Monthly Archives: August 2016

A hint of Fall

fall leav    Just a few weekends ago we were in the midst of a major heat wave.  The a/c was going night and day along with numerous fans and my energy level was practically non-existent by the end of the day.   And now, this week we have had some nice cool mornings and evenings.  The windows are open and we can enjoy the sounds of the crickets.   I sleep much better and wake up ready to accomplish things.  I am not quite ready to bid adieu to summer but it’s nice to get a taste of what will be here in the not too distant future.   I have been thinking about what I look forward to in the coming season: Soups,  beautiful fall colors,  mums blooming along with my Montauk Daisies.  Football and the new fall season of shows on tv to keep us entertained when the fall gives way to frigid winter nights.   I was thinking back to how much I used to look forward to getting the Fall Preview issue of the TV Guide.  TV Guide Fall Preview    I would look at each days schedule and pick out what new shows I wanted to check out and, hopefully, they wouldn’t be opposite a returning favorite show.  No dvr’s back then.   And there were really only a handful of channel’s to choose from and yet there always seemed to be something to watch.   Other than the fall premiers, two shows that said “Fall is here” to me were the Jerry Lewis MD Telethon on Labor Day weekend when I would try and stay awake as long as I could to “watch the stars come out” and the Miss America Pageant which was usually the weekend after Labor Day I think.

Of course, fall brings to mind some nice, cozy quilts to snuggle under when there is a chill. I have a stack of fabric waiting to become quilts but I did finally finish my lattice quilt top:

latttice top

This will not have any batting, just a backing and that will be seersucker because I wanted to experiment.  So what’s in my craft basket tonight? The seersucker backing and the jellyroll that I will be using for the binding.    backing and jelly roll for binding   I can’t wait to get to the binding.   I know a lot of quilters don’t like that step but I enjoy it.  I will be cutting the jellyroll into about 7″ pieces and joining them to make my binding strip.   I will get to cutting those pieces and maybe even do a bit of stitching together tomorrow morning before work.

But for tonight, I’m going to get my cup of tea and read for a bit while listening to the cricket serenade.  Have a good night all.  See you soon.

Ginny

 

 

 

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Hot August Days

 

We are in the middle of a heat wave for sure so what does one do to keep themselves busy while being inside all day.   This is what was in my craft basket today:

DSC03156

I have put the last row on my lattice quilt and now on to adding the borders.  My first border will be  1 1/2″ white strips, then I will put a 3″ border of the tangerine and finally, a 4″ border of the green.  I was trying to decide what to do as far as batting.  I want this to be a “summer” quilt so I don’t really want warmth.  Just a light cover on a cool summer night— which would NOT be tonight for sure.  🙂   After  a bit of research,  I finally came to the  decision that  I would not be using any batting.   I’m just going to put the top and the backing together,  “quilt” it with some straight line diagonal stitching following the lines of the lattice strips.   I will use the Ambrosia Jelly Role for the binding.    And what will I be using for the backing?  I am going to experiment and use Seersucker.  Seersucker just screams summer to me.  Not sure how it will work but since it’s not a gift  I’m going to try it.

There are a number of  quilts on my list that need to be done before Christmas so I will be quite busy over the next few months.  I also have lots of other projects to work on so the workroom will be buzzing starting in a few weeks.  The first thing on my To Do list was to decide what patterns I wanted to use for each of the quilts.  The decisions have been made, most of the material has been gotten and now on to the cutting.  But, not until I finish my lattice quilt!  That has been in my “craft basket” for quite some time and was in the category of UFO (Unfinished Object).  But no longer.  It will be finished!

Keep cool everyone.   See you soon.

Ginny

 

 

August already!

I’ve been keeping busy but not a ton of time in my sewing room.  That seems to happen in the summertime.  I did have time to add a “new” bookshelf to my sewing room.  It is now home to my solid color fabric, some fat quarters and my quilting magazines.

Jpeg

Jpeg

I actually have made a few small things and got back to work on my lattice quilt.  Four more rows to go on that and it will be time to add the borders.  It was actually supposed to be my “summer quilt” for this year but that didn’t happen.  It will make it onto the bed next spring for sure though.

And what else is in my craft basket you might ask?  Well I’ve been collecting the license plates for the row x row experience this summer.  DSC03154

Here are three of them and a pattern for showing them off.   No, I didn’t get to actually go to visit Missouri Star Quilt Company but I was able to order their license plate.  I’ve got a few more to collect this year.    I am sure that these license plates will not be made into the wallhanging until winter is in full swing.   You see I have my usual “got to make by the holidays” list and I also have a different list this year too.  My “want to make before my grandbaby arrives” list!  That event will also take place in December so those sewing machines will be humming away.

For now, I’ll continue to enjoy the summertime and spend lots of time outdoors and organize my ideas and lists.  I think that maybe I need to get into some hand appliqueing so that I can be working on projects while enjoying the beach, the backyard or the front porch.   Of course the occasional rainstorm is welcome too…. especially if the aftermath is something as beautiful as this:

DSC03142

Now I am going to settle down with the my M*QC catalog which came in the mail today.

Happy August.

See you soon.

Ginny