Dan's Ramblings

Dan here ~

I’m still around. I survived yesterday's (Sunday) snowstorm, it was a nice gentle light snow. It was the first time clearing the whole driveway all the way up to the mailbox. I estimate the distance to be about 300 yards. Would hate to have to shovel it.

The rest of the tree that fell across the driveway is gone as well as a couple from a neighbor’s place up the road. All have been split and stacked. I finished the square stack that I started when I began cleaning up the storms bounty and obtained a good start on another round stack. I prefer the round stacks, I only stack the outer circle and the inside is just tossed in as tightly as I can without really working at it. I think they look much more dignified.

Now that it has snowed, let’s hope that it stays here. The pond had a little over 3” of ice before the snow. I don’t do much on the ice anyway. I’m viewing the arrival of snow as hibernation time, you got it, hibernate to the studio. Enough snow for some exercise and I’m content inside.

Speaking of studio time, I finished quilt #44 for 2023. This time I went with two slightly different V-Block stars in nice bright colors as the blocks and the sashing strips. 

2023-44

After I finished #44 at 9:30 in the evening of 12/27, I doubted I would have time to make another. I started pawing around in my closet to see if I could find any orphan blocks to work with. By 10 o’clock I had found some blocks, had a plan and was well on the way to making it work. Total lapsed time of 47 hours and the top was compete. I kinda like it for a quickie. 

2023-45

Carol has begun to call my closet Mary Poppins’ handbag. There doesn’t seem to be an end to what is in there. I found orphan blocks for 6 - 8 quilts in 2023 and there are still more in there. 

Since the first of the year I have emptied the final bin left over from the move to this location. What it contained was all sorts of different pieces of fabric from long forgotten projects. Also the box contained several of what I call back trimmings. This is the fabric that is salvaged from when a quilt is trimmed after coming off the long arm. These trimmings are long narrow pieces of fabric that I decided to cut into strips instead of squares as I normally do. I also decided that I would sew them into strips and make them into 4-patch units as a break from the tedium of pressing and cutting the rest of the “found” fabrics into squares or strips as well. 

The empty box is filling up fast with 4-patch units. I have made it to the bottom of the last bin but not the 1-1/2”, 2” and the 2 -1/2” strips that are being used for the 4 patches. 

 The largest ones made from the 2-1/2” strips will be trimmed to 3” finished 4-Patch units with my 4-Patch square up tool. I have no idea how I ever lived without that tool, I may need to replace it before too much longer as I tend to shave the corners off.

The other sizes will continue to grow in the box but I don’t know what size they will be trimmed to be. They haven’t told me yet what they want to hang round with. The big ones have at least offered some suggestions and I think that some of my 4-1/2” squares will begin to identify as three inch half square triangles. I might be able to come up with a couple quilt tops using that basic idea. Time will tell how long the stack of 4-patch units lasts. (I know how to make more though)

Be safe in whatever Mother Nature throws at us, it has been a crazy season so far. Hang on, the ride it only lasts so long. It will be spring before you know it.

In remembrance of my Dad, whose birthday would have been today, January 8, I’ll end as I did in the past with one of his sayings. “If you get there first, draw a blue line. If I get there first, I’ll rub it out.” Happy Birthday Dad. His response would have been, “same to you”, I can hear it plain as day.