Another Tote or two or three!

 

Still waiting for my background fabric to quilt for the hex piece!  Sigh......so now that the deck is finished...and I only have to paint the front porch (which I won't do until later this week), figured I would get some totes made for June gifts. 

this isn't the best picture of the first tote.  Picture is quite dark.  This was a deconstructed screen printing that I did rubbings with Neocolor and Gelato pastels. using one of my hand carved stamps.  this was back in 2017!

I sandwiched the fabric and free motion quilted around each stamped piece.  I think it turned out decent.  I almost decided to over dye to give more color but changed my mind.   

Inside lining...a batik I had in my stash.  I wanted to jazz it up so added the dark purple zipper with the pale purple.  Leftover from my hex project!  HA

I made this piece several years ago for the Quilters Around The World quilt group for our series 'Uniform' in September 2015.  Hmmmm  

I don't have a picture of the finished piece but you can see in the tote below where I added some embroidery machine stitches at some point.  I'm not sure why I did!  Funny, I was on a hex kick back then too.

So glad I added the embroidery stitches...it brightens up the piece.  Funny, Bob liked this tote best of the 3.  Hmmmmm

The lining is printed and looks nice inside.

I can't find a picture of this original piece.  On the back of the 9"x 12" piece had a date of 2008!!!!!  I know it was one of my dye pieces and experimenting with free motion. 

I wanted to jazz it up with the blue zipper...

The inside is some hand dyed pieces I had left. 

As I was looking through my blog for pics of the fabrics I used for these totes, I saw some pieces that I know I have stashed in a glass case in our LR or in my sewing room in storage!  Think I need to get some of them out and get making more totes!  HA

And my sewing machine is just sitting there!  STILL waiting for my background fabric!  Quilt Shop was ordering 3 yards for me of a Moda fabric that I think will work for the hex piece.  That was 2 weeks ago this past Monday.  Yes, I'm getting antsy!  But I did play with some free motion quilting designs on some junk fabric.  That's going to be the next hard decision!

Deck Project

Finally, I am done, done, done with the deck!!  OMG....this was one of the hardest projects to work on, other than when we first built our house and had to put in tons of rock/stones around our landscape area (front, back, inside fenced yard, out and sides!).  

I thought at that time either Bob or I were going to have a heart attack!  I felt that way when I finished this project! 

I started to scrap the deck on April 24!  Bob's painted a few years ago without scraping and then he rolled the paint on.

He said the other day rolling it he ended up putting on too much paint.   Some areas the thick paint just pulled up!

Bob had to replace a few boards several years ago.  That was fun too!!!!  NOT!  

Yes, the girls thought they could help out but......

It took me two solid hours to paint this area, which was about 1/4 of the deck.  I started out painting ONE BOARD at a time!  Dumb!

When I started to paint again this past Thursday, I started painting two boards (or more!) at a time.

That sure helped get this project moving.  And, I used my garden wheeled wagon to sit and scoot on!  That worked so much better than getting up and down constantly! 

Finally, I finished on Friday, May 22nd!!!!  I am so relieved and my body is as well. 

I actually felt sick when I finished.  Between my body, arms, knees...But I'm back to feeling like myself again!

Next time, we're calling THE GUY!

Still waiting for my background fabric for my hex project!  It's been two weeks since the owner of the quilt shop ordered it.  Boohoo

Project('s) Progress

 First up, deck is about 3/4 of the way finished - scraping that is!  I made it past the stop of the stairs to the 2nd level.  

We have rain just about daily...either in the early a.m., mid to late afternoon or evening.  Does give me a reprieve from scraping but I do want to finish it.  I still have to paint the deck floor after all the scraping. 

Monday I didn't do any outside work, although it was a beautiful 70 degree sunny day out!  I had my 'last' colonoscopy!!!  Years ago I had 8 polyps so had to redo.  This year only 3!  Woohoo!!!  That's it for me! 

 And Tuesday was dinner out with Donna for a belated BD dinner for her at our favorite Mexican Restaurant!

Wednesday was a busy day of Dog Grooming drop off, then met up with buds from our Friends group to celebrate our friend, Amy's belated BD.  Then over to the library to chat some more!  We usually have books to shelve but our bin was empty...hence, chatting instead!

We had a nice lunch at a restaurant across the street from the Library (Trio's in Goodrich).  Really good meal and Beth bought cheese cake for us to each try.  It was really good too!  Amy leaves for their house up north until September.  We'll miss her! 

Me, Amy, Cheryl and Beth

Today, Thursday, I scraped more of the deck floor!  I've got about 10-12 more planks to scrap.  Then I can start to paint, once the weather breaks and we don't have any rain!!!  I also did a 2 mile walk at the church with Donna and weeded the front landscape around to the south side of the house!  I quit and decided to do this post instead!  HA

I've made great progress on the backing for my hex piece.  I decided to use up all the remaining fat quarter pieces I had along with some yardage I had leftover!  

All done!  And I'll make sure not to have my toes in the backing!  HA

 

Now to get the batting sandwiched with the choice I made for the front fabric.  I'm still on the fence.  I did wash the fabric I purchased for the front fabric but not sure it may be too dark.  Hate making choices but I may just go ahead and sandwich and start quilting...hmmmmmm but maybe not!  HA HA HA

New Project! Oh No!

My new project!  Yep, I've started a new project!  Not because I want to but because I have to!  

 Seems every year we have to paint the deck floor, the top rails, the posts, spindles...ugh...so guess what I get to do this year!  Yep, the deck floor BUT I have to scrap off the thicken paint...we use a deck paint that is really good & expensive BUT when we/I have painted it's always over 100 degrees on the deck!  No exerggeration!  We have a surface thermometer to test the heat.  I keep complaining to Bob that it's too hot to paint...but he still wants me to do it...so now i get to scrap/strip off that thick layers.  This year I refuse to paint when it's over 60 degrees out.  The deck will always be 20 degrees higher than norm temperature. 

I worked almost 90 minutes this a.m.   to finish up 1/2 of the deck.  Temp was only in low 50's but perfect for this sweaty chore!  HA   Bob replaced some boards last year & they are holding up pretty good I told Bob this is the last year I paint this deck!   I love sitting outside listening to the birds and having a glass of wine after dinner (or before!) but never again to paint.  I'm 79 going on 80...we need to "call the guy" for those Two & a Half Men viewers!  who may have seen the 'call the guy' episode!

BUT the good news is, I did get all the rows sewn together on my hex piece!  I love the little star opening that occured inbetween each hex triangle.  

 I am so excited and very happy with the results - so far! Still need to get background fabric sandwiched and quilted but I need to finish the deck unless I pray for rain so I can't work on the deck!  Hmmmmmmmm  "Are you listening God!"  HA

Hex Color Wheel - Part 40! HA

 It feels like this is part 40 of this project!  I finished the last of the triangles so I started stitching the points together!  Woohoo!

Looks pretty good doesn't it!  EXCEPT I sewed wrong sides together!  I was sewing triangles  while watching Michigan's exhibition football game...I wasn't paying attention and I sewed those buggers together wrong!  And then I got to unsew!

This is what the row should have looked like and did after I ripped out points!  And did a re-sew!

I've finished two rows so far.  Decided to quit for the day.  I only get to sew while dinner is cooking or after dinner and dishes.  This project is taking forever but I am enjoying it and seeing it come together!

I need to put  these back up on my wall but I have to get my stool so I can pin the piece up.  I haven't stitched the rows together yet..just working on stitching each row then I'll start stitching long rows together.  

That's is for now folks!!  I still need to pick out background fabric to quilt.  That will be next up....still not sure what color I'll use....should be a fun challenge!  

Hex Color Wheel continues!

 So to keep me honest, my Q Bud, Susan asked me what size are the triangles?  And what size will the hex piece be along with size of quilt!

Well, I haven't got that far!  HA  Of course, Susan knows me that I do something, then have to figure out how it will work!  

Each triangle side is 9" ; each triangle is made  up of 36 hex pieces 5/8" each' and there are currently 24 hex triangles in the 'so called' finished piece...although, it's far from being finished!

So here we are!  All triangles are finished and I'm happy with the layout...could I still change some..sure!  It's me!  HA HA HA

As I told Susan...now the hard part starts!  First off, I have to find the perfect background fabric...I have two different yards I purchased a few weeks back to see if they'll work....so I'll start there...if they don't seem to work, I'll just HAVE to go back to the fabric shop!  Poor me...ha

Then I'll need to quilt the background.  Once that is finished, then I'm going to attach each side of 'a' triangle to it's 'buddy'!  

I'm showing  yellow and green points and sewing just 2 small stitches to hold points.  Which I'll have to do for all sides.

These are just two extra triangles to show (and to really see! if what I want to do will work).  I think it will!  You can see my thread attached to the top of the point.

This shows how the first two edges/points are joined. That leaves a nice crisp little triangle between each large triangle hex piece.

I'll do this for all 36 triangles sides...which I think will end up being more than 36 sides??  I have to connect tops as well??

I'll stop with this part of the what I have to do with the hex triangles.  This end result  will take some time.  Then to come up with removing all the stitching in each hex (36 x 24 = 864 hex pieces made)  HA  And then remove all the cardboard!!

I started on this thought/quilt and posted on January 3, 2026 (you can see that post  here).  I can't believe it's been that long.  But I have been busy with other things in my life!  We just finished setup/takedown/prepping for our Spring Book Sale at the library.  I do enjoy getting out with the other great ladies and shelving books or just sitting and getting to know each other.  

Of course, Bob and the girls keep me busy with just normal housewife chores/ baking/ cooking/cleaning which does interfere with sewing/textile life!  But I'll keep plugging away on my hex color wheel!!!  And I will post from time to time!   Yes, Susan, I will...but my own 'time to time'.  HA HAD

Hex Color Wheel Piece

Now I have two buds who tell me I'm behind in updating my blog (Thanks, Susan and Amy).  Ya all know Susan, my Q Bud from Florida..she informed me in a text this week that I was "behind in my blog" postings!

 Amy is my Goodrich friend as well as our library book sale person extraordinaire.  Amy just got back from Florida and she let me know today I was behind as well!  What would we do without our friends!  HA  They keep me on target.

I have been working on the hex project as you can see with the latest picture!  Almost there...well, sorta!

I am close to finishing with the 4th green triangle, which is the same fabric as the top piece. I decided to head to the fabric store on Thursday to check out some more green fabric and other colors/fabrics! 

I liked having two triangles the same with the greens...and the middle a little of different greens (on bottom pic) but....I may change my mind...you have to look at the picture of the whole piece to see the greens together.  

The yellows are honestly more yellow than in this picture...but I do want another/different yellow....

The darker blue (bottom and swatch top right) are very similar so I may take out one or both of the blue/green pieces....

I need another purple mid range...so I'm taking my triangles with me so I can better match or find what I'm looking for.  

So, thanks Susan & Amy for getting me to update the blog!  I do like to keep track of my progress and seeing the triangles next to one another gives me another kick in the butt.  Believe it or not,  I'm still enjoying this project!  It is hard to find the time to sit and sew.  Seems my 'plan' of after dinner before watching World News @ 6:30 doesn't always work!  It's 6:13 p.m. as I'm typing this post!!!!  See why I don't update more frequently..well, it sounded like a good excuse!

Hex Color Wheel Progress

 

Still cutting out 1 3/4" squares of fabric and making hex pieces!  I need 36 for each triangle and I need 24?? triangles?  Around that...which means I need at least 864 hex pieces!  Glad I didn't calculate that out before I got started!  HA  

It is meditating to sew, which is what I've needed lately with Kalee and her being sick.  She's laying beside me as I type while on the couch watching Jeopardy!  HA 

p.s. She did eat some chicken & rice for dinner; no lunch and her prescription canned food for breakfast!  No, I can't figure it out!  HA

Here's what I have finished and on the design wall.  No, it's not the final placement. Until I get all the colors I want made (at least 2-3 in each color), I won't know exactly where a color will go or what new fabrics I may need!  HA  A method to my madness, right!

I am enjoying this project...just wish I could sit ALL day and stitch.  I try to get in my sewing room after dinner and dishes until around 6:30..some days I'll get 30 min. or some days I'll get an hour!  Woohoo...love that time.  

I did cheat and sewed while watching Michigan play basketball while they play at night or on the weekend.  I tell Bob I do this just so he doesn't sit alone watching basketball.  HA

Until next time......

Post for Dog Lovers

 If you don’t care about dogs, just wait for my next blog post.

Well, it’s been a busy few weeks…not doing as much sewing, but I’ve sure been getting to know Kalee’s vet really well. Poor Kalee has had so many issues lately. She’s struggled with pancreatitis and gastritis since she was about two years old, and she’ll be 15 in July. That means we’ve been dealing with stomach issues for a LONG time—and we’ve seen more than a dozen vets between our regular office, three different ERs, and even two vets in Florida! Honestly, it’s probably more than that with all the vets who have come and gone over the years.

Her most recent symptoms—burping, gagging, not eating or drinking, and obvious discomfort—have been really worrying. It makes my stomach turn and makes it hard to even think about going away and leaving her. She gets very nauseated (lots of grass eating and drooling), though thankfully she’s only vomited twice…both times outside at 3 a.m.!

Last week alone I was at the vet Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday—and then again Monday. Even the vet said she looks so sick. At our last visit, Kalee curled up on my lap and fell asleep while we waited. For 15 minutes or more—with dogs barking, doors closing, people talking—she just slept. That’s how worn out she’s been.

Back in January, we switched her to a kidney-friendly dog food because of some elevated levels, and she loved it at first. But then she stopped eating again. I’ve been putting out three or four different options at a time—Rx canned kidney stew, chicken and rice, and my own ground turkey/veggie/rice mix (you’ll see that in the photo). Sometimes I even add a bowl of kibble, just in case. And still…nope.

That said, the past couple of days—I'm almost afraid to say it—she’s been more alert and has even played with her toys two or three days in a row! She’s still picky, though. I never know from one meal to the next what she’ll eat, so I just keep trying different options until something works. I just want her to eat and drink.

And then there’s little Gigi, who is an absolute doll. She has heart murmur 3–4 & congestive heart failure and is on liquid heart medication twice a day—10:30 a.m. and 10:30 p.m. These dogs take more medications than Bob and I! But honestly, I’ll do whatever it takes to keep them comfortable and happy.

So that’s life lately. When I do get a chance to sew, Kalee will lay on her mat on top of my sewing table, look out the window, and then drift off to sleep. Yes, that is snow outside—and my hex pieces are in the lower right corner. See? I am still sewing a little!

If you’re a dog lover, please say a prayer for our girl—that she keeps feeling better, or that somewhere, some vet figures out exactly what’s going on.

Thanks for reading. 💛

Yes, I'm behind in posts...

I decided I best get a post published before my Q Bud from Florida (aka Susan..ha) sends me a text saying I'm slacking!  

I only had six made when I took this picture.  Now I need to expand by a few more!

I had eight finished in this picture.  What fun seeing it come together!

I'm now up to eleven but I need a total of 21 at least.  

And I need to see what other colors I'm missing...dark blue, pale green, another pale orange, etc. 

I'm working on dark blue now.  AND, I'm going to replace the pale yellow in the pictures above.  I showed my friends at the library this week and Cheryl mentioned she thought the pale yellow was too pale.  

I agree!!!!  So for sure I have to go to the quilt shop!  No, I didn't bribe Cheryl to say that.  I did agree with her before this but figure by the time I have all the triangles, I'll be making new ones and removing others!  

I'm still having fun and enjoy the time stitching.  And I'm sure I'll have fun at the quilt shop but I'll be missing my Q Bud being with me - and talking me into all the fabric I should buy!  

Hex life continues!

 Before we get into the hex update...check out the video from our backyard.  The dogs can't go up to the  white fence area  because of the snow...but they sure do in the spring, summer and fall!.  They just stand and bark at the deer or whatever animal is feeding.  They (the eating animals) just ignore them!  HA  It's a hoot!  We love seeing all the animals feed on the corn Bob puts out for them daily.

Now back to hex project!  Yep, I'm working away hand sewing the hex pieces and joining them together!  I have to say, repeating myself, this is so mediating!  I can watch TV while sewing.  Let's face it..this isn't a rocket science project.  Yes, I jab my finger(s) from time to time but I'm able to watch some Olympics and my TV shows!  HA

Kalee sleeping while I sew

Sewing the hex pieces together

Another color finished...

Had to share another pic of our 'family.!

No this isn't necessarily the final layout..just laying out the pieces I've finished.  I have no idea on layout.  I have several in mind. 

There are 36 5/8" hex pieces in each triangle.  8 rows...I'm working on yellow now but will need to go into my stash to get all the other colors of fabric I may need!

Where is my Q Bud from Florida, Susan!  I know we'd enjoy a fabric shopping day for fat quarters to get all the colors I need!  She would be great at guiding me to the right color/fabrics!