Dan's Ramblings

Dan here…again. Sunday evening. It has occurred. I have gotten old and worthless. I knew I would reach my useful end eventually, but like most doers I was in hopes I would get hit by a bus first. One problem with living in the boonies… no busses.

Carol has wanted a show quilt of ours hung on a vaulted type ceiling in the living room.

I use the term living room loosely as it is also the kitchen, dining room and the pantry, but for the purposes of this blog, living room works. Anyway, as soon as she saw what the carpenter was creating as he closed in part of the upstairs during construction, she said,”that would be the perfect place for “Spotlight on the Stars” to hang.”

Fast forward about two years and I now have purchased a telescoping ladder to get up there high enough to hang the quilt, but still shrinks small enough to store in a shoebox.

We get all the measurements made and figure exactly where the brackets need to go. I get the ladder extended and climb up there and look at the wall a minute and say “Houston, we have a problem.”

I have reached the height necessary to perform the necessary duties but am unable to get both hands over my head and look up and see anything and do the job. I could maybe do parts of the job, I might be able to get both hands above my head on the wall to mark where the brackets need to go, however my shoulders and my neck will not allow me to raise my head high enough to see where the brackets need to go. Which is really a moot point anyway because having to raise my head that high means my bifocals are so blurry I can’t see the end of the pencil. 

I got off the ladder. I put it away. I moved the furniture all back. I sat down to contemplate the reaching of my useful end. Nice new expensive ladder in my toolbox now. Too old to use it, but maybe I can watch someone else use it. Oh well, quilt would look nice up there. Maybe someday.

The last quilt project that I have been sharing with you has been completed and is ready to be quilted. 

You may remember that I was thinking of a pieced border and made the 22 - 8” x 12” blocks needed. I did not like it. I went back to the original 6 block by 7 block layout. I made the 12 additional blocks needed, fixed the twisted block that Lois pointed out and the top is doomed to have no border. The binding will frame it and that will be enough to call it complete. Calling this one “Flying Geese 1176”

The next quilt is well on the way. You guessed it, making it out of what was going to be the border blocks on the last one. 

22 blocks done, 26 more to go. Many flocks of flying geese, 30 per block. 1440 before the ones on the sashing strips and cornerstones. I haven’t counted how many I need there. I’ll keep cutting up the stash and using the pieces. 

After all, isn’t that what “ Can I use up my Stash” is all about. I’ll tell you more about that next time.

Our weather has been cold and the walking road is icy. Not a huge problem except it takes longer to travel the same distance. No warming trend in the future so I may be forced to sew. I did notice some days in the last couple weeks where my time logs show a few 8 and 10 hour days of sewing time. Retirement is tough.

Stay safe and warm and enjoy the start of your week.