Beach Days - October Projects

Hi everyone! Good week so far, I hope?

Since the handwork of Pokeberry is finished [!] I have begun a new wool applique project for my late September and October beach sewing project. I am making a version of Lynda Hall's "It's a Crock".

Doesn't it look a lot like my little crock collection?

I decided to use the designs for a fall table runner. I knew the pattern pieces were large but they are VERY LARGE. I couldn't fit them, even divided, onto my lovely thrifted linen runner [on right] as planned, so I am using this remnant of linen and cotton instead [left.]

I sketched up my plan to redistribute the motifs. I may add a pumpkin and a butternut squash at the end, not sure. I changed Lynda's mystery flowers to pink coneflowers.

I rummaged through my antique buttons for sunflower centers. These are hand carved mother of pearl with odd rusty cut steel studs or beads. Perfect!

I worked hard last week to get the projects all prepped for the beachy weekend--hot and sunny and lovely.

Sadly Sunday seems now devoted to football so one of the days it was just me and my little friends.

I can't sit inside on a day like this.
I got all the way down to the beach---I live right on the beach dunes but the water is a half mile trek at low tide right now---and found out that I had forgotten my sewing thread bag. Oh no! All I had was the tan thread that stays in my beach bag. Too hot and too far to run home so in the spirit of make it do, I decided to sew the busiest sunflower wools in the tan thread. I think it's fine and I had a lovely day.

See the two little envelope bags? These were made by my friend BJ, from "The Civil War Sewing Circle" by Kathleen Tracy here  One holds needles, the other holds my tiny scissors. I love them both, they come to the beach with me every day. So useful and pretty.

The day was windy though. I see staples in my sewing future, to hold these big pieces down. A nice young guy chased the 1876 letters all down the beach, returned triumphant. Yay.

While I sat and sewed a small bridal party appeared. They were pretty much intruding on my space, despite the big open empty beach so I felt okay taking their pictures, discreetly.

At first I thought it was a photo shoot,because the bride and groom--no entourage!--looked so beautiful and perfectly beachy-chic. He wore white shorts, she wore a white sundress and a lace bolero or shrug that left her back bare. Both were barefoot, she wore a crown of silk sunflowers.

Best wedding I've ever seen, just lovely.

***

Now the weather has changed. Today is grey and silent, with no hint of rain or storms. We haven't had a grey days in many months. It's a bit of a relief actually. Mo and I will sit on the deck and sew the final stitches on Peace and Plenty [Humble Quilts Cascadia, renamed by me].  I must finish this little project before I begin the next doll quiltalong, now in progress here . I'm funny that way, things must get done so I can enjoy a new challenge. No UFOs in my closet, nuh-uh.
[oh okay, a few!]

Tomorrow the sun returns with a first day of Autumn heatwave and I'll be headed back to the beach of course.

What are you up to? Pumpkins and sweater weather?

love 

lizzy  

gone to the beach

thousands of tiny shorebirds arrived

Gully and Big Boy

Summer Quilt Projects - Update

Hi guys! One more week of official ''astronomical'' summer left to go. Temps here are hovering in the hot humid eighties, and the sky is a brilliant hard plastic blue. Some days now I just stay in. I'm tired of slathering sunscreen and feeling my skin sizzle. I'm pretty pleased with the amount of quilt work I got done this summer. Nothing like working at the beach---no housewife-y distractions, just sun, sand, sewing.

I don't think I ever showed you the finished [substitute] robin's nest block for Pokeberry. It is the final applique block, all the rest of the blocks are pieced. I simplified the wreath and added the bird and nest with eggs. See how she is holding a pokeberry in her beak?
She needs her feet embroidered, I just noticed! That's why seeing pics online is useful.

robin is, of course, my etsy and eBay seller name. The wreath represents apple and peach blossoms from the orchards of my Ohio childhood. We had an ancient apple orchard in our back woods. My mom always told us it had been planted by Johnny Appleseed. [And that the paths in the woods were Indian trails!]I was fascinated. Beyond that woods was cornfields and a peach orchard. The grumpy farmer would chase us away from his valuable [?] peach crop if we snuck in. He'd fire his shotgun at us, maybe in the air but still! I was so scared I wet my pants once.

One winter my big grey striped tomcat Pixie [I know! groan] disappeared, much to my distress. I cried and cried. Come spring, the mean farmer contacted us, he'd seen the lost cat fliers at the local barber shop. Seems Pixie spent the winter in the guy's barn, making kitty love to the girl barn cats. Pixie got sent home to me, along with one of his babies, a brown tabby more appropriately named Charlie.

Those are the  memories in this block. I think it came out okay---if I hate it later in the entirety of the top I can always change it out. [Ideally it would rotate about 8 degrees to the left, so the nest is horizontal. But, okay.]

I finished hand quilting Winter Blues, from winter of 2014. One of Lori's / Humble Quilts/ quiltalongs. I promised myself I'd get it quilted this summer, soooooo glad the quilting is done and binding attached. Now just needs the binding finished, a going over with a Dryel pen to remove the lines; wash and fluff. All done.

For some reason I couldn't get a good photo of this pretty little quilt. Below is a daylight photo of just the top, showing accurate colors.

And here's an update on Summertime.

I attached the first set of borders this past week. I spent a lot of time obsessing about the central section and first calico border not having enough contrast. I do wish pattern designers would give us little hints, like, be sure the value of that solid section is different enough from the center that it doesn't appear  be  one big boring blob. But no, nothing else looked better so I went with what I had. And I don't hate it. Even though Kitty is crooked. Her feet are even but she tilts! Would you redo?

I got the piece up on the corner cabinet to get a good look.

OMG. BIG mistake.

See?

I'll leave it for now and fix it one day when I'm feeling very patient. Lots of seam ripper time involved. I have a whole 'nother border and cornerstones to finish this coming week. The final part of the quiltalong, in Primitive Quilts & Projects, comes out October 3rd.

Last, for the non-quilters...a visit to the candle shop yesterday after the farmers market. Walls of beautifully scented candles for Autumn. The variety of scents is amazing, how to choose.

I got just one, for now.

And three littles to try out in my sea glass lantern.

I think Flannel will be a winter winner. Also, not shown, London with the scent of tea and lemon. Truly smelled just like tea, though not Earl Grey /bergamot, too bad. Delightful anyway.

Sadly the reisling-pear one has very little pear aroma. I love pear scent almost as much as peach scent, so that was a bit disappointing. Glad I didn't buy a big one though. Really, any --or all -- are lovely. It was fun to do a little Fall shopping despite the summery heat of the day.

Have a good rest of the week

love 

lizzy

gone to the beach

PS What IS this ship? Pilings? A crane? A sailboat? Missle parts? Huge.

Back to School Clothes.

Hi! Even a mom needs a few new clothes for back to school time, right? Now, this post comes with a disclaimer. Despite my fashion background I am not a fashionista type, I buy my clothes online at LL Bean or Lands End, or at local places like Target or Costco [great cheap tees!]. But by September everything in my laundry basket looks a little too bright, a little bit worn. Autumn won't be here soon, it's very hot here and the ocean keeps it that way---but I love it when I find a few new things for Fall wearing.

First up is ''sleeveless shells'' aka sleeveless tee shirts from LL Bean. These are not tank tops, they're more tailored, with a high round neck and high armholes. The fabric is a very soft yet sturdy pima cotton. I loved the black one I got last year so this year for fall I added three new one. They don't look great together, but singly with khaki shorts, they look just fine

A deep apple red, dark plum, and a cool non-color , a taupe or greige, called ''Ledge".

Then more fashion-y scores at Target. I love anything Boho or peasant blouse styled. These two tops are thin and soft, silky rayon. Beautifully made! 19.99 each.

If they wash okay they'll look great all fall over a tank top with jeans or cargoes.
 Cutwork pleated fronts and tassels, oh my.

I even saw similar tops late summer at the beach. Very chic on top of a bikini, it seems.

The black is "tribal", maybe---or a bit Aunt Sadie at the Bar Mitzvah? But I think it will show off my turquoise jewelry nicely,and worn with the right jeans will look more modern.

Speaking of cargoes--yes, I always look for cargo pants. I don't carry a purse, just a wristie, and I need places to stash car remotes, grocery lists, phone, shells and sea glass, etc. I do love cargo pants! These grey utility pants were in Target's men's department. I'm tall and men's pants fit me well.

Also from Target, this big long boyfriend or Mr Rogers cardi.

It is thin and soft and a lovely shade of of baby poo mustard gold [not heaven forbid, camel]. I actually love this color on me for fall. I'll layer it under my thrift shop tweed jacket I found last winter.

From JJ Jill, cute soft roll-up khakis called something like---um---Sonora Desert pants? Havana pants? I hope more come in stock because I like them a lot, though again, shallow pockets. Any suggestions [Mel?] about shallow pockets? My cell falls out when I sit down.

And last, apropos of nothing, I must show the little Dresses for Bolivia that my friend L and I made this weekend. Aren't they soooo cute!

It was a fun and easy project. Online ''pillowcase dress'' pattern and remnants from Joann's since neither L nor I stock yardage of cotton fabric.

Mo helped, of course. From his perch in the striped shirtings box.

A couple notes, though maybe I should put this on Lori's FB page instead: we put the seam at one side  instead of in the back. That way the child, or children if the garment is handed down, have two ''fronts'' to use. And the instructions call for very skimpy shoulder straps/ ties. I cut mine 45" not 38". Why skimp, the 3 yards of packaged binding only is enough for one dress anyway. And I used 1/2" elastic so it is sturdier.
I loved picturing these dresses being worn by a real child who might love her dress from far away, here at the beach. Made with love.

love

lizzy 

gone to the beach


from the new, just-finished Jack Reacher [Lee Child] book:

"The sky was a rinsed blue, like an old shirt washed a thousand times."