Saturday, August 28, 2021

A Great Week!

Ah, the sun is shining, the birds are singing (literally!) and Darla is curled up in my lap. It’s been a good week. The basement is dried out, the exterior west wall is permanently fixed and the inside renovation has started. Any potential leaky cracks in the foundation have been sealed with foam and the waterproof backer board is in.

Today the framing studs go in, along with the insulation batts and the start of the sheetrock. I can’t wait now until it’s done so I can paint the wall a new color - probably gray instead of the institutional white that’s been there longer than we’ve lived here. I’ll also be ordering white shutters for the window. And on the exterior of the house, we are having the rain gutters and downspouts cleaned, adjusted and spruced up with leaf guards (separate company). Jeff, our contractor for the interior, has also said he’d work on our laundry room this fall, so I can finally get some new lighting, cabinetry, paint and a new washer/dryer. It’s really about the only place in the house that we haven’t remodeled since we moved in 19 years ago.  It feels good to be moving through some of the fixes and remodeling we’ve wanted to get done for a long time. 

In the meantime, Cousin Kim and I were able to start sewing again. On Wednesday we set up two (out of four) of our sewing tables. With a temporary place to work, I got busy on the remainder of my aqua/teal/turquoise blocks for the August Rainbow Scrap Challenge.

Twelve 5.5” waffle blocks, sewn into three 10.5” big waffle blocks:


Two 6.5” crumb blocks and five 4.5” four-patches for the Parts Department. 


And finally, eight “chips”, four white with black and four black with white.


These, then, are my aqua RSC blocks for the month. They totaled 46.


I used my two tables to lay out and baste a small quilt for Quilts for Kids (QFK) this week as well. There are two larger quilts waiting to be basted, but I don’t have the space to set up more tables until the remodel is complete. So, I’ll just do the small ones in the meantime. This little quilt (posed in the construction area) finished at 31x41”. It was my only quilt finish for August. 


But I’ve kept busy. I decided my string bag was way too full, so I’ve begun chipping away at it. Here are 39 string blocks that will finish at 6”.  No noticeable change in the string bag yet! These blocks will get added to the 200+ in the Parts Department. When we get the studio finished up, I can do an official count of all my string blocks and make plans for a string quilt assembly extravaganza! 


Later this morning I’ll be attending our Quilts for Kids workshop. We try to vary the workshop location all over the Wasatch Front, which means the gathering can be anywhere from Ogden in the north to Provo in the South. About every other meeting is in the Salt Lake Valley, which is best for me. In fact, today’s meeting is here in Murray where I live. Yay! I have 17 scrap quilts I’ve made over the last 3-4 months to donate. I’ll continue sewing string blocks in the workshop. 

It’s going to be a crazy and fun weekend with contractors, family, friends, Quilts for Kids and the Farmers Market . Woo-hoo! Bring it on. Life is good!

16 comments:

  1. You got a lot done! Of course I love all the blocks, but I'm really glad your building project is ending. What a terrible mess remodeling is, especially when its because of a problem. I can't believe you sewed through it! :) Enjoy the "new" place!

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  2. It does sound like you have had a great week! So many beautiful blocks to add to the collection AND a newly remodeled room to look forward to. Have fun with the painting!

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  3. Glad you are low and dry! (Well, it is the basement...) Love your turquoise array.

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  4. I know you are relieved to have the repairs in place. You've accomplished a lot this month in spite of the interruption. Strings just seem to generate more strings ...

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  5. You're always so productive, even when there is disruption in the house, Cathy! I love all the turquoise in your post today, especially the way you're putting the waffle blocks together. Your colorful string blocks for the parts department are a great idea, too. I bet I could make a bunch of those, too. Have a great week!

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  6. Finding ways to be creative and productive in the middle of reconstruction - good for you!! I love those waffle blocks!! What a great idea for using scraps. But all of your blocks turned out great in the aqua.

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  7. Such inspiration! Love all your Aqua blocks . I think I only like monochromatic string blocks, then I see your recent multi colored ones and I remember I like those too! So many blocks, just “get busy , Judy!”

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  8. Super that your remodeling is almost done now!! You must be anxious to get in there and start setting up!!
    I love your String "Parts Dept". Can't wait to see how they will come together...
    I am still making two string blocks per day in short sessions...
    hugs, julierose

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  9. I am so glad things are working for the better in the remodeling. It is exciting that things will be better than ever now. You have made a great collection of blocks - I especially like the waffle blocks.

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  10. So pleased your house repairs are going so well. What a relief for you and Bruce. And you managed some sewing too. Love the pile if multi striped String blocks. Enjoy your weekend - you have a lot of different things lined up.

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  11. Glad to see you doing more "Cathy-things" this week and that the basement is dried out and sealed up! Best of luck with the interior finishing. ONE finish in the month you've had is QUITE an accomplishment (and something that I wasn't able to pull off!)

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  12. You can't keep a good scrap quilter down for long. I'm glad the repair project is almost completed and your can put the room back together again. And adding the laundry remodel will make things even better. I've been a slug, but cooler weather is due next week, so I hope to get back in the groove.
    Pat

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  13. Thank you so much for sharing your bright and cheerful quilting. I look forward to seeing what you made, so I read your post first when I check my email Sunday morning. I am amazed at all the piecing you get done each week.

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  14. Glad to hear the repairs are almost complete! Love the string blocks - that sounds like the perfect kind of soothing sewing right now!

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  15. I am so happy for you that the contractors are taking care of the leak in your studio, and great progress is happening in sewing as well. And also happy for you that there will also be some work done in your laundry room with better lighting... always good.

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  16. And you are back to creative frenzy :-) Love all your blocks but he chops are my new favorite!!!

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