Tunnel Falls on Memorial Day weekend

I put my hiking boots on this weekend, packed a backpack with a sleeping bag and food, and hit the trail with the very awesome AH.  We hiked to Tunnel Falls, a hike on the Columbia River Gorge in Oregon and then camped about a mile past the falls.  I've never been an eager backpacker, but I have to admit that it was very fun.  The campsite we found was about 7 miles up the trail and right on the river. When I woke up during the night I heard the roaring river, and lots of raindrops.  Luckily, the rain waited until the night and then made intermittent appearances during the hike back.  I highly recommend this hike, even if you aren't into backpacking.  The falls are 6 miles in and feature a tunnel carved into the mountain that can be used to walk behind the falls.  The roar of the water is deafening, the rocks are slippery, and it is a long way down.  I'm very scared of heights so that part became more intense for me, but it was well worth it.  It feels good to admit that I might be able to handle a night in the woods.  Maybe even more than one if the opportunity arises.

The Spinster Quilt - The Front is Done!

Scout helps to finish the border.

The pretty pieced front....

.... with a cat for scale.

A view of the cornerstones.

My photography assistant

This is crazy!  I finally finished piecing my Spinster Quilt.  I added the last part of the border today and am happily admiring it and the work that it took to put this together.  This was not without risk; I took these pictures while standing on the island in my kitchen and I was slightly afraid that I would fall off it.  I think it would be an awkward way to die - landing on my head while taking pictures of a quilt.  But, that's probably happened to someone somewhere because it is important to get the right shot.

I succeeded in not using the same patterned fabric in more than one block.  Most of these were taken out of my stash, but I also definitely purchased some bright colors with the intention of using them here.  I did use one or two solids in more than one block, but that is the nature of solids and I'm not going to worry about it.

The cats were helpful as usual and are probably happy that I no longer will inquire as to the condition of their toes.  (Are your feet dirty? You can't be here if your feet are dirty!) And, now, to the back!  I'm planning on making 8 log cabins, one from each color group represented on the front.  I have about three yards of a deep blue and I plan to incorporate the log cabins into the blue and make a simple, but pretty back.

Taking the day off work to finish this was the greatest decision I've ever made!

Okay, now I'm done with the re-dos.

After playing with the layout, I decided that I need to remake another three blocks.  After I told a friend of mine I was remaking more, she kind of rolled her eyes and told me that I really needed to stop this now.  But, she gets it and I think that I will probably not do something this labor intensive again in a long time so I might as well get it right.  Having said that, here are the final three entries into the Spinster Quilt. 

Square Dance

I thought that this would help blend some of the pastels together.  Its a little busy, but I've promised myself not to remake this block again.

Rosebud

You can never have enough orange in a quilt.  That's a rule and I also think it is in the Constitution.

Spool

I wanted some more pastels (see above) and I think this will blend it nicely.  

Okay!  Off to play on the layout again!  

Done with the re-dos.

Well, that was fun.  I redid 11 blocks and made them full of awesome.  I tore through these because I really want to get to the layout.  OMG.  I get to play with the layout now!  Yes, please. Until then, admire the pretty and the oh so necessary cat pictures. 

Contrary Wife

Single Wedding Star

Economy

End of Day

Completely necessary cat photo

Flower Garden Path

Basket Weave

Rainbow Flowers

Flower Pot

Railroad

Cups and Saucers

Hill and Valley

Sorry for the brief blog post, but it is layout time!

110 blocks done, and only a few to go

What do 110 blocks look like?  Let's use a cat for scale. 

Mine.

I'm not doing all 111 blocks of the Farmer's Wife quilt because the layout I'm choosing to use won't be able to handle one more.  So, I'm doing 110 blocks and being very happy with them.

This is her throwing shade look.  I just suggested that perhaps she remove herself from the box.  Not a good idea. 

She looks happier, because I gave up and let her stay. 

 But enough of the cute cat pictures, let's get on to final round.

W.C.T.U.

Another temperance movement-related block.  Let me tell you, spinsters have no need for the temperance movement.  If they are like me, they like gin and tonics too much to give them up for the betterment of society.  Speaking of the temperance movement, I made a horrible discovery this weekend. I am out of gin.  Rising to the challenge, I made myself a vodka tonic instead which was rather tasty.  I added a slice and a squeeze of meyer lemon instead of lime because when I went to the local grocery story at lunch on Friday to make a yummy salad from their salad bar and to stock up on fruit for the next couple days, I discovered they carried meyer lemons.  I don't know anything about meyer lemons except they look like lemons and are a lovely shade of orange.  A beautiful shade of orange which adds a touch of class to my vodka tonic.  And, probably annoys the W.C.T.U.  Good for me.

Wild Rose and Square

Of course, the wild roses around here are pink. They aren't blooming yet, but they will eventually.  I've got one wild rose bush in my backyard which I have not destroyed yet.  Give me time.

Windows

 You know, I just really wanted to add more red to my quilt.

Wedding Ring

 I've already mentioned that I have my grandmother's engagement ring which was given to her in the 1930s (I think) and which was given to her by a man who did not become her husband.  I love that story.  I love how it shows that our families have their own histories and their own lives before we designate them into the role of grandmother, mother, father, etc.  The ring itself is a beautiful purple and I get complements on it frequently.  I also enjoy telling people that it was my grandmother's engagement ring to have them ooh and ah about it, then I tell them, "Oh, she didn't marry the guy" and watch the reaction.  It's lots of fun.  Grandmother would approve.

Windmill

Last but not least, the windmill block.  This has to be orange for the Netherlands, land of windmills.  Of course when I went there a few years ago, the traditional windmills had basically all been replaced with modern industrial blades but this looks a little modern too so it all comes together.

And, that's it.  Thanks for tagging along on this little journey.  I'll have more posts as I put this together and I have some rather complicated ideas for the backing so this won't be done anytime soon.  Still, I'm rather excited to have everything completed.  Well, that's not true. I'm remaking 11 of these guys.  Some because I didn't like how they turned out, some because I think they don't look good with the others, some to balance out colors, and some because I want to work other fabric into the mix.  I'll post when they are completed and start day dreaming about layouts.  Crazy, right?

Wind and Wild Geese, A Tour of the Letter "W"

Welcome to my random assortment of Spinster blocks that start with the letter "W."  I think there is something for everyone here, assuming you are into bright colors and awesome points on geese. Yup, I went there.  Awesome points on the geese.

Wild Goose Chase

Finding a color that goes with a large print, red on pink floral is very much like heading out on a wild goose chase.

Whirlwind

I like how these dandelions look like they are being dispersed in the wind.  No doubt they will be landing my still unmowed yard where they will grow like the weeds they are.  Don't judge about the unmowed yard, we've had so much rain here that the ground in the back sinks a little when I step on it.  It's great for the plants and the wild dandelions, not so good for impressing my neighbors with my mad yard maintenance skills.

Windblown Square

I thought the pattern here looked like little fans and was appropriate for a windblown square.  Also, the cat approves.

Whirlpool

Looks a lot like a windblown square, doesn't it?  I went with complementary colors for this one so I could distance it from its almost twin when I put it in the quilt.  Yes, I know, whirlpool practically screams for a blue block.  I wanted to add more yellow so I went there.  Also, at some point in time, I plan to remember to not photograph the stain on my cutting mat.
 

Waterwheel

A waterwheel. Now, that's a block that should be blue.  I also like how the Art Gallery fabrics look like little drops of water.  That wasn't planned and I just spotted that now, but let's pretend I'm that good at matching fabrics to random ideas.  

Wild Geese

Boom.  I finished this one up at about midnight last night.  I had a crazy good night of making blocks and hanging with the cat army.  Work has been one big pile of stress lately and I've been feeling it. Making pretty things has helped quite a bit.  I'm going to finish up some more today (with any luck) and share them next week.

Lots and lots of more "W" blocks to come.

Tulips and waste

Don't you just love Pinterest?  It is a great way to waste hours of your time and learn about other people's obsessions.  I follow several quilt boards and have made board of pretty things like flowers and hummingbirds. My inspiration for my Tulip block was a lovely tulip picture. 

Tulip

 Nailed it.

Waste Not

For the Waste Not block, I decided to waste not and used scraps left over from the backing from this little project:

I was able to take some scraps from the Modern Block quilt and turn them into something simple and pretty.

Next up, oh, heck, I don't know.  I got giddy and printed out all the blocks that I have left and will be randomly doing some of these in a random order. I'm almost done which is all kinds of awesome.