tropical storm grace?

like the meteorological version, my own self had a bit of a stormy start yesterday but soon downgraded and fair skies prevailed....finished up this flimsy of mod spools with a narrow pale yellow inner border and then short piano keys.  when it gets bound, again with pale yellow, i'll round the corners, giving them a fan shape that i think will soften all the angles.

then i sailed right into another project that has been mulling around in my mind...it's from a Quiltmaker mag, issue--4 applique blocks and 5 patchwork blocks, made with gifted fabric, tentatively titled "midnight garden" but that's not final...photos another day....

meanwhile, with oppressive summer weather here for a few days and the a/c cranked high, figured might  pull out the hawaiian and see how much can get done.  the binding has been ready and was wisely packed with the project; doubt it will get to the binding stage but remains to be seen....

and guess it's progress on the housing front...past couple of weeks, contact has been steady so soon maybe?  can always hope....in the meantime, chunky little fingers will keep busy with fabric and stuff....keep cool!

bronze stars

the camera battery was just about done, but did manage to take this of the latest batch of stars...bronze browns, of which i chose 3 from the stash and made one of each.  you'll notice my high class ironing board aka pink towel again in this photo--we quilters are known for our specialized tools...(grin!)...and have also posted a couple of photos from a day trip to pemaquid point.  it is a fine kodak place but more than that, lovely shade trees, picnic tables everywhere, grassy areas and nice restrooms.  and of course, the lighthouse and a small museum on the history of col. pemaquid and the area.  as a youngster, always climbed on the rocky outcroppings but in recent years, am always baffled why people take small children in sandals or flip flops so close to the edge where a rogue wave could pull them in.  was i that casual in similarly dangerous places about my daughter?  i don't recall and i hope not.  definitely not near water as i don't swim; i don't think aqua-aerobics qualify....but hope you enjoy and just maybe if you get real close, you can even smell the salt water...maybe?

a diagnosis!

whew, what a relief to know i wasn't just imagining things! after playing in knee-deep stash piles yesterday and working on about 5 different things, thought i was simply having an "off" day but nooooo!  i was suffering from this malady that affects probably ALL quilters and crafters...now i can relax and enjoy the illness..thank you dr. msmidge!....LOL!   ***  so what did i accomplish you might ask?   the little heart applique wall piece is basted,  more scrappy 9-patch blocks, cut up a bunch of little scraps, started yet ANOTHER scrappy quilt.  someone had gifted me some FQs with a circus theme, one with elephants, one with tigers, one with clowns and so on.  did some fussy cutting and now have to shop for a background to tie them all together for a child's quilt that will get donated when the time comes.  oooh feeling faint, an exacerbation of symptoms no doubt...must go and start the machine!

a little tumble...

took some gifted 2.5" squares and turned them into tiny tumblers...needs more variety but it is a start. already made one little quilt with civil war tumblers but looks like will have another in mod fabrics...oohh i do love the bright colors... a veritable cotton crayola box!  ****   and remember i mentioned red's eats in an earlier post....they have been featured many places for their generous lobster rolls, and it was a fave place of my dear dad for fried clams; can attest that everything they sell is good but for me, not worth the wait.  as you can see, it doesn't deter many tho....this was nearly 2 pm in the afternoon on a friday and the line was like this at 12:30 too....no wonder other seafood shacks have popped up across the street for the impatient and/or starving masses....

to order and pick up food, have to make it all the way up the little hill and around the corner to the window.  this is route 1 in wiscasset, a pretty little town, but the traffic is bumper to bumper all summer long--makes it easier to ogle the masses waiting for food and see other sights in this little village.  and as i said, the food is very good but have a snack before you come....LOL!  *** ay caramba! september already?   did we have summer?  it's another hot week here but seriously, it has been a rainy summer and with a late start as well.  plenty of good days left before the nasty arrives.   and i don't know anyone who doesn't enjoy autumn.....

over to the NOT dark side!

somewhere in a deep corner of a box are some very nice civil war repro spool blocks waiting patiently for me to add to them.  but my fingers were quivering when i saw the mod charm squares last week and so couldn't resist making these today.  not yet sewn together but just photographed to see how they look together.  the colors are not exactly right but these are definitely NOT civil war fabrics.  bright colors are really fun to sew with and drool over.  this will be a small wallhanging; thinking a narrow white (or maybe aqua? peach? lime?)  border and then maybe some narrow piano keys all around....time to go shopping in the stash again!  and no money needed...how good is that?

even more stars

not sure if these are exactly "later turkey reds" but they were the first reds at hand, so this is what was used and will have to do.  once all are made and some quilt is assembled, they will work fine i am sure.  the old viking was quite happy to come out and play on this last sunday of august.  hard to believe most of another summer is behind me.  after a lobster lunch, finished the last row of the summer sampler--all in all, a restful day, as it should be.  also ready to mail are the civil war nickels for swapping....

i don't swap often due to postage costs, but civil war nickels are a big temptation, and it is always interesting to see what is received.  and now back to regularly unscheduled sewing fun!

a finestkind birthday day

the day dawned sunny and clear....up early and off to the shore for a surfside selfie.....tide nearly in and nice waves....my suit is packed in a box someplace but it was delightful nonetheless.  mom had bought me a beach chair stand-in for my birthday so we could lounge in the sand....next up...

some stand shopping to replenish our supply of fresh veggies....corn, beans, cukes, tomatoes, potatoes, basil, summer squash, eggplant and peppers...corn fritters tonight maybe?  and then....

some shack snacking on delish fried clams with a homemade tartar sauce....mmm, good!  this is our go-to seafood place mostly, though we have others, as they do fry their clams in batter.  red's eats is another, but waiting in line for an hour in the hot sun wasn't our idea of fun.  then a stop at the lobsterman's garage to bring some home and a quick run into joann's for sale stuff.  long stretch of good weather just right for some outdoor time.  lastly, a surprise visit from brother #1 and a small cake ended this birthday on just the right note!  spent every minute of this day having fun!

i took the pledge...

this sew along has exploded with now 1900+ enrollees, some of whom have jumped the gun and started their blocks...not me, and so i decided to commit and NOT start my blocks until it's time.  yes, i have fondled my book and CD, yes i have downloaded the patterns, yes i have my foundation papers at the ready, yes i have some mod fabrics set to go, but with things still in flux a bit, don't want to have another project in progress that might be waylaid somehow.  thinking positive thoughts that i WILL be in an apartment before this starts with ALL my stash at hand...in the meantime, will keep on keeping on until that wonderful day arrives....now off for some birthday gallivanting!

done minus one

one more row of gold blocks to add and it'll be a real flimsy...course, going back to the instructions and adjusting the length of the rows really helped a lot.   the last row plus this week's stars in turkey red are next up on my sewing list.  after a quick trip to joann's for some fleece, will baste the little heart piece that will become a small wallhanging for my new sewing space; have some vintage buttons that'll be used for embellishment.  ***  our overcast and humid weather ends overnight with several days of real nice summer days ahead.  before we know it, though, leaves will start to turn and fall, ushering in the most colorful season.  can't wait to see those pumpkins!

not quite but.....

a sort of birthday surprise arrived in the mailbox.  and yes, a new keyboard is working great!  no more lisp, as lori says....LOL....but here is the haul....gorgeous moda fabric named after me..a layer cake and some stripe yardage; 2 wonderful books that have my fingers itching big time, some precut charms and small squares, some ultra-thin pins for this not-thin-at-all sewist, and the beautiful card with a lovely personal message inside.  totally gobsmacked over this and other surprises that have done much to keep my mojo going and spirits up. 

 

the charms are deliciously mod and colorful.  the moda "grace" is very vintage looking; in fact, someone had gifted me a jelly roll that i sewed up into a small flimsy, but can use these to make it larger and put on a swanky striped border too!  the books are sooo inspiring with lots of wonderful and new-to-me patterns that have me wanting to sew right now and, in fact, have chosen a couple to do right away after some birthday celebrating of course!  a thousand thanks to one and all, including this special quilty muse, for everything.  rest assured, it will be repaid in kind.  ***  the ugh hazy, hot and humid days are with us temporarily but we carry on as usual. the wait continues but enjoying the garden's bounty and summer activities nevertheless.  *** and would you believe over 1800 people in the farmer's wife sew-along?  i kid you not, over 1800....this is an event of epic global proportion...if only world problems could be solved so easily with fabric and thread.  now there is a birthday wish to dream on!