FINISHING UP LOOSE ENDS

I don't think I posted the final pics of the black walnut bowl!

  It is 4" wide and 5" high.

The chipped out bit became a 'design feature' 

once it is sanded out and smooth!  I'm glad I didn't give up on it!

The Christmas quilt is now washed and dried

 and put away until December!

I am very glad to say all of my hand stitching survived beautifully!

I decided this quilt needed a bit of enlarging with borders; 

 they are just right what it needed!  I will stitch them on

 when I get home from a bit of a trip-

I'm heading north to visit my parents

 and to share my Mom's 90th birthday party!

 

PEEK OUT THE WINDOW

 Didn't this turn out very prettily?!  It is a paint-by-number;  it will go beautifully with my front room with sea/ocean things  It is 10" x 10"!

I'm off to have my annual eye check-up.  It's a good thing because I had to use a magnifying glass to see many of the small spots of paint! lol

A DIFFERENT KIND OF SCRAPPY SATURDAY!

 Back to crocheting some dishcloths with the favorite pattern of sc, ch1, sc in the sp of the ch below in the round!  I have been using up scraps and still enjoying the blue/orange and even the aqua and orange one!

Bill and I headed in to church yesterday for some cleaning since today the teens are putting on a luncheon for us seniors.  It will be a good chance for fellowship with friends!

TWO KINDS OF FINISHES!

The blocks are now stitched together and I am thinking of adding a border-I will be picking up some printed fabric 

later today when we go into town.

The Christmas quilt is off the frame and I decided to do the edges differently than I usually do.  My Gram always brought the backing around to the front so I decided to give it a try. 

 I laid the tape all around the quilt so I could trim the batting evenly but left the backing.  Then I could trim the backing an even 2 1/2" from the edge of the tape.  It wasn't that hard at all,

 I just had to be careful to cut one layer at a time.

The hard part was this----hand stitching!  Hours of hand cramping stitching but I am almost done!  I do not pin the whole thing;  I stitch to a pin and then move it ahead of the second pin another 3" ahead of that.  It works for me!

It is done except for the mitered corners. They will get attention later on today, along with the label I forgot to add, after my hands get a good rest!  I'm pleased with the results, 

it is very comfy with the flannel backing!

(you had a very good idea, Marsel!)

 

WHIPPING THEM UP!

This is the Christmas quilt for me;  finally loaded on the frame after all of the flurry of QOV projects!

I am using a simple panto and have the top halfway done already!

I also made another mug rug--this one did go faster the way most repeats do.  I also remembered to cut the backing and batting oversized so it was easier to do the quilting lines and then the trimming after that!  Note to self! 

I'm getting a cut little pumpkin patch going!

 

FOR FALL

The mug rug  (10 x 6") was completed today!  

I cut out enough to make a set of four!  I am hoping the next three won't take so long as the first one!  

While I was playing with fabric, Bill received the delivery of his new tractor!  While he is technically not to be using it, he did give it a  test drive around the property!

BUSY DAYS

Bill and I installed a new perch for Lena in my room--she can watch the birds, butterflies and squirrels!

I finally hung the first set of paint-by-numbers I did!

And added the finishing touches to my watercolor.

After the dentist yesterday, I stopped at my local quilt store and picked up my new Fat Quarter Club fabrics!  I hope to make a few of these today!

 

A SAVE?

This might be saved from the ashes!  I continued to hollow it out and sanded out the divot which just adds character, right?! I have another coat of finish and then I will be able to show a ta-da!  Things do look fresher in the morning, right?!

 

UPS AND DOWNS

Today I will begin to arrange and stitch into rows 

now that all of the reds are done, too!

On the wood working front, I was not so successful!  First the bottom developed a crack and blew off the lathe.  I had to do some repair work and I tried again.  Another blowout.  Grrrr.

When I solved that problem finally, I began hollowing out the center when a big piece went flying.  I had not noticed a crack here. 

 I walked away.  I need something easy for today!

 

TWO FINISHES THIS FRIDAY

All of the blue blocks are finished!  There are only 6 more red blocks to make!  This has been a very fun scrap project!  The white is my only constant color.  I will be making the last ones later today and tomorrow!  First, I am meeting up with the the QOV ladies to hand in the finished quilts! 

Maybe some lunch will happen, too! lol

I loaded and quilted the halloween quilt.  

This will go to an acquaintance, since it's not my thing.

Skulls and spiders are highlighted.

I do like the crows, though.

Both the table runner and the horses quilt went into the washer and dryer so now they look just the way a quilt should look! 

CLEARED THE FRAME FOR NOW!

Done before the deadline!  It is now folded 

and in the pile to be handed in to the QOV group on Friday. 

(I only quilted this one, I didn't piece it!)

I loaded this one right on the frame 

 and quilted it and even put the binding on it so that I can give it to one of the ladies in the group--this one was pieced and quilted for her.  (she had started it but lost the love! 

Don't we all know that feeling!)

 

WOOD ON WEDNESDAY!

I finally got out to the lathe again!  The heat wave, among other things, has made it intolerable in the garage where my shop is set up.  The cooler day, an A/C unit on pointing right at me and some black walnut wood to play with all tempted me out to play!  I must admit, I am a bit rusty but with only a few mistakes,

 I enjoyed myself and no injuries ensued! 

I sanded and applied the first coat of shellac before I called it quits.  You can easily see how rich and dark the black walnut wood is!  It is a hardwood and required sharpening of the bowl gouge often.

After the second coat of finish dries this morning, I will begin the work of hollowing it out!

JARS AND VASES

A masterpiece of paint-by-number cleverness! 

 I loved every minute of it!  If anything, I think it will help my own painting skills from doing these kits.  

I was searching through my stash of  frames to find one for this piece.  I will have to paint the frame in gray/white to make it suitable first.  I can't wait to do the next painting!

 

ANOTHER SEA HAVEN SWEATER

The golden sweater has been added to the wardrobe! 

 I have one more sweater to make in a denim colored blue.

I am gong to try and save it to knit on a trip planned 

in a few weeks but we will see how that goes! 

I used 7 skeins of Cotton Merino yarn from Drops, a DK weight yarn, on needles sized 4 and 6.

 

A WALK

The humidity let go and I was able to take a walk after dinner. 

 My Muscadine grapevine produced no fruit sadly

 but does form a beautiful arch for the setting sun!

The mystery 'bush' at 10' tall is blooming! 

 I still can't find a name to put to it!

The area on the end of the stalk is 18" of flower!  They are so delicate and dance in the wind!  And the beauty continues because these will all become large blue 'bulbs' tight to the stem.

 I will keep my eye out so I don't miss it!

The path invites you to come around the corner 

and see what's new at the pond.

And today, it was a Lesser Blue Heron (Egretta Caerulea).  

EAGLES, CATTLE AND A DOG

The Eagle panel QOV is off the frame and will be folded up and ready to hand in;  my part is done.

I only had time to get the next one out of the bag and ready to load when it was time to go and pick up our grandson's dog

 to babysit for the weekend!

 (Grandson and his Dad are going to a church retreat)

Maverick is doing fine and this time I organized things better before he came in to give Lena better protection! I blocked off the hall to my room so that Mr. Nosy cannot come snuffing under my door.  Before I left, Lena was locked in my room with her dishes of food and water and in my bathroom is her litterbox.  She is hiding under my bed, not very happy BUT she is not outside

 so I am not worrying about her!!!

On the way home from picking up Maverick, we saw a pasture   an overgrown field with about a dozen longhorns grazing and foraging!!!  When we first moved here 20 yrs ago, there were so many fields of cattle like this but now it is a rare sight!  Bill pulled over so I could photo this one near the fence--Maverick kicked up quite a fuss;  thanks for watching out for me!

 

RIBBON TWIST FINALE

The Ribbon Twist is finished!!! The binding went on without a problem. I thoroughly enjoyed this QAL from Alycia of Quilty Girl!

I quilted it with a simple ribbon and star panto, 

which I thought was fitting! lol