Focus, Focus Part 12 - A full day of assembling and a tale of woe comes to a happy conclusion!

Half way home!

Today was one of those days where I just let myself do what I wanted. What I wanted was to sew and sew and sew all day long and that is what I did! After more than 8 hours sewing this is what I have to show for it. All those partial seams take some time and planning, but all in all I am very happy with the end result. So check #1 today, I stayed focused.

I did spend sometime pondering my yard though and my yard is one of the things in my world that made me think I needed to (1) simplify and (2) get a grip and focus or give it up. So I gave it up, but you see I don't really see myself as a quitter. Quitting would be a bitter pill to swallow, so I gave it to Jeff to do. You see Jeff is my ever so reliable yard/plow/odd job doer! You gotta love it when you've got yourself a reliable guy like that around. I tell ya, you have to thank your luck stars even if it costs a buck or two.

Anyway, I was saying #2 - get a grip and focus or give it up, after all I am just one person and there is only so much I can do (even though there was a time I was convinced I could do it all and with a smile to boot). So this year I decide to let go and let Jeff, of course this came after much soul searching and tractor repairing. This the tale of my summer adventures with my tractor and my car and darling little mice. Basically, the driving force behind The Focus, Focus Project.

Early in the season I did well at keeping up with the Joneses, better known in my neighborhood as the Roberts, Lees, Parlins, and etc. I was getting my lawn mowed fairly regularly and achieving some rather fantastic feats in my yard. Early on I cut down the extremely over grown yews in front of my house so, my daughter and I could see out of our studio windows, I limbed up the blue spruce that was dead on one side, and I dug a 4' x 8' bed that would receive my beloved Siberian iris divisions or at least some of them. It was looking as if I might get some major catch up done this year and keep the lawn mowed to boot! Yay, Yippee!!!!

BUT THEN...

5 baby mice I found in my shed after the second and final attempt on my

tractor's wiring!

After a rainy few days, maybe even a week or more I went out to mow. I felt fantastic, because of the rain even my neighbors with the regular mowing schedules were a bit behind. I am still not behind!! Yay, Yippee!!! I pulled the tractor out of the shed and proceeded to mow with a vengeance. First the backyard, affectionately known as the ledges. Then the side yard, known as, well the side yard. Ya just gotta laugh, because just then - BANG - COUGH - CHOKE - BANG - SMOKE - LOTS AND LOTS OF SMOKE! CRAP! There is smoke every where, rolling down the street and out comes my neighbor! Obviously, concerned! Well we opening up the hood and there it was! Mouse nesting material sticking out everywhere! Fortunately, there were no mouse parts sticking out, that may have been too much for me to handle. Well, Neighbor said "It doesn't look too bad, have it cleaned out and it should be fine. Do you know someone who can do it?" "Yes" I said, more than a little shaken and perturbed. There goes any idea of keeping up, CRAP, foiled again!

Just about that time - maybe even the next day, POP, on came the engine light on my trusty, dependable, old car. Not a problem I thought to myself, it's due for an oil change anyway and my trusty, dependable mechanics will surely be able to fix that right up. And they did, after a fashion.

The problem is that the cars these days have computers that give just enough information to send you in the wrong direction. Well, Mechanic says "the plug wires and plugs are original and the car has 187,000 miles on it, sooo that is most likely it." "Fine, wonderful" I say, "Let's fix it!" So when we went in for our next oil change old dependable got a tune-up, there fixed!

Well I have decided what to do about the lawn, call Jeff, and the conversation goes something like this "Jeff can you mow my lawn until I get the tractor fixed? Oh you can, wonderful! No hurry, just when you get to it." Because at this point I am way behind and give it up for a lost cause, better luck next year. "Hey you know I fix tractors" Jeff says "Really" I say pondering the $200+ I just put into the car that week. "I'll pick it up when I come to mow and fix it right up for you." "Great" I say with just a little cringe.

Well at least the problem is fixed with the car.... Oops, not so fast, there is that engine light again. No problem (I hope), I'll call the boys and they can see what's up - maybe a faulty sensor? Slightly larger cringe, "we'll see"?  So I drop old dependable off again. Now this is about three or four weeks later and old dependable is doing just fine a little sluggish maybe but it keeps on keeping on just like the trooper is. After another full day in the shop, just a little Argh! Frustration. My very dependable mechanics let me know as gently as possible that old dependable has a weak valve and it has to be replaced. Now for those of you who know a little about cars, this can be a pricey repair, time consuming, and a  laborious bit of mechanical work and it can't be done for another week. Please don't drive it more than you have to they say! Okay, but - My job - is driving, but okay I will do what I can or can't or whatever. Can you say STRESS? I can.

Now just in case you aren't keeping up, the tractor was down and repaired and the car is on it's last leg. So, I guess I better get out there and mow before I fall behind again... CRAP, CRAP, CRAP - there is another mouse nest in the motor! Okay, now I can do this, I will just take the top off the mower and clean it out! After all it hasn't gotten all through the motor this time and caught on fire, I can do this. And do it I did! I was proud of myself, I knew I could do it and I did! However, the @#$^&*%$#@ mice had chewed the wires again......REALLY BIG, ARGH!!!! Just then I knew, I knew it was not meant to be, Me and Mowing don't get along and so when I saw Jeff I said "the mice are back and I think I will give this up" and Jeff said "don't worry about I'll fix it and mow the lawn again" I said "thanks! no hurry" with much less enthusiasm than usual and a really huge Cringe.

So to bring this tale of woe to an end, this morning Jeff dropped ofF the tractor. I went out to greet him and to ask if he wanted to make a deal, swapping the tractor for mowing and plowing, and guess what? Before I could say a word, he said "how about if I take the tractor....." I gotta tell you, that's Karma for ya! So the story has a happy ending after all , Jeff has a tractor and I don't have to deal with mowing or paying for plowing this winter.

As for old dependable, it has a bunch of new valves and is very happy for it. Whew, now the moral of the story is "if it has tires, it is going to give you trouble, but hopefully not for a long, long time!".

It doesn't look so bad when you look at the tomatoes. But...

Don't look past them! Argh, more catch up. JEFF can you?

These phlox and hydrangea are quite lovely, until
you turn the corner.

This is hiding behind my beautiful phlox and hydrangeas. I think I can
handle this one.

A little past their prime, but nice and tidy, until...

Mass hysteria right next to the tidy bit! Next year....maybe?

So after all is said and done, it is best to keep your head down and your hopes up and just keep sewing, just keep sewing....FA, LA, LA, LA, LA, LA!!!

Focus, Focus, Part 11 - The piecing begins!



The piecing begins!



This is the beginning of the piecing process of Focus, Focus! The first row came off without a hitch. Then later that day, while pondering the next row, I realized the assembling directions didn't include any open seams (inset seams). I'm thinking ....something is missing in these instructions. There is no way the points on these blocks are going to touch without inset seams.

 So I finished the seams as instructed and then I unfinished the seams to install the second row. After that it was a cinch to set the 9-patch in place.



Unstitch about an inch of the seams so you can inset the next
9-patch. But wait I see another step I can speed up!



After unsewing the bottom of the seams so I can inset the next 9-patch unit, I noticed the directions had me sew on the sashing after the patch was in place. This seems like a lot of fabric wrangling, more than is strictly necessary. Sooooo.........



I added one sashing strip. Then...

 



I added the other sashing strip, and don't forget to leave an

inch or so unstitched.

 Don't forget to leave an inch or so unstitched where the two sashing pieces meet or you can just pull out a few stitches when you need to inset the next row.

 



Tada! Set the completed unit in place and viola!

Slick huh!



Focus, Focus Part 10 - I have to confess I fell off the wagon!

I have stepped away from Focus, Focus for just a moment. This last weekend was my weekend to work and what a weekend it was, after a particularly long day I just had to create. After much consideration I decided  I was too tired to tackle the more complicated assembling of the 9-patch, so I pulled out my latest Jo Morton LWC quilt and viola`! Here it is....

Lizzy's Little Quilt from Jo Morton LWC #10.

I have to admit it was nice to start and finish piecing a project in one night and I can't believe this is the only quilt that I have done from the #10 LWC, but maybe now I will be more inspired to make the others. This quilt inspired me to make another quick small quilt, so I also made a challenge quilt from Kathleen Tracy's "Small Quilt Talk" Yahoo Group.

Kathleen Tracy challenge quilt #12 from her
Small Quilt Talk Yahoo Group.

I just couldn't help myself, it was so quick and so satisfying. I do apologize (she says in jest)  and will return to Focus, Focus ASAP. 

Whew, I feel better now that I have cleared my conscience..... Oops, well there might be just one more thing.....

Hand quilting, yes hand quilting is just the thing

after a long day. hand quilting and a great old

movie.

Now I have confessed everything and fortunately it is raining today so I will not be distracted by my way out of control yard. Ahh, but that is a story for another day and another Focus project.

I hope you have a wonderful and productive day..... umm.......did I mention scrubbies?



My big basket of scrubbies.




Scrubbies, these things are super popular at craft shows!



 A friend and I make these for several craft shows and fairs that we participate in. We literally sell hundreds of the handy helpers. They are fantastic for tons of chores. I use them to scrub veggies, there is one in the shower for scrubbing elbows, knees, and feet, they work fantastically on bathtub yuck, or anywhere you need a gentle but tough scrubber. I can make a dozen of these babies in a sitting. Fantastico!

Have a wonderful and soul satisfying day!

Focus, Focus Part 9 - Economizing and reducing carbon footprints

Well here I am, post car break down, and a long work week still working on the 9 patch quilt. Yesterday, I rested a little, then hand quilted some, tidied around the house, and all that jazz. Now it is time to get back to work, but just a moment to look at the hydrangeas from the garden.

Pretty and Blue Hydrangeas from my yard.

After a season of tractor breakdowns and re breakdowns, I at least have these to show from my backyard, which is hard to see since my yard hasn't been mowed in weeks. I am afraid that I have a family of mice who have taken up residence once again in my tractor's motor. Oh well, I will just call it the meadow and as I have in the past will say it symbolizes simplicity and isn't too bad for reducing my carbon footprint either.



This is the remainder of the squares I cut for the 9-patch blocks.

I decided to pair up the leftover dark and lights to make the half and quarter blocks, some of these blocks became "make-dos" and some were matching. I thought it would fit the feel of the whole project to add a few "make-dos" to the over all project, but I also did it so I would have fewer scraps to deal with. So when I got done pairing up the lights and darks I only had a small stack of squares left. These scrap squares will find their way into some small project somewhere - pot holders, small quilts, or candle mats.

This tiny pile of scraps is all that is left after the pairing. The picture
in the background is of my Father and Mother, don't they look

wonderful? He in his uniform and she in her hat.

There won't be many small projects, the leftover pile is small indeed.

A 1/2 Block as a "make-do".

I think these "make-do" blocks will do very nicely, they satisfy my thrifty side and use the scraps up efficiently. They will add a little extra life to the quilt and make it more true to its nature - a scrap quilt held together by a common sashing fabric.

A 1/4 Block, also a "make-do".

Now I can start piecing the body of the quilt. I am deciding whether to piece it upstairs on my small machine or to move the action downstairs to my studio and the full size machine. I think the latter is the best course, because I have a large design wall there as well. 

A few blocks on the design wall in the studio. Note
the two pieces of sashing I have placed in the upper
left corner.

I couldn't resist playing just a little, however it will have to wait another day, work tomorrow. 

Focus, Focus Part 8 - Life happens, be happy about it.

The whole blocks are done!

I made a few extra, but yes they are done. I only have 24 half blocks and 4 quarter blocks left and I can start putting the top together! Yippee, I am focused and I can see myself finishing the project and not putting aside and starting another.

Then comes the piecing, it seems a bit tricky with inset seams
and such.

That was yesterday, then...Ahh, the best laid plans of mice and quilters. The last few days didn't work out quite as planned, but all in all it is all just fine. I was hoping to get right down to it on my last two days off, but alas it was not to be. The first of my two days off were spent with my daughter at the movies. We finally got to see the last Harry Potter movie, I will miss the regular installments from the Potter franchise. Now the second day off is a different story, my car was going into the shop for a quick adjustment to get it running just so, and bleewy! The small adjustment turned out to be a major pickle, a burnt valve. After a day of testing, this is what was found to be the problem. Cest la vie! These things happen, unfortunately, it took my day off with it. Poop. Well I did get some cross-stitching done and watched a bunch of Food TV and History Channel at my friends home.





This is one of the Jo's Little Women Club quilts from 2010.

Here is something else I have been working on, of course I haven't worked on it for quite awhile. I am still having trouble with thimbles and getting one that fits comfortably. I did just find one made by Clover that is made from silicone, with a metal cap that has divots like a regular model. I have high hopes for this one. I think I will try it out directly, more on this later.

Remember, someone famous said...."Life is what happens when you are busy making plans."  How true, how true! Have a great day and I hope your plans and life follow the same path or at least the more pleasant of the two.

Joanne