Summertime and the Living is Hot

I have been wanting to get around to posting for awhile now, and only just realized that it has been a whole month since I last posted. It seems that every time I make a decision to try and post more, something happens and I don't follow through. I must admit, I am a bit lazy about posting because of all the hoops I have to jump through to get it done these days. Logging out of my regular google account that I use for everything else, and into the one I use for blogging, having pictures downloaded...the list goes on. There has been lots going on in July here. 

There has been lots of embroidery work happening. I finished this piece after several weeks of working on it. It is from BeCoProductions, a designer from Canada. She has an Etsy shop.

I got a bee in my bonnet to make a postage stamp quilt from some really soft colors. I made four 10"x11" panels and sashed them with some off white. All of this is scraps, so I don't really have any fabric information.

I got a new drive belt for my grandmother's Singer featherweight and installed it. I am so glad I did, because the old one was cracked in several places and I would have been sad if it broke in the middle of something.

We go to a local farmer's market every Saturday and one thing I always get is a bouquet of local flowers. It has been fun to seen the varieties change as the season progresses. Early on it was peonies and now its Zinnias and sunflowers and Marigolds.

I made another crochet rag rug from balls of strips that I had put together about a year or so ago. I have it in my kitchen and it was so much fun, I am making scrap balls for another one. It's very helpful in culling out scrap fabric strips that would otherwise be tossed.

More embroidery work. This is another pattern from BeCo Productions. I love her stuff.

The littles were here with us for a week of "camp" and one of the activities was to start building this LEGO Hogwarts Castle. Granddaddy bought this with B in mind, as he loves LEGOS and Harry Potter. There are over 6000 pieces, so it will take awhile to finish. We love the "stained glass".

And I am working on making some small felt cacti to fit in these tiny pots for my oldest grandson. He got the pots from a teacher last year and wanted to fill them with something that didn't need tending to. I have 4 done and 3 to go.

There has also been lots of swimming going on. When the littles were here, we went every day. Now we go 3-4 times a week. It's good exercise.  So you can see, I have been very busy. Also, I had a computer issue while typing this post. Another reason I avoid posting. Computers are unpredictable.

I hope you are staying cool. Happy summer.

Suck it Up Buttercup

I had three quilt tops done. One for 6 weeks or so, one just finished and one for 5 months. They were hanging there looking at me, and I kept thinking that I needed to do something about them. Awhile back I had cut out the battings for them off of my giant roll of batting, thinking that at least that part would be done and ready for me when I got to them. But that was all I had done.

So yesterday I told myself to suck it up and get the backings ready and pin baste them. One is baby size, one only 55 inches square and the largest is about 72 inches square.

So first I pin basted this little one. This is for the Hands 2 Help Comfort Quilt campaign. I had bought some half yards of Little Clementine last fall, thinking what a cute child's quilt they would make. Since I never did anything with them, I decided to do it now.

And the first one is done and ready to quilt, as soon as I figure that out. I want it to be soft for a baby.

 Then, there's this one. Not too big, and I already have a quilting plan for this one, so I'm ready to go.

 I had these two pretties with nowhere to go, so I pieced them together and the backing was done.

And I have begun the quilting on it. Just barely started, but I am already pleased with my choices.

 And then there's this big beast. It took me a whole year to get this thing pieced, if you'll remember. And I am just going to meander all over it to give all those tiny pieces strength.

Funny thing though, my Bernina BSR decided not to play nice yesterday when I started. My machine is a 440 QE and there isn't much troubleshooting on line for this older machine. But I did see where someone suggested to use the darning foot, drop the feed dogs and just free motion quilt. Kinda like taking the training wheels off your bike. So I tried it this morning and I did it!! Feel so lucky to be able to get this thing done. I have quilted about a quarter of it so far. Man! that's hard work.

So that's what's going on here right now, along with crochet, hand stitching, embroidery and baking. I am keeping busy. Hope you are as well. Talk to you soon.