FO Friday

 One completed Fall table runner!  72" long20" wide  Keepsake Quilting Medley

 I used my new sewing machine finished binding-hand sewing is now a thing of the past!  Very grateful I found a way that is neat and professional on the machine!

 And I made the other two blocks I needed for the basket quilt top-I am so much happier with this arrangement!  Worth the extra days of work!  This is an Eleanor Burns Quilt in a Day quilt so I used her method of applique which is better than needle turning each piece but is still a bit slower than piecing each block!  I am excited about sewing all the blocks together now!  Next week....

 I added tulips and

 canterbury bells to the quilt.

Bill has filled the trailer  and the truck and we are ready for a day of sales tomorrow!

Progress Abounds

 Our Loofah is blooming and

 fruiting!  These are ready to peel and dry out for use!  Cool, huh?

 Bill has brought in his big trailer and is loading it up for the big yard sale on Saturday!  Wait until you see how full this trailer will be....

 I finished the Georgia Clay socks!  This was Knitpicks Hawthorne yarn in Sunnyside colorway.
I put a little zig-zag up the leg.  I have something else besides socks on the needles now-

a shawl for Marsel from her sale yarn!   It is moving quickly, I will add lace to the border when I get about 2/3 done with the skein.  We will see how it works out with this shiny, boucle yarn!

 I have also been busy in the sewing room.   I loaded the belated birthday table runner on the frame.

 I used this for a pantograph and got it done in an hour.

 Then I cut out the backing and batting for this little quilt.  If you have never tried this method for cutting your backing and batting, I suggest you give it a try.   You just fold the quilt top in half and in half-neatly and evenly, fold your backing the same way and just layer it under the top with the long fold on the same side-in this case all folds are on the left.  Lay the batting under the top two layers and trim it to match the backing.  I always cut the backing and batting several inches larger on both top and bottom areas.

 This method of cutting out the layers works whether you are putting the quilt on a frame or pin basting it next for domestic machine quilting.  It is accurate and not a misery every time!

 When I have slivers of batting, I use it to give all my machines a dusting and then last, I wipe my quilting machine rails to get the crud out of there!  Good job done!

 I have another quilt from Millie!  See, I really use this folding method for every quilt I do.  Floor time is not easy for me any more so I can do most of this folding in the air and only spend a few minutes cutting on the floor!  Phew!

 I will load Millie's quilt on after I get this one done!   I am on a roll.   It feels good to get these small quilts done and off the shelf!  I hope to have this done tomorrow...

 I tried a free pattern for this little hat.   I normally shy away from chunky yarn-this is why.

 It is cute, yes, but I do not like thick yarn.  I didn't like knitting it, I don't like the big needles, and I am not thrilled with the results.

But-I have enough yarn to make another one and I am going to do it-then the skein will be gone and so will this project!

Saturday's Discovery

Quite a while ago, another blog friend suggested a good quilting project would be 'An Orphan block' idea.   I didn't find any for me but did find the pile of blocks from my grandmother.   I am still waiting for a trip to the fabric store so I can work out a background strategy for that one but looking for something else today, I found this orphaned quilt!  I believe it was started while I still lived in NY so at least 8 years ago!

 I re-familiarized myself with the fabrics, and the blocks left to do and the layout!   I soon got into the swing of things and enjoyed the 'Quilt in a Day' series by Eleanor Burns once again.  

 I have these blocks arranged just so but I have one problem.   I rarely like a square quilt;  I have one block left over and that would mean another two blocks would need completing.   I have enough fabric... As I write this, I think I have my decision made to work another row.

In between piecing, I ground the edges smooth and drilled the jewelry fitting hole and made the wire bail for completing the resin jewelry I made in Georgia!   I might just tackle this resin thing one more time........!

FO Friday

I finished the end of the Hawthorne skeins with these socks-do you see I ran out of green for the cuff of the sock on the left!   I'm calling it a design element!  lol

The quilt is off the frame and delivered to Millie!  I am going to load up the table runner next and then I have a few small quilts waiting their turn on the frame!

Mid-Week

 I finished the central portion of the quilt for Millie and am on the home-stretch for the borders-they take a bit more work because I have to unpin and repin the quilt for each side but well worth the work to see the finish line just ahead!

 The sock is clipping right along-I turned the heel and have to decide what I am doing up the leg!

Outside, it has been perfect weather!  No humidity and mid 80's temperatures!   October is the month to visit someone in the South!

 The Turk's Cap Hibiscus is reaching maturity;  the blooms are now full size (about 3-4") and the bush is as tall as I am now!  So pretty.....

 The KnotWeed is almost done with its blooming-the butterflies have almost all left, too.

 Isn't this striking-about 8" tall and so brilliant.   It is good to walk through all the flowers and enjoy the texture, color and contrasts.

 What a pretty combination of colors!   Yarn inspiration here~  (Cassia, sage and pagoda flowers.)

 This will grow into a very tall and beautiful tree in a few years!

 And my first Camillia is in bloom!   The white bush is always weeks ahead of the others!

They are still looking like this!  These will burst into blooms next month.

Early Week...

 Our persimmons are ready for eating and Bill always wondered how they would be for jam.   We couldn't find a jam recipe exclusively for them so winged it on our own.  I supervised but Bill did all the work-I say I am retired from jam-duty and he wanted to learn!  Perfect. (in fact, he cleaned the kitchen afterwards, too!)

 He wanted me to tell you he had to down another big branch and this one fell exactly where it was supposed to!

I always enjoy it when I have done so much the quilt no longer reaches the floor!!!  Proof of progress!

 We went to visit my brother and sister-in-law.......what a perfect and encouraging visit!

 Bill and I toured the beach since we were so close before heading home.

 Another wonderful place to watch and let your lungs fill up with ocean air!

 All the dune daisies were enjoying the end of the day sunshine, too.

We drove home to a wonderful sunset.

I started a pair of socks on the way home and knit until it was too dark to check my work!

Pleasing Pursuits

 I have been in an organize and throw out mood.   I took all the handspun yarn from this bookcase because Stormie keeps stealing it and tangling skeins.

 I pulled out a bunch (40) of mohair/acrylic blend skeins and bagged them up for quick sale when we have the community yard sale in a few weeks.  The basket on the left is holding cards of sample buttons from a men's wear factory 20 years ago!

 I arranged all my handspun yarn with the rest of the yarn in the empty spots.   Now I can see what I have and it is pretty for the eyes!

 I am not usually a procrastinator but this was one project I put off for almost a year!  It was a beloved hat and the wool got nibbled by a family pet and it needed a major repair.   I seam ripped it all apart, made patterns from the old and was able to save the rim and the lining.  Like most projects you put off, it wasn't as bad as I imagined and it went together pretty easily.  Sewing around the brim was challenging but I had gotten so far , I wasn't backing out then!

 Pretty jaunty, heh?!  Its owner is going to be surprised because I'm sure they think I forgot completely!  (When they gave it to me they said no hurry and save it if you can so I didn't miss any deadlines-I never procrastinate with one of those!)  FYI, I am not going to become a milliner.

After all the cleaning, organizing and mending......I needed a straight forward sewing project!

I cut up a medley of fat quarters on the Accuquilt, arranged them on the design wall, sewed them together, added borders and felt better about the world! 

I also cut out the backing and binding.   I have to wait to get the batting at JoAnn's!  And Millie's quilt is still hogging the frame space....