Westering Women: Reaching the End of the Road

Last January I committed to participating in Barbara Brackman's Westering Women block of the month project. I am pleased that throughout the year I managed to stay up to date and completed each of the twelve blocks not too long after Barbara posted the patterns.

I stuck with traditional prints for these blocks, hoping to use up some of the accumulation in my stash. Although it looks like I've not made even a small dent in my stash, I am happy with the resulting blocks and look forward to putting it all together. If I use generously sized sashing and wide borders it will be big enough for a twin bed.

The route many pioneers followed to the west traversed Wyoming, so here are a few photos from my holiday trip to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. We saw quite a lot of wildlife, just as our predecessors must have done over a hundred years ago.

These elk were on the National Elk Refuge just north of town, so it seems a bit like cheating to have taken photos of them.

This cow moose and her calves (there was a second just out of the frame of this photo) were noshing on branches of this tree. I am always amazed by the kinds of things moose eat and find nourishment from.

I also think they have really cute faces!

Now that I am settled back into a bit of routine after the holidays I have lots of other projects, quilting, knitting and embroidery, in the works and hope to post about them a little more frequently than I did in 2016, so please check back soon.

What Happened to October?

How is it that October has come and gone and I have yet to write a single post?  I think it must be because I haven't made significant visible progress on any big projects.  Nothing really jumped out as being worthy of a post.

Instead I have been gathering ideas, planning new quilts, experimenting on new things, and working on lots of bits and pieces. The highlight of the month though was a trip to New England to visit the girls.  In addition to catching up on their activities of the last six weeks, we watched them play volleyball, met teachers, and enjoyed brilliant fall colors and crisp air.

The bits and pieces include a pile of "broken dishes" blocks made with scraps. Assuming I alternate them with solid squares, I am halfway to a twin-sized quilt.

Broken dishes

I made lots of pieces for a string quilt, ultimate design still to be determined.  Right now they are of so many different sizes that I suspect they will turn into multiple quilts.

"Strings"

For a quilt with a more precise and traditional design I began a set of Ohio Star blocks.

Ohio Star

I also began a portable knitting project, Rowan's "Peggy" pattern with Debbie Bliss Rialto 4ply 100% Merino wool, which I work on in spare moments. The front, shown here, looks oddly small, but it is very stretchy due to the ribbing.  I guess I'll know if it is stretchy enough when I join it to the back and try it on.  The directions aren't much help because the gauge is described as "28 sts and 36 rows to 10 cm measured over rib when slightly stretched using 3 1/4 mm needles." What does "slightly stretched" mean?

"Peggy" by Rowan

New England in mid-October was certainly a feast for the eyes.

Looking east from the NMH campus

Eva took us for a carriage ride around campus.

Memorial Chapel

I must say that an open carriage is a wonderful way to take in the colors.  I hope that I can match nature's exuberance in my quilts.

Eva and Kara