St.Patrick's Day is behind us and Easter lies just ahead. The season is definitely shifting. The light is more luminous and the strengthening sun is working its magic on ice and snow.
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| One of the red squirrels who has kept us company all winter long.. |
Melting is a good word usually...but this has been happening. All the built up snow and ice on the roof is letting go and breaking the metal snow guards, sometimes completely off. Sounds like we are being bombed when it happens. It is so bizarre; I don't know if this is due to us having a metal roof and a lot of it being a large bungalow, or what. All the snow guards have been affected so roof work will be required. Pales in comparison to all the flooding issues around the globe though.
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| Our front steps completely obliterated by ice and snow too heavy to shovel. |
My bag of beautiful
Stylecraft wool is opened and the first rows started on the
Attic 24 Sweet Pea CAL, another party I am late to but it doesn't matter. You can join
the yarn-filled blankety journey, as Lucy calls it, whenever you like.
First rows in very pretty violet. The little plastic markers were a great help for setting up the initial row.
I've realized something.
Scrap quilts can take a long time to make. Especially if, like in my case, there isn't a huge scrap supply to pull from. So I've settled my mind that scrap type quilts, especially this first one where I may not have photograph worthy images, will take a long time. For now I'm attempting two different scrap patterns to use all those strings I was sorting.
My version of a photograph block is one.
The photograph blocks are coming together fast because they are being machine stitched. Even with that and the accuracy it allows, I'm trying to carefully trim these to the exact size I want. My wonky eye is something I am mindful of at all times. As mentioned, I'm using just scraps and will take my chances if this means they will be
ugly stitching or not. On the plus side, this activity is feeding my thrifty nature.
Next post I'll show the other scrap block.
I've had some luck with online purchases and have a couple of things to show you.
Have wanted one of these little
applique irons for a looonnnggg time. I found this Clover one at
Amazon. I've wanted to get in on all the hexie fun for a long time too and ordered these basting papers from the
Just Me Too shop at Etsy.
I was also outlet shopping and bought this shawl/scarf. I am such a person who wears one almost every day. They help keep me warm during my daily time in a cooler basement where the t.v. is but I like them anyway. I think you are person who wears scarves or not basically.
I'd looked at it in the Roots store before Christmas and when I saw it was now 30% off I decided to go for it. Very soft and the colour combination -pale pink, gray, yellow and cream in broad stripes looks like a wonderful modern style quilt.
And in real time, these two are here wanting to go for their walk. How good to have something that gets me out of this chair. I didn't realize how white their muzzles are getting!
March is a difficult month for me, a month of hard losses and I've carried the notion that it is a month with not much going for it being in between seasons as it were. But I'm concentrating hard on the following...
And officially Happy Spring!
Please visit to see lots of thankful and springy things at
Not Afraid of Color,
It's A Small Town Life,
Em's Scrapbag,
The Inquiring Quilter,
My Quilt Infatuation and
Brian's Home Blog.
22 comments :
Those roof bombs sound kind of scary. Yes, those sweeties are sure ready for a walk. Thanks for joining the Thankful Thursday Blog Hop!
sorry your roof gutters are taking a beating with the melt of the ice and snow - we do not have a metal roof so not sure how they work - I had thought all your snow would slide off as the sun reaches your roof - but I guess what I thought in my mind regarding them is not how it is! What you call ugly blocks will be so full of pieces you will not notice the "ugly" as it gets done - someone said - I think it is quilter Bonnie Hunter that if your fabric is still ugly you haven't cut it small enough LOL I haven't seen iron on basting papers - are they like freezer paper?
What a lovely list! Your grey nosed pups are as wonderful as always- clearly they don't care that it's snowy. I'm also a shawl and scarf person, it's a good reason to be a knitter and crocheter, and they get me through the widely changing weather/office temperatures that seem to plague me. I totally know what you mean about the scraps. I always think oh I have tons of scraps but then I sit down and they aren't really useful? Or don't come together as nicely as expected or something. Anyway, slow projects are good sometimes too and I'll look forward to more scrappiness!
Hi Jocelyn! I have to agree about scarves - you either are a person that wears them or you're not. I am a want-to-be wearer but don't because they look awful and uncomfortable on me. Some people can just wear them and own them and look great. Not me. But your scarf/shawl is beautiful - I love the colors and modern look. Your pups look very much like they want a walk, right now please. And happy memories - what would we do without them?!! {{Hugs}} ~smile~ Roseanne
Cute squirrel picture! So much snow. Hope the roof work isn't too much, and hopefully, the snow will gone soon so it will be quick work. Always nice to get out of the house, hope you enjoyed the walk with your dogs. Happy memories are always a great thing to focus on. Hope you have a wonderful Thursday & weekend as well!
Always remember the happy memories! Beautiful fuzzy faces.
Love your squirrel photo! And your dogs are so sweet! Have a lovely day!
I also like scarves, and have a pure silk one, a birthday gift a few years ago, and it would be my favourite, so warm in winter, no wonder those early pilots had them. Lovely shawl, and too much snow.
Scary roof bombs - poor you! I love the needlework and scrap quilts, everything is so beautiful. Now go walk those darling doggies!
No, definitely not a scarf person here! Love the photos of your dogs patiently waiting for their walk, and the cheeky squirrel too. Sorry to read that March is a difficult month for you, it's nearly over now with a new month on the way.
Snow and ice can certainly do a lot of damage - so sorry about your roof! Scarves are not my thing, other than under my coat in the winter. I have a wonderful triangular one that fastens with velcro and was in a total panic the other day when I thought I'd lost it. I've use that scarf exclusively for probably more than ten years and I still love it. I have one of those irons and rarely use it, mainly because I keep forgetting I have it!
I agree with you that March can be an odd month - not quite spring, but not quite winter. If you are missing special people, that makes it doubly hard. Hope your snow melts quickly and doesn't cause too much more trouble on your roof. Your pretty box of yarn for the afghan calls to me, even though I don't crochet. It looks so enjoyable to work on!
Ugly stitching? I think not my dear Jocelyn! I like your blocks and it's good to do something good once in a while. I do similar quilts for donation quilts for children although the center block is usually a juvenile print. We don't get roof bombs but we had problems for years with my neighbors roof dropping ice bombs on the side of our house. It was really quite dangerous as it is the side where our back door is located and I let the dogs out. Thankfully, the neighbors changed the roof and it isnt so big of a problem but you are right about the noise, it's awful! Have a wonderful week!
those two faces... I looked at their picture a long time... remembering my black lab-radaughter Chelsea... Yes they will keep you out and walking. Roof issues! Crikey! As they like to say in CO the snow melts in a day. It's been 10 days, there are still drifts of 4 feet around, my back yard has started to melt but there are still patches there despite several days of around 60 F. Agree that snow means less flooding...oy.
I'm a big hexie fan... just seeing those papers, whee! And you need an influx of scraps. Quilt stores sell bags of them, guilds give them away, people are always looking for someone to enjoy theirs... put out the call to the universe, and see who sends you a bag! LeeAnna
Your scarf looks soft and cozy warm. The best kind. I started wearing scarves a couple years ago. I had no idea they were so fun to wear. I like the photograph blocks. Something for me to think about trying. Ugly stitching is pretty much what I do. :-)
Love those pretty yarn colors; they should make a beautiful blanket. Your photograph blocks are very fun. Wow, you sure had a lot of snow!
Iron on hexie papers....now why didn't I think of that? :-)
Oh my- I hope April is a springy month for you. That violet yarn is such a beautiful color. The red squirrel looks so friendly. And, I like that scarf. I have one spring scarf and one winter scarf. Have a wonderful weekend-stay safe from those melting ice layers.
My latest scrap project took three years to complete, for lack of scraps. My other one I suspect will need another 3 years to get all the blocks done. :-) Good thing you weren't under the eaves when that snow let loose. It must have been thunderous! I haven't used my applique iron much, but it has come in handy. I hope you enjoy yours.
You are so crafty. Such a positive post. Yes, it is warmer and brighter. This is so encouraging.
I hear you about March. April is my month: my late parents birthdays, and anniversary. That said, mom died on Mother's Day. I just have to put it out of my mind.
All the best.
I grew up in the Chicago area (read: lots of snow in wintner!) but never heard of snow guards. They sound like a great idea. I think any type of large craft item takes a long time. I used to crochet and felt it took forever to make an afghan, but they were worth all the time :)
The snow bombs sound so scary, but as you say, much less scary than flooding! I hope all goes well as the season warms up. Thanks for sharing on Wednesday Wait Loss.
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