This past week has been crazy; Olympics, Super Bowl and the continuing horror of the Trump Administration aside. I’ve been prepping for my trip to Colorado next week to begin the task of sorting and dismantling my late brother’s effects. Besides the packing lists and other details, I’m not sure how prepared I am for the emotional impact as I get to his house and he is not there. Going through his clothes, selling his vehicles, saving family mementos and being surrounded by all things Steve, except Steve himself. Thank goodness my cousin Dan will be there with me, both for emotional comfort and for physical assistance with the “outside stuff” (cars, tools, equipment).
All that to say that my sewing time was limited this week and my heart was not in it. I did manage to sew one block, a single Rolling Stone block, in green. Green, dark and bright, is the color of the month for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. We’ll save the lights and pastels for another month because green, like blue, is such a huge color for many of us. Anyway, here is my single block, 12.5” unfinished size.
I did fiddle with my Stay at Home Round Robin (SAHRR) blocks, but I’ve been frustrated lately trying to reconcile the prompts with the style of my starter blocks and my vision for turning them into kid quilts. I want to keep the whimsical Mary Engelbreit feel, and it is not going the way I want it to. So, I’ve definitely narrowed it down to doing only the Queen block. I’ll save the Princess block to do on my own later.
And I’m not particularly happy with my ideas for the current round on the Queen block, either. Part of my frustration is the color of the blues. I do want to pick up the lighter blues of the central motif, but both of the blues pictured are too dark. Or are they? Most of the panel colors are so rich and saturated. But I do think the monkey wrench block will work as cornerstones for the pre-printed border print that came with the block as long as I add to it in width. I figured I should use that border print before the top gets too big for the limited length of it that I have.
PS - I just noticed as I posted this that I sewed the Rolling Stone block backwards! See? MY mind is on walkabout. I’ll fix it and repost it in a couple weeks. Sheesh!
12 comments:
Well, Cathy, your Rolling Stone is gathering no moss just like you with all that in store for you...it is not surprising that you feel scattered having to take care of your late brother's effects--not an easy task.
Some of my Mom's stuff stayed in boxes for a whole year before I could deal with her loss enough to take care of it all. Grief after loss comes and goes in its own time--and we are so often swept away by it all..I hope you will have someone to help you at his home?
Take good care and try to be gentle with yourself during this time. All other things can wait...hugs Julierose
I'm sorry you will need to go through all that stuff taking care of selecting what to keep and what to give away (sell) so much to do. I keep telling Mike we need to start going through things now while we can of things we no longer want or need and he refuses to think about it.
You have a tough task ahead so I'm glad you have a family helper.
I think the plain blue stands out too much with everything in the panel so busy. Maybe you have a light blue print or plaid to try when you have time to get back to it.
I've dismantled several family estates. It is a bittersweet time. It is good to have some support, both to reminisce with and to help with the physical activity and decision making. The rolling stone block is just the right intensity to work on during this emotional time.
Your Rolling Stone block isn't wrong, it's a new variation, and I like it! You might consider making both blocks and combine them in a quilt.
I think our eyes confine this center block to three colors: red, blue, yellow. But there is green and purple scattered throughout as well, and those colors might enjoy being acknowledged with blocks in future rounds.
Carolyn
I'm so glad you don't have to go to your brother's home all by yourself, Cathy - know that we're all thinking about you and sending hugs! I hope the process goes smoothly for both you and your cousin. Sometimes the SAHRR is a frustrating project, isn't it?! Let it simmer while you're gone and maybe the perfect next steps will emerge when you're home again! 🩷
Backwards looks great to me! Best wishes on your trip to Colorado. May you only feel good and funny vibes at Steve's place.
You are wise to set aside the SAHRR for now. I sympathize with your anst about cleaning out your brother's home. I'm still trying to deal with some of my husband's "stuff" and it's been over 4 years. And, of course, I need to keep working on reducing my "stuff" as well. I'm glad you have your cousin to help out. Show yourself some self-compassion and know that eventually your mojo will return and having fresh eyes when you restart your projects may lead to new ideas.
Take care and be well.
Pat
Oh my - the job of sorting someone's entire life's stuff - that is huge. Hope it goes well. Sometimes I struggle with some of the prompts for SAHRR. I skipped the last one altogether last year as nothing I tried looked how I wanted it to. You find a solution I'm sure.
Sometimes even our favorite place to be ( the seeing space) requires more bandwidth than we can muster. I wish you grace and humor and happy memories as you settle the affairs of your brother. It’s a huge project and double tough when you live a distance away. Reason #1 , I am determined to downsize our stuff. Our kids both live away from home.
As for the SAHRR, you will be able to deal, when you are able to deal. Be safe in Colorado. Weather should be ok. Keeping you in my thoughts and in my heart.
I think many of us have minds that are currently on walkabout what with all the happenings throughout the world - and you have the added stress of dealing with an estate. Not an easy thing to do. Be safe and take care of yourself.
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