Building the Stash

      I am reporting proudly that I am building my stash as an ongoing process. I never know what fabric I will need to use and I build most of my quilts shopping in my own studio. There is only 1 local quilt shop left in the Buffalo area and they concentrate on novelty fabrics. I know it is not the popular thing to do, but I enjoy building the collection for quilt usage and I use fabric every week . People do give me quality scraps and send me fabric that I am grateful for also.
     Autumn fabric was almost half off and I needed to replenish what I used.

     After working on those Kindred Pinwheels, I fell in love with Tilda fabrics, and after seeing the Hibernation series on Maureen's blog, I bought a fat quarter bundle and another small one of the blenders which I did not photo.

     To keep me going in making comfort quilts, Vicki augmented my stash by gifting me some awesome hand dyes. Yes!!

     I forgot to photo some lovely blenders that I picked up at Hobby Lobby to go with the Hibernation fabrics. All of these just get my creative juices on high alert which is good because it gets dark so early now and we are entering grey sky season here.
     Let the cutting begin!

Progress with pinwheels

      It has been very satisfying sewing the Kindred Pinwheels blocks with the Tilda triangles Maureen sent me. In fact, I have so many blocks that I think they are too much for one quilt and will split them into 2 comfort quilts, 4 by 5 blocks each with lattice and borders.

Rosie's inspection looking for imperfections and stray threads

Figuring out lattice and cornerstones

I will make the second quilt with darker lattice and then light cornerstones, so I am just testing the idea with a few greens. Not sure if these are the lattice fabrics yet.

Last blooms standing

      Well, Oct. 31st, I saw snow. On Halloween. Fortunately, I took photos before of the remnants of my garden because it still had lovely flowers. I can't take apart the garden or boxes if there are still blooms on the plants, so I will be prying them out once the weather turns ugly probably. We just have too many months without flowers, so I hang on to them for all its worth.

Autumn quilt bordered

       It was a journey, but I finished piecing Appalachian Autumn and put a border on it. I do not like to have many seams in the binding, so a border will help alleviate that. I varied a lot from Bonnie Hunter's pattern, but I really like the way it turned out. I also premade the binding so it will vary from green to brown to orange like the quilt.

Too many seams to put a binding on for me

Comfort times three

       Sort of a record- three comfort quilts went out the door in one week to three different people. The quilts were all quilted, but needed to be washed (I wait until I get a recipient before I wash, dry and immediately bag), sew pockets on the bags, make pocket quilts and complete labels. I had been praying for recipients for those quilts, but was surprised by so many requests at once. Unfortunately, all were cancer situations.
     I am very privileged to be a quilter and grateful to secure the resources to make comfort quilt kits. Every quilt is needed and does it job to provide comfort in a distressing situation.
     The first was a batik Upstairs, Downstairs that I had to mail. Postage is kind of crazy, but it got to SC pretty quick and safe.

      The next one went to a man who had surgery to remove a cancerous kidney. When I washed the quilt, the hand dyes all bled into the white and I was freaked. Fortunately, I keep Vicki Welsh's great guide on hand and Blue Dawn. After soaking in Dawn and hot water submerged in the tub, it rinsed out and the quilt was saved. Vicki, I owe you again!!

The bleeding came out!!

     The third quilt went to a young woman with very aggressive colon cancer. Doesn't it break your heart?

Oh the wonders of Fall colors!

 At the first of October, we were finishing five days in the Old Forge area of the Adirondacks. This was particularily good because we had no water in our kitchen due to remodeling. This has to be my favorite area in the world. The weather was fantastic and the color was at peak. Hike, kayak, photograph, drink coffee on othe porch...The photos will enable me to keep painting the gorgeous landscape all year.

Full moon while we were there

McCauley Mt. from the cottage

On McCauley Mt.

From rooftop of Tony Harper's restaurant

Careful what you ask for

      I have always wanted a very workable kitchen and cherry cabinets. The old kitchen is about 29 years old when we remodeled the house last. I thought I needed a new one. If I knew what I knew now, I might have structured things differently. The old kitchen did not have much prep space and lots of walking back and forth. We eat most of our meals at home. My husband has celiac and I try not to eat/make processed foods out of health concerns. My kitchen is used a lot. The cabinet doors needed refinishing. They had a lot of filling strips between cabinets. I had an idea what would make it better. Big Box kitchen designers made the plan and supply list. I thought removing the two peninsulas and putting an island in would solve the prep issue. I had no idea of the disruption and dislocation and decisions to be made.

     Disassembly and packing were not a fun time. Ripping out, spackling, and painting to get ready was not fun either.

     Then the cabinets had to sit in the house when they arrived for over a week. Took up the dining and family room. Then the installers arrived.

     We (hubby) had to tap RAM board and plywood to the floors so they were not damaged. Since then, new undercounter lights were installed (hubby), the green wall painted and pieces of plywood on the counters so we could use the tops. Next week, finally the counters, sink and water hook up. Then we will decide the backsplash tiles and light over the island. A ways to go, months in. Cabinet installers are the only professionals we have used so far. Counter installers and plumber next week. My husband is exhausted and reminds me daily this was all my idea.