Beach Days - October Projects

Hi everyone! Good week so far, I hope?

Since the handwork of Pokeberry is finished [!] I have begun a new wool applique project for my late September and October beach sewing project. I am making a version of Lynda Hall's "It's a Crock".

Doesn't it look a lot like my little crock collection?

I decided to use the designs for a fall table runner. I knew the pattern pieces were large but they are VERY LARGE. I couldn't fit them, even divided, onto my lovely thrifted linen runner [on right] as planned, so I am using this remnant of linen and cotton instead [left.]

I sketched up my plan to redistribute the motifs. I may add a pumpkin and a butternut squash at the end, not sure. I changed Lynda's mystery flowers to pink coneflowers.

I rummaged through my antique buttons for sunflower centers. These are hand carved mother of pearl with odd rusty cut steel studs or beads. Perfect!

I worked hard last week to get the projects all prepped for the beachy weekend--hot and sunny and lovely.

Sadly Sunday seems now devoted to football so one of the days it was just me and my little friends.

I can't sit inside on a day like this.
I got all the way down to the beach---I live right on the beach dunes but the water is a half mile trek at low tide right now---and found out that I had forgotten my sewing thread bag. Oh no! All I had was the tan thread that stays in my beach bag. Too hot and too far to run home so in the spirit of make it do, I decided to sew the busiest sunflower wools in the tan thread. I think it's fine and I had a lovely day.

See the two little envelope bags? These were made by my friend BJ, from "The Civil War Sewing Circle" by Kathleen Tracy here  One holds needles, the other holds my tiny scissors. I love them both, they come to the beach with me every day. So useful and pretty.

The day was windy though. I see staples in my sewing future, to hold these big pieces down. A nice young guy chased the 1876 letters all down the beach, returned triumphant. Yay.

While I sat and sewed a small bridal party appeared. They were pretty much intruding on my space, despite the big open empty beach so I felt okay taking their pictures, discreetly.

At first I thought it was a photo shoot,because the bride and groom--no entourage!--looked so beautiful and perfectly beachy-chic. He wore white shorts, she wore a white sundress and a lace bolero or shrug that left her back bare. Both were barefoot, she wore a crown of silk sunflowers.

Best wedding I've ever seen, just lovely.

***

Now the weather has changed. Today is grey and silent, with no hint of rain or storms. We haven't had a grey days in many months. It's a bit of a relief actually. Mo and I will sit on the deck and sew the final stitches on Peace and Plenty [Humble Quilts Cascadia, renamed by me].  I must finish this little project before I begin the next doll quiltalong, now in progress here . I'm funny that way, things must get done so I can enjoy a new challenge. No UFOs in my closet, nuh-uh.
[oh okay, a few!]

Tomorrow the sun returns with a first day of Autumn heatwave and I'll be headed back to the beach of course.

What are you up to? Pumpkins and sweater weather?

love 

lizzy  

gone to the beach

thousands of tiny shorebirds arrived

Gully and Big Boy