Wednesday, July 23, 2025

Quilting a small one..........


This flannel quilt has been ready for quilting for a couple weeks so I finally quilted it yesterday.  It will get trimmed today or tomorrow and then I'll look for binding.








I pressed the stratas yesterday and sliced off the segments for 8 blocks, 2 of each combination.  They aren't pressed so they can't go up on the design wall yet.  I have 72 blocks made now.  That would give me an 8 x 9 layout but that is too close to square.  I would rather have 7 x 11 or 8 x 10.  I could still add in squares from one of Marcia Derse panels and maybe even make it 9 x 11 (72" x 88")


After I filled the bird feeders I took this photo of the buds on the Brown-eyed Susan plants.  I am not very patient waiting for them to bloom.  It seems they have had buds for a long time.



The tallest tomato plants are the Sungold.  None of the tomatoes on them have ripened yet and the plants keep growing.  I gave the tomato plants a dose of fertilizer yesterday.  I hope it makes more tomatoes, not just more leaves.

I checked the cucumber plants that I gave to the neighbor girls and they have several blossoms on them.  I can't wait to see the first cucumbers.  I have 4 plants growing in the second pot and I'll probably keep it by my tomato plants.

Tuesday, July 22, 2025

LIttle progress...............


I spent a couple more hours cutting 2" squares of Kaffe collective fabrics yesterday morning and now have 5 stacks instead of 3 shown a couple days ago.  I had PT in the afternoon and afterwards sewed 4 more stratas of Marcia Derse fabrics for the 16 patch quilt.  I trimmed off sad looking branches on my tomato plants and pulled out some more of the Creeping Bellflower.


I know there is nothing exciting about showing the most recent dishcloth finish but this helps me keep a record of the colors I have used.

7 days of 90s now, and high, high humidity.  I was hoping for a cooler July after a hot June.

 

Monday, July 21, 2025

Choosing the binding................


A decision had to be made for the binding.  I chose 3 fabrics that I liked with the big rose backing fabric.






I narrowed it down to my two favorites.  Either one would work well so I had to decide which one to use.






This one is my choice and I got it cut but not sewn on yet.







Saturday there was one pile of 2" squares.  Now there are 3 piles.  More cutting to happen.



The sunlight was coming from the west and created a glow on the top of the Brown-eyed Susan plants, to the right of the bird feeder.  They are full of buds, almost ready to bloom.  There are about twice as many plants as last year and they are at least a foot taller. 

Sunday, July 20, 2025

More cutting.......................


Almost all of the small pieces of Kaffe fabrics are now cut.  There is no project in mind, just prep for when the whim strikes.

This was the first 2 hours of cutting, in the morning yesterday, 2.5" squares and triangles.  I decide to not cut rectangles.


In the evening I spent another hour cutting 3.5" squares, 3.5" x 6.5" rectangles and 2" squares.  There is another group of fabric I need to cut into 2" squares so maybe that will be today's project.  I didn't feel like turning on the iron so I haven't cut the Marcia Derse 2.5" strips yet.


Well, its days are numbered now.  The Tiger Lily in the crack of the sidewalk has started to bloom.  The Maple tree will be removed too.  Probably about a week from now they will be gone.







There is one lonely Evening Primrose blooming in the back garden.  All of the rest of them bloomed over a month ago.





It's official now, all four volunteer plants are Sungold.  They all have at least one bunch of tomatoes growing on them.

 

Saturday, July 19, 2025

Not much to show...................


There isn't much to show for yesterday but it was a busy day.  This is about an hour and a half's ironing.  The stack at the top is large enough for 3.5" squares or 3.5 x 6.5" rectangles.  The bottom stack is for 2.5" squares and 2.5" x 4.5" rectangles, and maybe some 2" squares  from the longer strips.

After lunch was my second PT session and it is helping.  I have a good therapist and she is training another person so I get to hear everything explained.  That doesn't mean I know the meaning of the terms, but I do like details.

I was feeling so good afterwards that I ran 2 errands that took up a good part of the afternoon.  Early last evening I filled the birdfeeders and cut down the Tree of Heaven.  Then I pulled out a bunch of the Creeping Bellflower that was past its prime.  We really only had a day and a half of lower humidity.  It was quite sticky out last evening.  Maybe rain today?  It looks promising......and the humidity is rising to oppressive with the worst to come next Wednesday.

Friday, July 18, 2025

Sorting.................


I negotiated a deal with my friend Mary, who visited yesterday and sent her home with some fabrics.  This is the third time they have visited me on the way home from WI. We sorted my large Kaffe scraps while she chose some for herself.  I wanted to separate out the narrow strips and small pieces that had made their way into the overflowing box and cut several size squares, 2" and 2.5" for sure and maybe one larger size.  I already have lots of 6.5" squares cut.  I need to check my 3" and 4" component boxes and see if I need to cut either of those sizes.


I pulled a few more Marcia Derse fabrics for the 16 patch blocks but haven't cut them yet.







I also sorted my green fabrics into types of green and this is the gray/green bunch.  I could easily pass on ever using them, but then I think about soft apricots and pinks with them and they might have possibilities.  I'm not sure I need to make 'that' quilt though.



This is just another view of the same fabrics.  Click on the photo for a closer look.

 

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.