My Quilting Journey

 I've been on a quilting journey. It started this fall when my friend Linda asked if I'd like to take a beginning quilting class with her. I knew I needed to do this, but I had been avoiding it. It sounded so boring. I figured it would be fun if Linda was there.

I really don't t like the pattern that the teacher uses, but it does work well as a learning exercise. And I was happy with the fabrics I chose.

The teacher shared all the "insider" tips that I had not been able to find in books or videos, like how to get the corners of squares to match up. And how to cut straight sashing. Notice I said she taught us these skills, not that I've mastered them!

That gave me the confidence to try a throw-sized quilt with precuts. This one uses Jolly Bars. I still had to square up all my units before I sewed them together. Apparently I haven't mastered cutting or sewing straight.

And now I'm working on the Market Street Quilt. This is a great beginner quilt, and I'm having fun with it. As you can see, I'm trying to get away from pretty but predictable.

I think I'll always like art quilting best, but I do want to build up my skill set. Besides, it's really nice to curl up under a quilt that you made yourself!

One Great Weekend

 I have wanted to take a class from quilter Heidi Parkes for years. But either she was teaching when I was working or she was teaching far away. She's based in Milwaukee, so I was looking for a local opportunity.

And I got one this past weekend. Heidi did a two-day workshop in Cedarburg, an adorable little town north of Milwaukee -- less than 2 hours from my house.

First, Heidi is an amazing teacher. As you can see, her quilts are very freeform and unique.

I love discovering indie coffee shops when I travel -- and Cedarburg has two. Sunday morning I had a lovely latte while I furiously embroidered so I'd be ready for the day. The coffee cup embroidery is from a photo of a latte in Riga. I don't call myself Caffeine Girl for nothing.

Heidi's class was quite challenging, and I really struggled. She pointed out that I chose a difficult palette. I haven't sewn any of the blocks together, so I may have to make some major changes.

It was the friendliest group I've ever taken a class with. Everyone shared supplies and tools. There were no cliques. We are going to try to get together in the fall to hang out in Cedarburg and show our finished quilts.

It felt like the beginning of retirement, even though I have 5 more work days.

xx

Three Months of Stress to Go

 Three months from now, I will be on my 2nd day of retirement. I cannot express how happy that thought makes me! For one thing. our school district is going to remove seniority as a priority for shifting schools and for layoffs. As if that's not enough, I went on a safety tour of my school Friday -- and it is a mess. Hardly anyone has their own classroom because the school is so small (but has 200 staff and 2,200 students), so there is nowhere safe to eat lunch. 

Even vaccinated, I'm not sure it's safe. People are dying after being fully vaccinated. My employer acts like vaccination removes all risk -- but it doesn't! Even though the CDC recommends that vaccinated people should avoid crowds of any size and restaurants, we are opening high schools. And what about all those unvaccinated teens?

So onto something cheerful:

Here's our little retirement house. We had the inside painted white. The painters finished Friday, so we have spent much of the weekend moving in the smaller furniture. My sweet husband moved all the furniture for my craft room so I could get that set up ASAP. The movers come on March 30, so we have time to get our current house cleaned up.

The neighbors are super friendly. There's a darling 4-year-old girl next door who I'm going to adopt as a foster grandchild -- seeing as I don't have any grandchildren on the way

That safety tour lasted 1.5 hours, which is way too long for me to be on my feet. In between taking loads of stuff to the house, I've been hand-quilting using my lap quilting hoop:

I love the tear-away paper. I can't do circles or spirals freehand.

And I finished another hat:

It even matches the Navajo rug that my MIL made!

We back to school on April 13, and I am very stressed out about that. I am having so much trouble with foot pain (club feet) that I don't know how I'm going to survive. For me, virtual teaching has been a blessing. I have asked for accommodations, but my district has denied every accommodation I've requested in the past, so I am worried.

Still, it will all be good in three months. I can do this!

Chugging Along

 We closed on our house without incident last week.  We've moved in a few things, but we can't move in too much until the painters finish. The sellers painted the walls themselves before they put the house on the market. Not only did they do a sloppy job, but they chose colors better suited for a state mental institution.

We have movers scheduled for the end of the month, so we hope to have all the small stuff moved by then.

I still need some crafting time to keep my sanity. This next photo will look like a repeat but it's not. I am now calling Porto the "Forever Sweater." It will get done. Eventually

I've been quilting the Hook, Line & Tinker embroidery designs, and I think it enhances the images.

Thursday, Keith and I drove 45 minutes to the Walgreens in Fort Atkinson. Why? So I could get my first Covid vaccine! Seeing as my district is starting in-person instruction with K-2, I was feeling pressure to be vaccinated before the high schools open.

I wanted a quick, easy, stash-busting project for the drive, so I pulled together materials for a Banff. It's a Tin Can Knits pattern, and I have never been disappointed by one of their patterns. This was fun, fast, and very relaxing. Just what I needed. I've already started a second one.

I expect my posts and comments will be sporadic over this coming month, but I will be trying to read and keep up with you!

You Win Some, You Muck Up Others

 As if it isn't bad enough that I'm the last person to bake bread during the pandemic, my bread did not turn out at all. The dough for two loaves of cinnamon-raisin bread looked OK at the beginning:

But it never rose properly. I puzzled and puzzled over it. I've baked plenty of bread in my time. Then Keith asked about the yeast. I only bought it a few weeks ago, but I checked anyway. Yep, it expired four years ago! Given the run on yeast in the past year, I have no idea how any out-dated yeast was left.

Fortunately, not everything here is failing. Thanks to Kim, I have an adorable embroidered sheep. I'm going to make the Hygge Reindeer, which Kim also made, and then combine them in a little quilt.

Kim really has a knack for finding the best embroidery patterns.

And I'm quite happy with the quilt I'm making with my flower embroidery:

The border strips are fabric that I sun-dyed last summer. Wow, does that seem like a long time ago or what? Not that I mind winter. I took a long walk this afternoon, and it really cheered me up. 

I have a rough work week coming up so I needed the boost. So far, my district is mostly virtual, but I'm always worrying about being asked to go back before vaccination! Chicago's teachers have voted not to teach in person, which I think is wise. My science-smart friends say the Midwest will have another spike as universities open up.

So, wherever you are, stay safe, my friends. We are not out of the woods yet.

These Mitts are Cursed

 I can't find my favorite fingerless mitts, so I've been knitting myself a pair of About Town Mitts, a pattern by Bonnie Sennott. As you can see from the two finished mitts, some things went terribly wrong.

Most obviously, the mitt on the right is too short. I thought it was just a weird design, but then the second mitt worked out beautifully. I missed an entire section on the hand the first one, so I'll have to tear it back and reknit.

Also, there are some weird holes at the bottom of the thumb gusset of the mitt on the right. When I put the mitt on, the holes don't show, so I think I'm just going to live with that. At least these aren't a gift for anyone!

I am always admiring the quilting I see on your blogs. Those of you who quilt perform miracles, like sewing straight lines and producing even squares. Instead of just envying you all, I am working on a modern log cabin pattern that allows me to focus on those two skills.

So far I think I see some improvement in my skills. But I won't really be able to tell until I start putting together the pieces.

I have to admit that I'm feeling a bit down this evening. It's Selichot, a service that is held on the Saturday night before Rosh HaShanah. My congregation isn't even doing a Zoom service, so I feel a bit off. For me it's the first step in the High Holy Days.

Also, I'm tired. Teaching on Zoom is exhausting. And there were so many issues -- technology problems, scheduling issues, frantic phone calls from confused students and parents. It was good to see students, even if it was just online.

You may have seen Madison in the news. Students at UW-Madison are not following protocols and the numbers in Dane County are spiking. Every day is new high. More than half the frat and sorority houses are quarantined, as well as two large dorms. 

It's going to be long winter, I'm afraid.

Suviving the Pandemic

 I am foggy after another bad night.  I wake up four or five times a night in the middle of terrible anxiety attacks. The bad news is they have been so intense that I can't even get out of bed to take medication. The good news is that I can't get out of bed and eat.

Usually, my panic attacks are very specific, focusing on specific worries. These have been completely general, so  I'm not sure what actions I can take to calm myself. Very frustrating!

I'm assuming they are in some way a response to the pandemic and to work. I have to work at least one more year, so there's not much I can about that. It never occurred to me that any parent would think I should die so that their child could go to school. The threat of opening schools is the only thing I am conscious of worrying about -- that and my son working in a veterinary hospital with hundreds of employees. 

I think I am doing what I can to make my life pleasant -- I'm almost done with my Pandemic Quilt. I'll take a full photo when it's hanging on the wall:

I've been biking and walking nearly every day. Today I saw these hibiscus flowers on my walk. I just love that there's a variety of hibiscus that can grow in Wisconsin!

I am thoroughly enjoying my Sue Spargo-type project, which I am calling "Happy Fish." I'm learning lots of new embroidery stitches. Wool is so nice to work with because it has structure and it's easy to get a needle through.

And my dear Kola makes me happy. The other day she thought she was recycling:

I Zoom with friends, hang out with my husband, talk on the phone, read. I'm not quite sure why I'm having such bad nights!

This and That

I can't believe it's been a week since I posted. I suspect that has something to do with going back to work -- even part-time work interferes with the fun parts of life! I suspect I will be glad for the human contact once winter arrives -- so I shouldn't complain. Still, I am beginning to mourn the end of my summer break.

I apologize for boring knitting content. I am making good progress on my 3rd (and last) Kate's Poncho.

I can hardly wait to cast on something new!

My Summer Quilt (for lack of a formal name) is coming along. It was looking kind of dull so I added more appliqued leaves. And I just love the hand-quilting because it is so meditative.

There has been a bit of sketching. There is little part of my neighborhood that has modern, really expensive homes (every house is expensive in Madison!), so I tried drawing one of them:

Next time I'll pick a house that isn't a big brown blob! It's a lovely house, but not much fun to paint!

Stitching & Listening

I've been a bit obsessed with my latest quilt. It's made  from my hand-dyed cotton, so it includes all my favorite colors. The main panel was printed with a real fern.

I'm hand-quilting it with a Kantha/Boro stitch, a process that is very relaxing. Meditative, even. Which makes it perfect for listening time.

I've mentioned some of my favorite podcasts in the past: The Daily, On the Media, Post Reports, and Trump Inc.

I wanted to share a few of my newer finds:

• Throughline: Great history podcast from NPR. They cover a variety of subjects from conspiracy theories in American history to a look at the Kurds. As entertaining as it is informative.
• Slow Burn: I loved loved loved the season on Watergate. The season on Bill Clinton was good, and the new season on David Duke is excellent!
• Unfinished: Deep South: A truly fascinating investigation into the 1954 murder of Isadore Banks, a successful African-American, in Arkansas.
• Thunder Bay: This rundown city north of Minnesota is the site of an uncanny number of First Peoples teen deaths. Turns out that Canada hasn't really made peace with their history of oppressing native peoples.
• An Oral History of The Office. I am addicted to The Office. Its theme song is my ringtone. No romance will ever be more moving than the one between Jim and Pam. So far, there is only one episode out, but it is really good. If you like The Office, this is a smart history of the most-streamed show ever.

I'm always looking for good podcasts. What do you like?

On Sun-dying and Memories

Every year since 1972, when I met her at summer camp, Joni and I have vacationed together. She lives in California, and I live in Wisconsin, so this will be the first time in 28 years we will not see each other, which is really sad -- but better than one of us getting sick or worse from taking an airplane. Next summer, though, I will drive to California if I have to!

The rocky shore of Lake Superior near Grand Marais.

We like to do some kind of art or craft project together. Last year, I learned how to sun-dye with Dynaflow (a high-flow acrylic fabric paint from Jacquard) so we could dye cloth and make art quilts. It seemed like a reasonable project give that we were renting a cabin in the little artsy town of Grand Marias on Minnesota's North Shore (one of my favorite places on Earth).

Joni and I in front our little house. We love to dress alike!

It is super simple. (Directions at the end of the post).

Here are Joni and my quilts in progress (Mine is on the left):

And here is the finished quilt:

Those really bright images in white and black are silk-screened with Thermofax screens, which Joni and bought at a retreat with Judy Coates Perez.

DIRECTIONS:
You need: white cloth, water, sponge brushes, Dynaflow, stencils (or leaves or other objects), and a garbage bag or some other plastic surface. You wet the cloth, pat it flat on plastic (which I stretch over foamboard or a similar flat surface), and brush the cloth with paint. You can water down the paint for lighter colors. You can mix up your own colors. Then lay down the stencils/other objects and press them flat. Move the surface into the sun and let the cloth dry.

I'm just started to experiment with leaves, so I'll let you know how that goes!

Lots of Fiber

My life has been filled with fiber these last few days. It's also been filled with intense heat and humidity. Personally, I prefer the fiber.

I coordinated a "play date" for my fiber group, which consists of reserving a room at Blue Bar Quilts and inviting the group. We had a fun and productive day

I'm trying to cut fabric with more precision.

Here Donna is making a gorgeous portrait quilt for her SIL. The talent in this group is just amazing.

Of course it is unbeastly hot because it's always horrible for the Art Fair on the Square.  Fiber art was much more common than in past years. This artist does amazing landscapes with needle-felting:

This panoply of fruit is also done in fabric. Look that those peaches at the bottom. Truly amazing!

A very young vendor upcycles vintage linens into gorgeous clothing:

Normally I would have recorded the artists' names, but it was just too hot to do even that little task.

I've been knitting while watching Stranger Things on Netflix. I am not generally a fan of horror, but this show keeps me riveted. I've been made it to the second color in my Free Your Fade.

I leave for my trip tomorrow. I'll try to post some photos from my phone while I'm gone, and I'll be back to catch up with you at the end of the month.

Trying to Focus

I hope that everyone had a lovely Mother's Day. Keith and I made brunch for our mothers.

I've been trying to be more focused on fewer projects so that I can actually finish a few things. After brunch on Sunday, I finished this quilt, which Keith calls "the ugly one."

 It's not my favorite, either. I was trying to use colors that aren't in my usual palette. I learned how much color inspires me. I think that part of the problem with this quilt is that it didn't emerge out of joy -- and I think that shows. This was a useful experiment, but I don't think I'll do it again.

On the other hand, I am thoroughly enjoying my Hitchhiker. I have come to the place in the skein where the dark teal is beginning to occur more frequently.

I spent quite a bit of time working on it this weekend and listening to a fascinating podcast from Slate about Randy Weaver and Ruby Ridge.

And I'll leave you with a photo of my grandkitty telling Rachel that it's time to turn off the computer:

Spring Is Everywhere At Last

Even Wisconsin has finally welcomed spring! Kola and I are very happy to be able to hang out on the screened porch. 

 Last Sunday I noted that there were 31 days of school left, which means we are now down to 26 days -- 25 for me. I'll be eating Jello for dinner and undergoing everyone's favorite intestinal screening procedure tomorrow.  Yesterday a teacher went public on the state of the profession in the Miami Herald. I love my school, my colleagues, my students -- but no one is exempt from the budget cuts, testing culture, lack of respect. Those have become national problems. 

But, getting back to spring, I have started another set of mitts in Zauberball Crazy, and this ball is very cheerful and seasonal:

My quilting project also features flowers:

I like this project, but again, I feel like I'm following the commercial fabric's direction. I fell in love with the flowered fabric and then chose others to contrast with it. 

The projects I really love are more original. I've started working seriously on a piece for an exhibit that my fiber group is having in the fall, and I like this one so far. The show is at the Arboretum so all the artwork has to include Wisconsin wildlife.

I have four Wisconsin birds and a handful of native wildflowers. When I finish the design, I'll transfer it onto cotton twill and embroider it with perl cotton. I think it will be a fun one to embroider.

I've been taking it easy this weekend. I am exhausted following a week of student crises at school and an injury. A student came flying out of a bathroom and banged into my wrist, leaving me with a sprained arm. I spent the whole day dealing with Urgent Care and Occupational Medicine. Still, I did go out for Gallery Night on Friday. There's a new store that focuses on arts and crafts from Tibet, India, etc., and it is furnished with this completely beaded chair:

Really. That is all beads, see:

Five more weeks. I can do it, right?

One Done; Two New

It's been a weird weekend. Snow on Saturday, but then a glorious walk on dry sidewalks with my friend Denise today -- didn't even need a sweater. Crazy! At least we didn't have to cancel dinner out with my Mom Saturday. She took us to a very nice Italian restaurant.

As promised, here is my finished quilt:

So, what I don't like about it is that it is largely based on commercial fabrics: the rooster, the eggs, the words. It was fun to make, but I don't get the kind of satisfaction that I would from something that was more original. 

The next quilt is already under way. This time, I decided to force myself to work with a different set of colors.

And do you know what this is? I bet many of you recognized it right away. It is a sprouting Hitchhiker. I didn't think much of the pattern until a saw a few of you do it with gradient yarn. Now I'm a fan. As you can see, I am doing the Line 6 variation (yo, k2tog) to spice it up a bit. 

It is going to go through quite a dramatic color change before I am finished. That should keep it interesting.

31 more days of school. Not that I'm counting.