Dan's Ramblings

Dan here ~

The calm before the storm. It is supposed to get very windy and rainy. I personally think I prefer snow this time of year. It seems that the cold is not as cold when there is snow on the ground. I don’t need a lot of snow, just enough to keep the ground covered and not too dirty looking. 

I wonder if the up coming warmer weather will do anything to the ice on the pond. I went about ten feet from shore and drilled through the ice and at that spot it was about six inches deep. It would not be bad if that was clear frozen water, however much of what I drilled appeared to be more snow than ice. I don’t really like the pond a lot in the winter. I seldom go swimming in the summer, I don’t relish the idea of going this time of year.

I started the humidifier the other day, it always seems that everything is dry this time of year. My hands are dry and rough and fabric and thread sticks to them. I find this annoying. Last night my hands were all red. The food coloring filled every crevice in my dry fingers. 

Let me back up. Carol went to Farmington to meet Erin and bring her the present she had picked up in Portland for Parker. With that going to happen Carol made rolls for Parker and I made two batches of Spritz cookies with the cookie press. 

These went with Carol to continue to Rangeley for the grandsons for Christmas. While making the cookies I noticed that the red food coloring bottle had some dribbles on it. I decided it made sense to rinse it off and dry it. Bad idea, as soon as the water hit the bottle there was red food coloring everywhere. Or course, I didn’t think this was going to happen so I had not obtained that paper towel yet. I told Carol later that it was not blood all over the top of the paper towel roll, even if it looks like it. I’ll still make more cookies but closer to the Perkins family get together later next week.

Sewing wise, I am continuing plundering my 2” scrap bin. I have made a big dent in it and probably have way more than enough that I need to complete the current project. My problem is I enjoy creating scrap quilts, especially if they contain lots of pieces. 

My block on this project is an 8” finished block. My block contains sixteen 2” four-patch units, making my block an 8” block containing sixty four 1” finished blocks. 

Actually an easy, albeit a repetitious block. It goes together easily because as I just said it contains sixteen trimmed precise 2” 4-patch units. I do a fair amount of pinning but they come out pretty good. 

I need to assemble six more then I can start the sashing strips. Face it, it will be the sashing strips that will capture the eyes as you look at the quilt. The trick is to have the sashing strips and cornerstones pull your eyes far enough from the sixty four-patch blocks that they become fill. Many hours of fill, but still fill. I will need to go to the storage building and see if I can find something there that will work for the gold and the blue in this design I am leaning towards. 

I drew this on EQ8. I felt a little rusty as I have not used it in a while.

When there is no other destination for projects these days I try to stay in the 55”+/- x 75” - 80”. That is the size we make for the Dempsey Center quilts we donate. I am working on some ideas to possibly sell some of them to recoup some of the dollars spent on fabric and batting, not taking into account anything for the time involved. 

Have been thinking about selling under the name "Scraps by Dan".  These intricate one of a kind quilt tops I would think ought to be worth $600. If anyone wants one of them as I create them we can make that happen. However I decide to sell them, that venue will probably not get to see the quilt being designed and created as you do here. They are a good throw quilt size. I am going to make some larger sized block quilt tops for donations but I think I want to try and sell some of the more intricate ones. Probably still using the proceeds to buy large backing fabric and batting.

I have found I have almost enjoyed the time not spent walking all the time. I have noticed slightly higher numbers on the scale in the morning as I perform my pre-shower routine . I am linking the added weight to the reduction in exercise and to the fact that I seem to be eating all the time lately. 

I did clean up the trees that the last storm blew down up by the sheds. That gave me about all the exercise I wanted. I am still not up to full capacity yet. When I saw the Doc the other day he told me that could be another 4 - 6 weeks before that happens. Hopefully we don’t get dumped with snow before then. A little at a time.

Well, enjoy your Christmas or other holiday celebrations and stay safe, the traveling could be bad. I only hope we don’t loose power again.