Monday, November 22, 2021

Monday Morning Musings ~ November 22

As we prepare for the week ahead... the kick-off of the "holdiay season", I look forward to some family time.  Since our daughter, Heather, and her husband, Art, are both working on Thursday and the entire weekend, we will be having our Thanksgiving celebration on Wednesday evening.  The fun will not end that evening because we are bringing the grand-daughters home with us until Saturday when they get picked up by Auntie Becca and returned back home to Mom that night.  There will be one last "tag" as a babysitter arrives Sunday morning to finish out the weekend.  Whew...

Having a natural tendency to be an introvert I will be preparing myself mentally for the presence of a larger crowd... Yes, it will be family... yes, I love them all... but the noise and activity over-stimulates me causing me to want to retreat to quiet and solitude!  Haha!  I will be found in my studio FINALLY working on the pattern test that has been waiting for weeks.  It has an option to use a panel as the center of the quilt and I have planned all along to use one that I had inherited in a fabric stash gifting.  

I had selected some coordinating fabrics and started cutting and piecing.  But after the placement of a few components I was completely unhappy with it.  Bleh!  NOW what???  While rummaging in the studio closet for something else unrelated my eyes fell on a panel printed with A Christmas Manger Prayer on it that has been around for many years... just waiting.

I pulled it out with plans to use it for this test.  All was good until I realized it wasn't quite the dimension that the pattern test called for.  I added a few muslin strips that matched the background and proceeded to cut some pieces of Christmas novelty prints but, again, I was unhappy with my selections.  **Ugh**

Jack (the seam-ripper) and I sat and conversed as I removed the muslin strips.  When I was done I added a narrow black border and then dug out some scraps.  I will be creating a stained-glass look to make the center panel section the appropriate size!  Finally I am pleased with my fabric choices and plan to get the panel to the correct size!  I can't reveal more until the designer releases her pattern... 


Those are itty-bitty pieces... and there is a need for a LOT of them!  You know where you can find me. 😉 You may need to look under the piles of fabric... I seem to have quite a mess! 

When I am done messing with all those pieces I will wade out from them and be putting the final touches on the release of block 12 of the Pieces of the Santa Fe Trail Sew Along.  This is the final block required for the top of the quilt so I'll be including cutting and assembly instructions for the sashing strips, corner stones and borders.  I look forward to seeing some of the finished tops very soon!

Whether or not you are traveling to celebrate Thanksgiving with family or friends, be safe and may your gratitude list be long and plentiful.

And consider this a reminder to clean of your table... LOL 



God Bless!

Melva

Linking with:

Oh Scrap! at Quilting is More Fun Than Housework
Sunday Stash at QuiltPaintCreate
Patchwork & Quilts at The Quilting Patch
Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt
Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts


9 comments:

  1. Happy Thanksgiving. I totally understand loving being with your family but needing quietness and solitude.

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  2. I am an introvert too and I have the same feelings when I am in a situation like all the family together, or other groups of people, or even just my sister (LOL), I am glad when I can retreat from it all. Was planning to go to my sister's for Thanksgiving dinner, but that has been cancelled since her son was diagnosed with Covid.
    Was wondering what the rest of "A Christmas Manger Prayer" says.
    Happy Thanksgiving to you too.

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  3. Love the meme! I, too, am an introvert and the house will be full Wed - Sat. I will be looking forward to peace and quiet for a day or so and then missing them all so much. After all, it's been 2 1/2 years since we've seen each other. Missed graduation last year (though we did Zoom it); missed Thanksgiving, missed Christmas, missed birthdays. Hope to attend a college graduation and Jr. High graduation in 2022.

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  4. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours, Melva!

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  5. Happy Thanksgiving, Melva! I would trade my quiet Thanksgiving this year for those of the past when my hubby's mom, her three sisters, and grandmother, not to mention my family all gathered around our table and, at least part of them, stayed for several days after!! They were so loud, but fun! Our kiddos are gone to the beach with the inlaws, so it will be quiet here with us having zoo duty for all their animals! LOL You know, if I had a crowd (like I will for Christmas) I would have to clean off my big table, which looks eerily and amazingly like that meme!! LOL Happy Thanksgiving!

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  6. (Hand raised) Another introvert here! I'm so looking forward to having the whole family together again. At the same time, I know I'll need a week or so to recover from the togetherness. Such a weird juxtaposition, isn't it? I may just sit off to the side with my eyes closed and listen to all those well-loved voices. Maybe I'll hold the baby, while I listen. All of the grands were together over the summer, but we weren't with them, so this will be the first time we've all gathered since Thanksgiving 2019. Can't wait! (but exchausted thinking about it!)

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  7. I am with you in introvert land (and apparently many of your blog followers like me). The holidays are a time of the year when I feel like I am trudging through life. Doing it because it is expected, not because I like it. I don't like to decorate, I don't like all the commotion and noise. Every year I breath a sigh of relief after Christmas and think "I made it through another holiday season." And like you, my sewing room is my retreat and sanctuary.

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  8. Another introvert here. It makes it difficult when with hubby's children, there are 5 of them. No waiting for their turn to speak just talk louder than anyone else! All adults now, with extensive numbers of offspring to add to the mele.

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