Stories from the Sewing Room

Last week I took a class, Beach Bumz, with Linda J. Hahn at the IHQS. Linda is known for her New York Beauty blocks. She's published several books and developed her own stencils, templates, patterns, and techniques to make the blocks. I signed up for this class because it was a small project that used techniques I need more practice with: paper piecing and curves. {Have you noticed that curves are everywhere right now?}

Linda's method uses leave-in foundations. I think the foundation felt like an embroidery stabilizer. Unfortunately, our class kits were short two of the templates. I had time to trace off all four of one of the missing templates, but only one of the other. She will mail us the missing parts, but I won't be able to advance my project until I receive them.

I purchased one of her books so that I had the basic instructions since those weren't included in the class kit. 😕 I also purchased the mini quilt set because she said that you can create mini versions of each quilt using the trimmings from the bigger versions. You can see the difference in size in the curved templates in the photo below.

Backs of blocks. Foundation in the pointy part.

Can you see the marker on the foundation showing?

In the meantime, since I finished my main OMG project in a matter of days, I decided to quilt another UFO from my list. It's another of Cheryl's mystery quilts, the Melodic mystery. I believe this one is from two years ago. I chose a fairly small scale of the Pluma design for the quilting. Each pass was at least an hour and I finished it well into the evening. I love how the quilt looks on the frame with only the longarm's lights on it. Maybe I should take all my quilt photos in the dark. LOL.

Our state robotics competition was held on Saturday. Half of our team (2/4) are seniors this year, so this was it for them. Our matches didn't go as well as we'd hoped, partly due to random part failures (we've been plagued by those this season), partly due to alliance partners who did not help us, and, in some cases, hindered us. 

We also had an unfortunate judging experience with one of the pit judges, who was also a room judge at our last QT. The boys generally don't complain about judging and they did both times with this guy. We did make a formal complaint that probably didn't really accomplish anything, but I felt it was important to pursue it, particularly after learning at least one other team had the same issue. It also gave the boys a chance to be heard. 

We ended the robot matches in 24th of 28th place, but, much to our surprise, were chosen as an alliance partner for the finals playoff by the number five ranked team. 

Unfortunately, the other robot failed at the beginning of the first playoff match. We moved to the loser bracket and lost our second match as well. One of the opposing team's robots was illegally pinning our robot so that we couldn't score. This is not at all the spirit of FIRST. Intentional contact is not allowed. We were very disappointed that the judges didn't penalize that team--it should have been at least a yellow card if not DQ, but it wasn't. There weren't even penalty points awarded. My son rarely gets angry and he had steam coming from his ears for more than a day afterwards. 

The boys were awarded another Connect award--we've won two other Connect awards and one Inspire award this season--and just missed (by one award place) moving on to a premier event. It's not how we would have chosen to go out. Too bad all those years had to end on a sour note. 

Friday night we were out for our evening walk. We got near our neighbors around the corner's driveway and my son thought he heard a frog. I said no way, it's been too cold for that. But we paused to listen and he said it really sounded like an American Woodcock. I'm like, how do you know what that sounds like? And do we even have those here? Meanwhile, my husband pulls out his phone and opens Merlin, and I'll be darned, but it was a woodcock. I wanted to get closer and try to see them--if you're familiar with them at all, you've probably seen videos on social media of them "dancing". If not, look up a video. They are fun! Anyway, it was late, getting pretty dark, and we still had more prep to do before leaving at the very crack of dawn for the tournament, so I was shot down. Oh, and my son recognized the call because he'd watched a video of them a few days prior. This is what all teenage boys watch, yes? 🤷🏻‍♀️

Sunday evening we heard them again, on a different part of the neighbors' property, on our own property, and across the street from us. My husband is more aggressive with wildlife than I am and flushed one out of our woods by playing the mating calls from Merlin. It swooped around my son and I, who were up the street. We heard at least one Monday night too. 

The spring weather makes it really hard for me to want to stay inside and complete my work. But we have bills to pay, so I sacrifice. Here are the quilts I've completed over the past week. 

Carol's wine quilt, quilted with Persephone 3.

Ann K.'s baby quilt, quilted with Scribble Hearts. Ann has me add the binding to the front of all her quilts.

Ann K.'s dog quilt, quilted with Paw Prints.

Ann K.'s doll quilt, quilted with Scribble Hearts.

Ann K.'s rocket quilt, quilted with Shooting Star. 

And finally, Ann's other doll quilt, quilted with Basic Swirl. 

Linking with Quiltery, My Quilt Infatuation, and Alycia Quilts.