A new day for the birds

The birds announce a new day as I rush to make the deadline for the latest weeklong Project QUILTING challenge.

My entry is titled A New Day: Chirp, Chirp, Chirp. It acnowedges the birds that start the days with songs. The "prairie points" remind me of the points children draw as part of a radiating sun.

This time I made the quilt in Visalia, California, a mere 2,370 miles from my quilting tools and fabric stash. The location change is part of my new days as my mother and I continue to switch roles. 

Still the possibilities began forming quickly as I used her napping to sneak a peek at the theme of the latest weeklong challenge: Sunrise, Sunset. 

My mother once sewed a lot so surely I could borrow her tools and fabric to supplement my quart-size plastic bag of fabric scraps, 2 hanks of embroidery floss, airline-allowed scissors and needles.  

If not, I could shop while she napped. 

Well, I could have shopped before a fever and more would knock me out for days. 

Still I knew what the project could be -- a coaster for her pitcher of ice water that sits on her bedside table at the skilled nursing care facility. 

Her housing change is what brings me to California.  My mom fell Dec. 26, knocking herself out, breaking her right femur and getting a blood clot in her head. While at the hospital, she had a stroke that originally left her unable to swallow, speak clearly or move her right side. She had a rod inserted in her leg. 

Before all that it looks like sewing was  eliminated in this household. Still I did find a wornout towell to use for batting and backing. It also would help soak up the water left by the pitcher's condensation. 

And I had that quart bag of fabric scraps that I was using for a 10-minutes of needlework daily resolution. Did I mention the fabrics were mostly oranges and pinks, with a touch of purple and aqua?

I learned I missed my rulers -- a paper bag didnt give me straight lines. I learned that you should look up prairie points before making them incorrectly as a quart bag doesnt leave much room for do-overs if you cut the wrong size. 

I learned these extra challenges can  a good thing. 

Here's the link to the challenge and entries: http://www.persimondreams.blogspot.ca/2015/01/sunrisesunset-challenge-2project.html?m=1