July ~ Out and About

Hi! I can't believe July is over, how sad. July is my favorite month after November---both times of anticipation and joy. Today on the last day of this sad and unrealized July 2020, we are having a cooler day after last night's thunderstorm. The weatherman says hot and humid will be back tomorrow, with a possible hurricane coming later in the week. "Isaias"---I love that name. But oh my, just what we need, a hurricane.



L and I did get out, we rescheduled our first tentative peek out into the emerging world on the hottest day of the summer so far.

Our first most important destination was the  gourmet grocery/health food store a few towns over. The store was clean and quiet, the cashiers behind plastic barriers like at a bank. I keep seeing these shields and think of how the Plexiglas manufacturers and  distributors and installers must be really making a fortune from the pandemic. I'm reminded of Mr Robinson, in The Graduate telling Dustin Hoffman that the future lies in, "Plastics, my boy! Plastics!"

This store is so expensive--- a very small jar of organic mayonnaise, maybe one cup volume? was $9.00; a small basket of local strawberries, 9.99. I go there to buy vitamins and supplements, which they stock in palatable liquid form. A small bottle of liquid iron is I think $27.oo; I really must look for it online.

I was also hoping to find whole wheat kernels for my planned project of wheatbags [here] Wheatbags are used either hot or cold for pain and stress tensed muscles. Or even just for extra warmth on cold days. No wheat here! I bought spelt and buckwheat to try.  Here are the instructions to make your own bags, though these are very reasonable priced.  how-to

Their cut  flowers are always beautiful and unusual, if out of my budget. I don't know what this flower is. Anyone?

Freesias in many colors, my fave is the pale blue.  

Astillbe as a cut flower, unheard of!

 Another I forget what these are, mallows? Lovely unusual color.

After that we stopped by Old Navy. I really need a few more t-shirts for everyday, stay at home wear. But we chickened out. The store looked crowded and I saw groups of younger people entering without masks. L was willing to try but I didn't think it worth the risk.

Then we headed to the church flea. I was SO excited, as you know, flea markets are my very most favorite thing.

Oh no---online hours and days are not correct and it was closed. And I am very unlikely to go at the times the flea is now open, so disappointing.

 I was looking for jeans to recycle the denim for the wheat bag project, plus I wanted to look for a couple old books with sewn spines for making recycled "junk journals" , a very intriguing craft I learned about from blog friend Julierose.  HERE

And last I had read about a new ice cream stand on the big town's reopened boardwalk. We are not sure we'd be allowed onto the boardwalk, as it is sometimes residents only and /or one needs a pass even in good years. But I thought we could try. Even L might eat a gelato outdoors? But then I read online that some of their workers, behind the front area, haven't been wearing masks, saying it is their Constitutional right to not wear a mask. Okay, if true--or even if just a rumor---that makes that treat another big fat No. How sad.

Maybe someday.

love

lizzy

gone to the beach....

Fabric Arrives and a Finish

Hi everyone! All red flags on the beach this week---suddenly we have sharks here. OMG! Big hungry bull sharks, watch your toes.

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In the past week, a few of my fabric orders have finally arrived.

I was waiting with excited anticipation but also rather dreading the contents, because everything took so long I forgot what I ordered.

My mainstay Fat Quarter Shop, despite being in virus hot spot Texas, I think, is shipping more promptly finally.

I ordered more of the adorable newspaper Boaties, and in another color way.

 The Honey Bears.

Binding for the vintage Christmas top I got on Marketplace last winter. Bias look on straight grain for pretty binding results.

More yardage of TQC Browns, which includes some ashy greys, ivory, and a wide choice of brown shades. As friend Julierose said, ''this year it seems Brown is the new black."

On blog friend Nancy's recommendation I ordered try out cuts of Riley Blake solid cotton. Oh my just gorgeous, like silk. And brilliant cobalt Grunge Dots [fall throw pillows]--in person the dots don't show and , seems to be a theme this summer, arrived all wadded up.

French General, too, this perfect fine and silky blue cotton plaid and a maybe rough lineen for etsy hearts. Ordered despite my displeasure with Blue Baskets collage kit.

We've mentioned how hard colors are to match when ordering online, but scale is a problem too.

I love the larger brown print from last year and was excited to see it reprinted. But no, this year's version is denser and the fruits are tiny.

And then there is this light cheddar print. I'm always looking for cheddar fabric with colored sprigs.

Here is a few years ago---the print is huge scale, not a tiny calico. Just like the newest arrival. The flowers on both prints are about the size of quarters! Oh okay, nickels. But BIG.

Though the newest scale mistake [how can we tell, the online photo has is just a square scan, no reference items, like my glasses would be, above.] inclusion must have been meant to be, because it became the final frame border for my completed Day in the Country quilt top.

NEVER have I dithered so about how to finish this project. Begun January 2019, the blocks were completed early this summer.

I planned an additional applique border---I so dislike long rectangular quilts. My sewing desk is littered with sketches and other peoples' patterns. Then I decided not.

I tried red plaid.

Cocoa with pink polka dots...

And many more options. Every night I'd make a final choice then in the morning I'd decide it was a big fat No.

I tried the applique border again: Sunflowers, coneflowers, garden angels. Different sayings....

But in the end I went with the overscaled ''mistake'' cheddar'' print that serendipitously had showed up in FQS's most recent delivery.

So here is this fun primitive project, all ready to go to the quilter, as soon as I remove the embellishments I went ahead and added as I sewed. I can't abide birds with no eyes.

This is the backing.

It's a small wall quilt about 40" x 50". [I reduced the patterns 75% .] I had hoped to hang it in the late fall or early winter over the pine bride's bench, but that wall is only 36" wide. I guess when it's all done, it's true place in life will show itself to me? I don't hang quilts on walls anyway.

Thanks to blog friend Penny for the gift of her pattern, by Sarah Sporrer, c.1997-ish.

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Not to bore you all to tears but Blogger's latest Fail is to allow massive amounts of horrible spam, some abusive, some pornographic. Dozens of this garbage greets me each morning when I check in, ugh, ick!
I have blocked many ways to comment, to try to be sure you guys do not have to see it. Possibly you will not be able to comment for a while, pls forgive me ,and consider emailing me instead. Mel and Kel, you both may be blocked as being anonymous and/ or no-reply-ers.

As my mom liked to say, "this too shall pass!". Again, email me!

love

lizzy

gone to the beach.......