String Quilts Sewalong ~ Blue Baskets

Hello! Time for our show and tell for Lori's String quilt sewalong. Already! May has been  a mishmash for me, I feel I didn't get much done. Thank heavens I don't have a monthly get it done list, not even in my head, let alone as a blog feature. I did recover my ironing boards--that's been on my to-do list for a few months. Looks cute?

This is a brief post because I am rushing off with Mo to meet the groomer. Mo is exploding fur, his dense winter coat is shedding. The fur bunnies rolling down the hall are as big as he is,lol.

Blue Baskets: I finally realized I do need 25 basket blocks, as was my initial estimate. Four across, four down [16] then three rows of three inside. Oddly my eureka moment came while looking at the cover of this darling treat I bought myself for Mother's Day.

I had the two aquas I made early May and added two more ''normal'' blue blocks, for a total of 25.

I decided to include the aqua blocks [at least for now] because they help elevate the design from being totally farmhouse make do retro, with their bright colors and Lecien flower prints.

The lattice still has me baffled.I do like how all the white ground shirtings come together, I like that effect a lot.

I know what I want to do and I think I know how to achieve that result, but to say it, write it, create it efficiently in bulk--- Nope. So many of the blocks do not need two strips, and are they at the top, bottom or side? I suppose if I had Electric Quilt I'd be all set.

So I plan to just start sewing the diagonal strips, as I did with TQC 1880. If its a disaster, so be it.  No sashing on the edges, of course, HST instead. This is where my brain shuts off. I tell myself, Cut the triangles a bit large and trim; it will work. Stop borders, binding---to be decided next time.

My June project plan is maybe  put the strips sashing together, but that depends on my health and the beach weather.

Must run. It's bath time.

Here is the link for Humble Quilts Stringalong 

be sure to see all the pretty string projects at the end of Lori's post.

love

lizzy

gone to the beach...

PS Pouring rain again and cold. This past weekend I did get my bulbs and seeds planted and  few sprouts are showing, so maybe the seeds have not all been washed away. I'm a bit dismayed because somehow I lost this packet of seeds that I so loved.

I found these, State Fair, at the market. They'e cute but not the special heirloom blooms I had in mind.

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Another Summer

Hi! The rains stopped briefly and we had three gorgeous HOT summer days for the first long weekend here at the beach. It's hard to adjust, one day in a parka and heavy pants, the next day digging out last year's shorts and praying that they fit. [Yay, they do!] The nights were so hot it was hard to sleep without air conditioning, but I resisted; today is again cold grey rain, had to turn on the bathrooms' heaters for showers this AM.

Mo was super overheated and refused to walk. Poor little man in his dense fur coat. He thinks if he doesn't make eye contact with me, I won't make him walk.

Then off to the beach! I always wish I could bring Mo along, but realistically he couldn't / wouldn't walk that far on a hot day, even if permitted.
The dunes are greening up.

The roses are in bloom.

So many blooms this year! They smell so sweet, so summery.

Kit asked if there were crowds. It seemed busy, going from this:

to this:

But not really crowded. This is as busy as my beach area gets. It would take untold hundreds of thousands of beachgoers to fill the open acres of sand here--and wherever would they park?! But, look---people.

I sat and sewed. Bitty came out and her quilting recommenced. I am sadly out of practice for sewing in high winds.

I did the hand sewing on my Days in the Country too but dawdled and didn't start the embroidery.
The adult birds were out, but no babies. Too many strangers. Oystercatchers, my pair who live on my beach's western boundary:

Gully, looking very perky and handsome.

You may note the washed up unraked seaweed, the green messy line on the shore. It is left there during June for the baby birds, who learn to feed on tiny organisms.

For my walking tally I have been relying on my iPhone's step counter, but I think I'll go back to Map My Walk. The distance to the shoreline is about 3/4 of a mile or 1 1/2 mile round trip. The count here, plus three Mo walks is obviously wrong. And I certainly did not climb 13 stories or stairways yesterday,lol. Many days the count shows no stairs climbed at all, yet I have to go up one flight every time I go into the house as my home is hurricane-raised.

Speaking of flights, the airshow with the Thinderbirds was exciting. This group doesn't fly low like the Blue Angels do, so no photos to share, no jets for Mo to chase.

I hope your week is good.

love

lizzy

gone to the beach....

PS The red buoy was gone by Saturday AM. Never saw how it was moved, though I kept a close watch. I suppose it will be refurbished and reused, though maybe not here since there is a new channel marker set out already.

Surf beach

"Squirrel" ~ a Quilting Term

Hi on a Friday! Recently on quilt blogs I've been seeing the term "squirrel", new to me, but suddenly prevalent. Its use reminds me of the word ''frogging'' in knitting and crochet, which means to rip out stitches (get it? rip it, rip it = frog, etc. Sigh.). So squirrel seems to mean  the way a quilter may see a new design and immediately--- madly !--has to pursue it, make it.

Right. 

Now.

As a dog might chase a squirrel?

I was baffled for awhile because Mo only chases cars and helicopters, he has zero interest in squirrels. LOL.

Now I don't usually indulge in such antics, [she bragged] I have my list and I follow it. It keeps me from having anxiety attacks about neglected  quilts.
However.

Last month  Jan Patek had this book on sale for half price. I was so charmed, I fell in love.

It's not a new book. But new to me. On Sale.

 I love the title, I love the Bunnies, and I love the colors, as un-Lizzy as they may seem.

I bought it! It has the cover quilt that I plan to make to hang on an inside door next spring, or someday-Spring. And other darling quilts too.

Wouldn't this make such a cute baby quilt.

I complain about Jan Patek's patterns but I love her designs. I am also attracted to pinwheels, a fave of mine.

In the book Patek sees this border as Broken Dishes, not an easy block.

I see Pinwheels. Fast! Fun! with half Pinwheels at the row ends. I will rewrite the pattern to suit my way of doing this.

One good thing about JP's designs is that they do not require rigid use of say, Civil War repros or French Provencal design, or all plaids, etc.  I go for color and what I like instead.

I knew I had nothing in the rosey red to melon shades. so when my friend and I went to Joann's this week for t-shirt quilt supplies, I felt I could treat myself to some of their fat quarters.

I know some quilters struggle with fabric choice, so this is how I do it. And a hint, see this little border? It's practically yelling, Look! A color palette for you!"

Here are the ''corals":

Brown Bunnies:

mustard-gold bee skeps. (may need better, brighter.]

Tans for background...

including this pretty floral batik remnant from Joann's, that cost only a couple dollars for nearly one yard.

Then greens, spring greens. Dots, you know I have been into Dots!

I got coral dots too.

And more pretty greens from Mel, far right, which I have used but I have kept them together for just such a project.

Black with stars for the basket:

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I know Joann's is often scorned by quilters, but for live and in person shopping that is all I have---and it's far, so it's a treat for me. I think they have a very good assortment of choices and so far I have never had an issue with the quality.

I also picked up this pre-cut bundle:

Had to have.

The blue stripes and yellow lemons, oooh, pretty! A table runner or something? If I find the blue stripe in yardage I may make myself a pair of drawstring shorts too. I think it is lovely, embodies summer and deck time, relaxing with an icy lemonade, enjoying a summer day.

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My photos are dark/dull because it poured while I was taking pics. This is the daylilies after the storm had passed, crisp and green with diamond raindrops.

*****

Update : Friday Flea- almost everything I showed last week has been sold! Including the doll house. I got a couple f blue and white souvenir plates, Vermont and Cape Cod. 2.oo each.

Note the chicken wire texture. I love this one [or is it a little scaly and icky?].

Clunky Chinese dishes, interesting shapes.

The red buoy is  still on the beach but the red light no longer flashes. Wonder if children will climb all over it tomorrow when beach season begins?

That's it for now! Happy Summer to everyone.

love

lizzy

gone to the beach....