It's been awhile...

I retired in June!!! Yippee!!! Now that I do not go to work, life is very busy. Most of you know I am in Boston taking care of my grandson while my daughter is completing her fellowship. Anne Marie, Thomas, and I live in a small, 2 bedroom apartment in Brookline.

This is the dining room where I set up my quilting.

Here is my bedroom. I have it stuffed with projects. My only complaint is that we live on the 1st floor and I have to close and lock my window at night.

Yes, I am sleeping under Mary Beth's moose quilt.

 Here are two of the projects I have finished (besides the binding on the moose quilt)

Anne Marie's finger-less mitts - used left over yarn

Hand embroidered towel I started in Texas.

I have some knitting projects started and another dish towel,

Chevron mitts on size 3 needles

I bought this yarn on Cape Cod to make mitts for Thomas and Brice.

My spot in the living room 

Texas




Barrett

  I was in Texas to babysit my two grandsons -

Brice



I saw Brice play a baseball game. He is the catcher and did an outstanding job.

Brice at the plate for a hit!

Barret helped me unpack.

Several times!

This was my first visit to Alpine. The scenery was fantastic and the weather very different. Here are some pictures I took from outside Mary Beth's home.







Sand storm

Rain storm coming with lots of hail

I took the boys on a field trip to Fort Davis - the highest town in Texas.

Packed my birthday bag with diapers and camera





Brice was a big help with the stroller



Boys at the Fort's cannon

Some of the house

Of course what is a visit with outo going to the thrift store.



And a visit to the yarn shop in Marfa that had its yarn 50% off because the store was closing.

And there was lots of time for cuddles and reading.

I hand quilted this one!

Saturday Stash

Again I added to my stash. I really can't wait to retire so I can start reporting what I subtract from my stash.
Friday, AJ had to stop at Trader's Joe so I went in to JoAnn's to pick through sale items.

When I got home, I had received the fabric for the back of my place mats and my quilting magazine in the mail --- more stash
Saturday, we met AJ's sister and her husband for dinner. Naturally, we stopped in Chesapeake City at Vulcan Fibers. And naturally, yarn followed me home. You know I am an addict and I love the clearance bins.

Hello, My Name is Barbara

I am addicted to yarn...
My local yarn shop is closing and I was invited to a special before sale event. So, I really do have an excuse.

I am missing 2 skeins in the photo!


UFO Weekend



I spent this past weekend at Peggy's Sewing Center. I left Saturday morning, pieced, left my stuff overnight and came back Sunday to piece some more.



I loaded the car with the essentials



A set of place mats using fabric in my stash



Moda Bake Shop recipe using Moda's Bar Harbor layer cake



Of course, I had to replace my stash with some goodies.

And I can add some thrift store finds.

Found at a nice thrift store near the dentist

And look what I got on clearance - even got an extra 15% off.

 

April

Here are some projects I that have been keeping me busy.

Small applique kit I bought in Alaska years ago - Carolee Pollack



Larger moose applique

Finished two washclothes, one dishcloth and Steve's hat

My car project - a hat for Brice



Ready to knit some sock monkeys!



UFO Weekend and Lancaster Quilt Show

Remember my packing up for UFO time at Peggy's Sewing center ---

Here I am pressing pieces.



My view - I had a whole table to myself! (This is Donna and her grand daughter)

 On March 15th, AJ took me to Lancaster so I could take a long arm class and attend the quilt show. Overall, I had a wonderful day. AJ even went over to Central Market and bought us white cream filled Amish doughnuts -- my favorite!

You can see just a sliver of me waiting for my turn.

I was very disappointed with the class. The instructor was excellent. But, while she was giving her lecture, another woman was setting up all the handi quilter machines making a very loud distracting noise. We had to share machines, and because there were so many students, I got less than 2 minutes with the instructor. We each paid $30 for a kit on top of the class fee. There was no kit -- lesson learned!
I did manage to pick up some great stuff.


Fabric from Good's in Quarryville - a must stop in any trip to Lancaster



What I purchased at the show