Snow/sew day!

Yesterday marked the first measurable snowfall in the city since December 17; it's been a weird winter here in the Midwest.  A couple inches fell in the morning, and then last night the winds shifted, the "Lake Effect" took over, and I awoke early this morning to the unfamiliar roar of the snow plow and the scrape-scrape-scrape of someone cleaning their windshield on the street outside my window.

Outside my window, 6:30am

It's gorgeous to look at, but my best course of action this morning was to fire up the coffee and start sewing instead of venturing out.

Excavated UFO #43

100% flannel, ~60" x 60"

I finished piecing the borders from most of the orphan blocks and scraps I found in the mystery bag with the center blocks. I have no idea what my original plan was for this quilt way back when, but judging from the number of strip sets, there were more of those 25-patch blocks from the upper left corner in the works. They're cute, but 1" flannel squares are bulky and I didn't have the patience to do anything more with them other than string them together to put in the borders.  I do love me some flying geese, though (especially flannel ones!), so I may have to keep those in mind for another project. The top and bottom borders are different widths (hey, working with what I had), and it's a little wavy and wonky, but I can live with it.

Since there wasn't any goal in mind besides finishing the top and making room in the bin for another UFO, this will probably sit in limbo for a while. It would have been nice to have it all done and snuggle under it today, but there are other quilts for snuggling.

For now, I'm happy to be able to cross this one off my list.

Archie's favorite stage of quiltmaking...

While he gets pretty jazzed when those quilt blocks hit the floor and need to be rearranged, Archie's favorite stage of the quiltmaking process is undoubtedly when it's all put together and hanging on the ironing board. And I have to admit, sometimes I've left it there for a few days longer than necessary just so he can do this:

He totally understands "Go hide."

Now about that quilt...

I hadn't sewn since before Christmas. The machine was gathering dust, and I'd gotten pretty obsessive about knitting, even after the holidays. I was hellbent on finishing a bulky sweater I'd started when it was -10 out (without a pattern, no less, but that's a different story and I'm making progress), and had gotten on a bit of a decluttering jag when I found a bag of blocks and miscellaneous pieces from a quilt I'd started several years ago (like, 2011). It was abandoned for many reasons, but last weekend I threw the blocks down on the floor and figured I was just a lazy so-and-so for not putting them together sooner.

It's much more vibrant than in the video (I used the same fabrics in another quilt, also long ago), and it's growing on me the longer it hangs out here in the kitchen. I'm debating about the border but have vowed not to let that derail its completion.

Sometimes it takes an easy finish to jump-start all those other projects.  At least that's what I'm hoping.

Taking a break from sewing...

I decided to mix it up this year. My loved ones have enough quilts, and I hate being so predictable.

I'm knitting instead. Cowls and scarves for everyone!

Two more to go! My wrists may never forgive me.

Progress...

Strip sets are pieced and pressed, Step Two is complete! Still a lot of cutting to do, but that can wait a little.

Taking a break from sewing to go out and cheer on the 2016 Marathon runners down the street.  It's a beautiful morning in Chicago!

A sneak peek...

I feel as though I've been cutting pieces for this quilt for weeks.

Another design I got into my head and couldn't get out, this one's for me and my bed. Archie, in his over-exuberance, has pretty much trashed my existing quilt, and it's time for a new one.

A better shot with better lighting, and a photobomb by Archie

Forty-two different yellows and blues, no repeats. And all ready for piecing this weekend.

Too many choices...

I think for now this top is done. I played with it for a couple weeks, added some blocks, took some out, added them back and then some.

I finally feel like I can't add anything else, so I'm content with leaving it this size (55" x 48" -- a decent lap size). My problem is having too many choices for the backing, which has put me in total indecision mode.

I found a beautiful turquoise/teal/tan leafy batik last week that was perfect...then in doing some digging for something else found another turquoise batik I'd have to piece with leftovers from the front...and also found a piece of Minkee the exact size I needed for this top.

If I use the leafy batik or the pieced back, I can quilt this as densely as I want, which was the original plan -- close, wavy quilting to echo the inset strips. Using the Minkee, I wouldn't be able to do that -- and I've kind of been saving that piece for a winter throw for the sofa, and I'm not sure I am in love with this enough to keep it in my living room.

I have to let it percolate for a while.  But look on the bright side:  it's a finished top, and no longer in pieces in my UFO pile. Which for me, is a big deal. I'll get it quilted...someday.

So much for pressing...

The top was draped over the ironing board next to me while I was sewing, and I watched him pull it down so he could curl up on it.

Apparently there aren't any other fabric-covered surfaces in my condo worth napping on today.