UFO Busting!

Everyone in my remote corner of the planet is busy!  Our population has doubled ... it is difficult to find a parking space in town ... commercial fishing has begun ... yep, our seasonal economy is in full swing!

Impossible to get Nissa to pose ... but occasionally a photo bomb works out!

My 007 work continues ... I'm no longer neck deep as a couple secret projects are finished and have been delivered!  Whoot!  Whoot!  But ... I am still waist deep!  Secret agent progress continues ... and am unable to show those!  However, I have been doing a bit of UFO busting that I can share!

Digging in the DillyDally "vault" has brought to the surface projects I'd forgotten about!  This was a "twister" class I took years ago.  It was before they made rulers for this technique.  All the piecing was done, I had even marked the quilting lines!  I dug in the stash ... found some fabric that would work for backing ... and got busy!  Fortunately, I had already cut the binding and had stored it with the top!  It feels great to have it done ... it will serve as a table topper this fall!

Here is another "oldie but goodie" made with one of my all-time-favorite fabric lines!  It is a Moda fabric, designed by Me & My Sister called Strawberry Lemonade!  I have made so many projects using this fabric!  This was a table runner I pieced using a jellyroll.  The pattern came from a magazine.  Fabric from my stash was used for the backing and binding ... and done!  

This is a UFO that isn't very old!  It is my first online mystery project!  I signed up for it while traveling in Iowa last fall!  I had started and was about half done with the piecing ... then life got in the way ... hmmm, that seems to happen a lot.  It was on the top of the UFO pile and the mystery had been revealed months ago!  I finished the piecing!  I really like the design and layout so I was happy to finish it!

The next few UFOs/007 projects are too large for my small sewing space, so midweek I commandeered the dining room table!  Flicka took charge and supervised the move!  Can you find her in the above photo?  She is dwarfed by the pile of projects!

We've been busy!  This table runner was made with a Honey Bun ... years ago!  Another fabric line that I loved and used in multiple projects!  The piecing was done ... had to layer, quilt and will bind!

Flicka is in charge ... as always!  Here she is evaluating my machine quilting on this 007 project!  She is such a task master!

Occasionally she does insist we take a break!  It is not a secret that this petite furball has my heart in her paws!  Cannot imagine accomplishing anything without her!

Our days are long with the sun rising around 4:30 am and setting about 10:45 pm.  We received several inches of rain this week!  All this 007 and UFO work has been getting done because it is too wet and cold to be outdoors for very long!  Win/win for a dillydallier!

I took this pic yesterday on our front deck ... hail falling from blue skies!  Yep ... all four seasons in an instant!  Too fun!

 Do what you love!  Do dillydally!

Mrs. DillyDally

A DillyDally Diversion

As mentioned before ... I have been buried in 007 projects.  A lot of dillydallying that cannot be shared!  The good news is that some have been finished and delivered, but there are many still in progress!

However ... I did give myself a break and allowed myself a dillydally diversion!

I have always loved nine patches!   While traveling last fall, the technique in this book for constructing nine patch blocks was being demonstrated!  I was hooked and knew I had to give it a try!

I have a serious weakness for precuts and this particular charm pack was a gift from friends.  I lacked yardage from this line ... resulting in an inability to manipulate the project in terms of design!  Hmm ... this would be difficult.  I actually love challenges like this ... especially when I am forced to make do and problem solve!

I pieced the blocks ... following the technique ... working it in leaders and enders style while working on other items.

Before long, forty-two charm squares became the same number of nine patches! Next came the real challenge ... what to do with them!

The book is filled with options for using and setting nine patches.  I eventually decided to use the one on the back cover because it used both the dark and light blocks.

The neutrals used in the prints were white, gray, and navy.  A trip to my local quilt store enabled me to find a solid navy and gray print that would work.  Sew ... I got busy and made quarter square blocks.  Pieced the blocks together and added a narrow border.

I chose the backing from my stash ... wild sunglasses!  Her Majesty ... her walking foot ... a stitch in the ditch quilting festival ensued!

There wasn't enough of the navy available in town for binding, so back to "making do"!  I purchased a bit of bright green that "sort of" matches the green in the charm squares and the backing.  Challenge met!!!

I honestly believe that when you find something good, you should share it!  So at our guild's spring retreat, I demonstrated the technique!  Barb H went home, raided her stash and started sewing!

Here she has finished piecing her blocks ... cannot wait to see how she decides to set them together!  Such fun!

Barb C went home and pulled out a charm pack from her stash!

She decided to add a bit of wool applique'!

Quilted and bound!

Beautiful results!

It is sew fun to learn something new!  Now my head is spinning with nine patch possibilities!  When I find myself overwhelmed ... I have found that taking a dillydally diversion helps to clear my head and I'm then able to return to other projects with more energy!  Diversions are a good thing ... I highly recommend it!

Do what you love!  Do dillydally!

Mrs. DillyDally

Real World Highlights

What a difference a year makes ...

... a year ago we traveled to Anchorage for my knee replacement surgery.  Necessary ... but not fun!

5.8.2017 - 4:45 am

This year we spent the same week in Anchorage for annual medical appointments and supply shopping ... much less stressful!  We love traveling by ferry when possible ... but there can be a downside!  Check in was at 4:00 am!  A bit tough on the body and the brain!

5.8.2017 - 5:30 am

At least this time of the year it is light out ... and we can enjoy the scenery!

My favorite way to dillydally while on the ferry is to knit.  We also napped, ate breakfast, and drank coffee.  Coffee is a necessity when you have such an early departure!

We arrived in Whittier around 11:30 am.  Yep ... winter is still present ... things usually green up around the third week of May.

Chair rail made with wine corks at our favorite restaurant, Jens.

Time is never wasted when we visit the "real world" in Anchorage.  Days are spent going to appointments and power shopping.

But in the evenings we dillydally!  We treat ourselves with fun cocktails!  Mine was a blueberry infused drink ... I intend to copy it here at home!

We splurge on appetizers!

Rhubarb Cocktail!

Four evenings of fine dining and fun cocktails!  What a great way to dillydally in the "real world"!

Power shopping meant surrounding ourselves with things that are unavailable in our remote corner of the planet!  All the produce makes us drool ... yep, it is unattractive, but we can't help ourselves!

And a trip in May would not be complete without some time at a nursery!  This farm girl wanted to literally roll in their compost mountain pile!  Mr. had to restrain me!  We purchased plants that will survive on our deck ... container flowers is the reality for us.

On Friday we returned to Whittier to sail home.  Everyone in this small coastal community lives in the building pictured above.

There is very little land to grow on, but Whittier is south central Alaska's gate to Prince William Sound.  They have a very busy harbor with the ferry, commercial fishing, pleasure boats and cruise ships arriving and departing regularly this time of year.

5.12.2017 - 1:15 pm

With our SUV packed with supplies to help us through the summer, we settled down to enjoy our ride home.

It was a beautiful day to sail across Prince William Sound!  The first cruise ship of the season was on its way to Whittier!

Whew!  We planned our trip just in time!  Once the tourist season starts, a trip to Anchorage becomes difficult for most Alaskans!  No complaints, we love to share our state with those who come to visit!

Blue is my favorite color!

As much as we enjoy our time in the "real world" ... we are always happy to return home to DillyDallydom!

Do what you love!  Do dillydally!

Mrs. DillyDally

Happy Mother's Day!

These two made me a mother.

This amazing woman taught me how to be mother!

And here are the results!  I have loved every moment of motherhood!  I am both humbled and grateful.

Do what you love!  Love your mother!  Do dillydally!

Mrs. DillyDally

Celebrating Mr. DillyDally!

Haines, 1981

Happy Birthday Mr. DillyDally!

Alaska, 1979

The journey began in 1979 as a group of us sought out adventure here in Alaska! Thirty-eight years of navigating this life together makes for many wonderful memories!  Best of all ... the adventure continues and more memories will be made!

Spend your life with someone you love!  Do dillydally!

Mrs. DillyDally

A Little Sunshine!

"Beautiful and graceful, varied and enchanting,

small but approachable, Butterflies lead you to the

sunny side of life. 
And everyone deserves a little sunshine."

                                                                                  Jeffrey Glassberg

I pieced this sweet little butterfly quilt approximately 8 years ago ...

... it has been patiently waiting to be transformed from a top to a quilt!  I have been busting through some UFOs and it was time to sandwich this top with batting and backing.

Spring is emerging quite late here in my remote corner of the planet ... we've been in need of a little self-made sunshine!  That mission began with "stitch in the ditch" quilting around the butterfly shapes and sashing!

Next step was machine appliquéing the bodies.  Fortunately I had already completed the hand embroidered antenna, so it was just a quick blanket stitch around each one!

Initially, that was all the quilting I had intended to do, but the butterflies needed a bit of something to bring them to life!  Sew ... on went the free motion foot ... out came the freezer paper ... templates were drawn ... and before long the butterflies took flight!

It is a simple fact ... I hoard gingham.  And when I can find woven gingham, it is treasure saved only to be used for special circumstances.  The black butterfly bodies were a bit overpowering and I needed to dim their impact on the eye!  I wanted each the butterflies to shine ... so more black was needed, but it had to be subtle!

Small, eighth inch black gingham to the rescue!  On the bias ... as that was a dillydally necessity!

Final step to completion ... into the wash!

I love quilts best after they have been laundered!    A gentle wash brought my butterflies to life!

Here they hang on my living room wall ... spreading a little sunshine everyday!

Do what you love!  Create sunshine!  Do dillydally!

Mrs. DillyDally