Tired feet!

I helped set up, work at, and clean up after the Friends of the Library book sale  over the last three days.  I have great sneakers, but it was good to take them off and put my feet up this afternoon.  We did well, but I'm glad it's over.  Now I can turn my attention back to some sewing and to reading Louise Penny's latest book.

I have signed up to swap 10.5" elephant blocks, so I decided to try making one from the pattern I got on etsy.

I'm sorry this photo is so blurry.  It was darker than I expected when I took it.  Anyway, it shows that we are using a black background and jazzy fabric.  I got some Kaffe Fassett fabric for the rest of the 8 blocks I'm to make, but thought I'd test the pattern with something I've had on hand.   

I don't think 8 blocks are going to make much of a quilt, so I'll probably make a few more elephants and/or make a few more animal blocks.  I have patterns for birds, dogs, and cats that might be fun in bright fabrics.  

All the pieces for the 7 remaining blocks have been cut, but tomorrow I'm going to focus on some bowl cozies to give as Christmas gifts.  

Knitting

 It has been hazy, hot, and humid lately, perhaps a long, last gasp of summer.  I worked on a Christmas tree skirt for Mom this week, and it is all put together now.  I got some muslin for the back and some white flannel for the "batting," but it feels too hot to iron and get it pinbasted.  So yesterday I decided to finish knitting the scarf I've been working on for several months.

I got the lacy yarn at Michael's during the winter, and I have found it rather hard to work with.  It has strands of glitz running through it, so you need to work carefully.  The pattern is fairly easy once you get the hang of it, but it was easy to forget.  I did four or eight rows most nights while watching TV until the weather got hot and it got long.  But it's done now except for a little blocking.

I started working on a hat in blue variegated wool yesterday and am finding it a lot easier even though I'm using circular needles with the "magic loop" method.  This is my first time with the magic loop, but it's perfect for something small in the round.  After I finish the initial ribbing, I'll work some cables in, too.  

More Harriet's Journey

Aren't these little (6" finished) blocks sweet?  These are for the Harriet's Journey quilt I've been working on all year with a group on the online Quilting Board.  The book is based on Jennifer's Chiaverini's book, The Circle of Quilters, which I read some years ago.  I have made a few other Chiaverini quilts and find them quite challenging mainly due to the size of the blocks which are complex to begin with.  

Each month, Dotty D. in England selects eight blocks for us to make, and we all show and share what we've done.  I've been keeping up although they can be quite fiddly.  Some of the blocks are rotary cut; others are paper pieced.   In a few cases, I have even appliqued things that look pieced or have substituted an easier block.  One month, rather than piece a difficult star, I made a Grandmother's Flower Garden block instead.  Mostly, though, I am trying to use Chiaverini's patterns. 

The fabric I've been using is called "Moody Bloom," although I have added a few other fabrics like a hot pink and a green/blue batik that match.  So far, I have made 56 blocks out of a total of 100.  I plan to sash them in white with scrappy cornerstones.

Steadily sewing

Between heat, humidity and visitors, I haven't finished any projects lately, but I have made lots of chicken salad and fruit salad, my go-to foods for hot weather.   We've had a bit of a break the last day or two, but I hear we are heading for more humidity in the days to come.   I'll be in the sewing room for sure.

I started working on the tree skirt for Mom a few days ago, using the background fabric (on the right) I bought during my birthday spree.  I am not a pattern person, so following this one has been a little intense.  It's as much or more work than a bed-sized quilt.  I usually don't cut all the pieces for a quilt at once, but, following the pattern, I did.  Paper plates to the rescue!  They are all lined up, waiting for their pieces to be used.

The star blocks, which measure 10" and 5", are coming together slowly, using various reds and greens.  I'm going for a somewhat scrappy look, but the background fabric is plenty busy.  So I'm making the smaller blocks all one "solid."  Mom's favorite color is green, which will be nice on the edges.  I cut far too many little red and green squares, so I'll be using them for another project.  Maybe some reusable gift bags?  Mug rugs?

This will be a good week to make headway on this project; next week not so much.  I'll be busy with the next library book sale and the Democrats' annual picnic.  How did the middle of August come so fast?!?

  

A couple of BOMs

It's been hot, and we've had visitors now that Paul has been feeling better.  So the blocks of the month have not been a priority.  Still, I have found time to work on them in between times.   The Rainbow Scrap Challenge color this month is aqua, but I had very little.  So I mixed in darker teals and like the resulting pineapple blocks.  I will probably continue this quilt into 2022 in order to make it large enough to sleep under.

My sewing room is cool and the best place to be lately.  It's funny because July had perfect temperatures; usually August is the month with "good sleeping weather" (in the 50s) and perfect days (in the 70s).  We have also had our share of haze lately, due to the fires in Manitoba, according to the weather people.  

I made three "Options" blocks, too, and although I got things turned around on the third one, I like them.   I have made "Balkan Puzzle" as a 12" block using all half square triangles, but this one finishes at 8" with some parallelograms.  I am enjoying this block of the month, created by Aby Dolinger who writes the clearest directions.  It will be a nice-sized throw by the end of the year, and I'll probably quilt it myself.

Some overnight guests are arriving tomorrow or the next day in an RV so they'll sleep in our driveway.  This will be a first for us, so I'm hoping it will all work out well.  I haven't seen these folks since college, about 50 years ago!  They have a big dog which should be fun, too.  I hope they arrive in time to take a tour of the area with me.  Cool food is on the menu!

Halloween hanging is finished

 I put the last stitches in the binding of this wall hanging a few days ago, and I'm very pleased with the way it turned out.  All of the applique shapes were outlined and some detail was added to the petals and leaves.   Then I did a little outline quilting in the background and a grid along the border.  

I'll hang it on our door around the first of October even though the Halloween candy is already in the stores.  (so tempting - but I continue to resist!)

We are in the middle of a flood of company which is fun but means a lot of running to the store for snacks, drinks, etc.  It's summer, and we haven't seen each other in a long time.   "Everybody" wants to check on Paul, too, and he is doing very well.  No more dialysis - the tubes in his chest have been removed.  Regaining strength continues.  

This week, in between visitors and grocery store trips, I hope to get to my blocks of the month (Options, pineapples, and Harriet's Journey) and then start working on a Christmas tree skirt for Mom.  Warm/muggy weather is expected, so the zucchini bread I was hoping to bake will have to get done first thing in a morning, too.

Heading to NH

Beth and Todd came for a visit yesterday on their way to a lodge in a state forest nearby.   It was good to see them again, after quite a few years.  They only live a few hours away, but the pandemic and fewer family gatherings have made it tough to get together.  They had wanted to visit while Paul was in the hospital, but visitors were restricted then to only one per day.  I suggested delaying the visit a bit.  He's getting better every day now and is more open to visitors.  

For lunch, I made a delicious quiche with zucchini and red peppers, a fruit salad, and some mini croissants that I stumbled on at the bread outlet.  Dessert was gingerbread (a gift from Pat) and sorbet or ice cream.  Delish!  

After lunch, I offered Beth her choice of four quilts layered on our guest bed.  In recent years, I have been giving quilts away to family members in order to make room for the ones I keep making.  I gave one to her mother, Pat, and two other nieces last summer.  

I'm so happy she chose the sashiko medallion!  It is unusual but includes her favorite color, blue.  I made it over the course of a year, starting with hand embroidering the sashiko center and then creating a border each month.  Marie quilted all but the center which I hand quilted.  It was really fun to make, and I'm glad it has a new home in Manchester, NH!