it's sum-sum-summertime!

mowing man is busy at work early this morning so it's officially summer!  temps around 80 today also a definite sign...but i am ready for it.  finally finished the last basting job...

it's the butterflies...and they will get added to this pile, which should keep my hoop occupied until leaves fall and maybe beyond....

this means after 2 weeks, the folding table is back to the closet and the living room returns.  next time i baste, the DWR will get done plus the secret gift project...and maybe this patient UFO...

this is from APQ magazine 2008....love churn dash pattern and this really makes it wow.  i've started the smallest blocks--4" finished--and might be basted this year.  designers are sarah maxwell and dolores smith.   *** so what else?  the hexie stars are just about ready to baste.  original pattern from marcia hohn over at quilterscache.com and she titles it "hexed stars"....the finished piece will debut later this week!  otherwise is a free day....no cooking, laundry or outside appointments...storms threatening so exercise tomorrow.  four half-hours per week seems just about right for me without getting too tired.  with lots of free time to ponder, overwhelmed with gratitude at how blessed i am....

'round midnight

that's when i caved and signed off chooky's zoom party last night...i spent the time doing applique on 'midnight at the oasis' and got it finished!

photo sub-optimal but you get the idea....really perks up the viney border i think....next border is checkerboard...

ooh i feel a flimsy coming sooon!  ***  in the Plan B department, laid out the scrappy DWR to baste and realized the backing was wrong size....oh noooo not again!  turns out it was the backing for s'mores, so off came DWR and on went s'mores....now to baste....

still have antennae to embroider, made more blocks for secret project....hand quilting on wall UFO almost done, doing the border now....respite from boring rainy weekend TV thanks to the library....

next up in the hoop is the 'batik splash' as it's headed to dear daughter's when finished....and speaking of my only child, tickets on board for 'downton abbey: a new era'....so traveling east next week for a girls day out and a side trip to trader joe's...the muggies are on the way so will be cranking up A/C, first time this year...102 days to the beach vacay!

tuesday already?

for someone who doesn't do very much, the days still manage to fly by somehow...so i try and keep busy doing fun things...few and far between these days. 

years ago made this purse for my mom....she has used it a lot and on my recent visit, replaced zipper but noticed it was nearly on life support...faded and fraying....so a new one is in the works using these fabrics...

shape is the same but design a bit different...the two are a perfect visual of how my style has evolved...and basting blitz continues but not at lightning speed.....the scrappy DWR is next with plenty of projects waiting for quilting ....

may is warming up here in the old line state...finally!  it's the month i miss my house the most because of all the flowers that bloomed in my yard....

dear daughter came monday for belated mother's day lunch and brought me a sweet figurine to express her devotion....nagging regrets of motherhood failures that would like to haunt me were derailed for the reality of being human and overwhelming pride in the woman she has become...

this week's plan?  more blocks for the secret project, the DWR baste, the antennae on the butterflies so that can be basted, the exercise and finally shorts all week!

A Legacy of Mothers

Yesterday as I was doing nothing special, pondered about the women whose shoes I now fill and how they shaped my life...Quilters?  I've got some including Josie (gr-grandmother) ...

and there's Mary (gr-grandmother)....

I made cinnamon rolls for breakfast channeling my legacy baker, Mabel, a grandmother who was the pastry cook at a small hospital....

my education legacy, grandmother Grace, first in her family to graduate high school....sadly, I never knew her as she died when my mother was a toddler....

and my own mother....faith teacher, guide, nurturer, friend, confidante...still youthful twinkle in her eyes at 95...introduced me to a sewing machine at age 8, sparking a life-long passion...

so there they are...no olympic athletes, no Rhodes scholars, no rocket scientists, just pretty ordinary people of strong mind, faith, integrity and wise beyond their years....pretty lucky eh?

wednesday report

most of today's sewing--well all of it really--was spent on my secret gift quilt project.  i did some quick fuzzy math and realized in order to have the top done by june, will have to make 22 blocks every week....EEEKS!  a great motivator and so just joy has been working hard today.  but i have also worked on the bird house project....

definitely a work in progress, but while rummaging in the stash for something else, came across 2 prints that thought would work as birds and they do.  no rush on this one....

last week bookmobile lady gave me a starter pot with something planted....given out free for national library week.  mine had no tag so it was a mystery, but i think it's either cilantro or parsley....plants don't do well here in summer because it's either too hot or too cold (a/c)...so we'll see how long this one lasts...

and my dearest daughter sent me this for mother's day....she has to work sunday but we'll celebrate after...it's nice to be spoiled a bit but really the joy is all mine...

and me and my mum are again counting the days until our next visit....first must endure the blistering summer here in maryland....now back to those blocks!!

midnight again

during a zoom party last night, chose to work on "midnight at the oasis" attaching the appliques to the vine border.  amazed at how much those few colorful additions have kicked this up yet another notch...

the pattern picture isn't clear enough regarding placement of the appliques, so just winged it and tried to make it look serendipitous to fit the design.  not all are sewn yet but soon will be, then it's onward to the next border of checkerboard design.  after that, one more border to flimsy and basting...could easily be a 2022 finish, i'm thinking.

pulled out a couple of free cross-stitch patterns to kit up for some lazy, warm weather stitching.  these are small pieces, quickly finished, for those times when need a break from machine or hoop.

all required floss and fabric on hand.  even though weather is cool again today, warmer days are promised and soon one day will wake up and oppressive heat will be here for the duration...that's the south!

April Mini

here is my mini for april....

bought the background fabric while in Maine and loved it....only found half yard but it was enough.  Chose the pink as there is a tiny bit of blush in the print, tho difficult to see on this view.  wish i could have found more but didn't.  glad i'll have this to use and enjoy. linking up with wendy and the other monthly mini gals! *** what else have i done?  finished my needle book....

looks big but it's about 5x6 inches with plenty of space for all my needles...borrowed a jigsaw puzzle from the craft room but lost interest; need to return to my basting list.  hoping to embroider the butterfly antennae this weekend so that can get basted...pulled some fabrics to sacrifice for a back for the batiks top.  as a hand quilter, pieced backs can be a nuisance but in the spirit of frugality, will forego a purchase.  few other projects in the works, depending on what calls to me....getting antsy for warmer weather and shedding the fleece pants until fall....
 

May's OMG

 this is the May OMG and it's already in the hoop...anticipate a finish long before May is gone...

it's hexagon stars, paper pieced some time ago...wall quilt size.  other may goals?  the monthly mini of course, quilt another wall quilt and more sewing on my secret project that needs to be flimsy by june so can start quilting....it's a larger quilt than i usually make but it's a gift--that's why.  just maybe will get the birdhouse wall piece top done too....ambitious?  not really, but with no diversions other than exercise and an occasional event, pretty much every day is wide open.  ***  early cold spring hangs on with freeze warning next 2 mornings...shorts washed and ready to go when mother nature obliges!

April's OMG

the scrappy christmas trees got finished just in time!  it's bed size and busted nearly 9 yards of fabric....did i bust all the christmas prints?  of course not!  but the stack is slowly dwindling....at least enough for one more christmas-y remains....

it'll be going on my bed in july for a test drive....the a/c will be on continually so i'll need a nice warm quilt at night....this brings my total stash bust to about 20 yards so far this year with only 8 added....aside from quilting this, a basting blitz got started....

these two plus the april showers umbrellas all ready for quilting...still waiting are batiks splash, the s'mores and the butterflies, so embroidering the antennae is next to do...the monthly mini is just about done and something new has been put in the hoop for may's OMG....watch this space!  ***  one year ago today broke the hip.  i'm walking ok but not quite back to before yet.  it's an extremely slow process with tiny increments of progress...as they say, inch by inch life's a cinch!

the plain truth

i'm no quilt designer, no way no how.  but i had this idea for this wall quilt and started it, now i'm sorta developing it as i go along, ideas percolating...it's growing on me.  it won't be my favorite but somebody will like it...donation destination for sure....it's why i stick to others' patterns...😕

while contemplating this piece, realized had lots of small tops and not enough batting--i use pellon sew in fleece type.  surfed joann's website and found a good coupon, wiped out my christmas gift card to stock up...6 small pieces plus 2 large quilts to do...will set up the folding banquet table for the duration....good thing i live alone!

after watching mary berry, had to try these chicken wings....i've been looking for a very low sodium recipe...there is a bit of worcestershire in them but otherwise all other ingredients are cardio friendly.

they are good but next time i'll reserve some of the marinade before adding the chicken and drizzle over cooked wings...they are missing something, probably salt, but the marinade has a bit of maple syrup and it might make them perfect.  definitely good tho....recipe is here if you are interested https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/smoky_firecracker_89700 (she used drumsticks) i cooked mine at 375 for about half hour or so....

now quilting the last row of the scrappy trees, time to prep binding and get this puppy finished...we're 10 days from another month and got to finish some things so i can start new ones of course...LOL!