Beginning again.

Okay,

I have all the major technology issues resolved.

I think.

I hope.

Things are turning up that are different from the last machine

but they are mostly easy to figure out.

Big Sigh.

When this laptop begins to slow down I'll be doing backups 

a LOT more.

Stitching is going very slowly.

About the only thing I've really worked on is Ethan's Stocking.

I'm making good progress-

if I keep it up I'll get Ryan's finished this year too!

Quilting,

is another story.

I had the blue and white top put together.

The pattern has you trimming off half of the last square in each diagonal row.

(Which is a huge waste of effort, time and fabric!)

After cutting it I measured it for a back

Only to realize it wasn't going to be 

big enough to use as a bedspread.

In fact it would only drop over the sides about 3 inches.

Sigh.

It hung on the design wall for a couple of weeks.

I was trying to decide if just adding a border would satisfy me.

Alas,

I found that I wasn't going to be happy with that.

So, 

I decided to add an additional 2 squares to each end

of each row as well as replace the one I cut.

Unsewing was done.

Design worked out.

Cutting the off white for the extra blocks is nearly finished.

(I don't need to cut blue as I still have box of 2 1/2" squares to use up.)

While I'm at it I'm cutting triangles which will fill the gaps on the ends.

I hope.

I really don't want to cut those blocks in half again.

I want to have this top finished by the end of the month.

So,

I need to get a move on.

I did manage to make 2 hash tag blocks-

a bit fussy those but I'm sure I'll get better at them.

I've made a bit of progress towards getting my house prepped for sale.

Some of little gritting details out of the way, 

as well as a new water heater.

Of the tankless variety.

Many more to go.

I'm feeling somewhat more energetic.

The snow has gone as has the frigid cold.

(For good I hope.)

The first of the rains have come,

leaving me with a very muddy yard,

and a very muddy Quinn!