June 2026 Monthly recap...................

 Three finishes in June, the halfway point of the year.  This makes 14 finishes for the year so far so maybe I can finish just as many in the second half.  On the left is "Glow" made with Marcia Derse fabric and it is 45" x 62.5".  In the center the Single Irish Chain layout worked well with the Terrie Mangat fabrics.  It is 53.5" x 71".  I was happy to get a flannel quilt finished even though it is summertime.  I love the 16 patches.  It is 47" x 71".

The 1990s floral Sawtooth Star blocks waited a year and a half to finally get sewn into a top.  It is 67" x 79".  After 3 quilt tops with these fabrics, I still have 1-1/2 blanket size bins full.  

In the evenings I finished 4 dishcloths.  I think this Sugar 'n Cream yarn is being discontinued because I'm seeing less places carrying it and less variety available.  I think I have enough to last my lifetime so I'm not worried.

Tomorrow I'll show an update to the workbench organization and document how far I have gotten into other areas of the basement.  Since I don't have central air conditioning and my studio is at the farthest point from the window A/C units (and has west exposure with 2 windows!), I didn't do any evening sewing last night.  I'm planning on having a cutting marathon for a few days but maybe I'll find something to sew earlier in the day.  After this week of 90s and high humidity, next week looks like it will be in the low to mid 80s and things can get back to normal.  I watered my tomatoes and cucumbers late afternoon yesterday and then put a top dressing of fresh compost delivered by a friend on Sunday.

Third finish for June 2026....................

I think this is one of my favorite flannel quilts.  It wasn't planned, it just used blocks I had made previously and rectangles that were resting in a project box.  I don't think I'll ever get tired of making 16 patch blocks.

I bought the leaf print flannel on sale recently and added a piece left over from another back to make it wide enough.  This quilt is 47' x 71".  I used Hobbs 80/20 batting and it was longarm quilted by Robin Diaz.

Yesterday I spent several hours in the basement and one of the things accomplished was cutting the backing and batting for the floral stars quilt.  

I found the lid to one of my large plastic bins.  I mentioned a while back that one of my goals is finding all of the lids and matching boxes and reuniting them.  A lot of times I used a lid as a tray to carry cut pieces and then I never returned it to its box.  I'm making headway but I still have lids to a lot of the small boxes to match up.

Trimming, cutting binding..................

I got this flannel quilt trimmed yesterday and then looked for a binding fabric.

I started looking in a box of flannel fabrics where I knew there were bright ones but didn't think I would find anything to use on this quilt.  Surprise!  This brown one was in there and it looks great with the quilt.  I got the strips cut and started sewing on it last night.

The Geranium is in full bloom with even more buds to bloom later.  The new self watering pots are working out great.

I spent over an hour yesterday trying to get a better photo of the floral star quilt, trying to catch the intensity of the floral fabrics.  Also I was trying to get one that wasn't so crooked.  About 20 tries later I finally got one that satisfied me and I replaced the bad photo in this post. 

In the garden..........................

The double Impatiens are like little roses.  I can't decide if this is a very dark rose or if it is red.  I guess it doesn't make any difference, it's pretty either way.

One hanging pot has this pale pink and the other has white.  The whites are currently not blooming so they aren't getting documented on my blog.

The Tiger Lily closest to the house has some large buds now.  It will still be a couple weeks I think, before I have any blooms.  Of course with the heat we are expecting this week, they may surprise me.

The larger group of the Tiger Lily plants are in the shade for a good part of the day so their buds are smaller.

There are 3 groups of tomatoes on this 4th of July variety plant.  The largest one is about golf ball size.  I'm not sure they will be ripening by the 4th this year.  I have 3 of these planted.

The Rutgers tomatoes are a little larger variety but still in the medium size category.  I'm surprised how many there are on the 2 plants.  They are usually a little later than the Early Girl and the 4th of July variety.  I have staked all of the plants and keep adding the little Velcro holders to keep the plant nice and straight.  All of the plants are taller than the round cages already so they will start flopping over the top rim.  I have two in front of the Forsythia bush so they can climb up on it.

The cucumbers I started from seed are producing some of the larger leaves now so I need to get the cages in the pot.  I have pulled out the 2 smallest plants and will leave these 4 growing.

 

I found one...................

It's interesting how many fabrics I looked past without seeing them when I made the first search for the backing for the floral stars quilt.  I think this one will be perfect.  It is from the same time period as the floral fabrics and I have 9 yards of it.

That was actually the second fabric I pulled out of the large bin and I first thought this might be a candidate.  It is a taupe type beige and is a Jinny Beyer fabric.  After I found the other one though, I realized this would make a great backing for the William Morris Trip Around the World quilt.  I have 5 yards which is plenty.

When I was outside in the garden 2 days ago I thought one of the hanging baskets only had white double impatiens but now I see they both have both colors.  This shot was taken from my dining room window which is the only clear view from the house.

I got my housework done yesterday so today I should be able to play with fabric.

 

First quilt top for June 2026................

This was my original plan, adding pieces of a variety of light color florals to the edges of the blocks.  This way a border was assembled while I webbed the quilt; no long strips to add to the center section.  But then I kept thinking I wanted it larger and that is where I got hung up for a year and a half.  I finally decided I would settle for a smaller quilt, 67" x 79".

After I took its photo, I decided to look in my backing fabric bins and see if I had enough yardage of anything I liked.  After seeing the photos together here, I don't think this one has the right flavor.  I have 5 yards of this one.  I think I need to make a green quilt specifically to go with this backing.

This was the second one I pulled out.  The blue in the leaves isn't quite as predominant in person.  I have 8 yards of this one.

Both of these fabrics are from many years ago.  I don't have enough of any of the 1990s florals for a backing.  I do have one 3 yard piece that I would need to add to so I'll keep looking to see what else I can find.

Started sewing stars......................

After thinking too hard about this quilt, I am sewing it together with my original plan.  I'll explain that when I get it all sewn and pressed, hopefully today.  I made the blocks in December 2024.  I have the rows all webbed, just need to sew in the other direction now.

Two of the tomatoes have ripened on the half price plant that had 10 tomatoes on it.  All of my other plants have lots of little tomatoes on them but nothing near ripening.  Next week is supposed to be in the high 80s and 90s with high humidity so I'm hoping for a lot of growth then.  They don't like that high of heat so much but they love the humidity.

Most of the storms missed us yesterday but there was a brilliant sky after they all passed the area.

The Hydrangeas in the backyard are starting to turn lime green.  I haven't checked the ones in the front of the house.

The flowers are starting to bloom again in the 2 hanging baskets.  They are double Impatiens, red in one basket and white in the other.

I'm still loving the purple and yellow together in the back garden.  I let about half of the Creeping Bellflowers plants bloom and the other half I have already pulled out.

One more patch of the Bellflowers in front of the Hostas.