RE-tirement

First let me start with some projects completed:

Another Moda Blockheads 3 block.  Mine are 6 inch size

And yes, the half square triangles are 3/4 inch size.

Then I have become entranced with bowl fillers and embroidery.

Here is my first one, about 3 1/2 inches. I think I can get these done for the 4th of July.

 And for my slow stitching Sunday, I finished the binding on this beauty.

I did something different and rolled it from the back. 

The mitered corners took a little adjustment.

 Another 4th of July project from Buttermilk Basin. It was free online over the weekend.

They have so many neat wool projects. I just might need to get some.

I have step 2 done and the stars cut out for step 1.

As for home projects, I made the topiary from a demo on YouTube. 

And the sign using paper mache letters.

While our school has not canceled graduation and is planned for the end of July, 

we had a drive by pick up of diplomas followed by the teachers cheering them on.

This was normally a tradition for the seniors of having breakfast, getting graduation tickets, 

and then busing to their elementary schools to parade down the halls in cap and gown.

Here the principal is handing out the diploma to a student in a car.

Many were decorated brightly with banners and balloons.

It was super hot outside, and we had to still wear masks for COVID. 

This was the beginning of a block long wave of teachers.

Afterward, my daughter took me out to celebrate my retirement with a mango margarita and dinner

outside. To many wonderful years of students who have tugged at my heart!

Winterfest and blocks

Winter celebration. My husband and I had a fun afternoon and evening in Lake Geneva.

We saw snow sculptures, ice sculptures, lazer light shows and more.

  Oh, and yes it was outdoors and cold.

We had fun, despite the cold noses.

But today is the palindrome of the century: 02-02-20-20

And the groundhog saw his shadow. 

Spring is around the corner, right? 

All week I have been plodding slowly through projects. 

Here are my first 6 blocks of Frolic. 

And here is my 3rd block for the Blockheads 3.

 I liked Lisa Bongean's twist of the tiny triangles.

It really is nice to have different examples of the same block. 

Darned if I could get the aqua to look right. 

At the beginning of the week I took out my UFO for Valentine's Day. 

These are 1 and a half inch blocks placed on grid work on an  iron-on pellon.

You lay out your squares, iron to secure, and then fold them together and sew 1/4 inch seam.

Below is a block half sewn. 

And here it is completely sewn. 

I have 3 more and am making it into a wall hanging. 

I spent the Superbowl, taking the smaller ones apart which I did not like.

But I think I will use them as frames around the blocks.

Quilt alongs

FROLIC!  

Here is my first block almost put together.  

I am loving it. My spin on it  was to switch out the aqua and put in a gray. 

Here it looks more white, or background like the beige. 

My camera takes poor picture at night without natural light. 

And now I have m 2nd block completed for Blockheads 3.  

Again these are 6 inch blocks.  And the star is actually an aqua background, not white as it appears here.  More photos to come as more blocks get competed. 

Winter wonderland

For those of us in the northern states, winter is a mixture of beauty and fun. The snow scenes can be breathtaking and the outdoor sports will pink up those cheeks with smiles. This morning I awoke to the most amazing sight. The trees look as if they are flocked. I am so glad I get to sit and watch the gently falling flakes and not drive to work.

This week has been long.  I had the pleasure of a day off Monday and spent it with a friend sewing. Lots of catching up and project planning as well as sewing.

But then the new semester started on Tuesday. My students' schedules were all mixed around because of new semester classes. and I added new students. A few from the algebra 2 failures.  It is frustrating to see kids not learn the practice of doing homework. After a couple years of getting by, algebra 2 is truly a culmination of skills at increasing difficulty. And those with bad habits cannot fake it anymore. But I also had a couple girls with difficult situations at home. They are amazingly mature with the problems they have to face at home and yet so vulnerable. So my week was rewarding, but exhausting.

And so I was unable to quilt much

But I did redo my colors for the first Blockheads 3 block. I made the 6 inch size. Much better.

Frolic and Blockheads

So I jumped off another cliff.  Not literally, of course. I started another project.

I had this great fat eights pack of the Hedge Rose fabrics.  

And decided they would be perfect fabrics for the Blockheads 3. 

Corey Yoder posted the directions in 3 sizes: 6, 8, and 12 inches. Here

And if you are really daring,you can find the 4 inch ones on Lisa Bongean : Cutting directions

You need to assemble it according to Corey's post. 

I am making the 6 inch which I did for the first go round. 

I am debating the triangles; the print is too big.

And I love the setting layout Corey proposed.

I think that is what drew me in to hers. 

But I did get some other sewing done yesterday on my day off.:

Here is another clue of Frolic. Only 4 more pinwheels to make. 

Then I need to do the last set of flying geese.

I already have the finishing fabrics cut out. 

Frol