Recreational Shopping Quilting, Fabrics, Appliqué

 

Good Monday morning, friends! I love these old fashioned planes that pull signs above the beach! Like a Charles Wysocki painting. Do they know or care we can't read the ads?

I have always loved to shop---I don't even have to buy, just the hunt, the looking calms me, gives me focus and purpose. Entertains. I added more yardage to my "Garden'' quilt project, see the Two Thimbles inspiration bundle HERE 

As I finish up various projects I am seeing my way of buying fat quarters and reg half yards doesn't always work. Poor Silent Night has such cobbled together binding. In time i may replace it, I will see. [This is the quilt that just won't get gone, yeesh!]. Isn't the tiny Baskets shirting adorable!

Also pulled some pretty pinks and another yellow for this stack. 

Even a green?

The yellows are surprisingly similar. The older one has touches of blue which may not work.

Inspiration:

Sadly I do not know the future of my deck garden as it struggles to flower despite the brick work depredations. My deck itself needs much more work, a looming frightening project that I have decided to try not to mention further here on my blog. Our happy place.

Two Thimbles  always tucks in a sweet fat eighth. It's always fun when someone else chooses a fabric for me. On left.

And the ditsy calico, on right, was a mistake--I thought it was what I call a belly button dot, a polka dot w another dot in the center. Alas, late night tired eyes. I'd never buy a rusty red-brown little floral. eeew. Then I felt sorry for the little thing, rejected! So silly, I always give feelings to inanimate objects who prob do noy give a darn. I will work it in somewhere.

This is not a real project, just fabric stacking fun at the moment.

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BB binding is chosen. The nautical classic stripe. It works and I have enough yardage.

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Over the weekend I finished appliqueing Whatnots main panel and the little side patch.

I like trying new things but  probably won't do the black thread prim whip stitch on [cotton]again. Hard to see to stitch, boring. Ugly. Borders are chosen, I hope, again, I have the yardage needed.

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I was very glad to pick up Noah's Ark, though I had no clue what animals to make. Lucky for me a Horse was all set to go, left abruptly last October. [Yes, I make notes, but then I don't remember what the notes mean, lol.] I was very glad to return to gentle beautiful needle turn applique.

Mo is on strong steroids for his ears and joint pain. We go to the vet Wednesday and are praying he can be given the specially ordered--finally!--ear treatment meds. Surgery is threatening though and he is rather elderly for that. My dear little man, I just want him safe and pain free. He is the sweetest, gentlest creature you can imagine, always by my side.

"Carpe diem, mom, c'mon!'

Each summer day is a gift. Let's not hasten into Fall and frigid winter.  That wind....

love, lizzy

Oh! Did you see that moon on Friday? Glorious.

Art of Charles Wysocki  HERE     

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpwMY6WnEw4

Back from the Quilter- Bramble Blooms! Old Blue Baskets!

 

A package arrived the other day---what did I buy?, I mused. But no. It was my two small Spring 25 quilts back from my wonderful quilter, Lori C./ Quilters Imagination. I know I say this every time but I am always astounded---filled with joy---when a boring, long fussed over, sigh I hate you top is finished and magically comes to life. Well, any top, actually.

Remember these are not bound yet. I'll get back to that later in this post.

Old Blue Baskets is made from recycled vintage blocks. I needed an extra cottage-style little quilt in blue. Lori's quilting is so cute.

Its binding will be a blue calico of some sort, maybe something in my extra binding jar. The back is a black calico with a teeny tiny rose sprig. I love it.

Bramble Berries: a conundrum. I had planned a wide 1" binding in very bright colors, lots of reds and fuchsias. 

Or Rainbows...

Or  my favorite Inner Tubes. Grey Stripes?

Or maybe the backing stipe?

The backing btw is darling! Happy, happy.

Anyway, as you can see the finished design is much bluer and cooler tones than expected. That's good bec I wanted it to work somehow in my blue and white house, but surprising to me. The bright bindings I auditioned, wide or narrow, were distracting. The Beach Balls print has become the star.

At the moment these are my final choices: classic navy or black and white 3/16" stripe [modern]. The grey and black Fish Lips, which when cut narrow will just be random splotches. Or, same premise but that hint of bright, the wild KF floral.

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Knitting:

Blog friend Penny sent me a wonderfully small wool scarf pattern the other day. I tried the ugly red yarn from Hobbii with a strand of neon pink mohair, a popular technique on Instagram lately. (The blue for a sweater is NOT that soft periwinkle in the photo. It too is unattractive,  dark steel gray. )

It's a tad scratchy. At first I thought a big NO, use the soft grey from Mo's sweater, silly.

Now I am not so sure. It's growing on me. But it's bright and cute and I could do basic mittens to go with, as I have twelve skeins of the ugly red. It knits to gauge too despite being worsted not Penny's DK.

I swept up and bagged debris to carve out a sewing spot for me and Mo.

I doubt I'll get to Noah's Ark this summer, or the Funny Face Jackolanterns, but ya never know. I am supposed to still be elevating my spider bitten leg, but lying around was making me crazy. Trying to compromise.

Here is a selfie of me and Mo. Unheard of, I despise selfies, lol. And he is a camera hog.

He's addicted to fans and air contioners. Whatever will he do in January?

Mo is doing ok, but new vet, many tests, meds stopped or changed. I'm still unclear  where we are headed, test results pending. I'm impressed with the Elle Vet emergency relief/ calming treats. HERE I was not pleased that to help his pain he was super drugged w Gabapentin and Rimadyl. Zombie pug. Early days yet, he begins a different treatment next week.

The grocery guy brought me roses and sunflowers. $6.99 a for a mixed bunch. Locally grown maybe.

Have a good week. 

love

lizzy

The adorable preschool kids---soon to start kindergarten, learning to swim safely in the big August waves. Brings back such memories.

Zinnies rescued from the brick rubble.

*I haven't worked on my nature drawings since June. Maybe his week?