October Project Progress

Good evening! It is rainy and breezy here at the beach tonight. So far our H Sandy anniversary storm is just another rainy day. Later....big winds! Scary but all is well.

We haven't had much rain since, oh, maybe May?---so no complaints from me. Mo is another story! He was so indignant that he got wet at noon that he threw everything from the sofa and rolled about, hugging his beloved sock monkey.

Here Mo is a few days ago. You can see there is still a lot of summer in the air, huge leaves, humid days, lots of flowers everywhere. Some nights we put on the AC, not because it's so hot but because it is so damp. Maybe today's ''storm'' will bring a change of seasons finally?

I cut the last of the zinnias and marigolds on my deck  before the rain came.

October has passed by quickly in a flurry of home fix ups and face lifts, so not that much sewing/ quilting actually got done.

For a little treat, a change of scene, I got out my Christmas gift to myself, a tiny quilt kit, from Temecula Quilt Company.

These kits are fun---and tiny! --- 8" x 9'' I think---but this one has not quite enough fabric for the sawtooths, if I make them in the Magic Eight manner that I prefer. here

I like to cut the blocks a smidge bigger and trim. But there was not enough fabric ! I did some creative piecing to get 12 for the inner third border.

And today I lost one of the four green and white center squares! These are only 1 1/2" but how can one  so completely disappear? It's a mystery. And of course there is not enough [any] fabric left to recut. Do I make one that doesn't match or redo all four? By row four I have given up and am using my own fabric, the kit's bits will get set aside. This is too bad because I love the Temecula fabric choices, often things I'd never choose.

Today I also did some mending, fix up sewing. I love Talbot's sateen chino cropped pants. In fact I love most of their clothes and they have a great sale at season end, just about when you're actually going to wear the clothes. [I like plain, washable, classic clothes]. Anyway I love the pants but whoever thought 2" deep pockets was a good idea needs a new career. I need to put my phone and my car fob thing in my pockets. I don't carry a purse, just a wristie, but even if my phone and car key fit into the wristie, which they do not, I'd put the essentials in my pockets so in case I lose my wallet, I can at least get home. Plus around the house I keep my phone in my pocket. Does it take long to make the pockets deeper and functional? Not but it's annoying, even if the pants cost, like, 12.99. here  (You have to kinda mentally edit out the overblown stuff and just go for the classic  pieces.)
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I put aside Silent Night for now in order to focus on finishing last winter's projects. Here are a couple of Westering Women blocks. The blue sashing is a quandary. If I cut it so I center the stripe pattern, I throw out about half the fabric, the in between areas. But cutting across the grain is not very attractive. I think I'll cut the blue borders then see if I can eke out the stripes with the rest.

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Bitty update? Almost done. Every time I think she is done there's just a few leeetle bits or bobs left to sew.

I added the scallop border and the funny little buds.

A few more sunny deck days and it truly will be dine, ready to layer up with batting for next summer hand quilting maybe.

I quilted my Lori Little Quilt, that I call Muddy Waters. The binding is half sewed.

Last week I accidentally bought an large bottle of NOT sugar free ice tea. I think Muddy will get dipped into that before I discard the useless tea.
And, big thrill! Three quilts, back from the quilter. They took  almost three months to get quilted, but the results are beautiful! They need trimming and then binding, again lots to do if the warm sunny weather holds through til mid-December. I just wish I could remember what I planned for the bindings.

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Looking ahead, I found this vintage Linda Brannock pattern on eBay a few weeks ago. Each flower block was a separate pattern and this seller had all but two. I also ordered  a Sunflower from Brannock's or Patek's Collectors Series to fill in that tall one, bottom center, even though the idea of stocks is cool. This was an eBay Make an Offer listing and it always pays to make a reasonable and polite offer. My seller accepted my offer AND she found the two missing flower block patterns and included the for FREE. Isn't that really nice.

 I love flowers of course. I have seen this made in wool [maybe on linen?] or done with cotton needle turn. Both ideas appeal to me so I have to tdo some thinking before next summer's deck sessions.

I saw this block, bottom, on one of my FB groups, by Karen B, and just fell in love with the prim perfection.  This one is called Marigolds. And there's a pineapple too. Primitive heaven, sigh, sigh.

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Can you imagine! In a few days it is Halloween, then, bang!, three weeks later Thanksgiving. I already bought two boxes of Stove Top Cornbread stuffing, put the boxes in my freezer. This is the secret basis of my much-loved stuffing recipe. I have to admit I am kinda dreading holiday cooking, with so many dietary needs and imperatives these days. My mom had it easy---turkey and fixin', not a quibble heard. How do you guys cope with dairy-free, gluten free, carb-free, soy-free, sugar-free , vegan holiday meals???
We have three weeks to figure this out!

love

lizzy

gone to the beach....