Heart of Vermont Sampler

We finally got outside to take some photos of the quilt I finished quilting and binding last week!  It was either too hot, too cloudy, too rainy before, but yesterday was perfect weather.  

The blocks in the Sampler were 9" (finished) and some were made by members of my local Heart of Vermont guild.  Here's a closup.

These projects are always tricky because some of the blocks are wonderful but others are a bit "off."   I deal with those in various ways, including taking them apart and making new blocks; adding some coping strips to get them up to size; and putting them in my "orphan" box to use another time.   In this instance, I actually made one very similar to another block a friend had made, because it seemed to need an echo.  I also put a few on the back and surrounded them with scrap fabrics for a pieced back.   As you may be able to see from the back, I quilted all the blocks differently, using my walking foot.  I love the inner border fabric which I also used for the cornerstones.

This quilt will eventually go to an old library friend of Paul's who has retired to Kentucky.  We have talked about driving out to visit him (I'd like to go to Paducah, too), but we're not sure when we'll be able to.  So I will probably mail it to him.

Yesterday, I also made a blueberry-peach pie, with peaches I had frozen last summer and some blueberries from our bushes.  I even made the pie crust from scratch, using a recipe from King Arthur Flour.  It's the first time I've encountered buttermilk powder in a crust recipe, but it was delicious.  We had salad for dinner and will be having lite meals until the pie is gone!  In the early evening, we played croquet with the neighbors and gathered for wine and conversation in the back yard, at social distances (of course).  These are definitely the lazy days of summer.

Round Three

I have been appliqueing little melons all month for the Virtual Round Robin.  Melon shapes were the assignment for July, and I wish I had decided to make vines with leaves instead of multiple melon shapes!  But they are done now and attached to the quilt, thank goodness.  I love blue and white quilts and look forward to the succeeding rounds, whatever they'll be.  I have mixed in a few lighter dark blues to give the quilt some sparkle.  The quilt is now 38.5" x 38.5".

When I quilt this, I hope to quilt in a few extra melons in the plainer pieces.  It's now too big to get all in one photo, but I  plan several more rounds before I feel it's finished.  There are just 10 days left in the month, and then I'll be working on the August round.  Let's hope it takes less time.

Sold a quilt!

All good things come to those who wait.  I had a quilt on my etsy shop for a few years.  I really liked it and would have given it away when I was thinning out my quilt collection last year.  But I didn't have anyone that I thought would like it due to its twin-bed size.  It sold on Saturday, much to my surprise and delight.

The scrappy sampler is made of gray, blue, and white 6" blocks, many of which came from Liz Lois' books, Nearly Insane and Just Plain Nuts.  I used Civil War reproductions, batiks, and other scraps, and had a great time making it.   Joanne in NH quilted it for me, very simply, and it has a scrappy back.  This picture shows it hanging at Westview Meadows senior housing back in December, 2017 (I think), where I had a one woman show.

I spent some time over the very hot weekend packing it up, and I mailed it to Texas this morning.  It's a little bittersweet to send one of my "children" away, but also a relief because I am, once again, running out of storage space.   The months of Stay Home - Stay Safe have resulted in quite a few finished quilts and even more works in progress.   Since we're still staying home most of the time, I expect I'll get a few more done and, perhaps, listed for sale.

Time flies when you're doing nothing

Until a day or so ago, it was (for Vermont) terribly hot and humid.  I did almost nothing - no cooking, no sewing, no reading - just the bare necessities, it seemed.  A little gardening, a little house cleaning, some writing, a very little quilting.  At least I did call a friend who I hadn't talked to since early April and found she had had a stroke in the meantime.   Now using a wheelchair, Sandy and I will get together for lunch on her birthday Sunday.  I'll bring lunch and learn what happened.

The last couple of days have been cooler with much-needed rain, giving me some energy.  I finished machine quilting the Heart of Vermont Sampler, trimmed it, and cut pieces for the binding.  The cross hatched setting triangles seemed to take forever.   I finished knitting the front of the sweater and am now working on the back.  It's grown a lot so is quite uncomfortable to sit under on a hot day.  I also am back working on the 3" melon blocks for the next round of the virtual round robin.  When the weather's nice - and it should be today - I like to sit outside to applique since the light is better.  I need 40 blocks and have done 12, so I have a way to go.

The state quilt guild board has decided not to hold its fall meeting which I was looking forward to.  Our speaker was coming from Connecticut, and I hope she can come next spring.  Her talk was to be on the creative process and her specialty is using scraps and selvages.  I made a quilt based on a pattern she designed and was looking forward to showing it.  Guess that'll have to wait until May now.

This morning, I'm off for my weekly session with two other Friends of the Library in the booksale room.  We have a lot of books to sort through and get ready for storage.  Then I'll go shopping for the Mutual Aid group.  We have a family in quarantine that needs supplies to cope with a child's COVID.  A friend will deliver to them.

On my to-do list for tomorrow is making a few more masks as the need seems not to diminish.  I have a lot of novelty fabric that would be fun to use and a new, shaped pattern that I want to try.

A virtual art show

One of my goals recently has been to enter a few more art shows at our local gallery.  Last winter, my Storm at Sea quilt was in a show with a sea theme.   I don't think many studio artists view quilting as "art," but some of my quilts might be considered as such.  Our local gallery, Studio Place Arts, has been running a few virtual shows this summer, even though they are now open, with some restrictions.  My selvage quilt was in the first virtual show, and now my Outer Space Ohio Stars wallhanging is included in the third show.  Here's the link:   https://www.studioplacearts.com/galleries---current-and-upcoming-exhibits.html.

The Village Quilt

Hope you all had a very happy 4th of July.  Today, July 5th, marks the 68th anniversary of my arrival in the United States.  My parents came over from the Netherlands first, in April, 1952, and Mom sent her "war bride" passport back for me to use on my trip over.  I was just three and staying with relatives and friends.  In the interim, the quota for immigrants from the Netherlands was closed, and Dad spent a lot of time writing to various officials to get an exception for my entry into the U.S.   Finally, his Congressman from his hometown interceded on his behalf, and I flew alone via KLM to New York City.  This date has always been a significant one for me as I was reunited with my parents.  

Perhaps that's why I was inspired to bid on a few KLM collectible houses on e-bay today.  Every year since 1952, KLM and gin maker Bols give these cute little houses to first class passengers (I flew tourist class that year, of course).  Over the last few years, I have bought used (empty) ones, have about 12 so far, and occasionally get a few more. We'll see how the online auctions go today.

Yesterday we took a few pictures of the Village Quilt, made with swap blocks.  I like the close parallel quilting and the various colors and fabrics.  It's truly a scrap quilt, except for the light blue border and binding which were in Dee's sale area.  I'm not sure what I'll do with it.  Take it to sell at the Forget Me Not Flowers and Gifts shop downtown?  Sell on my etsy shop?  Give to the library or another organization for a fund raiser?  

Today I'll continue working on the July round for the Virtual Round Robin.   I have quite a few melons to applique, and it's going to be hot for the rest of the week.  So I'll probably be sitting in front of the fan or in my sewing room most of the time, and checking on three auctions regularly.

Emerging (slightly) from the cocoon

Am I one of the few people who actually enjoyed the past few months of staying home?  I left the house to go to the post office and the grocery store, once a week or less.  I had no meetings to go to, and the only thing on my schedule was a weekly yoga class via Zoom.  I liked not having a schedule and am doing my darnedest to keep my life that way.  Still, needs must get me out for some required maintenance.  

I had a pedicure a couple weeks ago (can't reach the left pinky toe at all, despite many contortions), and Wednesday I ventured out for a haircut.  During some hot days, I almost cut my hair myself after reading a few how-tos online but chickened out.   My hairdresser, Tess, has been cutting my hair for about 40 years, and I hope she never retires!  I hadn't seen her since October so was overdue when the stay home order came out.  She measured 6" of hair cut all the way around!  What a relief.

My bangs were just "nibbled" (Tess' term) because she said I do a great job with those due to the home haircutting class I took years ago.  Actually, I just watch what she does and try to do the same. 

Meanwhile, I finished quilting and binding (by machine) the village quilt and started working on the virtual round robin.  This month's assignment is melon shapes - yikes!  I had thought I'd do them by machine but they just don't look good that way.  So I'll be doing some hand applique in front of the fan today.  Photos to follow... eventually.