Saturday, May 1, 2021

A Busy Week

The deed is done. The carpet is installed in our basement office, my studio and the stairs leading down to the basement. Whew! I paced myself over the 10 days prior to last Tuesday’s installation date to move all my fabrics (and tools, WIPs, and accessories) to the spare downstairs bedroom. The drawers from the office desk, plus all the office supplies storage, closet storage and the CD storage (which looks like an old library case) were moved over that time as well. Then, last Saturday we had to move two large and VERY HEAVY bins of food storage (a Christmas gift from my son Shane a year ago). The first bin we slid to the three little steps leading down to Bruce’s laboratory, and let gravity do the work. For the second one, Bruce wanted each of us to grab one side handle and lift and carry it. I know how to lift with my legs instead of my back, but I used my right arm and re-injured my neck and shoulder (we ended up sliding it down like the first bin). I have Thoracic Outlet Syndrome too, so even just overuse of my arm and shoulder can aggravate my neck. I was down for three and a half days days nursing my neck with a heating pad, ice, Ibuprofen and Tylenol. Lying in bed offered the best relief for a couple days, but by Tuesday I was up and moving. I’m almost back to normal now, just using Extra Strength Tylenol. Yesterday I went grocery shopping, mopped floors, did a load of laundry and made 3 pints of strawberry-rhubarb compote, so it was  a very good energy day.

Regarding the carpet, though, I don’t have any pictures yet. It’s a medium-toned gray/taupe, very plush and thick carpet. But it’s not really done. They are coming back on May 13 to install the coving, which is basically carpet baseboards. It had to have the edge finish cording (or whatever it’s called) stitched to it first. Once that is done, I’ll take pictures. And yes, I’ll have to move my fabric again so they can move the bookcases out from the wall to install it. But there isn’t really anything heavy for us to move (they do it), so in the studio it’s business as usual - and anything that isn’t needed can stay in temporary exile until mid-May. 

So let’s move on to more Quilty things, shall we?

I did get my two Rainbow Scrap Challenge quilts quilted and finished. These were the windmill (Twin Sisters) blocks I worked on for RSC2020. First is the gender-neutral quilt (darker colors, no pink).

It was quilted with a viney loop and backed with a polka-dot backing fabric from Connecting Threads. 

The second quilt had the pinks, pastels, florals, etc. - more girly. 


This had the same backing as the first quilt. Both quilts measure 42x48” and will be donated to Quilts for Kids. I’m also participating in Hands2Help again this year, and these quilts count for that. When we wrap up the H2H drive, I’ll do a recap post of my charity quilt donations. But for now, I’m linking up to Scrappy Saturday for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge

On Thursday and Friday I decided to tackle those ugly pink and blue nine-patch blocks that I won last month. I thought I’d do a Disappearing 9-Patch, but I wanted to add a white (actually an off-white) into the mix. Then I discovered the Double Disappearing Nine Patch. There are a couple ways to do a DD9P, but this is how I did mine.

Start with your 9-patch and cut it into four even quadrants. 


Measure your resulting squares and cut four white/background squares and one colored square the same size. place them to make another nine-patch, like below. 


Sew together the “new” 9-patch, then once again cut into four equal quadrants.

Arrange your quadrants in any manner  you like!


So now I have 8 of 12 of the original blocks sewn and chopped, and this is what I’ve got so far. The blocks at this point measure 8” and will finish at 7.5”.

I’m going to set them 6 across by 7 down so that I’ll have six leftover blocks. I’m thinking there are at least 4 blocks (from one original 9-patch block) that will be too ghastly to include on the front. But they’ll end up on the back and I’ll be done with them! This quilt still won’t be a “looker”, but it will be a serviceable donation quilt.

Before that finishes up, however, I’ll be getting a start on my Red May RSC blocks. Here are some of the things I plan to work on in the merry, merry month of May.  My red scrap bin runneth over. It’s sitting on some red orphan blocks.

Two more prospective red kid quilts: alphabet and bees.

And finally, some red and navy large HSTs for another yet-to-be-designed kid quilt. 

Our May is starting out much better than last year. Last week we passed the one year anniversary of Bruce’s arm amputation. Who’d have thought he’d be playing guitar and banjo this year? We’re celebrating his birthday (Monday) with his favorite; mud pie from Baskin-Robbins. We’ve invited some of the family over to help us eat it. There was no way to order just one piece each for ourselves, and death by chocolate is not an option.

20 comments:

  1. Love how you divided your windmill blocks to make a gender neutral and a feminine quilt. Ouch on your reactivated injury. Glad you are on the mend! Can't wait to see if you found any forgotten projects when you were moving things around that you fell in love with again and will be courting to a finish.

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  2. Those are some good looking reds! Glad you are using up those nine patches. Some blocks feel good just to get gone.

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  3. I've done the disappearing 9-patch in a quilt before, but now you've made me want to do a DOUBLE Disappearing 9-patch. Awesome idea! Thank you for the inspiration because I have a little stack of ugly 9-patch blocks of my own. LOL

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  4. Oops- made a mistake! I think the double disappearing saves that quilt, snd someone will enjoy it for sure. Happy one year anniversary of success!

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  5. Congrats on finishing up those two cute quilts for QFK, Cathy! Double Disappearing 9-Patch? I've never heard of that before, but was pleased to see the technique you shared. You can bet that I'll be trying that someday. Oh, and... Happy birthday, Bruce!!!

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  6. Those windmill pieces are so cheerful--they will be well-loved I am sure!!
    Disappearing 9-patch piece looks really good--that's one I've not tried.
    Happy birthday to my fellow May Taurean--good thing you will have help with that
    mud pie--nice choice!! Anything chocolate would be my choice too...
    Hugs julierose

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  7. Beautiful quilts, Cathy. sorry to know you re-injured your neck and shoulder. Take care and get weel soon.

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  8. I love those windmill blocks and the quilts you made with them are just great! I hadn't seen the double d9p before, and that's fun, too. Glad you made it past your injury and are feeling better. Moving furniture will mess up my neck, too.

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  9. So sorry you hurted your sweet self - that's not good!! Just remember not to repeat that when you move things back again! How I wish we could replace the carpet here too but I want wood or tile to cut down on allergies. Unfortunately it would cost a small fortune AND it would put our rent up, to say nothing about the upheaval to have it done. p.s. - please wish Bruce a very happy Birth Day on Monday!

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  10. What a bummer that you injured your neck again! But glad you took good care of yourself and are better! Best Wishes to Bruce on Monday! Doesn’t time fly when your having fun? (she said, tongue in cheek). I’m sure your basket of reds will produce some happy quilts!

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  11. Love the two Windmill quilts, so pretty. Never heard of a Double Disappearing 9 Patch, thanks for showing how to cut the blocks. Sorry you reactivated an old injury which I’m pleased to hear didn’t prevent you lift your pastry fork to your mouth to eat some birthday cake. Enjoy making some red blocks and creating quilts from the alphabet and bees fabrics.

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  12. Okay, so my question is: If you slid the food bins DOWN to get them out of the way, how are you going to get them back UP? It's clear you won't be lifting them. Can you get the carpet guys to move them back? Love the windmill quilts. I made one disappearing nine patch and didn't enjoy the process. It was an I Spy variation which was fiddly to construct and my OCD was unhappy when the cut pieces didn't come out the right size. Sometimes you just have to concede a technique is not right for you. Happy Birthday to Bruce. Enjoy the pie.
    Pat

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  13. That certainly WAS a busy week! Glad the pain has subsided and you could get back to your fabric happiness!
    Happy birthday to Bruce, and may that mud pie be enjoyed by all!

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  14. Happy birthday to Bruce! He'll strum up a storm. Just don't overdo things this week! The DD9P looks intriguing....but I really, really like the bold Twisted Sisters. (Or Sister and Brother.)

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  15. congrats on your 2020 finishes! great bin of scraps for May! have fun!

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  16. OO Oh honey, OwiEEE! Im glad your better and have time to heal before the great ore-organizing begins. I love to dig my bare toes into a new carpet. It's part of how I test whether a carpet is the one for me. all those luscious reds how do you resist dipping into them the rest of the year? and a very Happy birthday to Bruce!

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  17. Even though the fabrics on your double disappearing aren't your cup of tea, they are cohesive. They have that old-fashioned vibe that some people just loooooove (not me.) "Farmhouse" and "Granny Chic" are hot trends right now, so it will find just the right person to love it. Meanwhile, I'm glad to hear you are on the mend!

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  18. That sure changed the look of your nine patches! What size is each of the original squares for it. Beautiful finish on the windmills too.

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  19. Happy belated birthday to Bruce! I heard this on the radio a few weeks ago and thought of the two of you: https://the1a.org/segments/rainbow-connection/ (it took awhile for them to post the link on 1A's website, or I would've sent it sooner!)

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  20. Please convey my best wishes to Bruce. Love both of the windmill quilts - such fun and movement. The polka dotted backing is just perfect. I have some dotted backing but it has been to special to use so far. Silly me. There is the D9P and then you go ahead and make it a DD9P. It works!!! I am looking forward to red projects/blocks in May.

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