Tuesday, June 22, 2021

A day/week in my life

To see what other quilters are up to go to Small Quilts and Doll Quilts.

I finished up this quilt, A Sparkling Sampler, that my quilt group started BC (before Covid). We were finally able to meet a few times to pass our bags around so we could get this project finished. 

It was windy when I was trying to take a photo.

The sun shining on it makes the quilting show up a little better.
Here is the back.

I had a few issues when quilting this one. Even though it isn't my best work I will enter it in the fair under the Friendship Quilt category, mainly because there usually aren't any entries in that one and I don't want them to eliminate it. I keep hoping other people in my group will decide to show their quilts. My group met last week at a local park. Several people have finished their quilts from this exchange and it was so nice to see them. We had a fabulous time showing projects we have worked on and visiting. When I finally got home Husband said he was beginning to wonder if I was going to come home! 

And, speaking of the fair, I have finished two 12-inch blocks.
Thistle Bloom by Wendy Russell at Patchwork Square.
Red Emperor from Quilter's Cache.

We are allowed two entries in each category. This year I got the bright idea that maybe I should make my blocks using fabrics that would look nice together. After a few years, I will have enough to make a quilt! I don't know why it took me so long to think of that. 

For the 6-inch block category, I have been making blocks using the fabrics for the 365 Challenge so they will eventually go into that quilt.

Between phone calls/appointments with flooring people, plumbers, and cabinet makers I have been busy with taking care of things with/for my son. When my son's landlord passed away several months ago family members purchased the rental house my son is living in and it was decided that he needed a wheelchair-accessible kitchen. The flooring that was put in the kitchen and adjoining utility room is lifting in spots causing his wheels to get caught and makes the wheelchair suddenly stop or jerk which is dangerous for Son. We finally were able to meet with the flooring people, get measurements and make a choice. They have replaced floors for my SIL and she was very pleased with their work. Son liked her floor and wanted to go with that, but because his floor gets 'heavy wheeled traffic' he had to go with something else. I'm thankful the flooring guy checked into that and the right flooring will be installed. Then we had to schedule a plumber to come the day before the flooring people because the water heater is in the utility room and has to come out. The sink, cabinet, and counter have to come out of the kitchen also. Water to the whole house will have to be shut off. Then the plumber has to come back to reinstall the water heater. We were able to schedule this to happen while Son is at my house during the week of the fair. 

The kitchen cabinets have to be made and installed before the sink can be installed. The hold-up now is the cabinet maker. He is my SIL's sister's husband. He is working full time while getting his cabinet company going AND is in the process of selling/buying a house and moving. We are waiting for a meeting with him to finalize the finish and accessories for the cabinet. It takes several days to get responses to emails from him. Plus there are delays getting materials and rising prices for everybody so we are learning patience. 

Our internet provider had a widespread outage a few weeks ago and our connection has been very slow since. They are working on it I was told. 

Why is there a garden hose running through my house?
Because this happened with the waterbed! A leak!
It was drained, always a bit messy.
Going from sleeping on a warm, king waterbed to a double bed with a regular mattress results in restless/sleepless nights. And, my sewing room is a mess. 
I was going to set this bed up for Son when he is here during fair week, but I planned to have more time to get things better organized so it wouldn't be so messy in there. 

No mattresses were available locally so TWO were ordered. I want to be prepared for the next time this happens. And, it will. We have to replace our mattress about every 5 years. 
The new mattress arrived quickly and is filled. 
We have been waiting for it to warm up. We fill the mattress from the spigot in the garage. Well water is about 40 degrees when it comes out of the ground. It takes a couple of days to be warm enough to sleep on.

Pretty things are happening in my yard.
Daisies ready to bloom.

Daylilies, some blooming, some soon to bloom.
This planter is on my front steps.

The petunias are doing well this year.
The hollyhocks are beautiful right now! 


Stay well and safe.
Happy quilting!

Monday, June 14, 2021

Inside and Out

To see what other quilters are up to go to Small Quilts and Doll Quilts.

With the warmer weather, I have been working outside as well as inside. I hope you don't mind my outside pictures.

Inside I have been playing with fabric. 

Ombre Stripes is quilted and I am working on sewing the binding to the back in the evening.
Edit: I started this post this morning, but I was able to finish the binding before I got it posted. Here it is finished. 
It is pretty windy here today so I took an inside pic also.
I bound it with the same fabric as the outer border. The backing is a bright pink small floral print.

I cut up all the 2 1/2 inch strips I had in my stash and sorted them by color. My intention was to use them as leader-enders.

But then this happened. 
I am sewing 16 patches, then sewing those together. 

Outside I try to walk around my yard every day. My garden is so-so this year.

The onions look great.

The cherry tomato is doing well. The green beans finally started coming so I planted a second crop. They are up too. I have planted carrots three times. 
I hope the third time is the charm. 
I planted two different kinds of mini cucumbers. When they didn't come up replanted. 
I have ONE cucumber plant. :(
I like the small ones. 
They are great for snacking.

Before anything was planted, Husband and I added some amendments to the soil and noticed there were two seedlings. He didn't know what they were but decided we should try to save them.

I don't know if you can see them. They are at the top of the photo. They are sunflowers. I planted a few sunflowers seeds several years ago and have not needed to plant them since. We have volunteers every year. LOTS of volunteers. I'm leaving them in the raised bed just to see what they do. 

Elsewhere around my yard:





Stay safe and well.

Happy quilting!

Monday, June 7, 2021

Design Wall Monday

To see what other quilters are up to go to Small Quilts and Doll Quilts.

Over the weekend the weather was hot and windy and today it is rainy. I am staying in and spending time with my fabric and machines.

On the longarm is this Ombre Stripes Quilt.



The jelly roll was purchased in 2016, the top completed in 2018. The quilting was begun 2 days ago. I'm trying to finish up UFOs.

But, sometimes I feel the need to start something new! So, I have started piecing this. 


The pattern is Valley Batik Plaid by Wood Valley Designs. I am not using batiks, obviously. I have pieced all the 4 patch units and the middle green/blue strips. I have 3 blocks made so far. The fabrics are a 5-yard bundle from Boline's Quilt Fabric Warehouse. (The Ombre Stripes jelly roll above came from Boline's as well, but is no longer available.)

And, I finished the block for this month for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge 2021.

I finished this one, another UFO. 



A few days ago this rose looked like this...
...today it looks like this.
It is fun to watch it change colors.

These days there is a lot of purple in my front bed.


Stay safe and well.
Happy quilting.

Friday, June 4, 2021

I've Been Busy

 Watching the birds that visit my yard. 
  
Hummingbirds come and go. I often don't see one for several days. Husband has had one visiting his tool shed once in a while. Robin was peaking in the window as I was sewing one day. There is a nest just around the corner.

 
I see this pair of cardinals every so often.
 
Usually, the barn swallows hang around the toolshed and have built a nest in there up high. There is a pair hanging around the house this year, which is unusual. I finally found what I think is their nest.

Watching the flowers grow and bloom. 
 
Baby apples!
Clustered Bellflower are ALL over. I will be pulling some out once they finish blooming. 

 
I wish you could smell this! It is a dwarf variety that blooms later
after the common lilacs are finished.
New to my yard this year.

Phlox growing in with a peony that is about to bloom.

The peonies were beautiful. The dark pink is my favorite.
Beautiful Iris.
The bees love the Phlox.

I have been quilting too!

This quilt for my son is finally finished. He loves it!

Disappearing 4 Patch made with fabric with a school theme.

I also attended a wedding.
My sister-in-law got married. I am so thankful she has found love and happiness again. It was a beautiful day. 

I donated blood in memory of my brother. The goal was met, plus some. 
This photo is from last year, but it looked the same this year, another Power Red donation.

And, of course, I spent some time with my son. He's doing well.

Stay safe and well.