Gone To The Beach: Late August/ Quilt Finishes

Friday, August 28, 2026

Late August/ Quilt Finishes

Hello, friends! August is almost over, I'm so sad--we waited so long, counted off each frigid day, patiently waited--now boom, September looms. School starts early, before Labor Day, unheard of here, another tradition broken. I don't have little ones in school but I so remember secretly crying as they happily ran into class, summer already just a memory.

A grey drizzly day like today is definitely a harbinger of change, even though Summer, oh so hot and sunny, will last well into October, maybe even November. That makes me smile. I'm still sewing bindings every afternoon. Earlier this week I finished Merry Christmas, a tiny feather tree mat for a friend.

I had planned to hand quilt it but this much loved and cherished Santa feedsack backing proved much too heavy for that plan;

Lori C to the rescue! She did swirls and stars, very Van Gogh, very winter night.

This was a practice piece where I used the fusible method of sewing small squares. Worked so well.

This is the binding section I accidentally chopped into. I think the ribbon patch is so cute and plan to leave it. I'm always charmed by make-do's.

Now I'm working on the final biggest finish, Noah's Ark. This is why I don't cut the binding ahead of time. It was always intended to be a crossgrain stripe.

Loved the stripes on Lizzy's Tulips and Blue Pineapples...

But oh no, a big Fail on Noah. Those quilts were modern--Ark is primitive folk art design. Stripes did not work at all. Auditions:

even tried out the blue Cowboy Bob. Love a hint of whimsy.

But no. I chose the big bubble dot that echoes the sashiko dot on the back. [such a stupid choice, backings should scream Joy! Hello! Surprise!] Just now I sewed one side of the binding w no thread. Time to walk away.

I'm still struggling to fix the Lighthouse red roofs. Second resewing, all bunchy and bad. Prob why I set it aside 20 years ago.

..............................

And I made the first K-pop Demon Hunter rockstar outfit for my little friend's dolly. She wants three outfits, I am not so sure. The white satin was really hard to sew.

Here's the girls who reenact the pop group for parties.

I think I captured the ''look''.....designed together with my little friend who who was captivated by the velvet and trimmings sent by one of my designer friends. I always save her drawings to show her the process of how her ideas become actual clothes.

August is surf camp for the kids. Little friends is six, has been surfing since age four. Crap waves/ shore break in this pic, but looks so fun, doesn't it!!

.......................................

PS Did I show you this? This is , I think, the ''curated '' shop that sells size nothing, fairly recent designer clothes with big bucks price tags. Perhaps the market is limited? And the vibe too exclusive and clique-y? ? I know if I had a shop, I'd welcome everyone who wanted to come in to enjoy my wares and shop. [Feeling a touch of schadenfreude here.]