Looking Back at 2020 Quilts

Now that it's 2021 I thought it would be nice to post all of last year's quilt finishes in one place. Of course, only one is an actual quilt at this point since I have avoided going into the shop where I could use a long arm machine to quilt them. Maybe things will change enough in 2021 for me to get them quilted and bound. So, here they are, in no particular order. 

The first one is Kaffe Fassett's "Facet" design, one of the few times I have used a published pattern. To make it more my own, I substituted a bunch of different fabrics instead of relying completely on Kaffe Fassett fabrics.

I named this mostly blue quilt "Sea Days" because it reminded me of the sparkling water that so mesmerized me during voyages to places like Antarctica and Svalbard, Norway.

I haven't thought of a name for this one. It's made from alternating quarter square triangles and solid blocks. I arranged the darks and lights to make stars pop out.

This scrap quilt made a pretty good dent in my scrap bin. I don't like it all that much, though I do think I'll appreciate it more once it is quilted. I used a die-cutter to cut out the triangles so it wasn't as much work as it might appear.

I found the center part of this quilt in my stack of WIPs (works in progress) pile and decided to expand it to a twin size quilt. The center was from the Sajou quilt along hosted by Humble Quilts back in 2018.

I think I finished this blue scrap quilt in 2019, but I never posted anything about it so I'm including it here. I pieced it by hand during various trips I took that year which seems like it must have been in a different lifetime! I am definitely looking forward to traveling again.

I didn't piece this corduroy quilt, but I did finish it for a friend of my mother's. I simply tied it and bound it. I love how the colors glow!

This last one was based on Denyse Schmidt's Free-Wheeling Single Girl quilt along. My version is very wonky because I made my own paper templates and I hand pieced all of it except for combining the blocks. This one will definitely benefit from quilting!

 

 

Easier Hikes in the Grand Tetons

In my last post I described several Grand Teton hikes that might be more challenging or time-consuming than everyone is up for, so here are five options on gentle terrain that offer beautiful scenery and even the possibility of seeing wildlife.

Taggart and Bradley Lakes (4 miles roundtrip to Taggart Lake, 6 miles roundtrip to both lakes, 550 feet elevation gain)

Park at the Bradley and Taggart Lake trailhead, a couple miles north of the Moose park entrance. If you find the lot full, an increasingly common occurrence due to the popularity of this hike, you may park along the west side of the road to the south of the lot. The trail is well signed and easy to follow and since it is a loop you can go clockwise or counterclockwise.

On clear days you will have lovely views of the high peaks, 

and see them reflected in the lakes.

Pick a spot along the lakeshore to enjoy your lunch along with the views.

Two Ocean and Emma Matilda Lakes (2 to 13 miles, up to 700 feet elevation gain, depending on route)

These two lakes are located on the opposite side of Teton Park Road from Jackson Lake Lodge. In spite of their proximity to this large visitor facility, trails around them tend to have much less traffic than others in the park. With gentle gradients and many different route options, they offer a lovely respite from the hustle and bustle often found on other trails. You are also likely to encounter wildlife, such as this deer. Be prepared with bear spray. We have seen both grizzly and black bears while hiking here.

Because there are so many options, I suggest consulting a map to help you choose your route and where to park. You can hike around just one of the lakes, or make a day of it and go around both lakes. You can also make it a very short day and simply hike to the Grand View Point. Here is Two Ocean Lake seen from the Grand View Point.

You'll also be rewarded with views of the entire Grand Teton Range. It was smoky when we visited this summer so I embraced the silhouette rather than a detailed color image.

Hermitage Point (10 miles roundtrip, 380 feet elevation gain)

The trailhead for this hike is at the southwest end of Colter Bay Visitors area, just past the marina office. Once again I suggest consulting a good map since this area has a number of trails and it isn't always clear which is the route to Hermitage Point. A map will also show you several shorter loop options if you don't want to go all the way to Hermitage Point.

About half of the hike runs along or near the eastern shore of Jackson Lake so there are many view points from which to see the Teton range.

Mount Moran looms up from the opposite side of Jackson Lake. Here you see it with a dusting of early season snow and a good view of the Skillet Glacier.

String Lake (3.8 mile loop, 275 feet elevation gain)

String Lake trailhead is a few miles north of Jenny Lake. Simply follow the signs from the Teton Park Road to reach the parking lot. 

This is another very popular destination, especially in the summer when swimmers come to the lake to cool off. Best to arrive early to get a parking spot. When you're done with your hike then you can wash off the dust in the cool, clear water. It's also common to see bears here so be sure to keep any food with you at all times, and put it in a bear box or your car when you go swimming.

Phelps Lake from the Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve (7 mile loop, 725 feet elevation gain)

Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve (LSR) is accessed from Moose-Wilson Road and is the only attended parking lot in the park, because Laurance Rockefeller wanted to keep this parcel a place for quiet and contemplation. There are a strictly limited number of parking spaces and you must wait in line to be assigned one.  

The benefit of the controlled parking is that the trails do tend to be quiet, though as you get to the far end of Phelps Lake you may encounter more hikers coming from White Grass, many of whom are headed to the big rock from which to jump into the lake. In the late summer it is a popular spot for bears to browse on huckleberries so keep your eyes open!

It's January now, so these hikes aren't really an option now, (though some of them can be accessed on cross country skis) so I will wish you happy dreams of happy trails in the seasons to come.