I finished the Australian Aboriginal fabric string blocks last week. I had them all up on my portable design wall just to see what they looked like.
the main part of the quilt top will be six blocks 7 blocks. then I’ll add a couple of borders to get it up to size. I tried a few fabrics and landed on this combo… a smaller inner border of the yellow that is used in the center of each block with this purplish fabric that is one of my absolute favorites.
Love the way it plays with the yellow center strips! It feels pretty perfect!
I felt the urge to start something new and didn’t want to force myself to finish the strings top first. So I pulled all the locks off the wall and packed them up with the border fabrics and I’ll deal with it all later.
A co-worker of mine, a woman I hired almost 13 years ago and has been in the trenches with me all that time, is leaving the organization for an amazing job. It really makes me sad that she’s leaving, but I’m really happy for her and this opportunity for such a large and well known organization.
I wanted to make her a Frankenbag as a going away gift. I selected a group of fabrics that are similar to one of my favorite bags I’ve ever made.
I got cutting and had a plan in mind. I was nearly done with the first panel and started having all kinds of tension issues with my Bernini. I changed my needle. I retreaded the machine several times. I took the bobbin out and put it back in the case several times.
I got my machine back a week or so ago. I hadn’t sewn on it until this weekend. the tech told me that he was seeing some tension issues in the stitch and said it might be necessary to replace th tension assembly and the bobbin case. So I called him and had the machine back in the shop in a couple hours. He called me today to let me know that with the new parts the machine is making gorgeous stitches with absolutely no tension issues.
So that meant that my plans to finish up this bag this weekend were scuttled. I did finish both panels on my Featherweight yesterday.
then this afternoon I made the quilt sandwiches for the panels so they are ready to quilt once I have my machine back.
I also cut all the lining, pocket and zipper placket pieces and got them fused to the interfacing.
Not sure when I’m going to have time to go and pick up my machine. I have to deal with some traffic to get there and back.
Since I had a bit of an urge to do something in my sewing room I decided on the accent fabrics I’m going to use for my Interweave quilt with all the black and white fabrics and got them all pressed and cut today.
I still need to press and cut all the black and white fabrics and I need to dig into my stash decide on a white background fabric.
I took Thursday and Friday off work since I still have some vacation days that I’ve decided to use up before retirement on December 12. Holy cow!!! As of Wednesday, that’s just a month away!!! I can hardly believe it.
I played a lot of pickleball while I’ve been off. Had some really good sessions and it was a great way to spend some days off.
I finally got my butt out and bought a new car almost a month ago. It’s just a newer version of the car I had. I really like it so far but I’m not quite used to it yet.
If it was just me I wouldn’t ned this much car. But with the dogs I need a sufficient cargo space. My old car worked really well for me and I’m sure this one will too.
It’s been a really beautiful fall her in Portland. The colors have been fantastic! Here’s my yard a couple weeks ago.
And my favorite little October Glory red maple has nearly lost all its leaves.
These little Japanese maple leaves are so gorgeous! I have two of these trees in pots on my patio. I picked them up a few summers ago in front of a neighbor’s house. I’m planning on planting them in the spring.
the dogs are doing well. Rico had a sheep herding lesson on Saturday. the first he’s had in over a month. He was so happy to be out there again!
Bender is getting harder and harder to wake up and to come in from the yard. His sight has gotten bad and he can’t hear much. But he’s still out there and still wants to go for our walks. And his appetite is intact.
He did manage to get himself completely stuck in a barstool while I was playing pickleball today. He was in this position when I got home. I have not idea how long he was like this.
I’m having to lift him onto the bed every night. It’s been a month or so since he could jump up there himself. But he usually sleeps nicely trough the night.
These boys are usually good about leaving me enough space on the bed. Rico rarely sleeps on the bed at night. He gets up for a snuggle every morning.
I’m getting more and more antsy about retiring! It’s so hard to believe that it’s so close!
agilejack 
Congrats on you upcoming retirement! So happy for you.
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Love reading your blogs and seeing the beautiful creations you make from mixing such a variety of prints together. Congrats on the new car and upcoming retirement. Now you are really going to have fun!
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Love the string quilt and the bag!
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Good for you Anne. Itās an exciting tumultuous experience to retire and start the next chapter. Sent from my iPhone
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I believe youāre going to enjoy retirement very much. You have great dogs, hobbies of quilting and Pickleball. I loved all your pictures in todayās post, we also have those gorgeous trees here in the Midwest. Of course I love the pictures of your quilts, theyāre beautiful.
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So good to hear from you. Love your work and stories about the guys. Retirement has been such fun for me. I bet you ‘ll enjoy it too.
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I was very anxious about retirement, over 6 years ago now. So, I decided I’d get a part-time job, just a couple of days a week to ease the transition of being without a rudder so to speak. I’m a very schedule focused person who knew that being without something to do – aside from my hobbies – that I’d be a bit crazy. The day I retired a position opened at one of my local quilt shops!! If that isn’t serendipity, I don’t know what is!
It’s so hard when our fur-children become aged and fragile, Bender getting tangled in the chair reminded me of some of the things our last two doggies got into when they became blind.
I did a program for my local guild last month on making bags! I brought with me 3 dozen types of totes/duffels/purses etc I’d made over the years, including Frankenbags!!
Wishing you well with your retirement!!
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Such an eye treat – Gorgeous string block quilt, Five Stars from me! love your sharing. it is wonderfu to expand our life experiences as much as possible, Go For it!
Your fur babies are precious. My mini schnauzer will be 16 on the 13th and is not well
thank you for your share, keep up your adventures.š»
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so nice to see what you are up to! sweet pups and quilts too.
love the brown floral border fabric!!
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The hardest thing in retirement is deciding what to do first.
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Your aboriginal quilt is beautiful! I am happy you get to retire!!!! But I will miss you on the OPB pledge drives and your writings. (I am sure you will not miss the pledge drives!!!) I have enjoyed your tutorials and seeing what you are up to with your quilting.
Happy Retirement!
Wishing you all the good things ~
Glory from Bend Oregon
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I love that string quilt!š
Get Outlook for iOShttps://aka.ms/o0ukef
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Hi There
So good to have a post from you. Love your work and really enjoy your Aboriginal Fabrics also Kaffe
Can you tall me where you buy the Aboriginal fabrics?
I live in Sydney Australia but many of your fabrics I have never found here?
Since I retired in 2011 I have been teaching as a volunteer in various community settings
I teach basic patchwork and sewing to many different people particularly those with low socio economic status.
Kind regards
Maria Pender
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I love hearing about your boys and what youāve been up to. Canāt wait to hear what things you will get up to in retirement.
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Hooray for retirement! It’s a wonderful time, especially when you have so many things to do! Thanks for posting and keeping us updated on your beautiful work and your precious pups!
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Enviat des del meu iPad
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Enviat des del meu iPad
El 13 nov. 2025, a les 14:48, Josefina Riera i Fedelich finariera5@hotmail.com va escriure:
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Enviat des del meu iPad
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I’m sorry to read about Bender’s decline. It is so hard to see them failing. But you are giving him so much love and that’s important!
I think the Franken bag is a really nice gift and this one is lovely!
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Lovely to hear and see your ādoingsā. Am so close to the finish line too (Jan15). In the meantime trying life in Portland on part time basis (daughter used to live here in pandemic times). Love the PNW colors, and creativity of peeps up here!
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