Survivors

This evening we went to The Mudcats Stadium for the Relay for Life Events. 

 Tom and Sharon head up the Relay Team for our church.  They held a yard sale in April and last Friday evening, the WUMM & WUMW had a Spaghetti supper and bake sale fundraiser.  It is wonderful to go out there and see all the area churches and other organizations supporting this cause. 

We arrived just in time for the survivor walk.  We didn't stay for the lighting of the luminaries - hopefully, they finished with them before the  thunderstorm that moved onto our area just after 9PM.

Friends from church!

Across the road neighbor and her daughter - her 1st year.

Quilting friend, Linda, her 2nd year!

I was surprised to see how many of the walkers I recognized.

Our family is no stranger to cancer either.  Our family survivor list John's sister Connie; his brother Al;  SIL,Pat; my BIL, Ken; our son, Gordon, 1st year and our niece, Kellie, 2nd year. 

Turning Leaves & An Amusing Memory

 

I finished sewing the borders on this Turning Leaves quilt that I started back in March. It is now 56 x 73". 

The picture was taken outside in the sun so the color isn't really correct.

I sewed the backing (bright green with purple markings) and made the binding (purple batik, same fabric as outer border) also.  I think I will like it better once it's quilted.

I am still looking for a border fabric for my string quilt.  I have checked  through my fabric at here at home and am not happy with any that I've found. Guess I'll have to look at Whistle Stop Thursday when I meet with Connie, Cathy and Sally to sew.  

I bought a fabric I thought I might use at Ladybug when I was there to teach my quilting class on Saturday. But once I had it home I decided against it.

Oh! that reminds me of an amusing memory!

My Saturday student is a retired Home Ec teacher from Ithaca, NY.  ( She doesn't look old enough to be retired). I'll have to tell her this on Saturday when I see her again.

When I was in 7th or 8th grade in New York State, Home Economics was a mandatory class that all girls took.  We learned the basics of cooking and other useful knowledge such as how to make a bed properly.

One day, I think we may have been getting ready to start sewing classes, our teacher demonstrated the proper way to put on a bra.  Well you can imagine the amusement of a bunch of teenage girls watching an amply endowed middle aged lady putting on her bra (over her dress, of course). 

According to her, you were to put your arms through the straps, reach behind your back to fasten the bra and then bend over at the waist so that your breasts would  fall naturally into the cups. 

 Most of us barely needed bras - so we hooted about that all through high school.

Japanese Roof Iris?

Another prolific plant!  The lady I got this plant from out near Charlotte called it Japanese Roof Iris.  I havenever bothered to find out what the actual name is.  I have divided and shared this plant with many.  At the same time I bought the white variety but I'm not sure if I even saw any white ones this year - they are as scarce as hen's teeth as the old saying goes.

Gardening

 Our Giant Solomon's Seal is so pretty right now.  We have two big clumps of it on the north end of John's workshop. They are about 18" to 24" high.

These pictures sure don't do it justice.  Of course I took the pictures right in the middle of the day. 

I bought this plant from Tony Avent's about 10 years ago.  I have moved it, divided it, shared it, planted it at church etc.
All in all, I'd say I got my money's worth for what I thought was a pretty expensive plant at the time I purchased it.

I have seen a few of the native Solomon's Seal plants up at the lake. They are 8 to 10" high at best.

Aren't all those greens just gorgeous?

Paper Pieced Flower Pots

This little quilt is 22 x 30". 
I quilted it with light turquoise thread and sewed on button centers. 
Emily and I took it over to Lady Bug Quilt Shop.  I picked out some fabrics to make another one with yellow butterfly border.
The paper piecing was fun.  We'll see how the class goes.

String Quilt

I love the look of this quilt!
I ended up making enough blocks to make the center of this top
56 x 70".  I plan to add an accent border of red and an outer border about 6 inches wide.  I hope to find something in my stash that will work. Maybe a light blue or creamy yellow print.
I followed a pattern found in Liberated String Quilts by Gwen Marston which I borrowed from a friend.
There are lots of great string quilts in this book.

First Peony of Season

Kathy found this peony hiding under a Knockout rose bush.  I think it's called Buckeye Beauty.

I  planted it several years ago and it rarely has more than one blossom.

I guess I should find a better place for it but I sure hate to disturb it again.  I really need to do a lot of weeding in this bed.  Perhaps this coming week as most everything has sprouted esp. the weeds!