and to sit a bit. And then on to a tour of a beautiful church in the area. 

As the bus was returning us to the dock I noticed this building with really odd balconies. I took this through the bus window which explains the white section at the upper right of the photo.  I keep thinking this picture could definitely inspire a modern quilt! 

I'll share more pictures of our trip the next time I blog.  I have quite a few wonderful pictures of birds and animals native to the area.  And, soon going through part of the Panama canal. 

I will be linking up to Oh Scrap, Monday Making, and Design Wall Monday.  Have fun doing some internet surfing.  I just haven't had time to do much surfing so I plan to spend more time this week doing just that! 

Happy Quilting All!  Bonnie 

Stash Busting Stats and OMG

Not the month I thought I would have but it was a good month.  

2017	Fabric In Month	Fabric In Year	Fabric Out Month	Fabric Out Year	Total In or Out Year
February	7.00	17.875	7.125	20.125	2.250

I brought in 7 yards but I also used 7 and an 1/8th yard.  I'll take it!  However, this morning I finished a project that I had wanted to finish last night.  And, I've got a quilt ready to load on the long arm which I'll finish within a week.  So, that's a nice start to March. 

My OMG isn't good news.  I just didn't get very far on it.  I put the sashing on the blocks. 

I was hoping to get the inner border and the outer border on.  Um, no, didn't happen.  I haven't decided whether I'm going to use the borders for my March OMG or some other project.  I have made 3 other red, white and blue quilts over the last few months.  I'm tired of the colors.  I want to branch into some other colors.  Plus, I like to give these quilts to TAPS and I won't be able to get this done in time to pass it over to the coordinator who turns it in.  They'll need more next year so I'll keep it for then. 

I'm linking with Needle and Thread Thursday, Let's Bee Social and Midweek Makers.  I was going to post this in the linky party for OMG finishes but that has closed.  It's time for me to come up with a new project so I can link it. That will be another day! 

Happy Quilting All!  Bonnie 

A Winter's Day . . .

At the Beach.  We've been down at the beach house for a few days.  We left an ice event with a bit of snow thrown in back at home.  It's cold and sometimes windy but the sun is out and we're enjoying ourselves.

We actually went to walk the beach yesterday morning.  It was empty so we let the dogs run loose.  Kona stays close by but Raggs is into adventure and goes off sniffing the dunes and piles of sea weed and whatever else strikes his fancy. Unfortunately he doesn't hear very well so we have to stay alert so he doesn't wander too far.  I was bundled up against the wind. 

We were surprised to find the stairs down to the beach looking like this! 

I've been sewing up a storm in my little sewing area by the windows. 

It's in the great room behind the chairs.  The space works really well for me.  I had to close the blinds to get the picture because of the light.  But, I look out over the back yard that is mostly sand and trees and a view of the golf course behind us.  

Late afternoon the sun is coming in from the left side and I get the best light for sewing.  I'm blocking the shadows while I sew so I don't even notice them. 

Once the sun starts going down I have to quit sewing.  I brought an Ikea clamp on light but it needs a special plug to allow it to work which didn't make the trip.  Next time I'll make sure I have more lighting.  The table was purchased at JoAnn Fabric stores when it was 50% off and I had a 15 or 20% off everything coupon.  I was leery of it being stable enough but it works great.  I'm using my old Elna Carina that weighs under 20 pounds. It just came back from servicing and is sewing like a champ. 

I'm specifically working on three UFO's.  One is for the TAPS collection I mentioned in this post. I've got lots of pinwheel blocks from FCQ Equilters so I thought putting them into quilts was a great idea.  Unfortunately, I didn't check the block sizes before I packed them up.  One is a good 1/2" smaller than the others so it won't work.  Drat!  I've got 4 of the 5 rows done and will swap out the small block for another once I get home. 

I'm also working on Wild Dogs -- hopefully I'll get it to top stage.  I finished the appliquéing at fall retreat and they've languished since then.  I cut all the strips and gathered everything I need to finish the top before we head home.  It has pieced sashing and pieced cornerstones so it is taking a time to get it all ready to sew together.

Last, and maybe I won't get to it, is the Mystery of Powhatan quilt. I just looked back to see if I showed any photos of this quilt. It sure doesn't come up as pictures.  I did list it several times in the goals list.  I'll post some pictures of it soon.  It needs either two or three borders to finish it off.  I've cut the strips but they need to be sewn together and put on the quilt.  It may be difficult to do that here as there is limited space to work in.  But I sure would like to get it done.  I'm going fabric shopping on Super Bowl Sunday and I hope to buy a backing for it.  I'll have a big finish the month I get this quilt done -- it's a big queen size quilt.  

Ok, time for me to quit perusing the Internet and begin sewing again.  We're going out to lunch and hitting a yarn store.  I find it hard to believe but there is a wonderful yarn store here in the Outer Banks. I've gotten several great patterns and some sock yarn.  It won't be used until several other pairs are done but one of these days I'll get to it. 

Happy Quilting All!