Have you ever been so tired you can’t sleep? That was me last night – I worked my body so hard yesterday that it just couldn’t relax. It’s the cleaning – something I should keep up with but don’t and then it’s real hard work. Basement, garage upstairs and down, porch and then there’s the laundry. By this time of the year I don’t usually clean the porch again because I figure we’ll be closing it up pretty soon but looking at the forecast I see we’re having lots of warm days ahead. And I want to sit in the porch as long as possible.
Brenda, one of my long time readers, recently had a one woman quilt show. Here are some of her quilts:
More reader quilts
Here is the original quilt – look at what a difference fabric color placement makes. Some of Pattie ‘s blocks look completely different just by changing lights and darks.
I have two different books going right now depending on location and I started this one last night – or I intended to start it.
This is how it’s written – every single page! I never even looked – who could imagine reading a book laid out like this?
A reader asked for my window washing solution – here it is:
Funny you should post at 6:44 am. I’ve been up all night too restless and a cantankerous old lady for the day! It’s still hot here!
Cheryl – I had been up quite awhile before I thought of writing my post since I was just too tired last night. Maybe tonight will be better for all of us.
I too was up early, 5:15. Sometimes you just have to get up. Hubby is a fretful sleeper and I reach my limit early. Ugh. So, I get up, put some laundry in and start puttering. I invariably end up on Pinterest looking at quilts. I am not a napper but it will hit me later. A favorite quilt shop is closing, and I am debating whether I really need any more “great deals”. I always cave.
Hope you sleep better tonight!
Cheryl, my daughter went Saturday to the shop I imagine you are talking about and bought yardage for quilt backings and said there was still much to pick from. I didn’t go. I wish the owners happy retirement from a wonderful shop they ran. We went there years back to hear Lynn from Kansas Troubles speak and Pam Buda so I miss the days when designers traveled to shops with trunk shows. Glad I saw some when they were popular to do. My daughter and I were just saying Covid seemed to end that huge a gathering of quilters in one big room for those reluctant around crowds.
Cheryl – I hope you sleep tonight, too. I can lay there and try to get back to sleep only so long. It just makes me mad and then I’ll never get to sleep. I’m not a mapper either but I’d love one cater lunch!
Love the quilts. Am glad Gracie is back and resting in a place she considers safe. As to cleaning, yes to the porch – enjoy it while you can. These days have been beautiful.
Brenda and Pattie’s quilts are awesome. Thanks for sharing ladies. Mary, I hope you take it a little easier today and get some rest tonight.
It’s brother’s night for dinner. We have both of our brothers over for dinner every Tuesday since we moved back and it’s a birthday celebration too. I’m making lasagna, which I only make maybe twice a year for special occasions. It’s a favorite. Have a good day everyone.
Gracie does appear to be completely tuckered out; such a happy ending, thank goodness! A one-woman show, good for Brenda! Cleaning is always exhausting, I prefer to do it all at once rather than piecemeal so that there is that one, shining moment (however fleeting) when everything is clean and picked up at the same time!
Well I better get busy! The quilts are so inspiring this morning and loved studying each and everyone. Amazing work and I guess I better move my Fresh Start one up the chain of UFOs. What a wonderful way to begin the day even if a little elbow grease might be needed around here too! Oh well beats paying for a gym membership! Thank you Brenda and Patty and all who inspired us with your quilts.
I go through my emails every morning and I find myself saving yours till last. I get my coffee and enjoy every word!
So glad Gracie found her way home. I’ve lost cats and are just heartbroken till they return.
My friends and I went to the DM guild show last week. Such fabulous quilts – I have lots of new inspiration for the upcoming winter. Good friends, good food, and great quilts – what a way to spend a day!!
I cleaned out our basement Saturday, also. What a pit! 2black garbage bags out and numerous boxes of donations. Looks nice. Wonder how long that will last! lol
So glad Gracie is safe at home. Don’t you wish she could talk and tell us about her adventure???
Thank you for the quilt show! It’s always inspiring to see what others have done.
The quilts are fabulous. So glad Gracie is back home. Been doing some cleaning myself, would rather be sewing. No sun the last few days, kind of rainy, made chocolate chip cookies yesterday to warm up the house!
So glad Gracie has come home. Cats are great to have an adventure when you least expect them to!
Beautiful quilt show. Such beautiful appliqué.
What has happened to FluffyBuns? How is 3?
Great quilt show. Keeps me thinking about more to make.
Connie—where do you buy the stitchery tape? I sure could use that instead of all the nail holes I have. LOL I love to change my quilts with the seasons.
Glad Gracie is home. Wish she could talk and tell of her adventures.
We finally had rain this weekend. 3.5 inches greened things up almost over night.
Mary’s window cleaner works great! Been using it for awhile. Thank you , Mary.
Nancy TD – this has been talked about several times here in the comments – look online.
Thanks.
No sleep must have been the theme last night, Woke up at 4 am & never went back to sleep. There was a stupid song looping thru my head as well as upcoming cattle work when the song wasn’t running!! I don’t even like the song…so why was it there??!! I also cleaned yesterday which for our house seems like a waste of my time & energy!! There will be cracker crumbs on the rugs & food dropped by the grandson on the tile floor so I do wonder why I go to the effort! At least I know I’m not alone! Maybe tonight will be a sleep night!
And that book….I’m sure I’ve never seen one like that before & definitely not something I would attempt to read!
What a nice treat to read you this morning. I enjoyed the quilt show and just love that strings quilt set on point with the red setting triangles. Part of me says, “Let’s go start it” and the other part says, “No, finish that baby quilt” but the biggest part says “NO!!!! You have a puppy you just let into a new area of the house. DANGER! DANGER! DANGER!”. After saying no more dogs, I caved and we have a 15 week old English Setter. Talk about being busy. I just was going to write he was over the worst of the chewing when I caught him trying to nibble on my embroidery stand. Sigh. It is an adventure for sure. Your book reminds me of “e. e. cummings”; a poet I so enjoyed in school. A treat for the eyes as well as the soul. However, that book just looks annoying. I like my prose in standard text.
DebMac – we need to see a picture of your new puppy!
I’ve been making string quilt blocks for years and every once in a while I get inspired to sew one together. That top has been hanging in my closet for at least 3 years but yesterday I decided it needed to be sandwiched and hopefully finished to donate to a church charity auction in November. I’m leaving again in 2 days to go back to South Carolina to the poodle rescue and will be gone for several weeks. I’m debating whether I should take it along and try to get it done in the RV.
I always like to have a sewing project along when I travel. In fact, all those blocks from the fresh start quilt were made this past winter while I was traveling.
Pattie – (Greta hit send before I was ready!) I was starting to say the rescue is lucky to have you and your dogs are lucky to go along. Let us know what’s happening there and drive safely!
What a fabulous quilt show! Thanks for sharing.
Naughty Gracie! Hopefully she figured out the whole wide world is dangerous for kitties! Jays says we are going through an awful lot of cat food! Ha! I counted 11! And the kittens are getting bigger. Too bad they don’t hunt!
Loved the quilt show!
I didn’t sleep well last night either. I got up to go to the br at 3:30 and couldn’t sleep again! Ugh!
The harvest up is at a standstill. Had a little rain over the weekend and now it just stays cloudy and cool and damp.
well, ladies, i slept for all of you. didn’t get to sleep until almost 3 am but slept til 10:15. i feel rested. so i packed up packages for both kids. 4 placemats apiece (and i can’t remember if i photographed the last two). loved the qulit show. always do. good for brenda having a one woman show. such a wide variety of styles. i love them all. my kitty is wanting my time and attention so i’m off to sit with him. hope everyone sleeps tonight. patti in florida
I got the lawn mowed 30 minutes before it started to rain. Great timing! I would have never thought of red setting triangles for the string quilt, but they really make the quilt for me. Something for me to mull over as I plan future projects.
Maybe we’ll all get some sleep tonight. I think the pain in my hip woke me up. I foolishly went to an exercise class at the senior center yesterday. What was I thinking? I’ll stick to my daily walk!
Brenda’s quilt show was great – such talent by so many on this blog.
Really like Pattie’s version of Fresh Air from your Fresh Start Quilts book. Yours in the book is beautiful, Mary. And Connie’s version that you posted a few days ago after your visit to her home was exceptional, too.
Thanks for the window cleaning recipe. .
Did you hear the collective sigh of relief when you told us Gracie was home safe and sound? She’ll probably be tired for a few more days. 🐈⬛
Thanks for the blog about nothing, Mary.
Take care everyone.
Re: Lack of sleep, I’m right there with you. It never was a problem in my younger years but that too has gone the way of the do-do bird.
My step-son had an indoor cat that was about 20 years old and perfect. One day the door opened and he took off. They all called and searched for days but finally told the kids maybe he was going away to die. A few more days passed and when they opened the door, cat came in with no explanation as to where he was. He lived a few more years, content to stay indoors. It just goes to prove cats live by their own rules.
She looks worn out. If only she could tell you her adventures! The
Brenda has a wonderful group of quilts. Lots of variety. Thanks for sharing. And reader quilts too – I like the string quilts. A great use of scraps.
I rarely can’t sleep but there are times. I do take naps a lot – it started when I would lay flat to rest my back. I can take an hour or two nap and still sleep at night. My mom and one of my sisters are often up for hours in the early morning that they can’t sleep.
I’m glad Gracie came back. I’ve had cats disappear and the reappear a day of so later. It stresses me out so badly and now Magnus and Klaus don’t go out without supervision.
Susan – all this talk of string quilts make me want to start one!! Hi to Magnus and Klaus!
They say hi back!
I’m thinking that a string quilt might be a reward for finishing the blue quilt top. Since the blue one is a king size I’ll send it out for quilting and then bind it myself.