... frost ...

Road trip in late February with weather forecast of foggy conditions to York. We were well past York and conditions were still quite ominous. Still beautiful and roads were clear!

Winter Warning ... 2-3" projected

... and we got 7-8" inches ... depending on where you lived. Interestingly temps on Saturday were in mid to high 60's and overnight fell to low 30's. Snow started falling late Saturday evening. Last flake fell Monday morning. The world was quiet. Because of snow covered icy roads many schools, day-cares, and college campuses were closed or starting late. Our lane was cleared by lunch Monday ... road maintainer made a pass through by mid-afternoon.

 ... now we are in a slow melt!!!

February ... Road Trip

Spent a week in Ogallala when #1 daughter and spouse were in Florida "for work". Dog sitting, Jake-watching and s-e-w-i-n-g! While Jake and grandpa did their own little week-end "road trip" for Jake's travelling basketball team I was able to begin and finish a quilt top project!

Jake has a "man cave" and needed a themed quilt to add to the decor. I got this far with layout before adding two outer borders. First border is another grey, with a wider black as second/outer border. Jake selected an orange for backing. Now that I am in my own sewing environment I can do the layering and quilting myself. Of course that will happen after Tyler's t-shirt quilt is at long-arm-quilters!

T-shirt quilt progress

I'm liking the look ... good choice of fabric Tyler!

Every square inch of usable t-shirt was put to good use!

"Southeast High School"

I am very proud of my progress! I didn't wait 30+ years for this one, just 3 years. I could state several reasons for the delay -  my inexperience working with a t-shirt fabric; not wanting to screw it up because it is for "my Tyler"; disruption of life with foundation repairs; or the ever popular "life got in the way". But for whatever reason here is the progress thus far.

Rows 1 and 2. The felt wall is 8 feet wide, another HUGE quilt.

Rows 1 and 2 joined with sashing. I've over-lap layered

the rows on the felt wall so I can see sequence without

having to look at my notes (not lazy, just being smart).

The "kid" is a Lincoln Southeast High School graduate.

T-shirts making up the quilt are from those high school

years, thus the metallic gold on black and gold dimpled

 fabric choices. Loving the fact that my cornerblock

seams are matchey-matchey.

 

Rows 3 and 4 are "awaiting" to be joined with sashing.

Sashing strips are all cut and ready for stitching.

Once rows 5 and 6 are joined, I will join the three panels together (1/2, 3/4, and 5/6). THEN I get to test my math skills (again) to see if I have enough of the gold metallic/black dimple fabric for the outer border! The fabric had been discontinued so ordered what was available from my favorite online quilt shop "Ladyfingers Sewing Studio" in Oley PA.

The finished quilt will be six blocks wide by six blocks long ... roughly 8 feet square. I'm sure the long arm quilter can handle this one too.

The Big Snow Storm ...

... that never was ... thank goodness!!!

For a week the weather report was that a HUGE snow storm was heading our way from Alaska. Projected snow fall would be at least 12 inches. So we prepared ourselves. Gassed up both vehicles. Stocked the pantry. Stacked firewood in enclosed deck. Had full gas cans for the portable generator. Charged up the cell phones. Did all the laundry. We were prepared for a power outage and being stranded by our road being drifted shut.

Flakes began falling ... so small ... and dry ... and slowly accumulating. To our east traffic was still moving slowly along highway 103.

By mid afternoon we could no longer see the highway as the snowfall was picking up.

By "night fall" the scene out the front door (east) noted very little change.

This morning we awoke to clear skies and sunshine, and discovered that it snowed through the night. The bulk of the storm had moved through our area with very little fanfare. What was projected at 12 inches, then 10, and finally in "ball park" of 8 inches...in reality measured at a little over 5 inches. A blessing indeed.

Our lane and road were not cleared until mid-morning, giving us this "quiet white" landscape.

The view out the kitchen window was just as "quiet" ... only sign of life were a set of coyote tracks. Discovered them running from road, across back yard, through fence and continuing through open field to railroad tracks.

While the snowfall was less than expected it is much appreciated and needed. It's beautiful and I'm so happy we don't need to be out in it! I rather enjoy viewing it from afar!

Pointer Sisters and "Shout"

Gotcha! This "Shout" is a color catcher fabric dryer type sheet you could use when washing garments that may bleed when laundering. I've used it when washing those bright colored sweatshirts, etc. It's also something to be used when washing a quilt the first time.

I do not pre-wash fabrics before cutting and sewing a quilt. I prefer manufacturers stabilizer vs me washing and starching, mostly because I'm lazy! One exception would be making a t-shirt quilt -- t-shirts are typically pre-worn and laundered many times. Complimentary fabrics being used for sashings, corners, borders and backing should then be laundered. The "Shout - Color Catcher" is always used! I've never had any bleeding problems. I do toss in a second sheet if I'm concerned about whether one would catch all of the dye.

So there you have it, my two cents worth ... regarding the first laundering of that new or favorite quilt.