Posted on by agilejack

A Brief Break From Productivity

I haven’t done any sewing for two evenings. I was tired last night. I didn’t feel well yesterday and was worn out by the time the evening rolled around. I have been staying up waaaaay too late this week. My body is telling me to knock it the hell off!

I did take my boys for a nice long 2.5 mile walk yesterday. We had a break in the rain, my foot felt really good, and we kept going!

We had a quick walk tonight, but just 1.5 miles because I had to go to the grocery store. We’re expecting what could be significant snow starting tomorrow afternoon and when snow is coming, you have to shop for food!

They’re predicting anywhere from 1-8 inches of snow in Portland. So I needed a few basic things in anticipation of being stuck in the house the entire long weekend. I also wanted to fill up my car with gas because it’s good to have a full tank when the weather goes nuts.

We don’t handle snow well here.

The good news is that they’re only predicting a chance of freezing rain. That stuff is way too scary. I’m happy to just be expecting snow. But it’s going to be cold for a few days. The high on Saturday is supposed to be around 20 degrees. YIKES!

They have already announced that schools will be closing early tomorrow. You do NOT want to be out and about in Portland when a winter storm hits. You could end up spending the night in your car.

So I’ve been thinking it will be a good weekend for some warm comfort food. I have a chicken in my freezer, so I’m going to roast a chicken on Saturday. I bought some potatoes, onions, mushrooms and carrots to roast with it. That will be a lovely, warm and comforting meal. Plus… leftovers. I love a roasted chicken. It’s really easy and really good. I hardly ever think to make them.

I also saw the tortillas in the store and remembered that I have a bunch of chili verde in my freezer. So I grabbed a bag and pulled some chili verde out of the freezer when I got home. More warm and comforting yumminess for the weekend.

I did hit my sewing room when I got home but I didn’t do much. I wanted to pull all my Fresh Start blocks off the design wall because I want to sort them by the color of the sashing strips, distribute those colors nicely through the piles, and then get them back up on the design wall before the final tweaking.

While I was pulling them all off the wall I thought I’d take a look at a couple options with these blocks to see what I thought.

I’m not considering changing how I put these blocks together, I just wanted to see if either of these layouts sparked an idea. I really like the one with all the black. If I was to do this, I would want to use a black that had a more graphic design to it. Maybe a large floral. but it would still have to read black. I might make the center strips wider, or the sashing wider with the corner triangles smaller. It’s an idea.

I don’t like the option with the white jumble.

Right now my blocks are sitting in two piles on my cutting table. I’ll start playing with them tomorrow after work.

If I get completely stuck at home I may have this top sewn together on Saturday. If I get stuck at home ALL weekend (Monday is a holiday) I may get a lot more than that done!

A couple of people asked me about the pattern for my current sofa quilt. It’s a free pattern that I picked up at one of my local quilt stores a number of years ago. It’s pretty simple.

The pattern references a kit, but they gave away the pattern for free in the store. I made two quits on this pattern — one is the throw on my sofa. The other was a queen size quilt for a friend to celebrate her divorce.. It’s a great beginner quilt.

As I was looking in my pattern bin for the Sprinkles pattern I ran across a lot of patterns that I’ve never made. Some of them make me wonder why I ever bought them. I will certainly never make some of them.

There were a few that I want to make. . . some day.

I’ve always loved this elephant pattern. I think it would be really cool made out of Australian Aboriginal fabrics. I would probably make this a wall hanging rather than a full size quilt.

This zig zag quilt uses the Straight Out of Line ruler my friend gave me for Christmas. I’ve had this pattern for many years. I have a few ideas in my head for this pattern.

I bought this next one a couple of years ago. I thought it looked like a fun and quick make. I’ll probably make it some day.

And the last thing that caught my eye was this…

I have no idea where I got this! I know that I didn’t buy it. But I can see that it might come in handy. Maybe some nice winter coats are in Rico’s and Bender’s future!

One more day of work then it’s time to hunker down and stay warm! Too bad my boys aren’t cuddlers!

24 Replies to “A Brief Break From Productivity”

  1. What a difference in the three layout options! Everyone has an opinion, right? So here’s mine, for what it’s worth… the original combination of the black and white corners is great and will be a gorgeous quilt when it’s finished. The layout using just the black corners really makes the colors pop! I can see a quilt in your future that is made with this idea. I have to agree with you… I don’t really like the layout with just the black and white jumble. It works really well when alternated with the black. However, at least to my eyes, when by itself, it takes over. All I see is the jumble pattern, and the gorgeous colors in your quilt blocks just kindof fade away. Keep safe and warm this weekend with Portland’s predicted snowy weather. In the DC area, another round of rain is expected. This will be the second round of heavy rain within a week, and another storm is predicted for Tuesday. Teachers and students alike are hoping that Tuesday’s storm is snow and not just more rain. We’re really hoping for some snow days!

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  2. I agree with you and Sara. The use of black and white as per the original layout balances nicely with the coloured sections, and results in so much more interest and sophistication!

    I am afraid to go through my pattern file….paper or (eek) digital! But yes, there are some that make me wonder why I ever bought them. That said, it is a measure of how far along the unpredictable road of quilting I have journeyed!

    Good luck with the snow! We are away and figure it will all be melted by the time we get back…

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  3. Yes, love the black and white original layout best but the black only is very striking 😻! Our snowy forecast is for Monday here in Northeast Texas. We only get snow/ice occasionally so you would think the world was coming to an end at the store. I got my shopping done yesterday. I hope you got some more special eggnog…..hugs for the boys 🥰🤗

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  4. Hi, Anne. I bought several yards of various aboriginal fabrics after seeing some of your beauties. I thought I had a pattern in mind, but now I’m undecided. I love the Fresh Start quilt and might make it with the wider strips blocks. But still tossing around some ideas. The fabrics are so pretty. Thank you for turning me on to them. Love reading your blog. Thanks for the inspiration. Stay safe and warm!

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  5. I have that Crown and Anchor pattern and the Zig also, and thanks for the reminder! I’m going to look thru bags of scraps to find pieces to cut for the Sprinkles quilt! What a fun process that will be! I’m going home to my beloved Bernina today and tomorrow I’ll start sewing again. My mind is racing … where shall I start? Enjoy the 3-day weekend!

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  6. I like the quilt you are working on with the black background. It makes your colors pop. Love reading your postings! Good Luck with the snow!

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  8. Stay warm! I live north of Seattle and we got down to 9 degrees last night and the high this afternoon is 15 – so far. I must admit, this is great quilting weather!

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    1. Yikes! I have a cousin up in Ferndale and he’s been sharing their temps. That’s way too cold! We’re supposed to have a high of 21 degrees tomorrow!!!

      it is really good quilting weather! that’s my plan for the weekend because all my other plans have been canceled because of the weather!

      Anne

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  9. Hello Agilejack 🙂 Good for you to take a break… I do not know how your do all you do! You must never sleep LOL.
    I still have not moved, there is some unsolved things that have popped up with the rental. We are now shooting for the 22nd to move.
    I know you are taking a break but if and when what is the “proper” name of your “Fresh Start” quilt. I have searched the internet for the pattern have not found it. Thank you for you help. Here in Astoria it is cold but no snow for us either. We have had a lot of rain but no ice on the roads for now. Blessings to you, stay warm and be safe.
    Gwen

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    1. Someone commented on an earlier blog post that the block is called X Marks the Block by Teresa Rawson. but I wasn’t familiar with that when I started making these blocks. I’ve seen versions of this over the years… each with their own take. Someone else commented with a completely different tutorial for a similar block.

      Good luck with your move!

      Here’s a link to my tutorial for this block:https://agilejack1.com/2024/01/06/agilejacks-fresh-start-quilt-block-tutorial/

      Anne

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      1. Thanks for the information…. I kept looking for X & O. Close but not the one you made. Yours is such a beautiful work of ART!
        Gwen

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  10. January was designed, I am sure, to take a break, rest and (oops, I almost said, “relax”). Can a Creative ever relax?  I put my feet up and my Right brain thinks I’ve gone to a creative playground!   And January is perfect for plowing through the stashes!  Thank you for sharing your Sprinkles pattern.  It can ease one back into Productivity. Continue to lead the way!!!  Please and thank you.   Your ideas are great!Joyce 

    Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPad

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    1. If I’m not creating I’m thinking about things to create! I guess it’s a lot better than being bored.

      I’m feeling a need to clean up my sewing room a bit. My room is starting to reflect my brain and that’s not good!

      Anne

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  11. I’ve just discovered your blog and love the juxtapositions of your fabrics–so much energy in them. I think you recently mentioned something about receiving a delivery of some fabric; do you ever share your fabric sources (I think I recognized some Kaffe Fassett fabric)?

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    1. there are several online shops I use. You can find any of them with a Google search.

      My local quilt store is Pioneer Quilts in Milwaukie, Oregon. they have a good selection of Kaffe Fassett Collective and Australian Aboriginal fabrics.

      these are all sources of Kaffe Fassett Collective fabrics.

      http://www.sewcolorful.com
      http://www.islandquilter.com
      http://www.gloriouscolor.com
      http://www.allaboutcolorquilting.com

      Have fun shopping!
      Anne

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    1. Oh good. I didn’t love the fabric on the one they had in the store and I’ve never seen another one. I was thinking of doing it in Aboriginal fabrics. I’ll have to give it some thought and get it in line with all the other things I want to make.

      Anne

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      1. Thank you for replying. After I sent you the message, I began to wonder, I hadn’t received emails from 3or 4 others. Sure enough they all went to spam. Can’t figure it out. But I’m back on tract with my friends. Heyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

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