I hit the wrong photo of the quilt along block – good grief! Here is the correct block for the Fresh Start book.
The block I posted is the one I tried out the blue background that I plan to use for the quilt along. My old age is showing. I keep telling Rick I can’t remember anything and I can’t find anything!! I hate this feeling that I am so overwhelmed my mind just won’t shut down. And no, I don’t sleep well at all. Ugh. You’ll be happy to know that Connie is leading this quilt along – she’s lots younger than me and still can think. Smile.
Bear with me, Friends! I’ll get it right eventually!
Here’s another block that was rejected and was then used in an improv quilt that’s waiting to be quilted.
Just not a good combo even though, according to Mary Ellen Hopkins, you must always have one ugly block in every quilt!
So there’s an extra post today because you needed to know about my mistake sooner rather than later!
Hope you’re having a good day at your house!
I believe a lot of us have those senior moments. That is a neat block also. Suppose to be around 60 today.
Have a good one too.
Love your “correct block”!
Judy
Hi Mary, we are all in th3 same boat! I find quilts in my unpacking that l know are my work ,but can’t remember making them!Going through all my old records too, singing along, and keeping only ones l still love.Not sure if the dog is enjoying it! Take care everyone, best wishes from Sandy
Oh I under all too well! I am always looking for my sunglasses or my phone, can’t come up with words when I want to tell
Somebody something, isn’t getting old fun??😆❤️
Hahaha! It’s nice to know I’m not the only one with brain farts! Possibly could be from Covid? I have heard that Covid can make foggy brain and forgetfulness…..i don’t know???
Good choice on putting the other block in your improv quilt. It’s very nice but I do like the color combo on the other block.
Beautiful day here! Outside clearing flower beds.
I have a beautiful bouquet from my zinnia’s that I was pulling up. Old man winter is coming…..these beautiful fall days won’t last forever….so sad 😔
But on the bright side when it snows I sew!
Have a great rest of the day!
One is never too old. Just have more info stored than others.
so true. our file cabinets (brain) just have so much stuff in it that we sometimes overlook the right file. patti in florida
Good Gosh ! I’m right there with you. Can walk into a room and a have no idea why when I knew 2 seconds earlier I needed something from there.
Oh I love that block. My friend & I both love your new book. It was a perfect gift for her.
I am very confused about this being a second post – I didn’t get a first one – therefore nothing to ignore, lol. I am so looking forward to thew sew along and await details. p.s. the sparking clean sunroom looks so inviting!
It’s so nice to know there are more people out there to have those senior moments. We have a cool front here in east Texas with wind. And oh boy the pine straw is falling.
I have been doing good since my knee replacement. Although I fell on it doing a stupid thing by trying to hang my hummingbird feeder with a stepstool with while wearing slide shoes. I promptly found another placer to hang that bugger. Xray showed kneecap was ok, but pretty sore. I’m reading a good book that you might like, “The Life She was Given”. by Ellen Marie Wiseman. It’s about 2 girls that their mothers were mean to them. One is sold to a circus because her mother said she was a freak and the other one runs away from home because of the rules impose4d on her. I’m only half way thru it but am really enjoying it. I want you to know I really enjoy your blog.
Caolyn K.
Carolyn, I’m sorry you took a fall on your new knee! Ouch!
The book you mentioned sounds good! I’ll see if my library has it.
Bonnie, in Oregon
Carolyn you need to be careful in those ladders! Stuff happens to us old people when using them! I’m 73 and will readily admit that I do not do ladders! You are probably a lot younger than I but still, watch it….crap happens!
Mary, I have been known to have my phone in my hand and then asking hubby where my phone is! He says, why don’t you use the one in your hand! Ugh! Plus, I cannot keep track of my seam ripper or my scissors or a piece of fabric, etc. oh boy. No worries about posting the wrong picture! I would do a lot worse!
Beautiful here today. No wind and upper 50s!
Carolyn – sounds like a book I’d enjoy – next winter when there’s nothing to talk about, we should do book reviews again. Be careful with your new knee – I’m always afraid the dogs I’ll knock me down and I’ll land on a knee. Neither of us would want to replace it – again.
Thanks Mary for the clarification! I was wondering about the block you posted a picture of yesterday.
So, I have a problem that maybe someone reading this can help me with…..
In very recent months I’ve been on oxygen 24/7. I have 2 naughty cats that love to chew on the oxygen tubes. Because of this, we keep the cats confined, most of the time, in my sewing room.
Does anyone have a way to make cats not chew on plastic? Mine are obsessed with it and have been since they were kittens. I would really like to let my cats out of the sewing room and back in to the rest of the house (and for me to have easy access to my sewing room) without worrying that they will puncture my life line!
Thank you,
Bonnie in Oregon
Bonnie, how awful for you and your cats!
Lots of cats like to chew on plastic, especially cords. One of our cats is notorious for it!
First, ask the company that provides your oxygen supplies and your health care provider(s), especially the experienced nurses. I doubt you’re not the first patient/customer who’s had this problem.
Ask at your vet clinic.
There’s a product called “loom tubing” that’s a corrugated sleeve to put over cords. It’s mostly marketed for power cords, but same idea. It’s split down the length so you can insert the cord. It’s kind of a pain to thread the cord into it, but do-able.I think there’s a gadget or small tool that makes inserting the cord easier. It comes in various diameters. An electronics or computer store might be able to help.
There are also anti-chew sprays you can use, made just for this problem.
Good luck, and please let us know if you find a solution! I doubt you’re the only one of Mary’s readers who deals with this.
i can answer this one. my cat does the same thing. my prior cats never touched my cords. i’ve been on this oxygen since 2003–24/7. we put coil like on the old stationary phones. that didn’t work. one day i got a wild idea and took my strips and scraps. cut them into 4″ widths. sewed them together into one that was 20′, one that was 10′, etc. where i seamed them together, i top stitched that seam so it wouldn’t be a problem to change the cords. the 7′ cord with the cannula has 9′ cover. i stuff them into each other and use a safety pin to hold together. i hope this makes sense. the manager of my local oxygen office said i should make and sell them. i don’t think so. if by chance the cat bites a hole through the fabric, you’ll see the cat constantly going to that part of the cord. think they like the oyxgen coming out – i guess they can hear it. good luck. patti in florida who is going to bed and hoping you will free the cats
Don’t worry – you are not alone!! We all have those days! Love your blog!
Hi, Mary! I can certainly sympathize too! Who would have thought that getting old could be such fun! In my case I have to throw in the difficulty of getting around too as a result of a hip replacement and three revision surgeries after the original dislocated! Sometimes I think the gremlins move things at night in our house! ha!
I met Mary Ellen Hopkins at a quilt gathering in Kentucky many years ago. She was a hoot to visit with! Such a fun lady!! The only way to survive old age sanely is to laugh a lot! Especially at our mistakes! No matter how carefully I put a quilt together I can guarantee that I’ll have two blocks next to each other that don’t go together. At that point it is too late to do anything but laugh and pretend it was deliberate! Ha!
I enjoy you writing so very much! Thanks for sharing your life with all of us!
Mary we are just grateful you continue with your blog despite the challenges. Thank you. I enjoy reading it a lot. Some of the “gifts” that come with age are surprising, aren’t they? As your other readers said, we need to try keep our sense of humor and be grateful for what works. I find that’s easier some days than others.
I’m looking forward to the quilt along. I think are minds just get filled up with so much going on. Yesterday I got out of my car in the garage and left it running. Oops
Mary, you are just trying to do too much, just like the rest of us. We are trying to so many things and it just doesn’t work that way. About 8 years ago I was trying to remember the brand name of beautiful winter coats Blumenthal’s store sold — I tried to remember for at least a year or more. Then finally it hit — Lilly Ann!!!! And that was way before Covid. The older we get, the more we have to remember. Everything we do takes longer, too. Maybe we shouldn’t push it, just muddle along and enjoy life? Take care. Betty in Rapid City
Betty – said the wiseman to the foolish man! Smile
Aging is a humbling experience! You are doing it well. Sometimes I have to sit down and rest after hearing about your day!
Don’t feel bad about forgetting things Mary. You’re in good company for sure. We all understand!
I do like the block you posted today. I like the old look.
I like your block. I forget things all the time. Hugs,
Oh Mary I feel the same as you. I told my hubby yesterday If I had known retirement was so hard I would have kept working. Lol!
Just keep putting one foot in front of the other and do the best you can. I write lists with only 3 things on them(even though I have more on my plate), then when those 3 are done I make a new list of 3 things. It helps.
Love this quilt and your new soft colors.
Shirley – there’s a lot of truth in what you say! Working full time was easier than retirement in so many ways.
Mary, When I goof, I just say, “Whoops, computer overload”, and point to my brain. Our brains really do work very much like computers, with connecting ‘wires’ and junctions, etc. It’s funny how we can remember something hours or days later, that we’ve been straining to remember and yet couldn’t get our computers (brains) to feed to us when we need it. The answer comes and happens when we least expect it. and certainly long after we needed it. Maybe our brains reboot just as computers do too. Ha.Ha. The sew along sounds like it would such fun but I dare not start any new projects until I finish some more of these UFO’s. It will be enjoyable to watch everyone else’s progress and to see the color choices they have made. The pattern is wonderful and you will be a great teacher.
Jeanne in Co
Heck admitting to a mistake takes a sincere dedicated person like you are and none of us are perfect, nor will be so to be human, is just fine with me. I just am glad you keep us all connected one way or another. Very excited to make my first block.
Tonight for dinner I am making poutine. Missing the food truck rodeos that one would show up at and had this so we are making our own tonight. I know the readers from Canada know what I am talking about. We have cheese curds, beef gravy, fries and some chopped fresh parsley from my garden ready to go. Just glad French fries are back plentiful in our stores as I missed not seeing my usual tater tot’s and waffle fries bags when they were in short supply. But off to get an ice cream sandwich first from the freezer. 74 outside.
Please don’t apologize for forgetting or getting the quilt block correct. We of a certain age
have to just make fun of our foibles and move on. I think we all get to this point at some time.
Now if I can just remember what I just told you I’ll do that the next time!
Miss Mary Ellen! what a great teacher with an awesome attitude! She made me feel as if I could conquer this learning curve of quilting, and whatever I did was wonderful.
Mary, I feel the same way! I had a doc tell me unofficially that I was probably very, very high functioning ADHD!!!! I roared!!! It’s because my mind is still going like I’m 30 and my body can’t keep up!! But when a person is used to going like a house afire and juggling a zillion different balls at one time, it’s hard to deal with the age thing that slows the body down…but the mind keeps going full steam ahead! 😛
I sure do enjoy your posts!
The top block reminds me of my great grandmother who was a quilter. The fabric is old fashioned looking….beautiful!!
Mary , I have the same problem. Sometimes I think(maybe I’m not) that I’m trying to do to much. Oh Well your in good company. Peace Micky
I consider myself a youngster yet at 63, but I still do such stupid things! We all get it, so its OK. So happy to join in this sew-along.
You are just fine !
Hi Mary. I am trying to send you quilt pictures for the blog and they come back as undeliverable. I am using an address at gmail I found on an old blog sheet.
You have so much on your plate now with Rick, fall clean up, pets, the blog. Take a big breath, open a beer, sit and rock a spell. Life will get reorganized for you. You are the most important one in this picture. Trust me it works.
Jane – use this email: maryehazel2020@gmail.com
If it still says undeliverable please let me know.
Oh how I miss Mary Ellen. She was a little dynamo! ❤️
Ruth Tacoma – yes, she was. Wish she was still around.
I couldn’t figure out how the previous 2 blocks were the same but I was waiting to see what happened. I like both blocks!
I agree with many of the comments. I can’t wait for the house to be down on Sunday. I’ve laid awake at night thinking about all the stuff I had to get out and give away. I have taken four carloads so far. I have even gone through things a second time trying to eliminate more. It really is a good feeling to have less to own less. It is very raining here tonight, but we needed the moisture. Have a calm and relaxing day tomorrow.
I love the quilt along block. I wonder if you have pictures or could tell me where I could find the original quilt that you made with the darker country colors. I am over run with country colors and would really like to use them. I feel guilty buying more fabric when I have so much already.
Ginger – you misunderstood – this is the only quilt I made with this block – that I remember. Does anyone else remember a dark version? I’ll ask Connie tomorrow – she’s doing hers darker than the original. I’ll ask her.
Might be the darker version of Jake’s Quilt that Ginger is referring to.
Connie – aha! I’ll bet you’re right!
I may have misunderstood. I was thinking that your book Fresh Starts was a redo of former quilts when you used more country type colors. I was thinking you remade them using brighter colors. I think the quilt will be beautiful either way.
Ginger – you’re right, a lot of them are remakes and somewhat redesigned but mostly it’s a new palette for us.
The porch looks SO PRETTY!! Whenever I get an area nice and cleaned up, I always wish it would stay just like that but alas…. There are times I wish I still had a clothesline especially for towels, sheets; nothing like that fresh air scent. I have been on sleeping pills for YEARS and take it and a Benadryl every night–otherwise no sleep for this one
I have laughed and laughed at the comments today. Many experience’s are true for me too. And my solution…just laugh it off.
I can’t see the mistake you made, so chalk it off and forget about it.
I need to get Halloween candy. But…if I get it too early, it will all be gone before the spooks ring the door bell. Now, that’s a dilemma!!!
Thank goodness for rejection. That is an ugly block! Lol.
I think they are all great blocks! I just enjoy your blog so much! I also enjoy the “quilt shows”.