Stepping Stones finish... and KonMari

Each year (since 2013) I make one of these Stepping Stones quilts for an upcoming 'graduate' of an orphanage in Tokyo.  This year I have "Sara" who wanted blue and pink.  A little pink goes a long way against the blues.  

Backed and bound with some wild Kaffe Fassett fabric -

All set to be packed into David's carryon the next time he travels to Tokyo!

Meanwhile.... a big clean-up and clean-out in the office/sewing room...

We are prepping the house to be sold...  We are in no rush... but it feels time to downsize and simplify.  This 1752 farmhouse is ready for its next steward!

This means a LOT of decluttering... which is just the best feeling.  KonMari!   I love a creative mess, but a good straightening up and cleaning out gives such a feeling of calm and clarity.  I need more of that, and less anxiety and depression, in my life.  Having less stuff around does help!

In the process of decluttering, I texted with my daughters a lot... do you want this?  do you want that?

My middle daughter wants this family of vintage kokeshi dolls as a memento of our time in Japan (which included her senior year of high school).  Aren't their faces so charming?  I have another grouping ready for her older sister.

And on this snowy Saturday afternoon... with chores all but done... there is time to nurse a cold... watch some Netflix... catch up on quilting blogs... list out my current projects.... and piece a few blocks!

Machine woes... and 25 years

Week before last, this happened.  I had been sewing away on the next Stepping Stones quilt*

 ...when.... Daisy got all tangled up (circling, shepherd-style) in the presser foot cord, and she panicked.  I made things worse by trying to hold her foot and untangle her.  With all her strength, she beat a path under the table in the other direction, and dragged my machine across the table and it FLEW off and, caught by its own cord, fell like a 1000 pounds onto the floor.

Daisy was so frightened, she ran downstairs and I found her here by the front (back) door, poor gal:

Assessing the damage, I found that the machine runs, but I couldn't re-thread it - the whole threading mechanism is warped and bent and just totally messed up:

I wish I'd had the presence of mind to just unplug the presser foot cord!!!  It all happened so fast - just like a car accident.

I took it to the Bernina doctor, where it is still waiting to be seen.  Long wait in the emergency room.  Now of course I'm trying to imagine how much it will cost to repair.... what would the trade-in value be.... should I "go for it" and get a newer machine.... WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

Meanwhile, out comes my Grandma Mary Lou's 830 Record - purchased in 1974, and meticulously maintained through the years.

Isn't this just the simplest prettiest machine?

 It is so quiet and sturdy.

 And gets the job done.  It took a bit of fiddling around to find a good 1/4" seam but once I got that,

... it was a pleasure to finish these blocks...   The sashing is incorporated into what are essentially 9-patch blocks.

The student I am assigned is named Yuu and she would like a light green quilt.  Now to piece these blocks together and figure out borders.

*The pattern is called Sticks and Stones by Bonnie Hunter.  You can find the pattern here.  We call it Stepping Stones.  A variable group of Japanese and American quilters have been making these for several years now, for 18 year old graduates of several orphanages in Tokyo.


Meanwhile this summer marks our 25th year together.... my how time flies....

Here's the snapshot I texted to my daughter, of my new ring, three loose interlocking bands:

Boy, my hands look older.  Where has the time gone?   For the first 25 years I wore a beautiful vintage ring that was David's grandmother's, which needs to either be reset, or kept for sentimental value (I'm choosing the latter).

What will the next 25 years bring?  We know enough now to not try to predict!  What we can expect is more sunshine and shadow - LIFE!