Greetings dear readers! The nasty spring storm that pummeled the northeast last week and dropped heavy wet snow, like concrete, that clung to everything, brought down all kinds of trees and branches and left us without power for 2 1/2 days and without internet for 3 days. Luckily our generator gave us heat downstairs, water, refrigeration, and some light so we were able to stay home relatively comfortably.
Disruptions of one’s normal routines can make one feel restless and discombobulated! My sewing room didn’t get heat so I didn’t spend time there doing any cutting, pressing, or piecing and, instead, managed to stay calm and focused by doing a lot of hand sewing and reading. Then, 48 hours after the storm was over and power restored, it was weather whiplash – 65 degrees and sunny! – and Al and I watched the eclipse with friends!
My area saw 96% totality and it wasn’t in the cards for us to drive 2 hours north to totality. We walked to our wide open town park and joined about 200 other members of the community. At max, the light dimmed to “early dusk” level and temps dropped noticeably. It’s amazing how much light still comes from the sun when it’s 96% obscured!! It was interesting and was fun to share the experience with friends – good enough!
In spite of the storm, I did get some sewing accomplished since last posting! Since one “long journey” – Hexagon Stars – ended, I allowed myself to start a new one, having just purchased the background fabric:
First question- to prewash the background fabric or not? Long ago I decided not to automatically prewash all fabric I buy – way too much time for fabric I might never use! I decide whether to do so as pieces are chosen for projects and only if I’m specifically concerned about shrinkage and/or bleeding. This fabric is dark blue so I definitely needed to check for bleeding. It is also 55% linen which I read can be a looser weave and perhaps more likely to shrink so I definitely needed to prewash. I don’t use a washer; instead, I soak in warm to very warm water, usually in the sink. But, this was 5 yards so I used the bathtub! Guess what – NO bleeding and NO noticeable shrinkage!
Next challenge, after cutting a background square (cut 18 inches, finishes 16 inches) – how to mark the appliqué lines on this dark fabric? My light box or windows did not work at all. I’ve never had this issue before. I thought about tracing the design on a vinyl overlay, but didn’t have any vinyl on hand. I did, however, find this “transfer paper” I’d purchased years ago and never used:
It’s actually a “MistyFuse” product, still available, and worked quite well!
I don’t have a lot of it – definitely not enough for this entire project – and it’s relatively expensive so I would love to hear recommendations or comments from any readers who have used this or other brands of transfer paper for fabric. I finished hand appliquéing the first block during the power outage!:
I plan to add some hand embroidery embellishments. Who knows how long it will take, but this project is underway!! This may eventually be a gift for new granddaughter Ophelia 🙂.
If you’ve been reading my blog for a while you may remember this project that I just brought out of hibernation – Ursula’s Spring Baskets!:
It’s the perfect time of year to bring it out and have fun working with these lovely spring colors. I’d like to get the top completed. I just cut all the setting and corner triangles – a mix of low volume fabrics, just like the block backgrounds. I decided to go with a narrow half inch sashing and there will be cornerstones, though haven’t chosen that fabric yet.
By next post I hope to have several rows sewn together.
I’m still making 20 nine-patch blocks per week and have 2 weeks worth of new ones – 40 blocks – to share:
I haven’t sewn any more rows of these together – will try to find time for that, soon.
Quilting has been completed on 2 more “Time of Plenty” blocks – another activity that kept me busy during the storm!
Earthly Delights: It’s been very wet the past couple months and the Lamprey river has overflowed, though not enough to block my walking path:
These trees are normally not under water:
I enjoyed the “abstract painting- like” vision of the reflection:
One little living pine stem pushed its way out through moss covering a supposedly “dead” log:
The first sign of spring in our yard!😊:
Be kind, be grateful, and cherish each day, Gladi
gladiquilts 
it was a wallop of a spring storm…made it to maine just before…drooling over new project…i love kim’s patterns…once snow goes spring should burst forth…
You’re right – I think that will be the last of the snow!
Wow you got a clobbered by that storm. Beautiful hand quilting on your Time of Plenty Quilt! Your baskets looks lovely. I admire your ability to do those tiny sashings and cornerstones. the nine patches are so tiny and sweet. I think I’ve missed what your setting them with.
I don’t pre-wash fabrics either and have little trouble and when I do Dawn to the rescue. that was a neat trick with the tracing paper. I don’t mark my back grounds at all. I fold it and place my pieces on, then pin, then sew baste. I learned this from Gwen Marston. If a piece is a little off, so be it. No is checking it against a printed pattern.
the eclipse was really something. I love that so many people participated in the viewing.
Thanks, Barb, for your supportive comments! I totally agree with you that there is no need for perfection re placement of appliqué pieces, but marking does help me to have a general idea. I’m surprised that you don’t mark at all, but it sounds like that works for you and that’s all that matters!😊
I’m so sorry your power was out so long! Ours was out over 4 days last June and luckily it was just in the 80s, we would have melted if hotter. We had a whole house generator installed and have used it twice already. I enjoy a good storm but not when there’s damage or power outages.
Your new whimsical vases are so cute! The pastel baskets will really be set off with the sashing😻.
We were in the eclipse path and our solar lights came on, noticeably dark enough. 🥰
I haven’t used transfer paper but I have traced
Your quilts and workmanship are exquisite, Gladi! I’m so happy to be following you. Are you familiar with Ophelia’s flower speech from Hamlet Act 4, Scene 5? Your new floral appliqué reminded me of it.
It was a long time ago so I looked it up after receiving your comment. Thanks for the reminder!
I always feel a little breathless after reading your posts. You accomplish so much and it is a joy to see your fine stitching.
The whimsical vases project is going to be absorbing. All those pieces to stitch down!
Snow like concrete. Hard for me to imagine.
The eclipse watching sounds fantastic. (It wasn’t visible on this side of the planet)
That storm was impressive! Contributed to some good photographs, however. And things are “looking up” with your viewing of the solar eclipse (with proper protective equipment). All is well up here in NS and we trust you’re both fine. Please tell Al that I have found kayak carriers for my car for our visit to NH while we’re at HBC this year! Seems close…take care. Paul
Wow, I can’t say I miss storms like that, BUT they are beautiful. All of your projects are just so beautiful. I haven’t had to mark for appliqué on dark fabric (I just sort of wing it) but when I transfer sashiko patterns onto indigo, I use “Chacopy” – it’s from Japan but available here now I think. It comes in white, yellow, blue, pink. I put a piece of cellophane on top of the pattern, with the Chacopy underneath the pattern, and use an inkless pen to trace the designs. The cellophane protects the pattern from ripping.