Autumn Days and Some Quilts

 

Good morning! How are you doing with the time change? Sunset at 430, oh my.

Takes me months to adjust, but with the help of Mo's stellar dogwalkers, who have come early all week, we are doing ok. [It's quite hard for a little doggy to wait an extra hour for his morning potty, he only knows what he has been taught to do and when to do it.]

Today he had a spa day, so he is all fresh and pretty for his few days of sleepover next week.

Today is cold and grey! The weatherbug said No rain for ten days but showers are looming. I had to put on the heat, unheard of, but I was shivering even in a down vest. As the weather changes and Fall turns chilly, indoors I change things up to a softer color story, a more nature inspired decor. 

Trader Joe's Honey Crisp Apple candle in a sweet little brown bowl.

Festive Thanksgiving runner in soft tones. Only the silvery mercury glass pumpkins stay out til Christmas.

An interesting footnote about my favorite big old wooden bowl Screenshot from an antiques dealer's IG page. Very similar to my bowl, note the price! [my mom bought mine when I moved here, $19.oo---big bucks back then.]

Earlier I brought in my little fountain and the graniteware bowl, gave them a good wash. Perhaps stored til spring, or redo if we get a nice warm sunny spell [like we should!]. The Meadow pots just keep on giving! Something new bloomed in the brown straw remnants of summer's once-lush growth. Is it a poppy? I guess, w the ferny leaf, they are a type of cosmos, though I am not familiar with this orange color?

And a few final marigolds brightening this dreary day. 

*********************

This is only a part of my collection, the bright boldest October quilts, mostly.

As I fold away many of my October/ Fall quilts I thought it would be fun--and useful to me--to post the pics here. A little quilt show of some antique quilts, some minis by me, some timespan finishes [ie me, repaiiiring and finishing antique/ vintage tops or blocks.] Hope you enjoy.

I love this Sunflower quilt, finished by me with a lot of help from my quilter Lori C, Quilters Imagination.

I am intrigued by the fugitive and faded fabrics, how some remain as new while others are now tan; how the green setting corners' colors vary. Imagine how it once looked.

                                         

Then my finish. The red binding, the pop of glorious bright pink on the back.

Learning to paper piece, many years ago, below. 4.5" pumpkins, fun fabrics and buttons. Before internet quilt groups and quilt police, just learning for the fun of it.

This TQC cutie is missing! I have looked and looked. It's tiny but much loved.

Cascadia/ Peace and Plenty. A Humble Quilts sewalong.

A gift received in a Humble Quilts swap.

Notice how the quilts seem to echo the magnificent colors of the October and November sunsets.

***********************************

Today I will sew on Lori's QAL and work on my nature journals, tomorrow is soon enough for closet sorting, as clothing needs bypass ''transitional'', must bring out Winter. 

Here is "Parsonsfield" in black and white to help me keep low contrast but with awareness of the variations in depth of tones.

                                            

And I'll sneak out and snip some hydrangeas in the public plantings. My mom always decorated for November w crocks of Magenta and pinky-brown hydrangeas, displayed on her beloved red and purple Mennonite quilt top. Dinner is a leftovers stirfry with a side of lovely Delicata squash.

Have a great weekend.

love

lizzy

gone to the beach...

more birds. These are ocean ducks, probably surf scoters or eiders. Distinctive long wavery skeins of hundreds of birds out over the ocean. maybe click t enlarge?

Beautiful Birds, Nature Notes and a Little Quilting

 

Hi everyone! It's sunset now when Mo and I have his pre-dinner walk. The sky--glowing orange and violet--is filled with flocks of birds. 

The activity level is mesmerizing. The flocks may be as mundane as Canada geese, starlings, gulls. Some hawks, swifts / swallows, busy little yellow rumped warblers. 

I even saw the male cardinal again. Birds flock together for protection, for food sourcing, for the initial mating search. They aren't necessarily migrants. I've even seen small groups of crows! To inspire me to revisit my Winter marsh quilt? Sadly the flocks are so far away and move so fast, photographing them is almost impossible.

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

A fun quilty correction: ''Giraffe in Egypt''... I poked fun at this vintage redwork embroidery, saying No such things as Giraffes in Egypt.

Turns out I am wrong. I pictured them creatures of the mid-African savannahs but it seems that thru the 19th century, they roamed everywhere, even north to Egypt. A giraffe was present to a European prince in the 1830s and it became a popular icon, part of Victorian fascination with the exotic flora and fauna of faraway continents. These animals were often drawn up and printed for embroidery ''penny squares". You can read about her, her name was Zaraffa, click here: Zaraffa

And Carrots! In between doing who-knows-what, I sewed the Rainbow Carrot block, from my vintage Sarah Sporrer project.

Needs its embroidered words, Rainbow Carrot Seeds 5 cents/pk 1897. 

I got a kick out of seeing the real thing at Trader Joe's. No clue why I didn't buy them. I love oven roasted carrots.

In the mail: always a special delivery when the TQC postcards arrive. Quite a few enticing minis in this year's collection, too.

And speaking of enticing, I did fall for Lori' Humble Quilts' fall sewalong this year. here

She goes fast, the blocks are tiny, but my interest was piqued by the pale low volume palette, something new to learn. I certainly have a big collection of ''shirtings" to play  with. [for non-quilters: shirtings are/ were used in the 19th century for clothing for adults and children both. They are usually white or light in color with a small dark sprig or stripe or figural design. Supposedly the pattern of the fabric hid the soiling of rarely washed clothing, plus was a fairly cheap cotton item.]

***************************

The zinnias are gone, salt spray from the October storms did them in early. Surprisingly the marigolds, once hidden by the zinnies, are beautiful, blooming merrily in two pots! Dollar Store Heirloom Seeds, 59 c!

These were the last zinnias I snipped as I hacked away at the tall tough zinnia stalks this past week. Aren't they a lovely odd deep shade, with lime green stripes and backs. I think leftover seeds from Baker Creek Seeds,  that really never grew summer of 21, '22.

***********

Catching up on nature journals, sorry if these are repeats. This is October.

Scribble journal and personal memory journal:

Perpetual Nature Journal:

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

This is Mo, saying Hi, as he sports his pretty Autumn neckerchief from Sherry the Groomer.

A couple days las week it was cold enough for him to wear a sweater---and me, back in my down jacket. Alas summer passes much too soon.

          Mommy, daylight savings ends, 

                        dark at 3! Ugh!

Have a good weekend!

internet pics: fun or beautiful things to share.

love

lizzy

gone to the beach......

These distance photos are from this morning. Huge array of fishing boats, hundreds. Oddly the local fishing site said Tuna? But no, a knowledgeable friend corrected that, Striped Bass and sea bass. I for one wouldn't like to swim with these huge creatures. [but then I'm afraid of fish and also sad to see them captured and killed for sport, too.]

Ohio autumn, from a friend. sunrise, and beautiful trees.

and the beach at the East End, Hamptons. [my sand is whiter].

Happy Halloween! with Quilts and a Witchy Pug

 

Jack, by me.

Below is Julierose's Starry-eyed Jack. We made them in 2020, during the dark autumn of Covid. I love how each version reflects the maker's individual style. One of my favorite projects of all time.

Jack, by Julierose.

Happy Halloween from Lizzy and Mo!

gone to the beach....