Monday Bits & Pieces
Happy Monday, all! I’m back from my week of no reading and no media to share some Monday Bits & Pieces with you. It was an interesting week. I’m not sure how to really explain everything that I processed, but I can tell you that this exercise definitely brings interesting things to the surface. I was surprised at the range of emotions as I spent so much time in quiet surroundings. I don’t really know how to share it well in a post, so if you’re curious, send me an email and I’ll chat with you a bit.
So how did the week go? Well, Monday I was good and ready to go, so I toodled on down to my quilt room and got to work, expecting to sew and get caught up on my ongoing QALs. Then I began clearing off the mess on the dresser which holds all of my fat quarters, pre-cuts and batting. The top of that dresser becomes a little bit of a catch-all when I’m working on other projects, and it needed tidying.
Sandra (mmm!Quilts) mentioned in an earlier comment that she could see me cleaning a little, then finding something to stitch, then cleaning a little. That’s exactly what happened.
First I found this little improv flag I had made with the fabric remnants from this quilt. Fiddling around with it and the scrap HSTs, I came up with this little 8″ block. I have no idea what this block will be used for, but it was very satisfying to stitch it together.
I found some improv scraps from a recent pattern test. After sewing those scraps together, I cut them into eight 6-inch blocks, and stitched them together for a cute little table topper. The next day I ripped it apart, cut it up, and used it for the border on an upcoming challenge quilt. Here’s a little sneak peek.
The blue print is Koi Garden Bubbles in blue by Micheal Miller. It is no longer available, but it is a fabric that just makes me happy when I look at it. I wish I had bought more when Bernie had it in her shop!
The fiddling/cleaning continued, and I came across some fun solid scraps I received a while back during the Get Your Quilty Wishes Granted party on Instagram. If you’ve not heard of that, you put your quilty wish out to the group — I asked for solid scraps — and others send you your wish. Often it’s given freely; sometimes you agree to pay for postage.
I’m embarrassed to admit I don’t recall who sent me these fun scraps, but it was a very generous share and I’ve made many projects with them. So thank you, if it was you! I made this first block by cutting the scraps into 3.5″ squares and sewing them together into a nine-patch block. The remnants were left over pieces of arrows, I think, so it was fun to play with them.
Both this block and the next are still in their fledgling stages. I’m still deciding whether to add more to them or finish them as they are.
The next one smiles at me each day from my design wall. I love the wonky look. This one may become a pillow; we’ll see!
I enjoyed cutting and piecing these two together without thinking much about “how it should look”. These were all small projects but thoroughly satisfying to make.
Throughout the rest of the week, I did some serious decluttering while I was processing and pondering things. I cleaned my spice cabinet, my food container drawer, our office cabinet, my office desk, my junk drawer, and part of my hallway closet. Wrote a lot. Went to coffee with friends, baked apple/pear crisp, and strolled through more shops than I’ve done in awhile.
Toward the end of the week, it was more difficult to stay busy, and that’s when I began working on bigger quilt projects. Thursday night was a challenge because I was home alone. It was seriously quiet! I toughed it out, however, and did some sewing. I’ll show you some of that in another post.
It’s good to be back, my friends! You all are seriously productive quilters — did you know that?? I missed you all. So many times during the week, I wanted to post something and then remembered I couldn’t. Of course, now I can’t recall what any of them were, and the moment would be lost anyway 🙂
Happy Monday, everyone!
Wendy
17 Comments
Cindy Pieters
If you keep sewing all those little pieces up at this rate, pretty soon you’ll have that dresser top organized. Great pieces! It will be interesting to see how you finish them.
rl2b2017
Hi Wendy! All that quiet would have driven me nuts. It looks like you had some fun times being creative. I’m glad you’re back. {{Hugs}} ~smile~ Roseanne
karenfae
when we traveled the quite of not being on WiFi as much as I am at home bothered me – but then I went about 6 weeks, not reading blogs as they would load to slow etc – I realized how many of my contacts are on line friends and quickly realized that I need to get out of the house more –
My Sewful Retirement
Hi Wendy, glad you’re back! I love my quiet time! It’s when I’m most productive. Your small projects look great — did you get your dresser top completely organized?
Molli
Wow, good for you for doing the social media fast. I’ve been thinking about doing that exercise as well.
You were quite productive. Sounds like there was lots of reorganizing, cleaning and sewing. Love all of the squares, but especially the first one!
Vicki in MN
I am glad you made it through the week! You had some withdrawals just like I did the first year we road tripped with the camper and didn’t have internet at the ready. But look what you accomplished in that time;)
Jeanne
Welcome back! Sounds like you are now very tidy and productive 🙂
Barbara J Stanbro
Welcome back! We missed you too. I love all these little doo-dads you made, and I totally love that pieced border. I did something like that once with some recalcitrant blocks. I first threw the blocks in the trash, then dug them out again and cut them into little pieces and made a table topper. It turned out cute, and it was gratifying on so many levels.
Kathleen McCormick
Welcome back! I know it would be a challenge for me…I should do it sometime. I love the thought of finding a new rhythm and can’t wait to see all it produces. I love the blocks you have shown so far – the improv flag and square are faves. Can’t wait to see the challenge quilt as that border is so awesome.
Diann Bottrell
That would happen to me, too – clean a little, sew a little, then clean some more! In fact, the cleaning part really needs to happen in MY sewing room… Glad you had a good week – I think a week like that would be very challenging!
Julie Holleran
Yes, “time out” brings a lot to the surface doesn’t it? I usually end up wandering around thinking–while all sorts of thoughts pop into my head…confronting your own self can be illuminating and intimidating, too…
You got a lot of things done on your week “out of the blue”…
I like that little flag block–really cute hugs, Julierose
Rochelle Summers
Wendy, congratulations on sticking with it. I was unwillingly detached from my computer for 4 hours when my mouse died. I didn’t realize how dependent I have become! Did your no media week extend to radio, TV and audio books? It sounds challenging but rewarding. And you did get out and see friends and window shop. Good for you.
Gail
I’m in awe that you were able to go a week without reading / computer! I can last a day … maybe!
Glad you got some tidying done! I bet that felt really good!
Happy Quilting! 🙂
Nancy @ Grace and Peace Quilting
Ohh, that improv flag is so cute, Wendy! That border sneak peek has me pretty curious! You are quite the putterer quilter, in a good way–just having good quilty fun at your own pace.
Lisa J.
It sounds like a good experience…and I love all your little improv pieces.
Louise Hornor
I think it’s very interesting that you did some decluttering during your quiet time! That is often where my mind goes, too. I start looking around and really SEEING what’s in my space and asking if I want it there?
It’s also neat that you explored some more improv pieces. Your heart is called to that, I think! 🙂
Sandra Walker
I had to go back a post and read the back story to your silent week, and oh! the welcome mat (LOVE! Think you’ve unleashed a future squirrel – we need a term for that!) and Wilbur looking a little ‘is this for real? I can sit? Because I love it!’ look on his face. So this is why you were ‘off’ for a week. I know that book; I believe Leah Day talked about it a while back.I’ve definitely stepped back; days where I spend a lot of time online (today was one) I find I’m not grumpy but edgy. A quote from my flip calendar by Randy Pausch yesterday will certainly resonate with you: “The key question to keep asking is: Are you spending your time on the right things? Because time is all you have.’ Isn’t that good? It’s help me say it’s okay to not be reading as many blogs, not comment on every one. I like seeing what you mucked around with this week; it’s good to play as well as clean and organize. I don’t think I could go without reading for a week though…