Seasons changing

 

  The last of the autumn leaves and the first Christmas wreath to go up on the day after Thanksgiving.  That's a good mix.

  The shed turned out very nice after Sir Old Man finished up the painting and trim repair.  I have a request in for a barn quilt sign to hang on the left hand side of the window.  With a birthday and Christmas coming up fast, I hope he can get it made for me. :)

Our weather for the last month has been full of wet and rainy days, and multiple low pressure systems, so my time in the sewing room has been short. 

 

  Instead of cutting or piecing, I used up some squares already cut for a new watercolor design.  A transitional design maybe that is in direct opposite values. 

   I normally could pull this project together in a few days.....ha!  Over the course of a month, I have it to the just sewn and pressed stage.   Such is life now....slower, much slower.      I am hoping to get this and the spool top prepared for quilting soon....very soon.   

  The Easy Breezy blocks are languishing in a project box.  So I may need to work a bit on them as well as the hourglass blocks.   

                                                  

I attempted a collage project after an on line class.  It looks good here.....but those tiny pieces are just fused and there is probably no way to really secure them by machine.   Finishing this one as a fused project, not sewn, just for a test is probably the path I will take.  If I have a wall hanging, I want to be able to wash it at some point.  But I picked up some tips and pointers, so I count it as good.  Collage is fun, but probably too tiny and fussy for me to do much with it.  

  And that has pretty much been my month!  Facing December which starts the round of labs and doctors visits.....fun.  Until later, happy stitching.

Using some bounty!

  Have not been doing much of anything in the sewing room.  Just spending some time outside and enjoying the weather and garden.
  Neighbor Farmer Steve left some bounty on the front porch....early cucumbers.  And I turned them into lunch  yesterday.....Cucumber Bacon Sandwiches.
  Easy to make....and make up as you go along.  Light and crunchy for lunch on the patio.

Recipe:
  Combine for the spread:
  3 Tbs softened cream cheese
  2 tsp of Ranch Dip Mix
   (  I buy my Ranch Dip Mix in bulk at  Hochstetler's Country Store because I use it in everything)

  Slice cucumber thin and place on paper towel to drain moisture.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper....lightly.  Meanwhile  fry up bacon until crisp.  I cut bacon slice in half before cooking as I was using small croissants for the sandwiches.

  Slice croissants in half and spread both halves with the cream cheese spread.  Layer on 3-4 slices of cucumbers and top with bacon.
  Next time I want to try adding some spinach and see what Sir Old Man thinks.  Or maybe I will just make a nice tossed salad combo using the rest.  Summer's best, I think.


 
   Lots of things in bloom right now.    After some heavy rain, I found these stems bent over and almost broken.  Old fashion gladiolas make a simple and colorful bouquet.   Later that afternoon, I noticed they matched the runner on the cabinet!
  Daylilies are in full bloom  and the daisies and coneflowers are awake too.  So it has been great to enjoy them.
  Sir Old Man is extending the sun shade canopy---from 10 foot to 16 foot---this week over the patio/deck as the new sail was delivered.   It should open up our space a bit.

 


As for sewing....a small bit not much.  I haven't been very inspired.  I found a big stack of batiks matched up along with a print out from a magazine from years back.  My batik pairs are not all exact matches, random leftovers, and gifted fabrics.  But that is fine by me, I probably won't follow the pattern layout exactly either.  So with the heat settling in, I hopefully will get motivated to see how it works. 
  I ran out of fusible interfacing for the watercolor projects.....oh, horrors.  That stuff is scarce as hen's teeth.  I finally broke down and ordered some gridded interfacing which arrived this week.  So maybe another floral project in the future. 
  Like everyone else, I am ready for life to return as it was.....but know it isn't happening soon.  Fair warning to all.....before the next major event/pandemic/apocalypse  buy fabric, thread, interfacing and toilet paper!  Stay safe and sew on. 

Catching up

  Time to catch up.....I know it has been a month since I posted and several emails from readers reminded me to wake up. 
 
  We had a very nice Spring and Sir Old man worked tirelessly in the yard completing projects from my list for him.  We had 2 truck loads of mulch spread over the beds to give them a refresh.  the crew also planted a couple of new trees we got for Earth Day from the power company and Clemson. 
  Sir Old Man finally added the birdhouse he built for the Bluebirds.  And can you believe it is already occupied!  It has been fun to watch them darting in and out or sunning on the roof.  he is inspired now to build another one for the front yard. 
   We spent one Saturday morning adding some edging plants to the back bed.  It was one trip/venture I made away from home....to the garden center nearby to select some herbs and ground covers for the back.  And yea, we ran into a quilting buddy.  Waving to Yvonne!

 
 
   I was working on the insanity during the pandemic quilt last time  I posted.  It is assembled and ready to quilt.  Thanks to Sir Old Man learning to pin a quilt!  Without his help I would not have gotten both of these ready to quilt. 
  The top one is  another wall hanging build around some more pre-printed panel parts.   Small sections  of watercolor florals frame the parts I put together.  Fusing onto interfacing and simple stitching, I can handle right now. 
  Note to self....you are now out of both batting and interfacing.  Need to order both.

 Both of these are smaller so I am hoping I can manage the quilting. 

  We have had over 7 inches of rain in the last week.....stormy days and such.  All add to the aches in the hands and wrists.  So for simple stitching time.....personal therapy session.... I have been doing some scrap  and crumb piecing. 

   I have a small basket of bits and pieces by the machine.  It is easy to grab a pair and build a section like the center part here.  I needed a leader/ender project while stitching the fused floral units for the wall hanging. 
  I decided to use the light print with and rosy vine on it for a constant thru out.  I have quite a bit of the light, which I am sure I was saving for something that will never happen, and this seemed a good time to use it!
   Beyond freely stitching and a light press for now, there is no real plan.  I have about a dozen together , so many more to grow.    I will square them up to a common size on a less painful day. 

    Our world is beginning to open up a bit.  Sir Old Man has been doing all the shopping, and keeping me home.  I am allowed to ride along when he gets gas or goes to the dairy.  There are times you need to see that the world still exists.  I went to the podiatrist last week but had to wait in the car until they could slip me into a room and then right back out.  I was notified that another of my doctors retired......I am assigned to a new one for next month.  Oh, joy....lol. 


   So while I chose to not blame anyone for what has happened, I do recognize the take aways  during this time. 
   Never forget how much freedom means. 
   Never freely give up your rights to be free. 
  Forever and always be thankful that we are free, and live in a wonderful country that lets us be free.     Free to love others, free to be ourselves, free to walk among the world.
   And today we remember those who died for our right to be free.   And once again I share a favorite wall hanging entitled Remembrance. 
  Happy Memorial Day.
  Happy stitching.

Between the rains

  I glanced out the office window as I was answering emails and saw a swath of yellow blooms.  These are large, very large daylilies called Buttered Popcorn.  Isn't that name just the best!     I had Sir Old Man separate them last fall and plant them all alone the front walkway.    They are quite prolific bloomers.









  He had to tie up the gladiolas near the window that are just coming into bloom.    We have had 2 '' of rain in the last 2 days, and more  coming.  So I am afraid the these stems will be beaten down or broken soon. 









  On the design wall......
I unearthed a hidden UFO.  Well, not really a UFO, just a very long term project.  Anyway, I found about 20 of these block units while Sir Old Man was in Alaska.  I sewed most of them into 4 block units to create the small Trips Around the World unit. 
  Once I got them up on the design wall, I started sewing up more of the strata units of 6.   I have shared this many times.....from Bonnie at Quiltville.  It's the Scrappy Trips around the World.
  So this is what I have been sewing when I found a few minutes.   I like the very scrappy nature of this, and it is just fun stitching.  I probably need another 20 or so blocks for a large size.  So I will just keep going on this long term one. 
  Thanks for all the wonderful comments on Sir Old Man's project.  He was floored by the response. 
Happy stitching.

Fortune cookie says.......

   My fortune cookie contained a very specific message for me last week.  It was a kick in the pants actually.  Here I was feeling bad----sinus infection, weak, and feverish----feasting on Hot and Sour Soup and the message came.

Is anything more finger pointing than that?  Who has been peeking in my head?    There are no coincidences in life....things happen for a reason even if you miss the point.  Believe me I got the point on this one.  Let nothing stop you, no matter where you are.   Just keep getting back up.  

  The tree crew returned to grind up two stumps and check that we were happy with their efforts.  A resounding yes.....even though we have tons of things left to do.  They gave the featured Black Pine a good shaping and trimming.  It now looks like a sculpted tree rather than a huge bushy thing.
    The tree specialist said the severe pruning would  or could cause a shock to the trees and shrubs.  They might be slower growing this season.  He words were to the effect they needed to re-group and rest a while.  Once again......another person's words were directed right at me.  I get quite frustrated/upset/annoyed even when I need more rest than usual.   So this double whammy to me needs to be remembered.

     Enjoy family time this weekend.  Happy Easter......happy stitching.

Hang in on the fence!

  

     Isn't this cute!  I saw this on Facebook at Quiltville Open Studio.  Apologies to Hannah, I think,  who posted it for stealing her photo.....you can't pin from FB.  What a pain.  She hung her quilt block sign on a fence portion that hides the trash can!  I so love this.  Since I have a woodworker around I think I could get him to work on something like this....big grin! 

   I have been resting/recouping/ etc. from the second round of antibiotics.  It was not an infected tooth but a sinus infection that jumped up and grabbed me.  The dental work did cause some facial swelling/tissue damage that provided a perfect environment for the sinuses to flare.  Perfect season for it too....the pollen is everywhere and turns us all that yellow-green.

  In the meantime, the tree crew came by twice  and removed 2 trees and trimmed up lots of overgrown trees and shrubs.  I managed to pull a few weeds and trim up a small rose bush one morning.  I just needed to get my hands dirty.  

   

    I have made little progress for the month's plans.......other than sashing the watercolor blocks.  I hope to get it pressed tomorrow at least.  And maybe get the 9  patch pinned for quilting this weekend.  

  Just back from doing a trunk show for the Busy Bees in Fountain Inn....a large fun group.  I have been saving up energy for this.  It was a great time and big thanks to Sir Old Man and Tony Fig for helping out with the quilts.   The workshop is next week and it is full.  So I am really looking forward to it.  

Happy stitching.

Friday Finds May 22

  My case of batting arrived this week.....so now I can get the next quilt pinned.   I ordered from Batt-mart......Quilter's Dream on sale last week.
 The finds this week follow that thought....batting tips.


 From the Quilting Board.....a handy tip to remember  how to place the batting!  It can affect your stitching and appearance.     * I know I have done this backwards and hated how the stitching looked*.

Laura Wasilowski explains what she calls the Scrim Factor.....on you tube in a short video.  Worth the 2 minutes of watching!


Some miscellaneous.......

   Sir Old Man's latest project gives me a safe, level board walk.  This area is right off the back porch, and gives us access to the rain barrel and bird feeder.  Recycled decking screwed down to 4x4 supports.....made in 2 sections, and pegged in place with rebar.  Sounds easy, but it took 2 days of hard work in the heat.
   Of course it needs to be washed down and painted,  but it is level.....that is all I asked for.  I can keep the weeds pulled and the plants trimmed up down without being worried about stumbling and falling.

   Off to get haircuts and run some errands......stitching later.  

Just yard work.....

   After fighting the weeds in the beds, I have had no energy to sew.  After cutting back bushes that are way over grown, I have not felt like cutting fabric.  I did not mean to stay away so long, but some things must be tackled before the heat wave arrives......and stays.
   We put up the sun shade sails yesterday, and we need to finish one small project before I return to sewing.    The short back path off the porch needs a face lift.  It was originally just stepping stone slabs with lots of ground cover.   The ground has heaved and done its thing--very uneven and dangerous for me---- and now the stones must be re-set or replaced.  We have decided to go for a level path and use reclaimed decking instead of stone slabs.   Hopefully this will be accomplished in short time as Sir Old Man has a plan.   I will provided the lemonade for  heat relief.

    Don't forget the Blogger's Quilt festival is still going on.  It is time to nominate your favorites.  
  Then the voting begins next week.......








   A last bloom, and those pesky weeds......and soon I will get back to the regular routine.  Happy stitching.

Loose Change

  Save all your nickels---5" squares---and make a quilt!
  I found a perfect graphic of  $ signs to use on the label after I figured out a name.  Loose Change seemed to fit and apply to all those nickel squares.

  I used leftover strips for the binding----purple, red, and green prints.

   Everything seemed to have burst into bloom almost over night.  I just could not resist grabbing a little bit of that color in these photos.  Nothing quite tops a beautiful Spring day and a new quilt.....unless it is buying more fabric!  And I did that earlier today.

  This is my last practice page that I drew before beginning to quilt.....just to give you an idea of what I was trying to create.  Note that none of the leaves are really "perfect" and the stem is imaginary.  The back stitching and touching the prior leaf or curl gives that illusion of a stem.     I can't stress enough how much the sketching has improved my machine work.  To say nothing of the confidence it builds.  Hope your sketch book is getting filled.

Garden and color

   There's is a slight coolness in the air in the mornings.  Does that mean fall is coming?   And in the garden I found this again.....the writing spider and her web.  She's is huge, and I avoid getting too close, but I love seeing the intricate zig zag of the web.  The rest of the garden is well past its prime.  It is time to cut back and tidy things up.

   After PT this week, I had to pick a small ball to use for therapy, so I stopped at our old-fashioned five and dime store.  When we first moved to this area,  Wilson's was the only place to get craft items, and they were known for their ribbon selection and assortment of odd items.  On a whim I checked there for turkey lacers......and struck gold!   They were the type with curved loops already.    I came home to make a few more stilettos for the guild boutique.

   I am still cutting squares to add to those from Wanda at Exuberant Color . Her stash of fabric is so huge and she was wonderful to kit up some of it for purchase.  I'm glad I got mine as I think she sold out all she put together.  Anyway, both of my trays are full, so  I do think it is time to begin putting them onto the design wall.  I am not sure what will come out of this.  It is all about color.....lots of color.
  I am off to have some fun.  Enjoy your stitching time.

Foto Finish--Yellow

Opening ceremonies for the Olympics were fabulous.  The Queen's entrance with James Bond was a  treat.....so understated!    I did manage to get a lot of angles sewn........

    I just saw that Barbara at Cat Patches has a Foto Finish linky up today.   I love seeing everyone's photos, and I just happen to have one I can put up.  This Calla Lily blooms just outside my bedroom window.
  Linking to Foto Finish.
  Happy stitching.

Blooming garden

   
    I mean just about everything is in bloom!  Both of these photos are of the large front island bed.  It is anchored by a maple and cherry tree at either end, and the center is filled with day lilies, cone flowers, and other perennials.  Just ignore the stray weed and clumps of grass....I do right now.   
    I've spent a lot more time on the porch---directing Sir Old Man as he did some yard maintenance for me.  Still the day lilies and cone flowers and peonies need to be divided.  He just trimmed back the rosemary, and I have to  rinse some pieces for him to chop and freeze.

    It is day 50 of the shoulder event....that translates to 7 weeks.  The word for this week is painful.  At PT, my therapist worked on my neck muscles which are one big knot from wearing the sling.... and causing me to have back spasms also.    So I have not been very productive this week at all....mainly staring at "the wall".

     Insight:  The wall, like in hitting the wall...not the design wall.  It is the stopping point, that mental block that stops you in your tracks and makes you doubt yourself and your abilities, and it  saps  your inner strength.   That wall.   Dig deep inside yourself.   Avoid it like the plague!


    One  bright spot has been  here.  I think bloggers are a special breed.  They love to send neat emails, and leave kind comments, and send soft, squishy packages to others.   They share their travels and their trials, seek to help and to learn, and  never ask for anything in return.   Blogland is a very special place.  Thanks for dropping in to my corner of the world.  I promise to return to normal soon.  Happy stitching.  
    

Gathering lavender

     I love the scent of lavender.  It is believed to be calming and relaxing, and a bug repellent.    Deana had bunches of it hung all over her house this weekend, drying to be used in sachets that she plans to make.  She's a knitter and wants to add sachets of lavender in with her projects and gifts.

    So yesterday Sir Old Man cut back a few of my overgrown bushes.    I filled several containers as well as hung up some bunches to dry for her.   I may just make a few sachets to tuck in with my stored quilts.

   I filled this one and set it in the master bath......the aroma is heavenly.   Of course the tiny blooms will droop in a day or two and I will have to snip them off to collect them to finish drying.  But for a couple of days  I will enjoy the scent.
 
  I did my OT/PT at the  sewing machine this morning.....sewing together the extra squares to finish off the watercolor of the arbor.  I will attempt to get the rows  attached tomorrow.  Then I made a few more brick blocks.  It is slow going, but so much better than going stir crazy!
  Thanks for all the well wishes and votes.....we will see.
Happy stitching.

From ugly to covered

I was so delighted to read a  post by Dawn at Sewwequilt last week about making pot holder covers.  I have a drawer full of ugly ones that need to be trashed.  So that was one of my quick finishes this week.   From ugly.... to covered and updated!  I love the theme coffee fabric I found and just strip pieced the theme fabric and a couple of scraps onto a muslin foundation.  See her post for finishing up slip cover pillow style.    I got a little carried away and put a band on a plain cotton towel to match.  Then one more potholder of just the theme fabric stitched onto batting with a few lines of quilting.   Now I can really cover up those ugly potholders.  
There's a whole month of kitchen tutorials going on at Sew We Quilt.....a lot of talented quilters sharing ideas.

 The rain brought me some blooms.

   So before I snipped off a few to enjoy in the house, I had to take a few photos.   The color of these iris blooms is just so rich and beautiful against the green.   The rambling rose  in the background is almost in full bloom too.







 

Just one more to brighten your day.

The sun is back out, so I am going to way lay Sir Old Man to help take photos of the finished quilt.  Yes! It is done and ready  for delivery.  Photos tomorrow.
   Happy stitching.  

This and that

Another doll quilt arrived....this one from
 Bea at Needle in a Haystack 
in France.  She used the cutest fabric and hand quilted this one. Thank you so much.
  It has been yard work time around here....trimming and cutting back, some more weeding.  Each day I see something else pop up or bloom.

 Clematis vine is loaded with blooms.
Reminder to me:   This photo would be a good pattern for thread painting.

   This is a new shot of the Memory Garden area.  The center clump is a  small dark blue iris that is  just coming into  bloom.  There must be 50  buds in this clump.  I was looking at my printed blog book from last year and there was only about 3 of them then.  What a difference a year makes....along with a lot of rain.

  Of course with all the blooms comes pollen.....lots and lots of pollen.  You know it has been a bad pollen year when even the Deere gets a bath and wax job!

Questions:
A couple of emails asked for patterns for my water color quilts this week.  Unfortunately, I don't work by pattern.  I work by value.  I would not even know where to begin to put a true pattern together for them.   So if you are here  looking for a pattern for a watercolor quilt,  I can only refer you to the page Designing a Watercolor on this blog or to the label section and click on watercolor.  Lots of details  are there  to guide you.  

 I hope to get some stitching done today...finally.  The Life Events quilt to finish quilting, a watercolor to finish stitching, and a couple of pot holder covers to make.  Maybe a couple of finishes this week.
 Happy stitching.

Wildlife habitat is my inspiration

   I had a question a couple of weeks ago about the sign in the photo on my banner  that says  "Certified Wildlife Habitat."   A few years ago there was a big campaign among the gardeners around here to promote natural habitats for wildlife, and since we live within a stone's throw of the recently developed Conestee  Park Preserve, we decided to jump on the bandwagon.  All the required information is available at the National Wildlife Federation .  We just had to draw a site map showing the types of plants, trees, and such that provide a natural habitat for native wildlife.

  We have added about 15 trees, including dogwoods, several maples, 3 varieties of oaks, curly willows, and of course a magnolia.     The one shady area between the shop and garden shed began with  little more than a cobblestone walk and a few hostas.  The sunny side  is filled with herbs,daisies, lilies, and ground covers of all types and features a bird house and bird bath.  Behind the trees in the back, is  the area I call the deer run.....because we see the deer back there all the time.  They often venture up to the beds and nibble the top of the young hostas and the fleshy leaves of the Asiatic  lilies.  I now "plant" any cast off extra plants along the run just so the deer can have a bite to eat.
  We see rabbits around a lot.  I am more careful about planting annuals.....they will pull them right out of the ground....and I tend to stick with a lot of perennials that self sow even if the rabbits get into them.   I planted several varieties of coneflowers....the gold finches love them as well as the honey bees.  In the fall the gold finches will sit on top of the cone and peck out the seeds.  That's why I now have lots of volunteer plants.

   About 2 years ago, we added a pondless waterfall in the back also.  It provides a good water source for a lot of the wildlife.  One hot summer days I often see the birds perched on one of the stones for a drink or bathing in the shallow area.  We have the resident frogs now....and a few garden snakes, which I try to avoid.  Even so, they are part of nature's balance.
   So, exactly how does all this relate to quilting?  I use the inspiration from our garden views in many of my  quilts.  Color combinations come from the flowers,  and textures from patterns I find in the wood and stone outside.   Check  the banner above you will see the "cobblestones"---thanks to Wanda at Exuberantcolor , the waterfalls in the bargello, and the lilies shown in applique.  I featured the garden shed in a watercolor wall hanging, and did  birds in thread painting for quilts, and Evening Serenade featured the falls and the frog.  The blooming 9 patch throw was inspired by the colors of the coneflowers and the stones around the waterfall.  I discover a  garden inspiration in almost every quilt I make.
  Our wildlife habitat fills nature's need and gives me inspiration.  I just look out the window, or walk outside.  It's an endless source to fuel my imagination.   I continually see something I want /need to capture and hold on to.  Where do you look for your inspiration source?   Look around you....it is there.
Happy stitching.
  

Awakening I

   I have been paying the price for working in the yard this week with the allergy pollen headaches,  achy joints,  stuffy head,  and itching eyes and ears.  I love the renewal of Spring but hate the side effects that I get.
   So I stayed in for a couple of days and worked on a couple of small wall hangings.    I was not sure I liked this until I got it quilted.  I decided I did like the strong contrast of the dark to light at the top and bottom.   This is done on the gridded interfacing using 2" squares.  It is about 17" by 25" and quilted with a large meandering stitch.  
 I still have to finish up the binding, but I think it is a keeper.  I am calling it Awakening I.    That means II is in the works......

   I spied a garden visitor yesterday.  I looked out the front door and saw this turtle making its way across the walk to the flower bed.  (Ignore my weeds, I haven't gotten to the front beds yet!)   I bet it is a she and is looking for a spot to dig a nest.  A couple of years ago we uncovered one on the side under some shrubs.   Such a neat pattern on the shell....could be interesting to do one in thread painting.
   I am still stitching on the star struck variation at night.  I have about 9 blocks completed and about 7 more in various stages of piecing.  And a whole stack of HST pieces to turn into pinwheels.   But I will tackle those later.
Happy stitching.