Friday, January 26, 2018

Light Blue Scrap Recap and Another Quilt Finish

Here we are near the end of January. It’s been a long, cold month, but at least it didn’t seem as long as last year. Maybe getting out more often (to the mall three times a week to go walking), along with my other activities and errands, helps the yucky winter days to pass more quickly.  

This is the last week to post our blue scraps for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge before Angela assigns the February color.  I usually do a collage to sum up my progress, and I will continue that this year. So here we go. I had a total of 51 blocks this month.


Top:  2 Squared Away Blocks, 10 - 6.5” selvage blocks, 2 Linked Squares Blocks
Middle:  2 blue string blocks, 2 birds, 12 crumb blocks
Bottom: 10 - 6.5” quarter log cabins, 1 Geese Migration block, 10 bow ties

I am ready for a new color!

Last week I realized that I’d never given a weight loss / health progress report (it keeps me accountable) in my end of the year/end of December recap. So, I’ll combine two months into one. December went well, eating-wise, until the neighbors started bring over treats and we decided to a family cooking bake-along. Long story short, I lost, then gained, then lost most of that. Bottom line was that I ended December weighing .2 LESS than I started. I was happy with that.

For Christmas I got a Fitbit. I’ve been working to increase my daily steps. I’ve always been a relatively sedentary person. I worked in an office and had sedentary hobbies (sewing, reading), with the exception of gardening. But that’s not an option in Utah in winter. So, Bruce and I began mall walking three times per week, and it has noticeably strengthened my legs, helped me feel so much stronger (and younger), and helped the pounds peel off. I have to remember that I’m losing pounds, not years! So far in January I’ve lost 5 pounds. My next weigh-in is Tuesday, so it could be a bit more or less before the actual month end. Anyway, total loss to date is 34.2, and I am close to moving into the next size down again in pants. Yay! My goal is to do that before we leave for Arizona on the 8th without having to lay on the bed to get the zipper zipped! Raise your hand if you’ve ever had to do THAT!   Yeah, Diann, I see you with your hand down. You’re naturally thin, LOL!! 

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And as the title says, I did have a quilt finish this week. It was rather unplanned. You see, DH Bruce sort of backed into the neighbor’s car when he left for work the other morning (it was dark and as the mirror says, “objects may be closer than they appear”). No damage to neighbors car, thankfully,  but it broke his truck’s rear tail light. Our neighbor, who is a prince and a gentleman, even ordered the part for us because he gets a discount. Anyway, Bruce and Steve will replace the tail light  this weekend, but I’ve been bummed out about it for reasons that aren’t really important (and that I can’t even put my finger on anyway). I felt I needed to find a happy place, and for me that was doing some zen-like sewing or quilting. So I pulled out my basted Autumn Quilt and spent two 2-hour sessions quilting it in a loopy, leafy, and whatever-floated-my-boat-type of motif. The border orange cornerstones even got big spirals. Because I could.


I quilted it with a 50-weight Aurifil in a golden color. I usually use 40-weight, but I still have a couple spools left over from a 50-weight set I bought a few years ago, and this golden yellow seemed perfect for the Autumn Sampler. The binding is my usual Warm and Plush. The quilt finishes at 64x79”. 

The back is a piece of yummy flannel that I picked up on sale last year during the Utah Shop Hop. It is actually a bit darker than the picture shows. Anyway, all in all a comfy fall quilt which will is late for last year or early for this year. Take your pick! 


This quilt was Goal #2 on my first quarter 2018 Finish-Along list, here.

Have a great week!

23 comments:

  1. Oh, Cathy, you make me laugh! Naturally thin??? Oh no! Just trying to make sure I keep off the 30 pounds I knew I had to lose when I hit 50. It is a daily battle, I promise you! Love all your beautiful blue projects, and congratulations on finishing your pretty Autumn quilt, too! I love it!

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  2. You have been a busy bee. All your blue blocks are great. I hope to finish a couple more before the end of the month and a real live finish. We shall see. I really love your fall quilt. Glad it put you in a happy place. Hate when I can't put my finger on why something bugs me. Like to the point of not sleeping!!!

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  3. Naturally thin--uhhh what is that? ;~(((
    I am battling the bulge again...it has been so cold here that our treadmill is smokin' hahaha.
    Anyway, I love your blues..lovely projects--you've certainly gotten a whole lot done--nice work!!

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  4. Love your blue blocks, but your finish is SO cheerful! Congratulations on your dedication to live more healthy. I need to give it a try, lol.
    xx, Carol

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  5. What a happy finish, Cathy! I'm so glad that quilting helped distract you. And I'm impressed with the number of blue blocks that you were able to make. That's a lot of scraps, lady! No wonder you're ready for another color :)

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  6. You are off to an awesome start this year with your blues. The Autumn quilt is a fun finish. My favorite blocks are the owl and the sweet squirrel.

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  7. Great collection of blocks. Your finished quilt is gorgeous, so happy and bright, lots to look at.

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  8. Wow 51 blocks done. They all look so good. Your autumn quilt is pretty! Good job on the weight loss, I am also working on some. down 24 lbs since last Sept but Jan is not going well, there is still Christmas backing around. When I try to eat less of it it last longer.

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  9. So many great blue blocks this month, sounds like your mall walking is having some great side effects. Great way to offset the sitting needed for quilting.

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  10. Your Autumn quilt is so bright and happy it's like springtime in the fall. And what a productive light blue month you've had. I struggled to find enough light blue. Tomorrow I may try to duplicate the bird block before the month ends. It is just so cute.
    My doctor has actually told me to gain weight! I know, boo hoo, right? What is that saying? You can never be too thin or have too much fabric. Oh, wait, that doesn't sound quite right.
    Pat

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  11. 51 blocks?? Good for you! Way to go!
    And a quilt finish too? What a fun autumn sampler and some spiffy quilting too. Congrats on finishing up a goal.

    I don't think I've ever laid on a bed to zip up a zipper but I wear elastic waist pants around the house and this hermit rarely ventures out anywhere so don't break out the zip up pants very often. The last time I actively tried to lose weight was when we were planning to go to Belize for our 30th wedding anniversary. Last June we celebrated our 44th! Maybe I need to plan a trip!

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  12. What an effort to reach 51 blocks....
    Your finish looks fantastic.
    Keep up the good work with your walking and weight loss. Well done.

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  13. Wowzers, look at all those blocks! (If sewing counted for fitbit steps, you'd have over a zillion for the month!)
    Love those adorable birdies!

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  14. That Autumn Quilt is amazing! I especially love the squirrel. As usual, the number of RSC blocks you are able to finish astounds me. Very nice!

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  15. Quarter Log Cabins, Geese Migration and Interlocking design that I have no name for, I love them ALL!!! I'm more than a little jealous of your productivity. Congrats! on your newly completed quilt, too.

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  16. Wonderful finish on the Autumn Quilt! It's good to have Fabric Therapy ready to go!

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  17. Over 50 blue blocks! That's so impressive! I especially like those two little bird friends. :)

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  18. Beautiful blues and beautiful blocks I love to see all of them together.
    Your quilt is a beauty, and the flannel back is just perfect.

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  19. Wow...51 blocks made this month is quite impressive! Your finished quilt looks great. :)

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  20. Oh the dreaded assisted zipper zip!! Think we're going to take a page out of your book and do the mall walk thing - once DH recovers from that nasty flu bug he's had. Of course you know I love the blue blocks (but the wee birdies are especially smile-worthy).

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  21. Oh wow, 51 quilt blocks!!! You are amazing! Yes, done that thing with the zipper.. but now I don't have zips, just elastic, lol!! Love your finished quilt too xx

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  22. Congrats on all the stitching and on the weight loss. I'd be lost without my Fitbit, it does help remind me to keep moving. Just wow! on all the scrappy blocks, the little birdies are my favorite of your set. Good luck with the weight loss. Happy stitching this week.

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