I Forgot!

I also completed my challenge quilt, for the guild.  The challenge was as follows:  Make a 12 x 12" block depicting something you see "Around Town."  The initial description had been something one would see along a street downtown, but the parameters seemed to loosen with each passing month.  There were 8 quilts completed.  Here are the beginnings of mine.  I needed something simple, yet to the point.

 I'm not sure you can see it, if you just glance at the quilt, but the background shows the Sierras.  They are always there, looming 30 miles away, but with the haze of most days?  You can barely make them out.  I've taken quite a collection of pictures over the years, but this one?  Definitely showed that I was in town when I took it.  The name of my quilt is "A View from 198."

And that's all I have for you at this time.
Back to stitching.  Stitch faster!  Stitch faster!!

Little o This, Bit o That

Hold the phone, I have been sewing!  Not much, but some, which is more than none, which is terrific.

I've finished the quilt that I began for our Valley Oak Quilt Guild 2017 Challenge, the theme of which was "Trees."  Okay, so I finished the quilting, blocked it, and trimmed it.  I still need to finish off the edges.  But here is photographic evidence of my claim to have sewn something:

The background was pieced and quilted before I added the palm trees.  I raw-edge added the fronds, and needle-turn appliqued the trunks.  I really like the way the fronds are shredding, just like real palm trees (that are dumping tree trash all over my backyard!)

I've been doing some handwork, which I haven't taken a picture of,  I'm also trying to make space in my string box, by sewing more string blocks.  I have 4 blocks to go before putting the top together.  I've tried a few settings, starting with my usual:

 I tried Fields & Furrows, but it didn't work for me.

 And then I tried this one, which I REALLY like.  (The houses up top are just up there, hanging out, not a part of anything.)

And in between all this sewing, we've been hitting the road.  Mid-June, it was a trip to the Bay Area, with a stop at Casa de Fruta.

 They have a field of hollyhocks, which are gorgeous.  I planted some in my yard, but they never came up.  I suspect the gardener spotted them and hit them with Roundup.

 Most people notice the rusty tractors at Casa de Fruta.  I am no exception.

 And the peacocks were noisy as ever.  There was even a peahen, nesting in the hollyhocks.

Last weekend, we went to Cambria.  Our days included visits to Morro Bay, Cayucos, and the Seven Sisters Quilt Show in San Luis Obispo.  My favorite, at least for photography, had to be kayaking in Morro Bay.

The otters were out in full force.  I must have taken 3 dozen pictures of the group, but it was the second image, of this lone individual, that came out the best of the bunch.

And I guess that's going to do it for now.  I'm continuing to try to get some sewing in as we endure the triple digits of summer.  Today is my husband's and my 37th wedding anniversary, so, wow, yeah, we're old!  ;)  Hope you're all getting some stitching done this summer, too!!  Happy Quilting!

Shh! It's a Secret!

I feel like this poor blog has been neglected, but really?  It hasn't been any more neglected than my quilting in general.  Finding time to stitch?  It's just not happening.  I used to MAKE time to stitch, but even this unseasonably cool summer (less that 100, for longer than normal) has not been enough to prompt me to regularly pick up needle and thread.  Thank goodness a friend has forwarded information about this challenge more than once.  Though now that I look at the website, I wonder once again, if I bought the right fabric.   This calls it "American Made," but I'm pretty sure that the bolt end read "Made in USA."  Is it the same stuff?  oh dear.

See, I bought fabric for the challenge several months ago, but never got around to cutting it up.  I needed more colors, so I went shopping.  When I chatted with the clerk, she said, "I don't think we had any of those fabrics cut into fat quarters.  You might have purchased RJR!"  I ran home, got the fat quarters and brought them back to the shop.

 They may be beautiful, but they are also RJR.  oh, dear.  Time for more shopping.  I picked out more than a dozen Made in USA fabrics, and bought a half yard of each.  Then I shlepped them home, tossed them in the washer (yes, they bleed.  Use color-catchers!) and hung them on the line.  Here they are, dried, and waiting for the iron.

I started the little quilt on Thursday morning, and finished the quilting last night.  Today I hope to attach the facing and finish it.  Goals are good.

And that's what I've been up to lately.  I think the quilt will measure around 14" square, so when I say, "I haven't done much," really...I haven't done much.

Maybe I can get something done that I'm actually able to show you.  Goals are good, and all that.  Summer's wasting, and I'm still looking for my motivation.  crazy, that.

Happy Quilting!