The best ways to beat the "cabin fever".

 

Last Saturday we had sunshine and temperatures in the high 30's, it was time to get out of the house. I packed a picnic lunch and off we went to the wilderness. The wonderful thing about Western Michigan is the wildness is never far away.

We found a nice little spot along a creek,

my husband lit a fire

while I sat out our lunch on the back of the sled we used to pull in our packs.
I had made homemade baked beans, and chocolate chip cookies to go with crackers and cheese and sausage.

 I love picnics, food always taste better outside, and I always feel better.

The next great way to beat cabin fever is quilt bee! Last night I met with my girlfriends and we learned a new quilt technique, called Folded Star.  We each made a sample. You start with two different size hexagons and a piece of batting the size of the small hexagon.

Baste a scant quarter of an inch on the edges of the large hexagon.

Layer them together with the batting in between. Fold over the edges of the large piece of fabric and applique the edges down or quilt the edges down over the small hexagon creating a star. We then quilted down the middle of all the star points.

  Once the stars are finished you stitch the edges together.

So many things can be made using this technique. The following pictures were taken off an computer showing Cheryl Berggren's work.

She made a purse using them,

A lap quilt.

The back of the lap quilt. And remember once a star is done the batting is already in and the edges are bound so when you stitch them together there is no finishing work on the quilt. No binding, nothing.
I'm going to try a few blocks this weekend with my dyed wool.

Cheryl also made a wall hanging with miniature hexagons.
Miniatures are always so cute.

And the full size ones made into place matts.

My friend Mary's been making pieced and quilted ornaments for her tree for next Christmas. There about 3" square. Too cute!

I don't know if I should say Mary or Mary's sewing machine made this little mug rug. She has a top off the line computerized sew machine that pieces and embroideries the piece while you just add in the fabrics when it calls you!!
The little clips are holding the binding down while she stitches it. I'm sure the machine would bind it too if she asked nicely.