I'm Running Out of Names For These To-Do Posts

 I had a decent week of getting things done,

though not a great one.  But I have excuses

for not finishing all my to-do's!  (Don't we all?)

I'm feeling a long post coming up so you might

want to grab a cup of something hot.

(Note: sorry for any inconsistent font sizes.

The new Blogger changes it randomly.)

First, The List:

1)  Finish quilting garlic knot quilt

Done!

Well, technically I have two rows left but I'm taking a

break to write this.  It'll be done when this gets posted.

 

I have a perfect pantograph for this with oak leaves and

acorns (the background fabric is a tiny oak/acorn print)

but I wanted to see pumpkins on my fall bed quilt!

 

 

So, pumpkins it is.

I'll share a full pic till next week.

2) Load up West Point quilt

(start on quilting when thread arrives)

The thread is here; I'm loading it today.

3) Start on West Point table runners?

Hoping to pop out 2 or 3 here.

Um...All I can say is it's fall and there are

a lot of squirrels at work out there.

More on that in my to-do's for next week.

4) Garden Stuff

Just the usual tomato canning etc.

(Another 8.5 pints.)

I've started pulling some plants here and there.

That gives me a sense of "Ah, winding down!"

There are so many marigolds and sunflowers that

if they're to be feed for the chickens, I have to start

now or they'll be "wasted" at the first freeze.

And so, slowly, the mayhem gets cleaned up.

Sorry, I didn't warn you arachnophobes out there this time!

The garden spiders are showing up everywhere.

I've also found the first egg sac.  I know that probably

grosses a lot of you out but it's a happy sight to this

almost-completely-organic gardener.

I hope to be back to 100% organic gardening from

here on out.  The Aphid-Ladybug War of 2020

convinced me.

The damage of that war is still there but through it has

come a new burst of leaves, vines and tiny pumpkins.  

I only pray they make it before the first freeze.

Pumpkins are fully susceptible to that.  The pumpkin

in the above pic has already gotten about 4 times larger

and should start turning soon so there's one at least!

I love it when they spread through the fence and into the

back yard so I can see them from our pergola.

There they take some maintaining because they will

very quickly get themselves stuck in the fence.

I caught this one in time but he has the marks of an

"escapee."  I like his wonky shape so it's all good.

He's forgiven.

Now to check in on the chickens.

If you're not into them, feel free to scroll down to

the part where I get a new sewing machine.

And if you are into chickens but are more into new

sewing machines, just be patient.

These are pretty chickens!

I finally contacted the hatchery to confirm

some issues with my order.

Not my Brahma rooster.  Photo credit.

I did not receive the Brahma rooster that I ordered.

I'm super-sad about this because...well...

because HE'S JUST SO FLUFFY!

I received instead a Brahma hen with some fun

feathery legs and that will have to do.

As fortune would have it, I accidentally received a male

Cuckoo Maran along with my other 3 Cuckoo Maran hens

 so at least I have a rooster.  Just two days ago, I finally

heard him crow!  I'm a little sad I missed any first pathetic

attempts because those are hilarious.  I suppose it could

be he's just gifted and needed no practice?

Here's hoping he can at least tell time better than our

last rooster who crowed whenever and wherever

he darned well felt like it.

Above are the golden comets (brown eggs).

Bernadette, one of the Easter Eggers.  Their 

"beards" amuse me...and make for funny pictures.

(She's the friendliest)

Olive eggers--note the small head tufts.

(Obviously, olive eggs--love these!)

In the back left is a French Copper Maran.

(Dark brown eggs)

Cuckoo Marans--first time with these.

(Dark brown eggs)

...and a very white Easter-egger.

I also have a dark gray Easter-egger (not pictured).

 I had to confirm the identity of both of these with the

hatchery due to their unique [to me] coloring.  These

lay beautiful pastel eggs, usually in blue-hues and

occasionally greenish. Even more rare are the 

pinkish-brown eggs--I have never gotten any.

But anyway, thus the name "Easter Egger".

Needless to say, we don't need to color eggs

for Easter.  Nature does it better.

(In all, 18 hens & one rooster.)

Okay, about that new sewing machine.

I know most have a second smaller and lighter

machine but so far I haven't really needed one.

Still, over the last year or so I've been kind of

watching for a much simpler version of my Elna.

I have mentioned that, with the empty nest and all,

I've started doing some extra sewing while I watch

football and movies with the hubs over the weekends.

Moving the big machine around just wasn't working

so I upped my search and finally found this one for

a lovey low price.  It took a little getting used to a

lighter version but it seems to be a nice solid

machine and it can share bobbins and feet.

I wanted everything to be fluid--no extra pieces!

So, what's the plan for this week?

My To-Do's:

1) Bind and completely finish the garlic knots.

2) Complete quilting on West Point.

My goal here is to make sure it's done before the

Shop Hop--or I can't go...

Okay, nothing will stop me from going on that

shop hop but it's good to have motivation.

3) Work on new Mini-Double Nine-Patch.

Here's where the "squirrel" comes in.

I can only do so much quilting at a time so

I needed to start another project.

I really wanted to keep working with the fall colors.

After all, today is just the first day of fall!

Some of these are in the garlic knots quilt but I've

brought in others; I've left out the blacks,

purple and blues. I kept it only to the colors of the

fall leaves rather than all of fall so, believe it or not,

 this one already has a name:

September.

I realize these are more like October for Kansas

but these are the colors that fill my mind in

September so I am naming it accordingly.

The new machine and I became much better

 acquainted over the weekend while making

lots of strip sets and the first few blocks.

I have lots of cutting and piecing ahead yet

but I'd like to get a good start on the

90 blocks by next week.

(I'm making it larger as it's for a Christmas gift.)

The finished squares are a tiny 3/4".

If you think I'm crazy, it really is enjoyable.

Perfect for listening to a book.

(The directions are in a recent MSQC Block book

but the video tutorial can be found here.)

4) West Point Table Runners

I have plans for these.  Really!  I'm just not

sure they'll happen this week or next.  See #5.

5) Gardening stuff

Oh just whatever I get done will get done.

I'm taking care of some other winter-prep things like

getting the chimney cleaned, appointments, etc.

Nothing special but things that you feel good after

completing--especially so early--so we'll just

leave it at that.

And so, happy quilting to all and to all a good week!

Linking up today to:

Home Sewn By Us Tuesday To-Do #59

Patchwork & Quilts