Thursday, July 17, 2025

Miscellaneous day...................


I tend to go out when it is just past sunset and start taking photos.  I bought a little 6 pack of assorted color petunias and planted them in a pot near my mailbox.

I staked some of my spindly tomato plants yesterday, the volunteer Sungold mostly.  They will become big heavy plants so I thought they needed some help.


A quick rain storm went through in the middle of the afternoon yesterday and when I went out to check the rain gauge I saw a lot of blooms on the Yellow Coneflower.

Only one tenth of an inch of rain, but I'm happy for at least that much.


The plant is small, maybe a little over 12" tall and very sturdy.  It doesn't get much of the rain, being so close to the house but it does well in spite of that.  I do water it occasionally when we are in a long dry spell.







I showed this volunteer Tiger Lily growing in the crack between the sidewalk and the steps a while ago and I'm going to pull it out when it is done blooming.








My front garden is very neglected as I deal with my sciatica and back problems.  I pull a few weeds each time I'm out, but it needs a lot more work.

I have company stopping by today on their way through this area.  I might get some more 16 patch blocks sewn tonight.  Tomorrow will be my second PT session.

 

Wednesday, July 16, 2025

More orange..................


More Tiger Lilies are blooming in the back garden.

I did some cutting of fabric yesterday but no sewing.  I started PT for my sciatica and I think it is going to help a lot.



I watered my tomato plants lightly since rain is predicted for later today and tomorrow.  While I was out I saw the Blackberry Lily had  more blooms.  Once again, the camera focused on the ones in the back.  I need to remember to focus on the front ones next time.


I started a second pot of cucumbers and only 2 of the 4 seeds grew.  I stuck 2 more seeds into the pot last night.




 

Tuesday, July 15, 2025

Trimming..............


I got two quilts back from my longarm friend and one of them is trimmed now.  I'll probably choose binding that looks best with the backing because any color will be OK with the top.  This is the top I made a couple months ago.



Oh, no!  The fabric has rotted along the edge of the collar stand on one of my favorite short sleeve blouses.  It is at least 20 years old, maybe older.  It makes me wonder if it was like this the last time I was wearing it........



Now there are more Purple Coneflowers blooming in the area where the Ox-eye (false sunflower) is growing.  I need to get out there and cut down the tree of heaven that is growing behind this for the second time this summer.  I've tried to kill it but it keeps coming back.


 

Monday, July 14, 2025

32 blocks.....................


I think it is going to be impossible to get a true contrast photo of these blocks.  The camera wants to emphasize the light/dark contrast and in reality, it is much more blendy, closer to yesterday's photo.  This is one of each of the 32 unique blocks, so there are 64 completed at this time.




Here are the 6 new combinations (daylight photo).







The tallest volunteer Sunflower is a full bloom now.  I see I didn't catch it before a bug ate holes in one of the petals.  This one is about 4 feet tall.








The smaller sunflower is about 3 feet tall and the top petals haven't opened up yet.









Turning just to the left of the small Sunflower, the Black-eyed Susan blooms have started in the back garden now.  Lots of Creeping Bellflower is still blooming along with some Purple Coneflowers.  The 2" of rain gave them the boost they were needing.






The first Tiger Lily bloomed in this back garden too and soon there will be lots of orange back there.

It was a beautiful day yesterday with lower humidity and only about 82 degrees.  It was a little warm to have windows open but it was the last chance before the heat and humidity return.

Sunday, July 13, 2025

Moody 16 patch


I think this photo is a little dark, but this 16 patch is definitely a moody group of fabrics.  I just put one of each that are sewn on the wall temporarily.  I have chosen 12 more fabrics to cut and they are lighter than a lot of these.






I chose 4 of the new fabrics and sewed them but they aren't pressed so they aren't on the wall with the rest of the blocks.



I went out after sunset to take this photo.  I kept meaning to go out earlier.  This is the first of the Tiger Lily plants to bloom and the larger group in the back garden should bloom soon.  Now that we have had 2" of rain (1" two nights in a row) the blooms should last a while too.






 On the way back I snapped this photo of some of the tomato plants.  There is a Forsythia bush behind them which is the tallest branches with leaves.  They kept growing taller when we weren't getting rain and had 90 degree days.  The leaves were stressed at that time and now more normal leaves are at the top.  They are flopping over the top of their cages and have lots of blossoms.  I'm seeing tiny tomatoes on one of the volunteer plants and I'm sure it is a Sungold.

Saturday, July 12, 2025

Red.................


In 2018 I bought the red 40th year anniversary Olfa rotary cutter but I never opened it.  You know, saving it for later.  Yesterday was the day to open it.  Next to it is the 25th anniversary silver Olfa rotary cutter, my favorite one that I keep in my main floor studio.


Here are closeups of the labels on the 2 cutters.  The silver one is reflecting light so it isn't showing its true color.  I have always had several rotary cutters.  I know some people only have one.  I have 2 studio spaces so I have one of each of the 45mm and the 60mm in each studio.  I also always had one 45mm in my traveling bag when I was teaching classes.  I was gifted one of the new style that has the easier blade changing.


I put the red one to good use cutting the segments for the Marcia Derse fabric 16 patch blocks.









I'm thinking blocks cut from this Marcia Derse panel might look good with the 16 patch blocks.  I sewed 24 of the blocks last night before the storms started and then unplugged the machine.


The Zinfin Doll Hydrangea blooms are starting to open up now.









This one has the most petals showing.  We got 1" of rain overnight into yesterday morning.  Now more storms last night will add to the total.  Our grass is so brown already so this rain is really welcome.







The black-eyed Susan plants are filling out.  Unfortunately the weeds are filling out too.

 

Friday, July 11, 2025

Sewing stratas.....................


Even though I'm not done cutting strips from the Marcia Derse fabric, I had to start sewing pairs together.  They all need pressing now before I can cut them into the segments for the blocks.


I like some pairs better than others, but the overall look is what I need to be concerned with.



These 24 stratas will produce 48 blocks (if I don't make any cutting mistakes) and that would only be a 48" x 64" quilt.  I have a large piece for backing that I scored on sale so I need to make it larger.


The porch pots are looking a little sad now that bugs have started chomping on the leaves.  I haven't see any bugs but so I'm not sure what kind is doing the damage.








The petunias have come back to life but the bugs are even eating holes in the petals.









I love the centers of the Coneflowers, especially when they are fresh and not starting to dry up.






A few of the Annabelle Hydrangea blooms are starting to turn lime green.

Our late afternoon rain was a fizzle yesterday, but some more storms came through later.  I'm hoping to see some water in the rain gauge this morning.