Knitting, Posh, and Quilt of Valor

It's been a slow week. I didn't accomplish as much as I hoped, due to having shoulder and neck pain, first on my left side, then my right. I don't know what prompted this, but it made me take Tylenol and pause to recover. Pain has lessened enough to do housework. Ha! 

This week saw me start and finish two projects to be donated at Boomer Loomers,

On the left is a newborn-sized cocoon, and on the right is a cotton facecloth knitted in the moss stitch. 

As much as I desire I can learn to knit new things because I have all sizes of knitting needles! Back in the 1970s Mother made this vinyl knitting needle roll. It's 15" long.

Inside pockets are made from flannel and contain all the needles she used over the years. It's a creative storage piece, isn't it? If I didn't have it for size 6 needles, I wouldn't have been able to knit the facecloth. 

This week also saw me resurrecting a UFO started in April 2023 - Posh Penelope. The pattern is by Sew Kind of Wonderful, and uses the Quick Curve Ruler.

I made two blocks back then.

Though Posh Penelope has been on my to-do list, until I saw Elizabeth Occasional Piece Quilt blogging about making four blocks a month, I hadn't thought about working on it.

Now I'm on-board.

Last weekend I cut fabric for the remaining 40 blocks - a total of 1,344 pieces. 

Two years ago, I learned that making each block requires undistracted attention! There's piecing, then cutting, then piecing, and cutting. It's certainly not a suitable project for a quilt retreat.

In fact, between Elizabeth, and her friend who's also making blocks each month, it's been highly recommended I make blocks assembly-line style - better to repeat a step than change steps for Every. Single. Block. Following their suggestions, I'm making eight blocks at a time... and don't have yet have a block to show for it.

In other news, on Thursday I reconnected with a long-time quilt-y friend in Kansas City: Carla. If you've been reading blogs or blogging as long as I have (16½ years; 1,378 blog posts) you may remember her blog: Lollyquiltz. She and I met in person because we followed one another's blogs. Though she stopped blogging in 2018, she's still quiltmaking. Find her on Instagram at @lollyquiltz.

Anyway... 

On Thursday, Carla went to my dad's assisted living community in the Kansas City area. She was present when Dad, a 95 year-young veteran of the Marine Corp, and 50 other residents received a Quilts of Valor quilt - all pieced by Penny Moyer, and all quilted by one longarm quilter (I was unable to get her name.) 

Unfortunately, none of us three children knew this was happening, and therefore didn't attend. My heart overflows with gratefulness to Carla for taking time to meet Dad, and share in his presentation. Thank you friend! Linda