Thursday, January 31, 2013

A Slice Of Country Charmer

Well here we are!  One whole month of 2013 is already in the history books!
January has been nothing short of frigid in my little corner of the planet.  It's been a perfect time to hide myself away and plan, and cut and sew.  And sew I have.  I took my time making my fabric selection.  I mentioned during my quandry about what color arrangement to go with for Country Charmer, that I might pull some Autumn fabric from the Underground Stash Storage Facility.  I did...I hauled it up and I hauled it back down...and two days later...I hauled it up again.  I love Autumn and Harvest and Pumpkins and Changing Colors. I loved the distraction those warm colors gave me when it was so cold that I had become convinced that my face would have frozen off had the 3 minute walk from the back door at work out to my car parked in the Frozen North Forty been 2 steps further.  It also seemed appropriate that I honor my first face to face meeting with Lynn Wilder last September by selecting an Autumn theme for this Sew'n Wild Oaks design of hers.
So, I filled my fancy schmancy pizza box with bits and pieces...1272 of them to be exact...carefully stacked and double checked to be sure that they filled the lines of Lynns perfect piecing layout template exactly.  I spent hours upon hours picking, auditioning and laying out fabric selections to be as close as possible to true love as one can be with 24 scrappy autumnal, but not too matchy-matchy blocks.  There are some constants...in the center block...and yet, time will reveal that there will be some changes here as well.  My background is also the same cream crackle print throughout.
 
Photography became a little bit of a challenge as my autumn oranges wanted to glare like a clown streaking across a circus tent with his frizzy wig on fire!  Trust me...that orange is not as flaming as it looks! 
Then I began to sew. I wanted to make a test block, just to be certain I was on the right track.  The first block went together like a dream.  I was soooo proud of myself that I nearly dislocated my shoulder patting myself on the back!  Like a bag of potato chips...I just had to make one more to see how cute it was gonna be!  Karma!  Block 2 became an exercise in seam ripping.  I spent 3 hours trying to whip that little 9-patch into perfection.  I finished it...for now...still gonna rip it out and try and get closer to 8.5 inches square, rather than the 8.25 inches that it seems determined to want to be...no matter how many times I squash it!  I swear, that block is as obstinant as that little patch of my bangs that, even with my best blowdrying techniques, wants to stick straight out in front, shading my left eye for the remainder of the day!
Anyhow,  I've decided not to attack block 2 again...yet...I'm going into serious mental and physical training before going there again.   For now, I'm distracting myself with a little chain piecing therapy.
I also gave up on pretty new cameras ability to take a non-glare photo.  I went back to old black reliable with the sticky retractable lens cover, until I've had more opportunity to become familiar with the settings on the cute new fashionably burgundy one.
 
Just one more note of importance.  I am blessed with a husband who doesn't mind accompanying me to quilt shops and shows, he appreciates and admires our Works of Heart.
He laughed as hard as I did, maybe harder, through one of Mary Ellen Hopkins lectures in Sisters many, many years ago.
He puts up with my quilting obsession floating in and around nearly every room in our home and patiently listens to me chatter about new quilts and techniques.  He doesn't mind it when I shove my tablet under his nose to share pictures of the many wonderful quilts that inspire me out there in blogland
When we are traveling, it is often he who has my 7 lb. long coat miniature Doxie, Maecee, draped contentedly in his arms, while I'm perusing bolts, books, fat quarters and patterns or juggling my camera...and it is he who scrambles to hang onto her when she has decided that Mom has gotten too far away for comfort.
Often I turn around to find him surrounded by quilty women
in all shapes sizes and ages, cooing over my little red headed baby girl...
maybe that's what's in it for him...
hmmm...I'll have to consider that a bit more carefully in the future
Oh Never Mind, Blessed I Am...
Happy Birthday Dear Husband...
 
Happy February All!
 
Nancie Anne

 


18 comments:

  1. Your blocks are sensational! I love your autumn colours, and especially love the pictures taken with your older camera...giggle! I laughed so much...love your sense of humour and love the fact that at the end of the day you have sewn together some stunning blocks!And you're right...they are just like eating a bag of chips, and I can never eat just one! Happy Birthday to your hubby...he sounds like a perfect quilter's hubby! Hope you both enjoy the day!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Your Country Charmer is looking so great! Isn't this party fun? Happy quilting! And blogging!

    ReplyDelete
  3. WOnderful post full of humor and such pretty blocks.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I just can't seem to write without going off the edge a little...I'm just a little wonky that way!

      Delete
  4. Oh Nancy you had me rolling on the floor with your post. I love your blocks, the adorable center square, your pizza box idea, and your colors. Happy Birthday Wayne! I think he's on to something carrying cute little Maecee around at quilt shows. Wink, Wink.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you sweetness! I loves you too! I'll be sure to pass the Happy Birthday on to him when he gets home tonight.

      Delete
  5. LOVE your fabric choices! Your quilt is going to look fantastic!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you sew much! There are some fun fussy cuts that are hiding in the stack of chain piecing...

      Delete
  6. Nancie I love your blocks. The colours are very much my favourites, and I see you even included orange, just like I tried to in my first attempt.

    Happy birthday to your husband, he sounds the perfect man to have around.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I just love your fall blocks and those birds in the center are just adorable ! Looking forward to watching your progress!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aww thanks Sue! The birds on cream were found while shop hopping in Oregon last year at Pendleton Quilt Works which then appeared in Country Sampler. We found them on green while visiting our daughter in September in a fun little shop in Shingle Springs.

      Delete
  8. You blocks are wanderful. And, your sence of humor is great. I have that same piece of hair. Darn thing.
    Happy Birthday to your hubby.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Same hair issue????? I'm either terribly sorry for your misfortune or thrilled for having found a long lost sister!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I LOVE your Autumn inspired blocks! Happy Birthday to your hubby! He sounds a lot like mine ;>)
    Cheers!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much! Every dog should have a boy...and every husband should have a wife who can rock him off his testosterone pedestal occasionally!

      Delete
  11. LOL...my goodness I can relate to so much in this post. Love your color choices, well what I could see of them behind the tears of laughter!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for visiting...the glare in the pizza box photo is still a little painful even with editing. Glad you enjoyed the post...I seem to sit down thinking I'm going to just write a simple line or two and wind up channeling Erma Bombeck.

      Delete