Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Progress ... I think


Friday evening we set out for our choir retreat.

Each fall we take a weekend to tackle the music selected for the Holiday season.

The first Sunday of Advent we have a "Choir Sunday" where the sermon in both services is replaced with a choral presentation .

This year, Bob Chilcott, "A Little Jazz Mass" is the selection.  It was good to work on that complicated rhythm and clashing notes until it became a little easier to handle.

Saturday morning we awoke to a stunning view of Mt. Fuji with it's first cap of snow. I really need to study how to get views on my camera. The point and click picture I got on my cell phone was much better but I don't yet know how to transfer those pictures to my computer.

No danger of me ever becoming a computer geek!

Of course I took my four-inch (well, now six inch) blocks to work on joining. Evenings and breaks and car rides I sewed them together in groups of four. I was really happy to complete that goal but also a little sad because now joining four twelve-inch blocks is a bit more difficult to count as take-along-work.  I haven't tried it yet but I am thinking that all those pins to hold the pieces as I sew might be a challenge to keep under control.

The sun set on a wonderful weekend.



The weather was warm and sunny.

Whatever rain that was predicted must have blown off with the wind.


The bits of music are playing over and over in my head.
(which is probably a good thing because it means I remember a lot of it)





and the quilt sits patiently beside me, waiting for some more togetherness.

Meanwhile, a huge task of sorting storage items and figuring out what to do with them is taking time and energy and more space than I have to spare.

The nights have become cold and another cover has been added to my bed.
It reminds me a little of my Grandmother's house ... always a quilt ... or two ... or three on every bed.
Who will keep warm under this one, I wonder ... and when will I have time to finish it?

11 comments:

  1. WOW, what a photo of Mt. Fuji. That photo with the clouds looks like a calendar picture! Love the way your blocks are coming together.... the colors look fantastic. There are so many intriguing fabrics in the little squares!

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  2. this will be a wonderful memory quilt, with so many lovely colours going together. Really, that many blocks? You are a whizz at hand stitching. and lovely Mt Fuji, maybe you will need the new quilt before too long., Hugs,Jean

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  3. That is such a gorgeous view and a nice place for a retreat.
    On my phone, I just send them to Facebook, easier for me.
    There is a blogger app for phones, so you could use that to do them, just haven't bothered with it myself.

    Debbie

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  4. with beautiful views like that .. what more inspiration do you need x... enjoy your time away x

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  5. Hello, dear Julie :))
    Just back from Spain, I'm slowly catching up with my favourite blogs, including yours, of course... Beautiful pictures, gorgeous blocks, but I was also attracted with your mentionning choral songs - which I love so much. As I didn't know about Bow Chilcott and "A Little Jazz Mass" (love jazz so much, too), I searched You Tube and found loads of interpretations, among which this one : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3GAy-_ciFg
    I was totally hooked and seduced, listened to the music and songs numerous times, and I'm definitely under the charm. This sure is a beautiful discovery, thanks to YOU , dear Julie.
    Now, just like you, those bits of music are playing over and over in my head :))

    In friendship,
    XOXOXOXO
    Nadine

    PS : about your blocks getting bigger and less portable with the pins, why not baste some of them together, so that you still can bring them anywhere with you, ready to get comfortably stitched ? That's what I do, and it works fine...

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  6. Good to hear about your outing with quilting, music and Mr Fuji. I am sure you will be using that quilt and not too far in the future either. I think Nadine's idea of loosely basting the blocks together instead of pinning them will make the project safe and managable on the Tokyo commuter trains.
    Btw are you going to the quilt show in Yokohama?

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  7. I find it amazing that you are able to find time to make blocks let alone finish a quilt with your busy schedule. I'm beginning to think you are awake 24/7! You must take every spare moment of every day to sew and quilt. If I was half as dedicated to my quilting, I might have more finished projects than UFOs. Beautiful photos!

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  8. Fabulous mountain photos - almost nothing I love better than mountain photos. Love the colors of the blocks waiting for finishing - what a grand project. I love love love that pattern.

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  9. Stunning views. What a wonderful way to spend your days.

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  10. Great view of Fuji-san you have from your place. So nice.

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  11. Great views of Fuji-san! Great looking blocks too. If anyone can figure out a smooth way to carry along 12 inch blocks to join, you can!

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