Very Cool & Drizzly .... Quilt # 68 From the Archives

Bluebird and Baskets  - Quilt # 68

Today was very cool, 46 degrees, and drizzly. (Normal high is 69 degrees).  It would have been a good day to do some quilting but I had lots of errands.

When I got home I decided  it was time to take down this kinda spring-like quilt and hang up the Indian Orange Peel I finished about the time I started this blog thing.  However, I neglected to sew a hanging sleeve on it so that was my project for this evening.  Just finished it so tomorrow it gets hung in the dining room.  Very appropriate as it is lots of oranges and blacks.

I made the Bluebird and Baskets Quilt in 1996.  It is 41" square.  I originally hand quilted it but was dissatisfied with the results. I took out a lot of the hand stitching and did machine quilting in those areas.  It was awarded 2nd Place at the 1996 Salisbury Rowan Quilt Guild Show and 2nd Place at the NC State Fair in 1998.

I was really into Folk Art at the time.  I taught several friends from the Three Rivers Quilt Guild in Albemarle, NC  how to make the 3 dimensional flowers in the baskets. I ended up with two similar quilts.  I gave one to my sister, Janet.  Not sure if I have a picture of it.  Note to self - look for it.

The final game of the World Series is calling my attention. Have a good weekend.

A Little Culture ---

Inspired by Manet's   In The Conservatory

This afternoon after John's appointment in Raleigh we drove to Graham, to see the exhibit of Sculptures of J. Seward Johnson, Jr. by the Alamance County Arts Council.  He is the grandson of the co-founder of Johnson and Johnson.

Inspired by Renoir's   Luncheon of the Party

 The sculptures are life-size, cast bronze figures that have been inspired by well known nineteenth century masterpieces.

Inspired by Renoir's Dance at Bougival

This one is 20 feet tall (one of his monument series) and is a gift to the community of Graham from The Sculpture Foundation, Inc.  This is a temporary placement for it.   We stopped for dinner on the way home and we missed the evening traffic on the interstate.  And we're home in time to watch the results of DWTS.

Beautiful Fall Day

The view from my kitchen window - 4PM

Sunday afternoon

Yellow Angel's Trumpet - Brugmansia

The colors are gradually turning in our area.  The weather has been cooler especially in the evening after the sun goes down.  I think the weatherman is calling for 50's during the day this coming  weekend.  We are having guests at the lake Saturday.  I'll plan for an indoor day!

I was tempted to buy some of the beautiful mums I saw today but I was feeling in a thrifty mood.

Carole's Patriotic Quilt

We had about 15 at our Undercover Bee Meeting on Saturday.  We had 23 patriotic quilts turned in and we should get several more before we deliver them to the Veteran's Hospital in Durham in early November.  Pat J. who organizes the veteran's quilts made 10.  She is also collecting some from another group.  Hope my car is big enough to hold them all.
 I love that Carole added  yellow to her quilt it makes it so cheerful.  Hope to remember to try that.

Thursday Connie, Cathy and Sally are coming to sew.  I bought the Charlie Brown pattern a couple of years ago.  I think I have enough large and small nine patches made but now I need to work on the sashing.

Everyday Sights

I pass by this old silo or grain bin every time I go to town.  I just love how a tree has grown up in the middle and is now visible through the top.  I must have gone by it hundreds of times before I noticed the tree.  Can't wait to see how it looks in it's fall coat.

The tree is barely noticeable from the other direction (on the way home).  There used to be an old out building just beyond the silo.  I love all the different shades of rust on it.

Batik on left - Silk on right

 NY Beauty Blocks on left -  Hand Painted on right

Today, in between Woman's Club District Meeting, decorating at church for Homecoming tomorrow and regular chores, I finished sewing these journal covers. They were almost done - I just had to top stitch around the edges.  My favorite is on the bottom right.  I painted the fabric, then quilted it and over painted with more color. 

Tomorrow is a big day for our church -our speaker is Bishop Al Guinn. It is the first time we have had a sitting Bishop for our speaker. We are having a pot luck after church and then later in the afternoon we will have a 5K run benefiting our Missions and Outreach ministries.

Enjoy your day!

Back Yard Blooms / Archive Quilt Number 172

 Several years ago, I bought these tall sunflower/daisy like plants at one of the local garden club sales.  I don't know the name of the plant but it is very invasive here in this climate.  I pull up lots and lots of the plants in the spring and through the summer so I just have a few for the background in the fall.

 They are so bright and cheery when I see them through my kitchen window!

Can there be a brighter yellow? - Happy Day!


Carrie Nation Quilt  -

I made this quilt in August 2003.  My friend Carole and I were Block Party chairmen at Capitol Quilter's Guild and we used this for one of our block designs.

I liked the block so well and it was so easy I made a whole quilt.  I donated the 80 x 90" quilt to our church for the Community Day Auction.  Guess who made the winning bid? ------------ Carole!

First Sasanqua of Fall/ Last Rose of Summer

This morning on my way out I noticed that the Sasanqua Camellia by the side door had two flowers opened.  It will be  covered  with light pink flowers soon.  The blossoms only last a few days but the plant usually has flowers up until Thanksgiving. It is a large shrub probably 6 ft. tall and 5 ft. across.

 Just across the sidewalk the Abraham Lincoln rose still has three flowers.  The foliage is sparse but I can't bear to cut them back just yet.

 It looks like fall is making headway into our area.  I saw one small tree that was partly red-orange on my way home from town.

This afternoon I quilted and bound one of the pumpkin table runners.  I quilted the other one last night after I got bored with TV.  They are 18 x 36".  

I really admire all the great photographers out there. My pics all look pretty crooked but the quilts are actually pretty square.

A Rarity

Today I just felt the need to quilt or finish something so I layered and quilted the little string quilt I finished Monday.  I used a purple to green variegated thread in uneven wavy lines in both directions.

The butterfly fabric used on the back is one I have used on several quilts. I bought quite a few yards of it several years ago at Joann's.  I think that finishes it off. 

 

 I guess the last laugh is on me.  I forgot to sew the hanging sleeve on before I attached the binding.

More String Blocks and Love Blocks Too

When  I was making my string square quilt (I still need to make one more border for it), I separated out most of the batik fabrics. I made a few blocks as I was sewing the others but most of them were made yesterday afternoon.

 

Today I made the Love blocks.  I didn't spend a whole lot of time on them but I like the way they look together.  I was going to add some other odd blocks too but decided this was enough.  It is 33 x 38.5". 

 It was fun but guess what - I still have lots of odds and ends.  Do they ever get used up?

A Little Break

We went up to the lake for a couple of days.  The weather was gorgeous, a little cooler, and we were able to do a few outside chores. I washed the walls of the porches and the windows.

John mowed and seeded the lawn, then painted one of the windows outside.  It was in a area that required setting up a makeshift scaffolding with a ladder on it.  SCARY as far as I was concerned!  And I was just  the spotter and hander-upper of tools, paint, etc.

John never ceases to amaze me. For a 77 year old that's been through all the things he has - well - all I can say is he has true grit and an angel sitting on his shoulder. God has been extremely good to both of us.

Today when I went to the grocery they had fresh rhubarb.  So I hurried home and made my favorite, a Rhubarb Cream Pie.  Oh yes, it was yummy.

Enjoy your weekend!