Making Carolina Crossroads longer

I have decided that the half- and quarter-Ohio-Star blocks Bonnie assigned to us must mean that the blocks will be set on-point. These will then be the setting triangles around the outside.
AND I don't want a square quilt (80"x80") for my queen bed;
I want to be able to tuck itunder the foot of the mattress.
SO having finished Step 6, I am now making enough additional 3.5" blocks to make another 4 more Ohio Star blocks, and 5 more undefined blocks (the ones she hasn't told us how to put together yet). I think adding a "row" of each to Bonnie's total will give me enough to make my quilt more like 80" x 92" before borders, and thus long enough to tuck.
Anyway, I have four more days before another Clue, with "nothing" to do! Might as well make more block pieces![Hmm, I guess this means I'm not giving this quilt away, but want it to be the first I've ever made for my own bed. Talking to you helps me read my own mind!]

Another UFO, hanging in front of my sewing room. These squares were samples of batiks, and sewn together at a quilting retreat last fall as a time-filler. As I contemplated it, it began to look like a Lenten Meditation. I plan to put on some embellishments of a very discrete and unimposing nature. But I don't know whether to apply them before or after quilting. I have little experience with embellishment. There is a silky gray ribbon hanging down on one side as an example.

And here are some UFO Puss-in-the-corner blocks I made when Bonnie Hunter was doing something like them. I wanted to do something different than she did for sashings, of course. There are 80 blocks, 6" finished, which should make a top 48 x 60. What is needed now is to find the right sashing and cornerstones.

This UFO is a tesselation block that I thought I had dreamed up by myself in about 2004, with great concentration! Then I found the same pattern in a book somewhere, discovering it wasn't new at all. This piece is about 28 x 28. So what on earth can that be used for? I guess I could turn it into a Neo-natal quilt.

The book group at church is starting to discuss Awareness by Anthony de Mello. We only read five of the short segments, but we had a rousing discussion around his statements:

1) we would rather sleep than wake up,

2) we should want our own happiness more than we love anyone else, and

3) he can't give us any help!

I think his intention is to get our attention, and then depend on ourselves.

A challenging book.

Sara

No healthy Habits report today.

Gratitudes:

That Lynne organizes the book group

Lunch with Kathie

Jordan almonds

Third Week of Advent

The Collect for the Third Sunday of Advent started "Rejoice. . .", hence the name "Gaudete" Sunday. Today our Collect has changed, but we still light the rose candle, not quite so penitent as purple.

Our book discussion group is reading Toward Holy Ground, Spiritual Directions for the Second Half of Life, by Margaret Guenther. Today's chapter is entitled, "A Good Death".
The end of the year, the length of these dark nights, and my increasing bodily aches -- all make this a appropriate topic. She says that preparation for death is a life-long project! Hmmm, I've put this off for a many years. Her recommendations include a daily examen of conscience, acknowlegement of our pain and loss, holding onto hope. Old words, but difficult to follow. I guess one really does need long practice so the process becomes "natural".

Yesterday I did all the Stitch-in-The-Ditch quilting on the Secret Sister quilt. Today I "screwed my courage to the sticking point" and started free motion quilting the red and white fabric. It has a very concealing pattern, which I really need. Now that I've finished that part with loops, I am looking at the outer, red fabric and trying to imagine that it too will hide the vagaries of my stitching, Probably NOT. However, I am using red thread at this point, so it will be a little hidden. Since I want this quilt to be useable for Valentine's season as well as Xmas, I am conjuring Hearts for this border. But now the corners that I liked are causing a planning problem----anything the right size for the border will be too small for the corner. Need to "put on my thinking cap". [Shades of Brownie Scout Troop #556 in 1950!]

Sara

Gratitudes:
No trouble driving to church (snow)
Choir practice for Christmas Eve sounded good
Lunch with Kathie