Long Time Coming.......

 Well, it's been a long, long time since we've talked!  Things in 2022 were going along swimmingly until this.........no, it's nothing Esme did (this time!).  She was just being a supportive binding kitty, but the Chief's were LOSING!

  

Esme finally retreated to the bookshelf to watch lest she be stabbed with the binding needle.  That loss at the end of January just seemed to really knock the wind out of our sails.

And then came...........

The BIG SNOW the first week in February, canceling schools, piano lessons and more.  And follow that with a major sinus infection that kept me from work and piano lessons another week and quilt guild, and well, things just aren't as rosy as they were.  

So let's just try to focus on the good stuff, OK!

Here is another track photo for you.  Carter has been competing somewhere every weekend.  This is another pole vault personal record.  Notice the top of his pole is lower than the bar!  At this meet, he wasn't doing the heptathlon, but just some individual events.  My sister explained that this meant he was competing against the REAL pole vaulters (does this means he is a FAKE pole vaulter?) and would probably be out pretty fast.  Well, I think he is a real pole vaulter because he ended up third, beating some of the REAL pole vaulters.  His indoor conference meet is at the end of the month in Chicago.  Then it's on to the outdoor season!  Little (that does not indicate size, just age) brother Jackson is finished with basketball and starts track practice next week.  Let's hope spring is just around the corner.

So this was a good thing to Willow, if not so much to me.  She caught a muskrat and brought it to the back door as a gift.  She tried to bring it all the way inside the house, but David thanked her and then disposed of her "gift".  

And I finally finished the Christmas Village quilt.  It is made totally from Christmas scraps.  And somehow, it didn't seem to make a dent in the Christmas tub of fabrics.  

Since it is a Christmas Village quilt, each house had to have a chimney so that Santa could visit.

I have prepped a solid red binding, but am waiting on the backing.  The Hubster didn't like anything I had in my stash, so I'll just HAVE TO GO FABRIC SHOPPING!

And here are all of my blocks to date for the Quilt Maker Magazine Ruby Jubilee Mystery Quilt.  I think it will be interesting to see how these are set together.

And I made some Iowa State University pillow cases.  These will be for Jackson and friends for graduation.  Yes, I helped my sister out with some graduation gifts.  They were fun and a nice change of pace in the sewing room.

 

And, my sister is already getting ready for Jackson's graduation reception.  She was having trouble locating each of his class photos, and I was able to find the one she was missing!  I told her that based on the way the kid styled his hair right before the picture, I could see why she "lost" this one.  

Pillow cases and photo have been successfully mailed to her now.

And, I quilted Carmyn's graduation quilt with LOTS of help from Esme.

It was all progressing nicely until Esme decided that the part being quilted made a nice hammock!  I was lucky to catch her laying there and get her off before the machine go too close to her.

Some "picking" was necessary as the weight of Esme caused the pattern to move and distort.  

She got banished back to the floor.

It is complete now and I think it turned out beautifully.  I even did a pillow from the extra blocks.

Esme still thinks it's her quilt.  She may become part of the gift!

This cute heart table runner was also completed in time for Valentine's Day.

And this 2021 UFO, the Laundry Basket Quilts mystery quilt was also finished.

The quilting from the back...........

And I quilted the spool quilt.........

Close up of the quilting.........

Our new guild challenge is a stay at home - do it yourself - round robin.  Here is my first attempt.  We'll see how it progresses.

Well, I'd say that's a long catch-up, but hopefully things are starting to turn around..........of course, there is rain turning to ice and snow in the forecast for later this week.........knock on wood!

Christi