must see 'mania'

although i purchase this magazine only occasionally for a specific quilt or pattern, this issue makes 2 in a row for me, primarily for this beauty....am considering making this and thought the pattern should be on hand just in case...

this is leigh latimore's inspiration of an antique, which goes without saying.  it surely is gorgeous and it's big, which may prohibit me, but maybe not....but this issue has a whole lot more like this

it's more gorgeous applique (sigh) by veronique diligent, and in my stash is a collection of tuscany inspired fabrics that would be perfect.  might make only 4 or maybe all 9, but it too is gorgeous and not to be missed.  also in this issue of interest to me were profiles of some internationally known quiltmakers, irene blanck for one, an applique artist from australia who is going to be on my side of the pond this fall.  she has a book along with some lovely patterns.....check them out if you dare!   also in this issue is a simple but pretty scrappy, many more antiques and some interesting short articles.  one that caught my eye right away was about an exhibit on reunion island, and only last week i knew where that was....the malaysia plane wiing flap was found there....how coincidental is that?   so, bottom line is if antique and applique are your interests, this issue should find its way into your sewing space.  NOTE: no connection whatsoever to this magazine or its publisher, just someone who enjoyed the offerings.  this issue probably won't change my buying habits at all--a bit pricier than most--but glad to have it in my inspiration pile. 

that's all folks?

could be....this week only had to make 3 of the 4 as somewhere along the line, had an extra....so 40 it is and they are sooo much fun....not that i've converted to making tiny blocks, but despite my trepidation, found these pretty easy and quite fun.  no, not perfect but (surprise) i'm not either....for those of you harboring any illusions to the contrary. some days more pharisee than christian, i'm afraid.  also this week, cutting out pieces for yet another scrappy, a civil war repro one of course, featured in the latest APQ magazine....it's called daisy chain and it'll be totally scrappy, even the background pieces. 

and lastly, upcoming 5" swap of civil war repro squares are nearly ready to mail.  other than that, hoping my 40 years in the desert days are winding down and will soon find myself in an apartment oasis, together with my own sleeping bed and all my fun quilty stuff.  in the meantime, enjoying the summer and all its benefits....fresh vegs, beach days and lobster of course! 

up to date....

at least for the fabrics that are currently with me.....but it's progress nonetheless...first up are indigos...can't get enough of these dark blues...

next are the lapis blue blocks....at least what i think is a lapis blue....had only the one so i made three different blocks....they'll do...

last are 2 viney prints and a snarled branches type to go with the quercitron from a few weeks ago....

anxious to see what other type prints are in store for the future...and the summer sampler blocks are just about complete, i think might have 2 more to make the 36 blocks.  this must mean that summer is nearly over but how can THAT be?  luckily have the farmer's wife sew-along in september; by then should have the summer sampler done (hopefully) and hope to baste and start quilting the little table topper made earlier this year.   the little heart piece is almost ready to baste as well, so may actually have some finishes before year's end here in temporary headquarters.  ***  fresh, wild, maine blueberries are in so a birthday pie could be in my near future....they are so good even out of hand, tiny and sweet....yum!

for your consideration!

while cruising yesterday found gnome angel's blog and guess what!  sew along starts september 28th...i just happen to have the book  and so i'll be sewing along with others to make the 99 blocks....i'll be using my civil wars instead of 30s repros...aiming for 3 blocks per week maybe to get this done in less than a year....maybe i'll do plaids?  that's if my other stash is available by then....oh yes, plaids would be nice....hmm maybe scrappy?   or blues?  kaffe fassett....drool?  so many choices....won't you consider sewing along?  the more the merrier of course!

next to last 4....

with this batch, only 4 blocks remain to make for this little summer project.   and yet again, the angle has distorted the size...plus the fan in the window that is blowing directly this way...but they are all the same size.  anxious to see this flimsy take shape and add it to the "to be quilted" pile.   ****  vic has sent me yet ANOTHER care package, this one containing a printout of "union blues" quilt, a small tumbler pattern and more thread.  also included a delish margo krager shirting, some teals from the winterthur collection and some judie rothermels too.   judging from her posts lately, guessing these donations haven't made a dent in her stash, nosiree!  i've been in her stash closet aka living room, so have seen her collection.  i love the word her hub has coined....fiber-myalgia....meaning it is painful to pass by gorgeous fabric....don't we all have that illness???  *** it's scraptastic tuesday and more 9-patch blocks are getting assembled.  next sewing will be more brackman stars....lapis, indigo and one gnarled branches block from a couple of weeks ago.  and the mess on my sewing table?  that comes first....it'll give phoebe a break before we play again!

sunday sewing

just 2 little blocks done and yes, the left is a squidge smaller than the right although it looks a LOT smaller in this photo....it'll work....there wasn't much more done because of these....

took an afternoon drive along the shore in east boothbay harbor, one of the most beautifully scenic places that isn't a far distance.  no doubt there are other similarly beautiful places along the coast, north and south.   it's a place i visit winter or summer; today being summer there was plenty of traffic, foot and otherwise, on the narrow road.  most of the relaxing vistas are private areas but there are some public....easy to see why it is a favorite stopping place.   taking advantage of my prolonged sojourn here by visiting special places.  anxious to discover new favorite places after the move, no doubt there are plenty both near the water and inland.  tops on my list are civil war battlefields and a crab shack...LOL!
   

a lovely surprise....

from vic in NH....live free or die NH (license plate motto)....a very nice and unexpected squishy jamming my po box.  vic and i share fabric DNA, same as busy thimble, meaning we drool over the same ones...LOL!  and even one of those nearly extinct pillar prints....wow!  to say i am touched is an understatement.....the care packages received have done wonders for my morale and kept me busy washing, cutting and sewing up a storm.  and having a place to sew?  priceless.. saying thanks seems so inadequate as they have all meant so much to me.  ***  it's the weekend but no real plans in the works except sewing of course....and welcome august, harbinger of autumn and overflowing farm stands.....i love 'em!

so darn cute!

here are the latest summer sampler blocks....gotta say i am lovin these cute little blocks....now if you know me, you know that i am not a world class machine piecer....there has been a lot of improvement in this technique over the years and think these have come together pretty well.  pictured also is the background/sashing fabric i'll be using on this little sampler.  it's a paula barnes civil war dark blue with a hint of gold so just right for these red/gold blocks.....now that august is here, don't imagine there are too many more weeks...maybe one?  i thought i counted 36 blocks all together....this has been one fun sew-along, just like the little alphabet piece earlier this year.

 
hoping you can see the pretty reds and golds i've used.   the graphics card on my laptop is on life support and everything is in shades of purple, so difficult for me to know if the colors are right.  and did i say "year" earlier?   unbelievable that august is here....summer winding down, not  many UFO finishes at all with several new ones for next year and no retreat for me this year.  it's been a whopper of a messy one so far, but still enjoyable....well, mostly....and far better than many i'd guess.  many gratitudes and blessings so far....excited about those to come!  

W.W.C.W.W.D.

today's short stack....

had to channel my inner civil war woman while making the green/red block....the green was a gift but alas!  not quite big enough for all block pieces....what would civil war woman do?  run to the nearest shop and buy more?  choose another fabric?  i think she would have dug into her stash and pulled out something that would complement the green chintz, which is a stunning print i think.  no way was this little piece getting left behind for some other scrappy project....in the beginning of my quilty life, it's true that yardage was what came home with me; matchy-matchy was my BFF....but now that i have left the dark side (almost) and come into the light of serendipity scrap sewing, would rather shop my own stash first if possible and improvise if need be.  it's actually more fun, too!   ***   summer heat is on here like in most of the country.   we are only a few hours away from dog days of august.  in a couple of weeks it will actually begin to feel a bit like fall with cooler/drier days here and there.  hot days won't be gone completely, but the tilt will be noticeable.  but now it's a few errands and back to phoebe...summer sampler blocks await.   and this week's star print? oh lapis blue, where are you?  

a plan!

been working on these little bow tie blocks for some time now, originally started to use up scraps  (i hear that snickering....) but as often happens, probably have MORE solids now than when i started.  as i've been sewing them up, wondering how to actually use them in one or more projects and have finally formulated a plan.  first, will sew them together in blocks of 25 ties; then set them off with 2" sashing...probably charcoal or black....with scrappy solid 4-patch corner squares(or maybe little bow tie blocks?)...can you picture it?  will need 300 little bow tie blocks....most of which are in a box someplace, so for now will only sew rows together to get a good mix later.  have sketched it out and put the paper in the busy box as inspiration.  anxious to see the flimsy together which'll happen once all blocks are in one place...LOL!  feeling relieved now that there is a plan in place.  they are still homeless like me for now, but soon we'll be together.....won't that be fun?  **** now there are 10, meaning while i had 6 blocks to catch up for the summer sampler, 4 more posted today makes it 10.  this must be my task this week, to get all or most of these done.  have roughed out diagrams and written down how many of what size/color to cut for the 6....next will tackle the 4 new ones from today.  already have my fabrics together--reds, golds and some kona snow--will make a good project for later in the week when triple-H weather arrives--hazy/hot/humid.  another plan!  what are YOUR plans for today/this week?