Happenings 'round here

That title makes it sound like there are happenings. They aren't that many, believe me. 

I had promised my sister that I'd make some bed pads to keep at her house. The short version is that another sister suffers from dementia and is living where the pads are going. You get the picture, I'm sure. I got a reminder text this morning and started working on the pads at noon. I chose ugly, heavy fabrics that I'm sure I wouldn't want for a quilt. 

It's not a difficult chore; there are only four pads. I sewed all the fabrics together much like a pieced backing and loaded the longarm just like a regular quilt. I decided to use the opportunity to practice some motifs and that slowed me down. When finished, I cut it into four pads and finished the edges with the lock-stitch machine.

The other thing slowing me down is Marley. She came by for a sewing lesson and made a pair of shorts. Since it's her first pair, she needed guidance. She's getting really good and will soon be able to complete small projects on her own. 

One other thing happening is that I've been painting again. I'm working on two magnolia paintings and will have something to show you in a day or so. Meanwhile, have a fabulous Friday and weekend!

Pin It Weekly #315

Welcome back! It's time to meet a few followers. Say hello to 
Bella Larreategui. 

And hello to Saniye Kaya. Does it get cuter than this board? I don't imagine.

And finally, hello Kris. Check out this calligraphy....

Have a great week, everyone! Stay safe and stay home.

Quick Finish

That's me. Testing the finished product.

Thanks to Sweet Red Poppy I've finally found a scrub cap that fits and I like. And, this pattern is free! 

In one of those rare incidents, I did not change a thing. Nope, not one thing. I printed, taped, cut, and sewed exactly as instructed. Whew! Not an easy concept for me. But it's a winner.  

How do you find this freebie, you ask? Go to Sweet Red Poppy, click on Free Patterns in the navigation bar at the top. The very first one is the scrub cap. Voila! 
(Shh, listen, there are many other useful freebies.)

A couple of adjustments and we're happy.

This cap is already in Jenny's hands. She's going back to work as a dental hygienist in just a few short days. She's a germaphobe, in the worst way. Hates all the ickies!

It's a conundrum. I get to play hero for a moment. She loves me, what can I say?

Have a fabulous week. I hope it starts out with your being a sewing hero to someone. It's a sweet feeling.

Sunday Quilt Inspiration: quarantine

Happy Sunday! Here's hoping that you are safe and well and avoiding the pandemic. I know that some states and countries are beginning to open up and unquarantine. (I decided unquarantine can be a word.) Here are a few Pinterest memes to enjoy:

And to round things out, here are a few scrap quilts from 

my personal Pinterest trunk show.

This time... LINES

Remember my pictures for inspiration post from last week? Well, I guess I really like the concept, because I took another walk, this time on the search for lines. 

a fence line

Trees have always been a big deal to me. I'm not sure just what it is exactly, their grandeur, their ability to clean the air, their home site capabilities, their colors and beauty. If you've ever seen the changing colors of the leaves in fall, or fledgling bluebirds following the mama from branch to branch, or Spanish moss dripping in the fog, you'd get it. 

knobby lines on the left,
smooth lines in the center

So anyway, here are my lines. We have a few trees in our yard, so I thought I'd capture a few pictures of the lines that trees create. 

not all lines are straight in a swamp;
trees lean into the softer ground

sexy curves?

lines going the wrong way

And I'll close with a few lines that are not from trees. Do you see the lines in these everyday objects? 

Masks, nieces, and more masks

I've been a little busy making more face masks. One of my many nieces asked for a small favor. "Please Aunt Mary. You are so awesome. My favorite aunt." She went so far as to call me one of her people. Hmm, that's a bit thick, don't you agree?

Of course, I can't say no to anyone, let alone KT. So I cut out a few more. Except, she wanted these for friends at work and really no really wanted them in gingham. Navy, pink, blue, fuchsia, please. Somehow I had all the colors she really no really wanted.

Included in this pile are some sherbet-color ones that I'd just made before KT's request. Currently I have about 10-15 cut out and waiting to be sewn, but they are not top priority because there are still about 8-10 waiting for a home. 

production work

There's a Facebook group that takes requests and then asks for help in making the masks. I've joined the group and when a request comes, I'll offer whatever masks are still here. 

For now though, I'm getting back to some creative, fun pursuits. What are you busy sewing?

Pin It Weekly #314

Birds and butterflies and bats, oh my! Houses and houses and houses... 

Do you have a bird or bird house board? Let me help you find more pins. You can find these and about 100 more pins in my "bird house feeder nest" board.