Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Beating The Blahs

A Monday night snowstorm has blighted my driveway twice in the past two weeks. Here's the Police cruiser and tow truck working on the situation from last week. You may click to enlarge any picture.

 
That meant that there was no meeting of The Sunshine Quilting Club over at the Alton, New Hampshire, Senior Center.


The hapless driver above was a neighbor who was just trying to get home. She ended up in the ditch and was waiting to be towed out of it.

This is what it looked like in the morning, AFTER plowing and shoveling. Ewwww, it was an icy mess!


Fortunately, a warm low-pressure system traveled up to New England and brought gorgeous Spring-like weather in the 40's to take the ice all away.

But before the storm hit us, I made my trip to "The Mothership" in perfectly delightful calm winter weather. 
"Husband Wonderful," my Felix, insisted on making brunch for me before I left. Mmmmm, Thank you, my honey!

 
It was all for the Keepsake Quilting's, "Fat Quarter Frenzy", held only at the retail shop, from the 15th until the 20th of February. (Yes, there's still time to get there if you're local. If not, just charter a jet, LOL!)


It was very cold , but I bundled up and shopped 'til I dropped!

 
Of course, I was completely enthralled by the displays of Civil War era reproduction fabrics located in the entry foyer. Wheee! Mostly Marcus, but a few nice Andovers, Windham, and Henry Glass's  too.

Here is what my Keepsake shopping basket of my final selections looked like; yummy cheddars on top! Yes, and yes, more reds. But you knew that much, right?


When I got home, I was tired but happy. It was time to grab a cup of leftover coffee and a treat from my Secret Valentine. Shhhh, it's Husband Wonderful again, heehee.


Yesterday's all-day rain brought back the winter blahs to me. To ward off evil vibes, I did do some sewing on my Prairie Queen blocks. These are all sewn in my beloved Civil War reproductions. They cheered me right up! I began them around the first of February.


My version of the traditional Prairie Queen block has the lights in the 3½" four-patches all aligned in the same direction. It is my idea to create a secondary pattern of light wreaths when four blocks are joined together.


You can see that the upper photo is much more pleasing to the eye than my original layout trials as seen below.


I flipped some of the blocks for better "random" color placement. You can fiddle for hours getting things to look random, can't you?


When I saw the 12 blocks in a wreath pattern below, I knew that that was the one for me!


Quick, quick, make four more to complete the pattern made by 16 blocks!!!


Miss Emma Lynne thought that a nice phosphorescent lime green tennis ball might be a nice addition to those precious Civil War prints, why, don't you agree? No? Perhaps next time...


I had great fun making these. Wonder if I'll stop now or make more for a big quilt? They are only 9" finished, not 12", so it would take a boatload more to do a big quilt. Hmmm.

"We'll see. And that's final," as my dear old Dad used to say whenever he was stalling for time on one of life's tougher questions.
Like should you eat chocolate just before your supper? Of course, you should! That's intuitively obvious even to the most casual of observers.

Linking up to Oh, Scrap!, check it out! Link.

Sew happy!

9 comments:

cityquilter grace said...

very pretty blocks as always...

Janet O. said...

Looks like you made plenty of good finds at the Mothership!
I have to say, your secret Valentine, that isn't such a secret, takes very good care of you. : )
Your Prairie Queen blocks are great--even with the addition of the lime green tennis ball. Thanks, Emma Lynne!

swooze said...

Love your final layout!

gayle said...

I love those blocks! The secondary pattern is such a bonus.
Oh how I miss Keepsake Quilting... Looks like you had a VERY good time!

Sam I Am...... said...

Well, I'll be...I found the perfect blog! I love your snow, I love NH although I've never been there it has always had a special place in my heart and I have no idea why. So, thank you for snow pictures and a fabric store (of which there are none near me)...thank goodness for the internet! And quilting which I am just now getting back into. I still consider myself a beginner but I enjoy it so and I am waiting for a quilt book and fabric to come in the mail! I love your blocks and I also love your fabrics. I'm doing small projects and have just lined some up. I can't wait to come back and see what you're up to and does your husband have a brother? Just kidding but he does sound like a keeper for sure!

Wendy Caton Reed said...

Oh what fun! And your blocks are delightful! Yes, I know the struggle of getting that "random" look. If you move one, you move them all and on and on... They will look great whatever the sequence!

Vicki in MN said...

I have never seen that block before, I really like it. It's gonna be a great quilt!

Jennifer Fulton Inquiring Quilter said...

Love this! So wonderful after you played with the "random" arrangement for a while. And terrific acquisitions! Who doesn't love cheddar? Gotta make a quilt with some soon, plus blues. Saw a cheddar and blue quilt once and vowed to make one someday. Sorry to hear about your weather. Here's it's springlike. Temporary I know but still wonderful. I'll pass it along your way!

Cynthia Brunz Designs said...

I don't think I have ever seen that block. It looks so pretty in your layouts. Thanks for sharing with Oh Scrap!

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