Mid-July! What a glorious day, a perfect summer day. Temps in the mid70s, dry, light breeze, and the only clouds in the sky are wispy and pretty against the brilliant blue.
Mo and I finally are getting our summer afternoon groove back.The deck is looking pretty! My flowers are growing and everything [except the white screens] is clean;
I found a rug in my closet, needed to protect Mo's paws from the burning tile of the deck.
Mo is given a chew stick and on very hot days, if he is very very good he gets scoop of doggy ice cream.
But earlier this week, just as I was setting up to take photos for this post---
...very suddenly the sky turned black!
So dark. There had been no forecasts of storms or rain. I quickly hustled Mo in and instead took pics indoors [so pardon their dimness].
Mo thinks thunder and lightning are a big boring yawn.
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I've been doing more sewing machine sewing this summer, mostly because the Temecula 1880 Sampler blocks are so fun and enticing.
And you may recall that 4th of July week, the assignment was 5 blocks instead of just one. So there's a lot to keep with.
These are some of the 4th blocks: I did a Flag for remembrance.
This is a small 9 Patch with Crazy, towards the bottom right.
Other solo blocks:
Puss in the Corner, bottom.
I especially love this block. Maybe a modified Hovering Hawks?
This is a tiny pinwheel block, only 2 " finished. So cute!
And with its crazy pieces added to make it 4" finished.
Another has a 1 1/2" Monkey Wrench block within the crazy block, so tiny!
1/2'' triangles, ugh. Good enough for me.
One or two more to do of the current assignments. One incorporates a small Friendship star, not a fav of mine. I looked at the original 1880 quilt and one of the crazy blocks has a 6-section circle. I'll do it instead.
Here are all the blocks on their window.
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I'm working sporadically on Feathered Star blocks. These are the Birds in Baskets.
The birds are a weird shape, raptor necks and heads, like little Stegosauri, but I love them and I'm not gonna fix them now..
This is a simple Evening Star with a circle and star center. I got interrupted on the second one, there are two alike. Good for beach sewing.
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| pattern page and pattern photo |
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And you may recall this plaid half square triangles top I bought in an online auction.
I like it! The triangles are the biggest I've ever seen, about 5 1/2". This is with a 4 1/2" TQC 1880 block set on top, for scale. All hand pieced. c. 1890-1920?
To me the plaids and checks have an early Autumn, vintage back to school look. I think of boys' homemade shirts in plaid, little girls' checkered dress or pinafores.
After much thought I have decided to use this piece of alphabet fabric for the backing. It has all the colors and that school days/ olden days look about it. Certainly no one I know would ever want it on their actual child's quilts, so what am I saving it for the past 10 or 15 years.
The images are both funny and charming:
The Kite is hilarious, it looks like a turnip.
And I thought this was T for Tern, but no. It's S for Swallow, the T is...uh...? [trumpet!]
F for Eagle? is it a Falcon?? No, E is above.
A rather colorful Zebra, I do love zebras.
Still saving to have this quilted, sigh.
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Have a good weekend!
love
lizzy
gone to the beach....
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Love all of your little blocks. So much work in each one. The sun and blue skies look so inviting and I wouldn’t mind a bit of warmth. Have a good weekend.
ReplyDeleteThe vintage feel of the alphabet backing is just right with the plaid and check blocks. The illustrations remind me of lovely old children’s books that my mother-in-law (Elsie) and her sister (Violet) had growing up on the farm.
ReplyDeleteThe llittle Remembrance Day block is my favourite from your treasure trove of new blocks - like a festive passenger leaning out of a porthole waiving as the anchor is pulled up!!! Making up stories about fabrics and blocks is half the fun of a quilt. Penny
I love the look of the pieced blocks, especially the ones with the 'crazy' bits added. It makes them look like 'make-do' old fashioned quilts, as if they're using up some leftover smaller blocks and just adding to them to make them the right size. It will be fun to look at when it's finished!
ReplyDeleteThe little birds on the baskets are different - like they're stretching their necks out to touch each other? LOL.
The alphabet blacking will go perfect on the plaid triangles quilt!
OMG, I *WISH* it would be in the mid-70s here for a few days! It's been mid-90s and muggy, too, and there have been some damaging storms around us (but not where we are, so far!). We could use some rain but I can live without dramatic storms! I'm glad they don't scare Mo - so many dogs are afraid of thunder. The cats don't seem to be all that afraid of it, but if it gets really loud they tend to go find someplace to curl up (or get on me).
Hope you enjoy a nice day today!
Lizzy, those wee blocks are beautiful. What a lovely little nook on your deck. I always enjoy these moments with you and Mo, albeit, in the ether. You continue to be an inspiration to me, dear friend.
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ReplyDeleteBlogger is at it again! This comment disappeared even as I was reading it! I recovered it from my email, so sorry! "It wasn't my fault" or yours. : Quilting Bacia 's comment
DeleteThose tiny triangles are way beyond my ability to hang onto anymore, much less piece. I love your folk-art basket blocks, and the birds are perfect for the baskets. I have some vintage children fabrics and really should consider using them as backing, you're so right, nobody I know would want their baby's quilt made from them.
I make the tiny blocks bigger and trim them down. My machine chews up tiny triangles and super small squares. [heck it chews up big blocks too, lol.]
DeleteLook at those skies! So pretty. I miss the sea already. But I am loving all my lush green now. Nice quilt! :) Kit
ReplyDeleteI think that frame with the chicken wire is so darn cute! Also really like the alphabet fabric. Look forward to seeing the finished product.
ReplyDeleteYour deck does look very nice and inviting. Good idea to put a rug out there, as I am realizing that my own tootsies feel a bit sensitive after just having been out on our brick patio...hmmm, food for thought.
Lovely sky pics!
Kel
Your little blocks are so fun and cute! I love your primitive birds/dinosaurs!!
ReplyDeleteLovely alphabet fabric.