Tag: Wendy Sheppard’s “Whirlygigs” quilt

A Welcome Visitor

Turkey Tracks: April 7, 2022

A Welcome Visitor

Betsy Maislen, from Vermont, came to visit for a few days.

And to pick up a sewing machine she bought from a friend here. Her old machine, with which she started quilting, finally died.

Going from a very old machine to the Janome 8900 has been like going from a Model T car to a space ship for Betsy. It was so fun to watch her delight as she began to sew on her new machine.

We set up a sewing station for her downstairs:

And she went home with this top for a baby quilt—Wendy Sheppard’s ”Whirlygigs,” found in Simply Moderne magazine, No. 26.

I really like how the white squares are forming a very interesting pattern in the center of this baby-sized quilt. There are just so many geometric shapes that titillate the eye in this pattern: x’s, o’s, paddles.

I worked on the longarm while Betsy was here—and finished quilting and trimming ”Pot-Pourri 3.” The binding went on after Betsy left on Tuesday and after I had done my weekly cleaning/laundry tasks. So I now have hand sewing for night tv watching.

Here’s a sneak peek at one of the Churn Dash blocks for ”Eye Candy 3.”

Some days before Betsy came, I got really hungry for a pasta salad. I have to use rice pasta, but I’ve gotten used to it over the years. It is softer and if overcooked can get gummy. I love to use crisp veggies in a pasta salad: celery, onions, carrots, colored peppers (red, orange, or yellow). I add some roasted meat, like chicken. And those tiny organic green peas that are in the freezer section. And lots of herbs—with good olive oil. Sometimes I add some grated mozzarella cheese.

I didn’t have green peas or roasted chicken on hand, so I fried a small cube steak and but it up. I put the salad on a bed of mixed lettuce, and it was delicious.

For the leftovers, and after a trip to the grocery store, I added a hamburger patty and the little peas.

And while she was here, Betsy got roasted lamb, baked potatoes with raw butter, tiny new asparagus, and baked apples with vanilla ice cream. (Haagen-Dazs vanilla is the only ice cream I can find that has real ingredients and not a lot of fillers meant to substitute for actual cream.) And, for lunch before she left, we had a big green and veggie salad with meat from a just-cooked spatchcocked chicken.

The Design Wall Is Filling Up Again

Turkey Tracks: October 28, 2021

The Design Wall Is Filling Up Again

It always does, of course.

I have been super busy outside getting ready for winter. We had three rainy days though, so I was able to take a break and come inside to sew—which I did. I also spent some time working on a document that contains all the old family recipes that I’ve saved and loved—the ones that go back to my grandparents, for instance.

Nevertheless, I’m making progress on the dark grey/light grey log cabin. Pretty much all the strips are cut. Of course I’ll move blocks around as I go.

I ”digressed” to play with this very modern ”Whirlygigs” block—designed by Wendy Sheppard and shown in the newest issue of Simply Modern (No. 26). The block is 8 inches finished, and as more blocks are added, one begins to see a doughnut circle also forming. I’m trying to use as much of my Cotton+Steel/Ruby Star Society stash as I can.

After the rainy days, the log cabin got a bit bigger. I’m liking it a lot. I especially like the texture in the fabrics.

AC doggie was really missing his hard daily run. He is so not a fan of hearing ”rainy day, AC. It’s a rainy day.” He brings me toys or his ball as he attempts to connect and play. It’s hard to resist him as his little face is so earnest. And it is good to stop and let myself play some too.

Today was bright and sunny, so AC did get his hard running over at the Snow Bowl athletic field.

The wind is ”up” though—so weather is blowing in again.

The snow boardwalk got put down last Monday—just as the rain was starting in earnest. It’s a beast, that boardwalk—the sections are heavy and difficult to place evenly. I’m thinking of “starting over” with a new one next summer. I spent an hour outside getting it level so no one takes a spill out there. I think it is as good now as it’s going to get.