Pictures... Part II

Finally, pictures of the rest of my finishes. 

It's a general mish-mash of items.

I made two charity baby quilts.  Neither is terribly exciting.  

I had a variety of pink fabrics that were smaller squares than I usually keep... 4 1/4.  An odd size that seemed wasteful to cut down to the sizes I normally keep.

Since I had even more squares after the first quilt I pulled a few more scraps and played around with a disappearing 4 patch block.

I thought the end result wasn't too bad...especially considering what a mess I thought it was before sashing, borders, and quilting.

I also finished July's A Year In Chalk.

The binding and a sleeve have been added to Over the River and Through the Woods.

I used a quilt pattern that looks like wind to enhance the embroidery.  This will hang in a local quilt show at the end of August.

And finally, I made two more Journey Bags.  This time I made them 2 inches wider, an inch longer, and squared off the bottom.  They will act as a purse better this way.  The previous example was very long and thin...the perfect size for an ipad but not for a wallet.

Everyone who sees these bags likes all the outside pockets.  I especially like the cell phone pocket on the front and the nice big pocket on the back to slip your car keys in for easy retrieval.

I have a few more WIPs that might remain in hiding a bit longer because I am ready to move on to a new item or two.  I won't forget them, though.  I just need a break from half finished projects. 

Hopefully next time I will have something new to show.

Pam

Pictures a-plenty.

It seems that we never rest.  Aside from various sewing tasks this is the season for outside work. 

Sewing projects first, though. 

I pulled out another project tucked away in a box.  I took a class from Doug Leko  a year or two(?) ago.  His patterns feature Holly Taylor's fabrics...which I always like.

 This is why it took me so long to get back to this project.  So much detail. 

It took me a little while to figure out where I left off and familiarize myself with the instructions.

Once I was back on track I had no problem finishing up this pretty table runner.
I still need to figure out if I have backing and then quilt and bind it...but in the mean time...I'm enjoying the end result.

I have also pulled all of my red and blue 2 inch squares from my scrap box.  Combined with the 3 1/2 inch squares (also part of my scrap saving 'system' per Joan Ford) turned half square triangles and all the plain white I have in my stash I'm working up a scrappy star block.

I know there are other things I've worked on but I must not have photographed them yet. 

Being summer in NY...which is short...we've taken advantage of a dry spell to re-work some landscaping. 

These shrubs apparently love our windy hillside because we can't keep them sculpted and shapely.

Same with our feathery Japanese Maple. We've trimmed and trimmed it but it turns into a bush every year.

So, out went the shrubs...a chain around the trunks with the other end attached to a truck and away they went.  Replanting and spreading fresh mulch is the fun part.  Nice to see everything looking all fresh and pretty. 

The Maple is back to looking cute and un-bush-like. 

A little sun reflection on the lens...but the focal point shrub is wind and deer resistant.  We've spent years figuring out what to plant that the deer and bunnies won't eat.  It means I can't plant some of the flowers that I really like... impatiens...for example. If I don't guard them every minute when they're young the bunnies make quick work of them. 

This area is across the walk from the new area. The new area compliments the old. 

I spotted a bonus Autumn Joy.  I've had these flowers for years and never saw this...a little new one popped up just the right distance from the others.  How weird.  I love Autumn Joy.  It gets colorful just when everything else is dying off.

I am heading to the AQS Quilt Week Show in Syracuse tomorrow.  So exciting.  It's the first time an AQS Quilt Week Show has come to this general area. 

Pam

Summer means

lots of time for projects. 

I've written before about setting summer-time goals.  About how I used to encourage my kids to set some and how they looked at me like I had two heads. 

Summer isn't what it used to be now that the kids don't look to me to keep them busy.  In fact, they are not home during the summer anymore.  The two older ones started working at a nearby summer camp 6 years ago.  Jobs have morphed, the third one got old enough to go on the payroll, and the middle one went off to join the 'real world' in one way or another. 

Not to be dwarfed by all those changes is that I retired from my job at the end of last summer.  So, summer is a completely different animal than it once was.  Now I have time plus time along with a little more time to do whatever want. 

I do put myself to good use with various civic and charitable efforts but I can also count on a ton of time for reading and sewing.  Work a little yard work, housework, and social time in there and I can still find a ton of sewing time. 

Lucky girl, I know. 

So, when I have lots of finishes to post don't wonder how I 'do it all'.  This is the easy stuff.  As for goals...I am still trying to work my way through projects left in limbo.  Finishing something that was already started is easy and sometimes surprisingly quick.

None of that explains why I've started a couple new projects! It just explains the overall number of finishes I seem to make happen.

I made this Journey bag from a pile of fabrics that I'd pulled out last year then set aside into one of those problem piles.  I don't want things out-of sight-out of mind.   So, it is still in keeping with my main goal...get those piles taken care of.

Then, because there are simply times when a project must be worked on....

I was late to the sew-along on Lori's blog but I've caught up.  I've even skipped ahead a little since I will be away for a couple weeks later this summer. 

It was this project that spurred me to complete the design wall I've had the pieces and parts just waiting for the right time to be assembled.

First...gotta hang my ribbon. 

I've placed the various Farm Girl Vintage blocks where they will fall in the finished sampler.

These little blocks are so darn cute and fun to make.  It's no wonder I caught up so quickly.

I am making mine 6 inches finished.  The pattern book includes instructions for both the 6 and 12 inch sizes.

Between farm girl blocks I finally assembled this top.  My quilt guild had a workshop where we started making these blocks from a jelly roll.  I just puttered along making blocks...usually while at a sewing day or retreat.  It was my go-to project to pack.

I had to invent a block to help make my diamonds merge.  It's right in the middle of the bottom section.  There is another one up along the right side but I don't think you can see it. 

This is the quilt that stayed on my long arm an extra week since I ran out of thread.  Well worth the wait.  

Without my 'hand model' it was hard to capture the true colors and the pattern of this quilt.  

I am sure I've finished a few things I've forgotten.  I'll try to look back and catch up.

Pam

Unusual birthday tradition?

It's funny how a tradition comes to be.  

One year I bought a cute little water theme Lego set to use as a cake topper for Buttercup's birthday cake.  When she saw it she said....best cake ever!  

You don't have to tell me twice.  Now I keep my eyes out for the same sort of little Lego set.

Unless someone wants something different I just bake a simple two layer cake. This one is Red Velvet but one layer is red and the other blue.

Today Buttercup turns 19.  My final year of teenagers.  Everyone remember what it felt like to have your first child turn 13?  I am happy to be on the backside of that era.  A year from today and I will have completed a 12+ year run.  

Apparently pressing the wrinkles out of the table cloth is outside my scope today.  Also, my kids will never be too old for a little Disney at their birthday supper.

On to the furniture moving phase of my weekend as we pack up The Boy Wonder.

Pam