I haven't posted in several day, I have been going flat out on several things and the weather has been wonderful! I took my Kumihimo out onto the front porch to sit in the sun and work, and found that Ambrosina was pressure washing the front porch before putting the porch furniture out for the season so I came back in and sat in the living room to do it.
I have most of the stuff in our little downstairs sitting room put away for the first time in I don't know how long. I was going to mop this morning, but I ran out of time. We went to Hancock's instead and patterns were on sale so I came home with a few more, not that I need them. Ambrosina got fabric for clothes for the boys especially Sam because he his built so different than most kids. Roughly the shape and size of a tank.
I have the blocks of the trupunto quilt mostly joined together. More and more I am convinced that quilt as I go just doesn't work for me. If the weather stays this warm I will have to get the quilting frame ready to go next week. It would be nice I have a lot of tops to get done this spring and summer. We took a little walk yesterday, to the corner and back, my knees not functioning well, but I hope to gain a little strength, and less pain as we do it more.
I am still working on the snail trail blocks down here in the bedroom, but haven't done a lot this week as I have been cleaning. Since deciding to sell the kiln I have been going through stuff and filling boxes for good will and, of course, the garbage. I will still have more stuff than I want or need, but at least it will be better for a while.
Here is a picture of my little sewing helper Happy:

Is she not adorable? She doesn't like my older vintage machines because they are not flat enough on the top to sit on while I sew and she is jealous. She does slow production down a little, but really if I can't take the time to enjoy her company what is the point of having her at all? Happy spring!!

Ambrosina and Leon took us to lunch at the Olive Garden. Yummy!! First time we've been out to eat since last October. It always seems so special if you only do it once in a while. It was a huge crowd. Doug and Rose and Abe and his kids plus Anthony. We were celebrating Leon's raise. That only happens once in a while too.
I'm coming along pretty good on the trupunto quilt. 3 more blocks this morning, leaving only 7 to do, then in order for it to be big enough for my bed I am going to have to put a lot of borders on it, it should be interesting at least.
I am stuffed from lunch and I feel like I could take a nap. David is making a pot of coffee, and maybe I will sleep after I have a cup. I want to work a little on the snail trail quilt though, and I need to pick up the sitting room again. Again with the constant refrain of where does all that junk come from?

Had a pretty good morning today. I have got three of the trupunto blocks done, the stomach problem is a little better and not quite as much hip and knee pain so i could work longer. The sun is shining and there were a lot of birds at the feeder until Sam came along and scared them away. He said he didn't want birds by the window, but I have a feeling that he is bored and needs to go outside and run. I know I do, well not exactly run, but a nice long walk would feel good today.
I noticed Ambrosina has her garden plot drawn up, she is getting antcy about that too, it seems spring is in the air. I hope we don't get disapointed by some freeze and snow, it is really too early to plan on nice weather, but March is only a week away. Spring in name and spring in actual fact are usually 2 different things. She has got some seeds in the mail already and is planning to set up here greenhouse by the dining room window in a week or so I think.
I have to got through my bookcase down here and see if I can get rid of some more books that I don't use, it is overflowing and I don't really know what all is there. I need to move it so I can have more room around the loom, I will need it soon.
Ahhh chili for lunch!!

Last night Happy, the cat went a little crazy and knocked every thing on the end of the bed onto the floor. Guess it was time for me to clean up and put away everything anyway. So I am going to focus on putting stuff away this afternoon. Ambrosina is organizing the little boys' closet and my bureau is coming downstairs. It was my mother's, mine when I was a little girl, Ambrosina's when she was a little girl, and I think John's also. It was used for all 3 of her boys, and I painted ducks on it, so now it is back down to me, and I think I will paint it white again. I remember when I was little it had a clown on a rocking horse on the door, probably a stencil, but mother took the door off and threw it away when I was a kid, so I am not  sure what I will do with it. Anyway I will be able to get all my clothes in it, and have a lot more space to organize my junk.
Sammy who is five was sitting at the dining room table working a puzzle and suddenly said "beef stew I don't like it, I slap it." I wonder at the workings of the mind when something comes up out of the blue like that!

I have finished the T quilt top, it is ready to go
into the tub in the attic.

Upstairs I am working on a quilt as you go trupunto, from a book by Harriet Walner. I starte it in 1998 and put it away when I went back to work. I have 8 quilts in the sewing corner and I intend to get all of them done this spring, at least to the top stage. After that we will see.

For now at least I am going to start putting stuff away and hopefully throwing some stuff away. Again I ask: Where does it all come from?

Sunday, February 21, 2017
I have been having trouble getting online the last few days, I think being in the basement doesn't help much. I need to scan for spyware too.
I have had a busy week, I finished my coat and 4 hats, 2 of which I am going to send to Ben and Jazzy.

I also finished a couple of baby quilts and they are put away up in the attic ready for the next baby gift.

 My knee pain has gotten a little better although the back pain is still quite bad. I have been able to restart treadling in the basement and that is progress. I have the vertical rows of the T quilt sewn together and am ready to join the horizontal rows. Then up to the tub in the attic waiting for the soon to come spring when I can get the quilting frame up and running. I have to get at least 4 tops quilted this spring and summer, Arty's, Sam's, Rosa's and Anthony's T. I need to get a couple for my bed done too as both my quilts are so far gone one is not even in good enough shape for a cutter quilt.
other has about a couple of more years to go I think.
I have 8 quilts started in the sewing corner upstairs, but I don't think that there is anymore up in the attic, except unquilted tops. I've determined that I won't start another one up there until they are at least to the finished top stage. I started work on one that I started in 1998 when we lived in the first house in Aberdeen. I finished 3 more blocks this week. It is a quilt as you go, so it at least will be ready for my bed next winter. I don't like doing quilt as you go, but I already had this one started before I realized I didn't like doing it that way. I hope it will be big enough as I don't want to have to make any more blocks than I have already cut out. This is a long post I know but I wanted to get caught up.

Tuesday, February 16, 2016
Finished my fleece coat and 2 hats today. Had a busy morning and wore them this afternoon when I went to my appointment. I have  been going through the containers of lace and getting rid of the ugly stuff and short pieces. I keep thinking if I get rid of stuff then I will have more space, but it hasn't ever worked out that way. Someone recommended that I try essential oils for my knees, so I said that I would look online for more information about them. I need to try something.
I am working on cleaning the bedroom and sitting room again, I don't now how I get it so cluttered, except that I am working on something all the time. I almost have the next row of hexagons blocks done and so I dug out some more and made a mess finding them. So then I decide to straighten the shelves they were stored on so I have that stuff strewn all over. It's amazing how much I can get on a shelf, and how hard it is to get it all back.

Monday, February 15, 2016
Finally got my fleece coat done today. My knees are killing me but I stuck to it. Weather is supposed to warm up today so maybe my knees will get better. If they don't, they don't, we all have something we have to live with. I figure on the matching hat next. If the weather warms up there is always next winter. It comes around every year.
I cut out some more hexagons over the weekend, I think I have just about enough. If not I will get some fat quarters. I am going to put all the cutting mess away out of the bedroom now and clear off the treadle. The cat just came sneaking up on my lap between me and the keyboard. I don't know why she thinks I can't see her when she does that. Now I can't see the screen to see if I am making any mistakes. Such a sweet kitty though. She is sticking her tail between my fingers and the keys making it very difficult so I will make this a short post.