Quilting Queue

Still working on getting my UFO's ready to quilt.  Insomnia helps sometimes.  I finished sewing the quilt top on the right, added borders and made the backing one rainy morning a while back, 

 The center quilt got borders added (backing and binding ready to sew

And the Everyday Best is in Delay Mode (I have the fabric but need to get in the right frame of mind before I tackle it).

This is the Angel Trumpet bush out by the shed. 

 My friend Ella gave me the cutting that she rooted from her plant. 

 Her's isn't blooming this year so this picture is for her.   

The plant is very late flowering this year and has a lot less blooms that normal but the blooms it has are huge.  Our summer wasn't as hot as usual - perhaps that had something to do with it.

One Quilt Finished and Another Ready to Quilt

I was glad to get this quilt finished for the Veteran's Hospital.  It is 63 x 72".

The Exquisite Star pattern is one of my favorites and  I'm sure I have used it more than any other.

The backing is white with red and blue. 

This is a Liberated Star quilt that I made this summer. 

 It was so much fun to make these blocks.

 It has multi-piece green border and a cream striped inner border

.  I'm slow at getting the quilt loaded on the machine.  But hope that I will improve with practice.

Now for some quilting inspiration!

More Triangles

I love to look at this on my wall when I come in the back door. 

 I found the book that the pattern was in and I guess I forgot that the direction pages that I copied had directions for a 90 x 90 quilt not a wall hanging. 

I may have enough triangles for two quilts!

Organizing and Quilting

Getting my finished tops together with backing and bindings so I can take them out to the quilt hut and get started on some quilting!

I had five ready to go out.   Still have 3 more tops that need borders etc. 

 

I carried them out and put this one on the machine.  I'll give it to the Veteran's Hospital in Durham in November.

The back yard is beginning to show it's fall coat.  I enjoyed it while I painted the porch railings.

A Visit to the Lake & the Hunting Camp

Wednesday, Al, Shawnee and I went up to the lake.

I painted the steps to the back and front steps (They looked pretty faded after the pressure wash guy cleaned them a few weeks ago.) while Al painted one of the bathrooms.

The weather was perfect and we enjoyed lunch on the porch.

We left fairly early in the afternoon so Al made a detour on our way home to take us on a tour of

 The Hunting Camp!

Al goes deer hunting every year.  He and his buddies start getting ready long before hunting season starts.  Al has been coming up here for years (John used to go up once in awhile too)! He and Al also had another group that they belonged too but that one had no building.

Shawnee and I had never been there and I never knew exactly where it was located.

When you enter the main room, there are bunks all around the room.  I lost count but I think Al said there is room to sleep 28 men.  Also a few bunks upstairs. (now I know why John never spent the night!

  Some of the guys used to play card real late - now that they're older - they have a cabin out back for the card players.

Al & Shawnee at Hunting Camp

Bunks

Heating unit

Kitchen tour

 Shawnee and I said we would definitely not be joining the hunting club! (Not that we were asked)

Mindless Sewing 2014

On and off during the past few months, I have been making half square triangles (HST) when I just felt like sewing something but didn't want to get a big project out.

The pattern requires lots of HST in 3, 2, 1.5, and 1" finished sizes. 

I finally had enough of each size to begin making some blocks Sunday afternoon.

The portion pictured measures 24 x 36".

Lots more HST's in the future - about 1800 total.

Now I really need to get back to my UFO's and make some backings and bindings.

A Finished Top and A Sunrise

I laid out all the blocks on the floor in the late evening and arranged them as best I could so that I could have them ready to sew before I went up to the lake.  

Here is the top sewn together.  Not sure if it will have a border yet.

On the way to the lake, I stopped at the quilt shop in Warrenton and I found a batik that I may use as a border for it.  Will try it out later in the week and get opinion from other eyes too.

Got up early to see Tracey and Paul off to Portsmouth to pick up Evan.  He has been out on patrol with the Coast Guard these past few months.

We were treated to a beautiful sunrise.

Table of Grace report:  The men grilled 60 chickens and made 3 pans of baked beans.  We made slaw and desserts.  We served about 90 people and were able to send out lots of take home plates with what was leftover. We had lots of help and volunteers to clean up and set the fellowship hall back for early worship Sunday.  

I think I drank the tea that wasn't decaf as I was awake most of the night. Think I'll just drink lemonade or water next month.

More Blocks and A Coincidence

I made an extra block just in case the yellow one bothers me too much.  Now that I have them all on the wall I feel that I should make a few more blocks and enlarge the quilt to 60 by 75". That would only take 7 more blocks. Sew on.

My sister sent me this picture of her barn and mentioned that the block in my quilt was almost the same as her barn quilt.  I remember she asked me if I knew the name of the block last summer when she first got it.  There is a lady in her area that paints and installs barn quilts.  My sister's is 4' x 4'.  The lady would like to put one of her larger ones (8' x 8') on their large barn since my sister lives on a well traveled road.  My sister wants the front of her barn painted first.

More Batik Blocks and Yardwork

Three more blocks sewn today and a lot more cutting.  That yellow block really stands out at this point, it will be interesting if it will make it all the way.

I'm using several different backgrounds so I am cutting each block individually.  Not very efficient but keeps me engaged.

The weather turned out beautiful this afternoon so I went out and worked in the back yard for a couple of hours.  Pulled lots of weeds and lots of over zealous flowers that had out grown their space.

Wish I had the strength and endurance for more outside work but happy I can at least get a few things accomplished once in awhile.  I can tolerate weeds more than I used to.

Tomorrow the lake!

Back to the Sewing Machine - Fall Sewing

While discarding some books, magazines and catalogs at the lake last week, I found a page that I had torn out of a quilting supply catalog with a picture of a quilt kit that I had intended to order.  It was from 2012  (Good Luck with that Pilgrim!)  

I really loved that quilt -  I still have the picture - so I can make up my own kit.  

Step 1 - Get out all the batik fabric

Step 2 - Go to quilt shops and buy more batiks

Step 3 - Start cutting and auditioning fabrics

Day two of sewing  - I like these blocks!  They are 15" square.  

The catalog picture showed a 

45 x 60" quilt.  Only 8 more blocks.

There is an old block similar to this called Goose in the Pond - the outer configuration of the HST's is different.   

I'm not overly fond of geese so will not be calling this "Goose"-anything.

A Beautiful July Day

 The Crepe Myrtle at the front driveway is so pretty this morning - I even forgive it for shedding pink all over the place.

This afternoon I sewed the final border on the fandango quilt.  I chose four red batiks for it a couple of months ago - I had forgotten which was my favorite then but this is my favorite now.  I didn't have time to choose a backing as I filled in at Food Pantry at 5PM.  We had a very busy shift.

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These past couple of weeks have flown by.  We had Vacation Bible School at WUMC last week and I went to Detroit with family to attend a funeral last weekend.  We had a fun Bee Meeting on Saturday - Sunday I had a delightful lunch with a lovely 95 year young lady and Monday was the start of our 9th year serving our Table of Grace Meals.  We served 74 to s meal of Ham, Macaroni Salad, Green Beans, Biscuit and Peach/Blueberry Shortcake.  

Of course I have managed to sneak in a little sewing time here and there, make some pickles and attend a super fun pool party too

John  - May 2012

 Today John's tractor, which he took such great care of, is on it's way to serve at a mission in Africa.  I know that would please him.  I sent this picture of him along with the instruction manuals.

Everyday Best - More blocks

Three blocks completed and I think I am done substituting and rearranging background fabrics.  All the arcs have been sewn so I just need to keep working on making blocks.  

The border plan is still very much up in the air.  But at this point I'll be glad to have the center done.

One Block Completed

I am faithfully trying to sew a little each day on this quilt.  Actually it works pretty well for me to remove the paper and pin the arcs in the evening while I watch TV.  Then I can sew them the next morning.

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Birthday # 75

More Everyday Best

I cut out lots of arcs this afternoon.  Not sure if this is the final decision.  I think I cut about 10 extra but that's not too bad considering all the dottiness going on here.

 I finished sewing the last of the arcs today.  Previewing a few of them to see how they look.

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 Shelly and Vince made breakfast at the lake Saturday - Shelly made lots of bacon and Vince cooked lots of pancakes.The weather was perfect for floating on the lake and playing lots of games on the porch!

My eyes have recovered well from the cataract surgery and I'm happy that's done.  Just have to follow the regimen of eye drops and check ups, etc.

Table of Grace - June 30th

Special Table of Grace this month.  It is the first meal of our 9th year.  We made chicken salad, pasta salad, watermelon and rolls. 

And for dessert Sally M. brought a huge cake and Cindy provided ice cream to go with it.  We had several guests who were there at our first meal.

A little more progress! I like paper piecing except for removing the paper, of course.

Retail Therapy - Lake

After Food Pantry duty on Thursday, I took in the Sewing Expo in Raleigh. There  were lots of vendors and quite a few quilts.  Enjoyed the machine quilting.

Then I headed up to the lake to check out the lawn and get it mowed before the holiday weekend.

Added a few flags to the flower pots  - Ready for the 4th.

And Friday I was able to stop in Warrenton at Quilt Lizzie for some more shopping.

New Project

Dotty Top Finished

Yesterday I sewed the blocks together and started making the border units.

With the border units sewn on the top measures 56 X 68 inches.  I would like it a little larger to give as a gift.  May try adding another border if I can find something I like - I don't like borders that are just tacked on to enlarge a quilt so this may be a problem.

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Kathy, Hannah and Emily

For my weekend entertainment, I joined these gals in Morehead City for the Southeast Showdown Nationals Dance Competition.
Emily and Hannah were in several group dances and Emily was in a duet on Saturday.  They were there at 7AM and finished their routines about 3. Kathy was busy running back and forth helping with costume changes and makeup.

We went back in the evening and watched the solo competitions until 11PM.  Sunday the Showdown started at 10AM - Emily was in the opening number.  Their groups didn't make the showdown but the Pee Wee Troupe from there school won a first place and a second place award.

Hannah and Emily have plans to do a duet together next season.
We saw lots of amazing talented dancers and lots of fun!

Dotty Blocks Done

After my check-up from my cataract procedure today, I finished the last couple of blocks for the dotty quilt.  Will have to do some re-arranging here and there.  Looking at them with my eye that has been corrected, they look much brighter than before.  I'm looking forward to having the right eye done in a couple of weeks so that both eyes will be equal again.

Now I can start working on borders for it.

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We had a great time in Philadelphia last weekend.  Lots of fun and celebrating Hannah!

Shane and I loved Reading Terminal - we ate crepes for breakfast and couldn't pass up the doughnuts.

Shane had key lime and I had strawberry. 

One funny thing - Shelly saw an add for a fabric museum in one of those travel books they place in hotel rooms - so while Vince, Hannah and Shane were watching a Soccer game - we took a taxi over to the museum - guess what- there used to fabric there a long time ago - now it is just a photography museum - they just never changed the name.  GYP! but if was free except for the taxi.  However all was not lost - we walked over to Reading Terminal and ate pretzel covered hot dogs and shopped around here and there on our way back to the hotel.