A dry spell

 As I write this, it's finally raining.  I don't know how long it will last, but our grass can really need a good soaker.  It crunches underfoot.  I have been very lazy about doing fall gardening.  There are plants I should remove (e.g., two big hostas in our blueberry patch) and move (e.g., ladies' mantel in a spot that's too shady).  And there are bulbs I've ordered that will be coming in mid-September (I hope).  The rain will make all this easier to handle, and I'll have no excuse but to get outdoors and work.

I've been lazily reading and working on Dear Jane these last several weeks.  I discovered a mystery series by Paige Shelton called Alaska Wild and am on the latest book (#6).  I seem drawn to books about Alaska, and these combine all the elements I enjoy in cozy mysteries - interesting characters, unusual setting, not too much danger, intricate plots, a librarian with a sideline (not the main character), sweet dogs, etc.  I finished book #5 and immediately started on #6, just published.  Hope this isn't the end of the series...

On to Row J

 Over the weekend, I finished Row I of Dear Jane.  Here are the last seven blocks:

I started Row J right away and am on block #5 now. This row seems easier than Row I.  The last two blocks (the yellow and purple ones above) each had 40-some pieces.  That's a lot in 5" block!

Last Thursday, I took the Double Date quilt top, backing, and batting over to Marie for long arm quilting.   She thinks it needs a modern quilting pattern and is waiting for some software to arrive.  That's fine with me as I was sick of looking at it and need a break.  It has felt good to be working on DJ again.  There are only 3 more rows after Row J, left.  I don't think I'll include the triangles in my quilt, but you never know.   Working on one quilt at a time is different for me, but it has proved useful in that I concentrated on Double Date for about three months.  And got it done!

Over the weekend we met Paul's other sister and her husband for lunch and, the next day, attended the annual neighborhood picnic.   Tonight we're going to the library's author program.  This summer has been busy, but not all that bad.  Pat is still with us but may be returning to Florida in late October; things are going pretty well for her these days.   I've been reading quite a bit but ought to be outside gardening while the sun shines.  It's good to enjoy the lazy days of summer while they're still here.

Back to Dear Jane

 

It felt good to work on something "new" this weekend after working for two months on Double Date.  I am halfway through Row I of Dear Jane.   Because I'm sewing in the basement these days away from my stash, I bought two charm packs in bright colors to give me the variety my stash would have given me.  A couple of the blocks - #4 and 5 - have hand applique which went well, and #6 had some fusible applique.  #3 was paper pieced, and today I'll work on paper piecing #7, a pineapple-like block.

We had lovely weather this weekend - sunny, not humid, temperatures in the 70s and low 80s.  I should have worked in the flower beds but didn't feel like it.  That's the great thing about retirement.    We finished watching the 1995 version of Pride and Prejudice on PBS last night - always a treat.

Heat wave is over

A heat wave in Vermont means temperatures over 90 degrees for three days (or more) in a row.  And that's just what has happened over the last week or so.  It's been hot, humid and wildfire smokey, making it extra difficult to do more than stay inside and read, sew, and snooze.   I did get a surprising amount of quilting work done this week, though.

On Saturday, I went to a quilt guild meeting which is usually held in the cool basement at the quilt shop.  Some people were continuing with their kawandi projects but, having finished mine, I started on a new sashiko.  It's a sampler/table topper that I will reserve to work on mostly at this group's meetings.  I enjoy getting together with these ladies for the wide-ranging conversations we have. 

Sunday, we spread Paul's brother-in-law's ashes at the island he and Pat owned about 45 minutes north.  Pat has been staying with us all summer and is hoping to sell the island and buy a condo near us.  We hope it all works out.  Meanwhile, I've been sewing in our basement while my stash is upstairs in the guest/sewing room.   I've been in one project at a time mode with my little backup Brother machine, and yesterday I finished the top that was that project (blocks below).   

Double Date got put together and had two borders added.  It looks great and is all bundled up to take to the quilter for long arming.  I am happy to get it all packed up.  Despite all the work it took, it's only about 63 x 74" with the 5" borders.  I ordered coordinating backing from Connecting Threads and hope it arrives fairly soon.  There's batting waiting in the closet in my sewing room, too.

Last week, I also managed to put the binding on my friend Pam's queen-sized green and peach log cabin quilt.  It was a lot to handle in my small space with my slow and less accurate Brother machine.  She started the quilt back in the 1980s so the colors and polyester blend fabrics are retro by now, and the long arm quilting and cream poly binding really look great.  I hope to deliver it to her this afternoon.

With Double Date finished, today I'll try to clean up all the greens and creams, put them away, and get out another project which I think will be Dear Jane for a while.  I think I left off at Row I, and my tub of black/white backgrounds has been waiting since last spring.  

I have some bright charm squares which I hope will be a good substitute for my stash which isn't as handy right now.  As you can see from Row E, every block has different bright colors on different black/white fabric.  I don't have a design wall in my temporary space, so you'll probably be seeing pictures of small groups of blocks as they're made for a while.  Who knows?  I might just finish all the Dear Jane blocks before summer ends?

Need six more blocks...

I started putting my Double Date blocks together yesterday.  Ironing the seams is a challenge and I finally decided to iron them however they wanted to be ironed.  I will do a final pressing before I take them to be quilted.  I got the blocks halfway together when I realized that I need six more blocks to get a six by seven row layout.  But I love the way it looks so far!

I'll take a deep dive into my green tub this afternoon and see if I have enough scraps to make what I need.  I know I'll need to get a little more fabric for the last border and the binding, but I think the finished size will be 72 x 78 or so.  I am using a light greenish grunge for the setting triangles, so may just get a bit darker grunge for the outer border.

I will have a few lighter blocks left when I finish which is OK.  I can maybe use them on the back or as a table runner. 

Our weather has been gloomy due to Canadian wildfires and steadily more humid here this week.   The basement sewing area is the place to be.

3 blocks to go!

If I've counted right, I only have three more paper pieced Double Date blocks to go before I can put the quilt together on point with triangles (as yet uncut).  I'm not sure whether I'll attempt to put the quilt together now or wait until I get back into the sewing room.  I have plenty of UFOs to keep me busy, including Dear Jane which I haven't touched in months.

Pat is still here, but yesterday we talked a bit about her next steps.  There will be a smaller condo coming on the market in our neighborhood eventually.  But when?  Or can she move to an apartment owned by a friend a few miles from us?  Our discussion was a good start, and we'll try to be patient as she continues to feel better.  

Today we have errands to run - post office, bank, haircuts for us both.  Tomorrow I'll be going to aerobic walking at the library following by a pedicure and a monthly chat fest with my friend Debb.  

I started another toddler hat a day or two ago and will continue with that while watching the news tonight.  Yesterday, I sewed up the latest hat made of scrap yarn.  I'm not wild about the beige so added a bit of purple to the mix.  It's will go to Bags of Love when I finish a couple more hats.  The ones I had been making were way too big, and these smaller versions are really quick to do.  With quilting stalled a bit, these finishes are a good boost.

Smokey morning

Canadian wildfire smoke has been heading our way again with warnings about air quality.  Yesterday was lovely, though, so I managed to get out and deadhead the daisies and do a little weeding.  Today I'll stay in and sew after a trip to the pharmacy.  I'm well into a new book by Kate Morton - Homecoming - which I'm enjoying, so I know I'll sit down and read for a while, too.   A perfect Sunday!

I had a birthday a few days ago, and want to share the range of cards I received.  

Aren't people sweet?   I'll put them away soon, but it's fun to look at them all lined up on the mantle.  My cousin sent me a card a few weeks ahead, but all the rest arrived around the actual day, last Thursday.  It's nice that people still send cards through the mail.