Summer Quilt Projects - Update

Hi guys! One more week of official ''astronomical'' summer left to go. Temps here are hovering in the hot humid eighties, and the sky is a brilliant hard plastic blue. Some days now I just stay in. I'm tired of slathering sunscreen and feeling my skin sizzle. I'm pretty pleased with the amount of quilt work I got done this summer. Nothing like working at the beach---no housewife-y distractions, just sun, sand, sewing.

I don't think I ever showed you the finished [substitute] robin's nest block for Pokeberry. It is the final applique block, all the rest of the blocks are pieced. I simplified the wreath and added the bird and nest with eggs. See how she is holding a pokeberry in her beak?
She needs her feet embroidered, I just noticed! That's why seeing pics online is useful.

robin is, of course, my etsy and eBay seller name. The wreath represents apple and peach blossoms from the orchards of my Ohio childhood. We had an ancient apple orchard in our back woods. My mom always told us it had been planted by Johnny Appleseed. [And that the paths in the woods were Indian trails!]I was fascinated. Beyond that woods was cornfields and a peach orchard. The grumpy farmer would chase us away from his valuable [?] peach crop if we snuck in. He'd fire his shotgun at us, maybe in the air but still! I was so scared I wet my pants once.

One winter my big grey striped tomcat Pixie [I know! groan] disappeared, much to my distress. I cried and cried. Come spring, the mean farmer contacted us, he'd seen the lost cat fliers at the local barber shop. Seems Pixie spent the winter in the guy's barn, making kitty love to the girl barn cats. Pixie got sent home to me, along with one of his babies, a brown tabby more appropriately named Charlie.

Those are the  memories in this block. I think it came out okay---if I hate it later in the entirety of the top I can always change it out. [Ideally it would rotate about 8 degrees to the left, so the nest is horizontal. But, okay.]

I finished hand quilting Winter Blues, from winter of 2014. One of Lori's / Humble Quilts/ quiltalongs. I promised myself I'd get it quilted this summer, soooooo glad the quilting is done and binding attached. Now just needs the binding finished, a going over with a Dryel pen to remove the lines; wash and fluff. All done.

For some reason I couldn't get a good photo of this pretty little quilt. Below is a daylight photo of just the top, showing accurate colors.

And here's an update on Summertime.

I attached the first set of borders this past week. I spent a lot of time obsessing about the central section and first calico border not having enough contrast. I do wish pattern designers would give us little hints, like, be sure the value of that solid section is different enough from the center that it doesn't appear  be  one big boring blob. But no, nothing else looked better so I went with what I had. And I don't hate it. Even though Kitty is crooked. Her feet are even but she tilts! Would you redo?

I got the piece up on the corner cabinet to get a good look.

OMG. BIG mistake.

See?

I'll leave it for now and fix it one day when I'm feeling very patient. Lots of seam ripper time involved. I have a whole 'nother border and cornerstones to finish this coming week. The final part of the quiltalong, in Primitive Quilts & Projects, comes out October 3rd.

Last, for the non-quilters...a visit to the candle shop yesterday after the farmers market. Walls of beautifully scented candles for Autumn. The variety of scents is amazing, how to choose.

I got just one, for now.

And three littles to try out in my sea glass lantern.

I think Flannel will be a winter winner. Also, not shown, London with the scent of tea and lemon. Truly smelled just like tea, though not Earl Grey /bergamot, too bad. Delightful anyway.

Sadly the reisling-pear one has very little pear aroma. I love pear scent almost as much as peach scent, so that was a bit disappointing. Glad I didn't buy a big one though. Really, any --or all -- are lovely. It was fun to do a little Fall shopping despite the summery heat of the day.

Have a good rest of the week

love 

lizzy

gone to the beach

PS What IS this ship? Pilings? A crane? A sailboat? Missle parts? Huge.