FYI

in case you wondered....the header photo was taken at pemaquid point in maine...it was my mother's favorite place to go and just sit and read....after my father died, she often went after work to just ponder, probably pray, and soak in sea air and sunshine.  when i was there, we always visited.  i wish i could have taken her more times.  the black stripes in the rock are called dikes, cooled molten lava...there is a lighthouse there and a lovely little restaurant.  the restaurant burned a few years ago but was rebuilt.  it is one of the many, many beautiful spots in maine, seldom over-run with tourists....no beach but oh the view.  lobster boats can often be seen hauling traps...if you love the ocean and get to maine, it is a must.  

saturday doings

finally cooler, cloudy, still steamy, but at least can open the drapes and let some light in...i made a list and working on it slow and steady.  so far today....

eighteen 6.5" baskets all done....that's half....so on the way to another finish.  takes the same time to cut pieces and sew the block.  might get the others prepped before the day is gone....might.  

leftover album blocks got approval for a lap quilt at yesterday's sewing group....border fabric found in our storage so get them on and it goes bye bye next friday.  

it seems everyone is in the christmas mode and our group is no different.  they pulled out a project for me....

it's a cute panel, santa with some woodland animals.  they added the tan print with little deer and a red to finish it off, so that's on my next week's agenda.  

more baskets got appliqued and on target to finish them by august 31st.  tuscan starburst is in the hoop.  summer list slowly dwindling but still robust.   there are 3 basting tasks but think one will get done for now.  

missing my independence big time...finally get to a point in my life with no other demands and now stranded...if i were younger and in better physical shape, i'd give up my apartment and buy a new car.  yeah i miss it that much....glass still half full but the half empty part is unpleasant....sigh

quilty circle of life

just as in everyday life, things, people, situations come and go.  so it is with quilting.  just yesterday finished this long-awaited UFO...

s'mores is finished, waiting for winter.  a jo morton pattern pulled from a magazine and drooled over ever since.  color me happy....one down, one added....

blue album/chimney sweep top is finished....goes in the basting pile after batting and backing acquired...it's 60x80 and had planned a larger quilt but caved and used the extra blocks for a lap quilt top for our group project.  i have a couple already finished that'll get donated as well.  

that's the sweltering heat week progress.   tuscan starburst now in the hoop, more dargate blocks done, and dove in to my christmas puzzle...this is a real toughie...next will tackle mom's sampler to finish...with july half over the summer list is at the forefront.  had hoped to get 3 bed tops basted but at least the bow ties.  

all these are diversions are mostly keeping me from sliding into grief mode--loss of my dear mum, my car and independence, my summer beach vacay, my regular gym visits....focusing on blessings and gratitude for the good in my life, trying to emulate St. Paul, also a prisoner, and be content where i am, trusting my Lord to free me.  

as per usual...

my bad habit, or deficient calculation more like, finds me often lacking a certain needed fabric...and it happened again with s'mores.  i do have some sashing fabric left but alas, not enough to bind.  what to do?  rummage in the stash for something do-able...

close enough....not quite a color match but not too far off the sashing....it's for me, another humble quilt, so i don't mind.  it's definitely snuggle worthy.

i do have a finish, tho....it's the birdhouse project

this idea came from the border fabric pieces, just small scraps that appealed to me.  it's done and needs a wash....dear daughter has already claimed....i do like to do letters now and then, plus busted more fabric, always good.  and on the back....

cleaning out an elfa drawer found a bit of this aunt grace fabric so fussy cut the designs and will use them as quilt labels...

last but not least, a sample block of 'crossed canoes'....

bit of ripping out a couple of times but overall good result...this is NOT a new start but will leave on design wall for now....have to sign off now, cable acting up as per usual....keeps telling me i have no internet connection that i paid for which means nothing to them.  

unmentionable

if you live in the path of the current heat wave, no words needed.  

still waiting for new machine belt....holiday and heat have delayed delivery so it's dargate baskets on my current plate.  finished applique blocks piling up...all these plus what's on design wall...56 to go!

got all the album blocks done before the machine issue so today's task is to square them up and cut sashing strips.  pair of winter pjs need to be cut out as well.  

lotsa free time to surf quilty stuff brought this WHIMM (work hidden in my mind) to the forefront....kaffe fassett crossed canoes.

don't these colorful blocks just make you swoon?  they do me for sure....thanks to jinny beyer for the free pattern to download...just happen to have shoebox full of kaffe scraps plus what's on the shelf....added to the list!

finalized my plan for liberty fabrics and got my teacup pattern ready...

looks funky due to the fold and angle of camera...needs a bit of fine tuning

inbetween sewing fun, reading this series....Inspector Lynley

i've read a few of her more recent books but went back and started at the beginning of the series..this is book 6 so will keep me occupied thru the summer....i miss going to the library and just wandering around.  between work and weather, my occasional chauffeur has been delayed....food pantry trips gone along with the subaru but so far God has provided...

sticking to simple menus but TV pizza ads driving me nuts so early this morning, made my own....no salt dough, no salt sauce, only a bit in the cheese with vegs on top...mmm delish!

that's all from this lake woebegone!  gosh i sure do miss prairie home companion saturday nights---thank goodness for youtube!

a day to celebrate

 

no real plans for today but lots of cherished memories of past independence days...even so, it's always a good day to remember and celebrate the founding of our nation, born in struggle and maintained in equal effort...pray for our nation every day to preserve its tenets and our freedoms in these days that are no less explosive, divisive and challenging than when first established.

back to steamy

our few days of good weather and good sleeping nights have ended, it's back to the very hot and humid stuff....yeeech! 

was nearly finished sewing binding on s'mores and miss sunny snapped another belt!  only 3 weeks old too!  i've ordered a small stash of them but in the meantime, must soldier on with other things.  guessing my mom didn't have this problem as she did not sew as much as i do.  looking into alternatives that might have longer life.  

this small piece is in the hoop and will be done in short order i think.  also have some baskets to applique, album blocks to trim; house chores also on the list.  

today is the day mom is laid to rest next to dad.  we've had a few months to steel ourselves, but it is still a difficult day.  she isn't there, we know that, but everything has been settled now and it's time for us to ease back into everyday life, except it won't ever be normal again i don't think.  the emptiness, loss and aloneness never goes away.  

happy together again no doubt....

july's task

 

the chookshed challenge organizer has spoken...it's #1 on the hit parade!  this is mine....

1.  Tame the wild scrap basket.....

this was my scrap basket way back in december when the list was made....here it is now....

i've used some, added some, even tossed some--i had to, it was so tall might have caused an injury--anyway, with another heat wave later this week, more time will be spent indoors with the A/C so hoping there is room in the shoeboxes for additions.  

wonders never cease and we've a cool, sunny, breezy day here in mostly miserable weather maryland...aside from trying to schedule problematic transit service to medical appointments and rescheduling same 3-4 times, it's a great day so far...you'd think i was asking permission to run off with a tiktok stranger, which no doubt would be much easier to arrange.  

wishing all a happy 4th, so grateful for our free country and its benefits, thanks to all who worked and sacrificed for them...

life under the dome

the heat dome, that is.   oppressive heat continues...weatherman called it a heat wave but when temps don't fluctuate that much, not sure how he figures that.  my dearest daughter braved heat and took me out wednesday afternoon...haircut, farmer's market, grocery...she is definitely a keeper.  it was a boost to my mental outlook as well a PLUS as cruising around the store provided some much-needed cardio.  

getting down to the wire on s'mores....

the next photo i post of this will, i say WILL be the finish...a few more blue album blocks to assemble then it's on to the flimsy.  dargate basket progress plods along.  i am weary of these 3 projects.  fortunately a cruise on the internet revealed this...

i'm going to modify the shape a bit and use it for my liberty stash.  it will commemorate my daughter's tea at the savoy when she visited london.  it was a grand event for her and will be gifted when done, but won't be started right away.  another UFO is up next....

actually it's TWO ufos...pulled out this tote of batik scraps to make blocks--baskets and moth in window (bonnie hunter pattern)...so it's a DUO UFO....a change from the blues.  this project along with the chookshed challenge PLUS more hand quilting and a bit of cross stitch will keep my mind off horrid hot weather, made worse as there's no maine vacay in my future, nothing fun ahead.  working very hard not to sink into depression abyss.  

and must end this post with a tribute....today would have been my parents 77th anniversary....the first together in 22 years in their heavenly home....glad for them but still very sad for me....

time to crank up a/c again....eeeeek!  i've always said i'd rather cold weather than hot...easier to get warm than to stay cool....

sewing under the dome

that would be the heat dome....yes, records broken over the weekend and still hanging around....running the sewing machine drowned out the constant whirring of the electric meter while a/c pumped on...got this top done and packed for the thrift...

nearly all my blue batik stash used up and one of three blue projects off the sewing table.  

what else?  lots of quilting time and i believe i WILL finish s'mores this week.   recently gifted this gadget.

i knew about it long ago but never tried...now i am a convert!  keeps the quilting moving along steadily...the brown quilting thread was chosen, not a great choice.  using it on dark fabrics doesn't permit monitoring stitches, so it's another humble quilt by me i'm afraid.  

more dargate basket blocks got appliqued, some cross stitching, more album blocks--only 12 left to put together and can work on the flimsy.  the lobster runner got basted, plan to finish it in the next day or two.  no laundry was done nor kitchen floor washed either.  did have to do a bit of cooking of course and some PT exercises as well.  i do miss going to the gym immensely.  it seems every time i get into a groove, some annoying misfortune derails my momentum.

summer 1/3 over and i've still a hefty to-do list..hoping for good progress this week.  

so that's it for photos....keep COOL and quilt on!