Lotsa Sewing

Stay at home for a prolonged time.

Stay busy. Keep occupied.

But, miss being with friends IRL (in real life). 

Those add up to considering a careful meet-up with friends. Only when beforehand, those friends:

• stay at home for at least two weeks
• wear a mask whenever they must go out
• take every Coronavirus precaution

Then, you agree to form a four-person pod for a week of sewing.

We went to a place with strict cleaning protocol, and also did our own thorough anti-viral wipe-down. And so it happened that last week was the fourth consecutive year I've retreated with friends. It was bliss.

When planning for six days of sewing and making (and eating!), I usually think I'm taking along too much stuff. But as it happens, my hands were on nearly every project I packed. 

With my peg loom, I wove a chair pad with a 65-yard fabric ball I'd prepared before going. 

I took along 1½"-wide yellow strips that I sewed together and ran through a bias tape-maker to turn into a 67 yard fabric ball for another chair pad. Only running out of the chunky yarn for the warp prevented me from weaving it too.

I finished two quilts, which means I quilted two quilt tops, and completed them with binding.

My 46" X 65" Maze quilt began November 7 in a virtual workshop with Malka Dubrawsky @astitchindye. Pictures of it hanging in our Bismarck palm to come.

I cleaned the master bathroom floor so I could crawl around on my knees to pin-baste Maze! By the way, I was satisfied to note that the floor was already clean. 👍

In the navy fabric "maze," I quilted a ribbon design, first using-up a spool of Aurifil #2784 dark navy. Then, I switched to navy Mettler to finish. This little bit is what was left. Believe me, I was holding my breath to make it to the end of the strip!

My 66" X 74" charming postage stamp quilt, pieced during spring Coronavirus days is finished. Pictures of it hanging in our Bismarck palm to come.

From my at-home scrap bins I pre-cut a variety of patches that I sewed into blocks for another Scrap Snap quilt, a free pattern from QuiltsForTheMaking. I made a good start with these 38 blocks that measure 6½" X 6½".

Evenings found me hand-stitching a Kawandi (Indian word for "quilt"). It's a 17" X 21" piece that I started in my November 6 virtual "Siddi Workshop" with Sujata Shah @therootconnection. I learned about this hand-piecing/hand-quilting technique practiced by Siddi women in India. Several new-to-me words were: "fula" - a "flower" at each of the four corners; pillars - fabric repeated at each of the four corners; and "tikli" - tiny fabric patches randomly added here and there. They're a little tedious to stitch down, but I sure like the effect. The tiny turquoise patch near the upper left corner is a tikli.

This Kawandi will be finished soon, and no doubt I'll make another - probably a larger one. It's such a pleasant handwork pastime, and the bonus is that it uses scraps! Only the back is a single piece of fabric.

I went power-walking a couple times, and though I listened to an audiobook, I don't have a title to recommend yet.

When I returned home, Dan wanted to take a golf cart ride across the new golf cart bridge, so we did. 

It's an impressive structure with a walking path alongside the golf cart path. 

The bridge spans Florida highway 44...

... and took us to the south end of The Villages where there are new villages, new rec centers, and hundreds of new homes. Makes us feel like old-timers, living here 8½ years now.

Thanks to each of you who took time to vote for your favorite quilt in the Virtual Quilt Show two weeks ago. Though I didn't place or win, it was fun being able to share a modern quilt with a broader audience.

With the ever-growing number of new COVID-19 cases, Thanksgiving will be quiet at our house. But being cautious benefits you, and those you love.

Be safe, my friends! Linda