Shades of Summer

  We took a quick trip to NC this week to have a day visit with Sir Old Man's cousin.  A wonderful visit and lunch and some slightly cooler temps there.  Di and I talked quilts and machines, and the guys talked.....who know what they talked about.  It was fun. 

   That day motivated me to come back and  finish my last quilt.  It only needed the binding and label attached.   Label was simple and printed on June Taylor fusible fabric.  Leftover floral fabric added for the frame and turned under before stitching to the back.   Before you ask.....yes, even labels are now machine stitched.  The neuropathy in my fingers is not better and holding a needle for more than a stitch or two is a thing of the past.  So I sometimes do this for the label.  Or else I use a corner folded triangle that is stitched on with the binding. 
 


  A closer view of the block and some quilting I used.  The block is the one I call the lattice block.  You can also see the leaf motif I quilted along with the wavy line I stitched thru the diagonal trellis piece.   To tell the truth.....the wavy line is great, looks great, and was easy to stitch.  Unless you are looking closely at the leaf motif, you can't really discern it.  So to anyone wanting to quilt one like this with busy prints, wavy lines are good:)







   I wanted some good outside photos of this one.....but it was to blooming hot.  The air was like a hot blanket, so carrying a quilt around was not much of an option.  I settled for a quick one of it tucked into a tree branch, and then folded and thrown over the chair on the porch.

 
   Inside the tile floor was a cool and inviting spot for a photo. The dimensional effect shows well when the quilt is spread flat.  I just love the overall garden effect. 

  A scrappy binding for the finish and pulls everything together. 









  Shades of Summer finishes up summer of 2019.
Finished size is 60'' by 70''. 

   Weather forecast is for more seasonal temps this next week after 17 days of no rain and mainly highs in the 90s.  A welcome relief and I am looking forward to being outside more. 
  We need to take a quick trip next week to Foam and Fabric  to see about some items for Sir Old Man's latest project....a bench  with upholstered seat.  I have to wander/walk/stroll past lots of cotton bolts to get to that section.  Sounds like a rewarding trip to me :)
Happy stitching. 

Sewing on the lattice

    We sure enjoyed the cooler days last week.    Heat has returned but it is not severe.   Plus we have had very intermittent internet and phone this week.   Finally a repairman showed yesterday who couldn't fix it,  and didn't know what to do with our problem. He thought maybe they could get a guy out next week....huh? And that  lead to a strong verbal demand by me---while Sir Old Man melted into the floor--- but a second guy called and showed within the hour!   The fix was easy when he got to the main box.   So we are back up and running with service.   I hate  being the squeaky wheel sometimes, but you have to stand your ground.   

 On to the sewing room.....
   I finished up the lattice blocks from all the large 5'' squares I had cut.  I fiddled with them on the design wall, and realized the more I moved them the worse it was.  LOL....isn't that the way it goes.  So I decided to just put them up as I completed the sewing and trimming.  As long as neighboring blocks were not alike, it stayed where it landed. 
   I webbed together the top 4 rows and sewed them together.  Time to press.

  I still have 8 or so rows to  go on the design wall.  I will probably divide it into 2 sections so it is easier to handle. 

  In between sessions, I pulled out my floral string bin.....it is overly full with all the extra pieces from this last project.  I will be making some small string blocks next. 


   Our neighbor has been making deliveries to our front porch nightly.....as he is sharing his garden goodness!  I make him apple bread in the fall and he brings me tomatoes and cucumbers!  Fair enough I say.  I plan on making another Tomato Pie tonight for dinner  from his bounty.   The link is to an adapted Paula Deen recipe.  I only altered the crust and made a quick one with Bisquick and half n' half. 
  And now to the ironing station....I have seams to press.
Happy stitching. 

Lattice blocks and link

   I have 2 bins of fabrics to sort thru still, but not yet!    There are about 30 more blocks already cut and ready to sew.
   I wanted to make sure I liked the batik blocks mixed in with the floral fabrics.   I began filling the design wall.
 Yes, I like the combos.   And I have something to gaze upon instead of a blank wall.



Once I have a few more blocks sewn and up on the wall, then I will worry about shifting things and the layout.  I'm not sure if I will let things fall where they may, or lump colors or values.  Time will tell, I guess.

  I had a couple of emails about the pattern.  The original pattern I tore out of McCall's Quilting in 2007, called Trading Patches.
   Anyway, I did some hunting on line and finally found an archive link....here. 
  It is not the original article but a resized throw.  The details are the same.

I started  with a 5'' square, slice on the diagonal and add a 1 1/2'' strip to those diagonal cuts.  Block is squared up to 5''.
I mix up the matching when paining the lattice strip to the square of fabric.  Meaning some dark squares get medium to dark strips added, and others get light ones.  The same for the lighter squares.

  I also ran across another variation while searching.  But I did not save the link.....the 5'' squares were cut on the diagonal as this pattern.   But, different halves of the square were sewn to either side of the lattice strip.  A little busier variation but the same technique.

  A new subdivision is going in nearby.  The old golf course was sold and the developers are blasting....blasting with dynamite thru granite.  I don't know why they want  or need to dig so deep, but our nerves are on edge with the vibrations and shaking.  Yesterday, we thought it was an earthquake.   Hate the growth and such out here.  We thought we moved far enough out of town.  Guess not.
  I'll be found in the sewing room avoiding the heat and noise.....happy stitching.

Right now?

  First the saga of that "snake in the grass" scrappy trips top that needed to be ripped apart.  Finally un-sewn, gently starched and pressed, and re-sewn correctly.....including the outer stay-stitching.   I find I am no longer in love with it, and not really wanting to finish it.  At least  not right now.  At some point in time for someone.....just not  right now.

   I toyed with the idea of Bonnie's new leader and ender block project, the Shoo Fly block.  I think I would enjoy it larger rather than the 4 or 6 inch version.    Since I am not in the mood to figure it out or do the math, I am passing for right now. 
    Are you sensing a theme in my mood....right now?   Maybe it is the heat and humidity, or it could be the summer doldrums that has me unsettled and unfocused.  When I get this way, I tend to return to a favorite pattern that I did enjoy.
   Looking into the stash closet, I saw a couple of partial packages of pre-cut charms squares in the batik basket.   I never buy those pre-cuts, so I am pretty sure, they were won several years back.  Then the floral fabric shelves are overflowing and need to be organized.  That means pulling things out and refolding or stacking.  So if I am going to handle things once, I am going to make it count for something.

  This is a scrappy quilt made by in 2014, and given away.  I always liked the movement  and variety in the pattern.  So with lots of 5'' squares to use up,  a plan came to mind.    Cutting squares and strips from lots of  floral fabrics, finding some extra batiks for narrow strips, I have been busy in between the ripping.







   I am only about half way thru the re-organizing  right now.  I have a few blocks to show for it.  And that is enough for right now to get me working on a project that I can enjoy.

   Happy stitching.