Binding started..............

Since a table runner can be used with either side up, and people at the table would have a close view of the binding, I decided I needed to hand finish it.  I'm about 2/3 done.

I think the green looks nice with the back too.

I decided I needed a collage of the rest of the flannel quilts I have made since 2007.  This group is 2017 - 2026.  At least 7 of them are baby quilts.  I wanted both collages in the same post so below is the same collage I showed yesterday and it is flannel quilts from 2007 - 2016.

Binding chosen and cut.....................

I had so many household things to take care of yesterday that I only got the binding chosen and cut for this table runner.  I did work on finding a group of fabric that my granddaughter wants but no photo on that.

I was looking back at some flannel quilts I have made since 2007, hoping to decide on some patterns for this year.  This collage is missing all of the ones I have made with the tumbler block.  That is usually my default shape when I need to cut up a lot of scraps.

It was 47 yesterday morning but it got up to 70 with sunshine part of the day.  Tomatoes are ripening a little slower with several days in the 60s but there are lots of green ones left on the plants.  I hope we make it to the end of October before we get a heavy frost or freeze.

Busy day......................

I started out the day making the backing for the Kaffe Zipper quilt.  I had 4 yards and had to do some creative cutting and sewing to piece the back.  There were 4 seams altogether.  I had one piece 1" x 3.75" left over.

Then I pressed the binding fabric and cut the needed 7 strips.  I got the binding sewn to the back and started the machine topstitching to finish it.  I decided to finish it today instead of pushing ahead while I was tired.

Today is supposed to be 78 degrees.  What a relief that is after all of those 90 degree days with tropical humidity.  The humidity will get down in the comfortable range by afternoon.

Snail's Trail..................

The Snail's Trail quilt was back from my longarm quilter so it was time to trim it and find a binding fabric.

I'm sure I bought this brown and black stripe with bindings in mind.  I think it looks great with the front of the quilt.

It's okay with the backing fabric too.  I need to press out the creases and cut 7 strips and get busy.

It is disappointing that Google Blogger has messed up leaving comments.  Several people emailed me yesterday when they could see the comments weren't going through.  I hope it is fixed today, but if not, my email address is on the right sidebar if you care to comment that way.  You may also have my comcast email address if I have answered your comment previously. 

Binding finished..................

 I thought maybe I would have the binding done before dark but doing laundry and watering plants outside took some of my daylight hours away.  I put in the last stitch at 8:30 last night.  When I was in the basement earlier I noticed one of the 8' bulbs didn't come on in the area where I take my photos of finished quilts.  I thought waiting until morning was best.

All of the predicted rain yesterday was tiny little spots on radar and they either dissipated before they got here or went south of us.  No more rain is in the forecast for awhile so I may have to water plants again on Saturday.

One more day needed......................

There are four corners finished in this photo.  I have 52" left to stitch on the 4th side.  I worked on it 4 different times yesterday.

I also baked the chocolate chip cookies and shopped for groceries at two stores.

The humidity was up a little but still tolerable with the windows open.

When I could see I wasn't going to be able to finish the binding I picked up my knitting.  I was thinking about which quilt top I might be able to finish before the end of the month while I knitted.  Some years August is a big month for finishes.  This year, not so much.

 

Still hand stitching.........

A couple more days will be needed to finish the hand stitching on this binding.

This is the pile on the sewing cabinet as I stitch.  I get to enjoy all of the fabrics....for hours.

I mixed some chocolate chip cookie dough but it was too late to bake the cookies.  It will be cooler this morning so that worked out OK.  I put the dough in the refrigerator for the night.

It was another beautiful day so I took my clippers out and cut some trees that are popping up everywhere, and also cut down two peony plants.  A little every day will get it all done eventually.

 

Relaxing Sunday...............

My plan was to get at least one side hand stitched on the binding of the Wm. Morris Trip Around the World quilt.  I got one short side stitched and then went on to stitch 22" on a long side.  Then I took a break and went out to trim dead leaves off the tomato and cucumber plants and fill the bird feeders.

The only other thing planned was baking cookies.  I was going to make chocolate chip but changed my mind and baked shortbread instead.  I could swear my eyesight was clearer after eating 2 cookies.

Yesterday's weather was a 10,  You can't beat 75 degrees. low humidity, sunshine, and a light breeze.  I would like a whole month of that.

 

Turning on the iron..............

I knew it would take a while to press 81 blocks plus iron a few other things piled on the ironing table, so I started a load of laundry and spent a couple hours in the basement.  I have the blocks sorted into 2 piles since there are 2 alike of each combination except the one at the bottom.  I will be designing half of the quilt with one pile when I get around to it.

I got this quilt back from my longarm quilter so I trimmed it and then cut the binding strips, the same fabric as the border.

Last night I prepared the binding and got it sewn onto the quilt.  I'm going to hand finish this one because this William Morris fabric quilt is special.

It was a beautiful day yesterday with lower humidity by afternoon. Today sounds even better with a few degrees cooler and dew points in the high 50s, low 60s.  That's a big change from the 71-76 dew points last week.

Second finish for July 2026..................

I'm so happy to have this quilt finished because I love it.  I have always loved floral fabrics and this group, mostly from the 1990s and early 2000s are favorites.

The blocks were finished a year and a half ago so cutting the border pieces was my most recent sewing on it.  It is 66" x 78".

I didn't know if I had anything in my stash from that era for the back but found this green leafy print that goes so well with it.  I love my stash!  This quilt has Hobbs 80/20 batting in it and it was longarm quilted by Robin Diaz.

There are a few one way prints in the centers of the stars so I have them all going the same direction.

The binding is the same fabric as the back of the quilt.  Since most of the prints have green in them, I thought it would be the best choice.

Yesterday afternoon I looked through my backing fabrics for something that will work for the Snail's Trail quilt.  This print is spider mums but doesn't jump out as flowers.

This one is a Brandon Mably design and I have 6 yards of it.

You might have to click on the photo and enlarge this one to see there are tools in the print.  

Any thoughts on the backing?

 

Binding completed................

After I took this photo, I continued sewing the binding on the floral stars quilt.  I finished it at 10:30.

It's getting close to the end of the month so I'll have to see what else I can finish.

Yesterday morning I went out to check the tomatoes and this is what I found on the biggest tomato out there.  I had picked tomatoes the night before at 5 p.m. and this one had barely a tinge of orange on it so I left it to check on later.  The squirrels had their party and took 2 bites.  I'm going to leave it on the plant for a few days to shame them.  Ha ha, like that will do any good!

I have cut down or dug out all of the Rose of Sharon but this little one survived right next to a Redbud tree.

It was our last pleasant day with low humidity yesterday.  Today the A/C will get turned back on and will remain on for several days.  

I really enjoyed having the windows open for 3 days.  

 

Binding cut...................

I had the iron on to press some other fabrics so I pressed the binding fabric and got the 7 strips cut.

While I had the fabrics out for the Snail's Trail I also cut a 2.5" strip off the larger pieces.  I needed a few more so I pressed some more fabric and cut them and now have 80 strips, 80 different fabrics.  Maybe they will become a 16 patch when I need some mindless sewing.

While I was at it I cut a few more strips off some of the fabrics and there are 71 in this group.  There are duplicates of some fabrics.  I don't have a plan for these right now.

The great yellow takeover..............

Two years ago there were 2 Black-eyed Susan plants that somehow migrated from the back garden to the front.  This year they have multiplied and have taken over the front garden.  It's colorful, I will say that.

After an hour or so of playing with this group of fabric, this is the final batch.  I removed one purple and like that end much better.  Now I have to read the directions and decide if I will follow them or devise my own directions.  I know the directions are for fat quarters and I'm not sure I want to cut my half yards down the middle. I like full width fabrics and I would rather just cut a strip all the way across.

While I was waiting for the dryer to stop I trimmed the floral stars quilt.

I knew I wanted a fairly light binding on this one and I think the backing fabric looks great.  I have plenty of it.

Outside I filled the bird feeders and watered all of my plants.  Our rain on Monday was barely enough to wet the bottom of the rain gauge.  We have had about 1/10" measurable rain since July 4th.

I don't like to pick the tomatoes when they are just starting to turn orange, but the squirrels have already picked 5 and took 2 bites out of them.  The big one is a Rutgers and there are several more that large getting ready to turn color.  Most of the small ones are golf ball size (for comparison).

Done but no formal portrait..................

I finished the binding yesterday morning but my design walls in the basement are still on their sides, leaning against a table.  The design wall on the main level isn't quite large enough to display it.  Rain is forecast for today so I'm waiting to see if more water seeps into the basement before I put the walls back in place.

I cut 8 of the blocks for the Snail's Trail quilt and got 6 of them sewn yesterday.   Most of these print fabrics are from the 1990s.

I noticed the first bud has bloomed on the Tiger Lily so went out to take a few photos.

This is the section that is all False Sunflower and Purple Coneflower.  It is just getting started with all of the blooms.

This section was in the shade and the coneflowers are more vivid here.  I had to cut a lot of bindweed off the plants.  It was strangling them and tying them together.

The Hosta bed is partially in the sun but by late afternoon is all shade.

This was my treat last night.

I like to put the colors in rows and I hit the jackpot in this package with all 6 colors.  I'm not so OCD that I need all of the little m insignias turned the same direction.  Do you line yours up too, or just eat them?

 

Finally sewing again..................

I did some die cutting and then came up to the studio and started sewing the binding on the Marca Derse Other 16 Patch quilt.

I was thinking about hand finishing the binding on this one, and then I asked myself, do you really want to do that?  The answer was no, so I have 2 sides finished and 2 to go today.

I ran into an old friend I used to share plants with and she mentioned she had a bunch of hostas die.  I had been looking for someone to come and dig out some hostas because they are crowding each other in my back garden.  They were covering part of my path through the garden too.  They purchased bags of topsoil to fill in the holes where they dug out some plants.  I used to dig them up myself and pot them and give them away.  This time I didn't have to do any of the work.