FLOWERS IN MID-SUMMER

I guess it is mid-summer. When I was a kid, I thought summer was half-over on July 4. We didn't go back to school until after Labor Day back then. Now I know a lot of kids going back mid August. We always had half days the first half week of school. Ease you into it.

My flowers are doing OK. It's been a strange year. Black-Eyed Susans are just now coming into bloom. Late for mine.

Here are some of my flowers just a-blooming away:

Baby's Breath. When I worked at a florist, a guy asked for Baby's Breast. I had a hard time not giggling.

See the Baby's Breath behind them?

What's the common name for this one? I know it's heuchera.

I'll spare you and give you some more flower pictures another day.

Thanks,
Lin

AND ON AND ON...

I am continuing to quilt Celtic Solstice. I can only quilt for so many hours a day, or my back hurts. The pictures I've seen of people using a stand-up longarm. They are all scrunched over the quilt to get a good view. I'm sure my back would be screaming with that. On my Handi Quilter, I'm sitting and supporting my back, but still, my back gets tired.

The quilting is progressing quite nicely. I'll take another picture in a few days so you can see. Here's how I started:

I'm using Glide thread and prefilled bobbins in Military Yellow. I understand it is their most popular color. I really like how it is looking on this quilt. First time using Glide by Fil Tec.

Thanks,
Lin

PACKAGE

I got a package from Annie's today. I belong to a club, they send a small kit every month. I've enjoyed the things they've sent so far. This is today's:

It will make a patchwork back pack. Lovely colors, eh? Out of my normal pickings. I like that it is making me do things I wouldn't have chosen myself. Gotta get busy!

Thanks,
Lin

MAIL

Getting stuff in the mail is pretty exciting. (I guess I live a very boring life. I confess.) I received the batiks I ordered. Look at all the gorgeous colors.

I had ordered fat-quarter packs of batiks from Connecting Threads, and they arrived today. For some reason, I'm guessing price, CT sent them by UPS to US mail to our house. Lots of other companies send just by UPS, or just USPS. It took 8-9 calendar days from order to delivery. Seems long when Canton Village got things to me in 2 days. Well, I'm thrilled with the selection and anxious to see how they'll play with Desert Sky. Here is what I have of Desert Sky so far:

This will be the stunningest quilt I've ever made! (What? You don't think that's a word? Huh.)

Thanks,
Lin

PRETTY!

Here are the scraps from my Desert Sky trimmings. They're so colorful!

The first two pictures were taken with flash. I'm so surprised how much flatter they look than with lamp light. So this is a study in scraps and photography.

Thanks,
Lin

DUMB!!!

Boy, did I do a dumb! My Handi Quilter Sweet 16 sit-down long arm. I couldn't put the bobbin in. I tried and tried. I just didn't seem to fit! What happened???? I had just bought pre-wound Glide bobbins and I was so anxious to use them. I finally determined I must have bought the wrong kind. So I wound my own bobbin. IT wouldn't go in either! Now what??

The needle was in the down position. Ugh! Boy, do I feel dumb! Glad I didn't call the manufacturer.

----

I seem to be out of my deep blue funk now. I just offered to look funk up in the Funk and Wagnalls Dictionary. (anyone else remember that from Rowan and Martin's Laugh In? Showing my age.)

I've been golfing a good bit. Actually, I haven't been golfing good yet. I still stink. But it is good to be outside like that. The ladies I've been golfing with a a fun group. Making some good friends, I think. In fact 4 of us have decided to play in the Rally for the Cure outing in two weeks. For sure, the four of us will have fun. We are all beginners, so it doesn't matter.

---

I have started on what I think is my most ambitious quilting project yet. I did two blocks from Celtic Solstice. I borrowed heavily from Sew Pretty Quilts for my quilting ideas. I hope she doesn't mind.
Here's my plan, on page protectors, with a water erasable pen:

And here's the first two blocks:

I may add more intense quilting later. We'll see.
I was using a Line Tamer ruler for the straight lines, but decided I can make them easier without the ruler. The Line Tamer is new. It comes with a plastic protector attached. Really time consuming to get the white plastic coating off.

Thanks,
Lin

SUPERNOVA BLOCK 4

I received my Supernova Block from Pam the other day. Mine is winging its way over to her. Here are our four blocks playing together so nicely.

I'm making the cool colors, and she's making the warm colors. Won't this be stunning? We will have 10 blocks when we're done. I'll probably want more. (I'm so greedy.)

Thanks,
Lin

I TOLD YOU SO!

I told you I would have something to post "soon." Well, here it is. I sewed last night (Tuesday) and today (Wednesday). I got a lot more squares for Desert Sky done. Have a lot more to do, since I want this queen sized. But I'm going to put it away to take to Florida to work on. I have a lot of quilting to do, and I can't do that in Florida, so I better get going!

I see some right in the middle that I have misaligned. Oops!

The colors are in no particular order, and a little haphazardly arranged. I wonder how I managed that. Good thing this is just for Show, and not for Go.

The teacher in the Judy Niemeyer class I took, told us to glue the convex and concave pieces together. This works out quite well. Here are pictures of what I did.

Convex and concave pieces

Pinning the very edges

Laying down  a line of glue just to the seam allowance

Matching the cut edges

And, voila! Stitched together. No creases.

Sharon Schamber has great tutorials on using glue for attaching bindings. She uses Elmer's School Glue however. This is a fabric glue stick. Mine is Fons and Porter. I understand Clover or someone has one also.

Thanks,
Lin

STEALTH MODE

You probably think I haven't been posting in a while, but the truth is--I was in stealth mode. Sneaking around, reading others' blogs. I was---Invisible!

(Sometimes I think my car must be in stealth mode because people cut in front of me, just like I wasn't even there. They must not be able to see me, right?)

In actuality, I was just down in the dumps for a while. Things are looking up a little now. I just didn't want to do anything--didn't sew even! I've been sewing this evening, so I guess that's a plus.

I took some pictures of my flowers tho:

I think the cone flowers even look interesting before they open!

I'll post very soon about my sewing projects. I do have some to share.

Be sure to check out the quilters on the New Quilt Bloggers Blog Hop today.

Elli @ Lovelli Quilts

Marcie @ Marcie's Quilt Therapy

Sharon @ Motherdragon's Musings

Cynthia @ Cynthia's Creating Ark

Jane @ Jersey Jane Quilts

Sally @ Wonky Patchwork

Bee @ Pink Almond Quilt

Debbie @ Quilting Makes My Heart Sing

Leanne @ Devoted Quilter

Karen @  Capitola Quilter

Thanks,

Lin

NEW QUILT BLOGGERS BLOG HOP

If you are visiting me from the New Quilt Bloggers Blog Hop, welcome. If you're not visiting me from there, I still welcome you! This is such a great group of bloggers. We are made up of (obviously) new bloggers, and there are so many big-hearted people in the group. They are quick to share any information or hints that they can. I have learned quite a bit. Still have a lot ahead of me tho.

I  would like to tell you a little about myself, if I may. I am retired--Such a good thing to be retired. I can spend much more time quilting now. I am a Respiratory Therapist. I spent most of my career working for an oxygen company, checking that my patients were able to use their respiratory products correctly. I loved it, but spent lots of time on the road, travelling to my patients' homes.

I have been quilting for more than 20 years. Earlier this year, someone reminded me of the quilt I made them almost 21 years ago. And it was not my first. Some day I'll show a picture of my first quilt. Not a pretty sight. I didn't know what I was doing. What was your first quilt like?

I much prefer piecing to applique. What is your preference? I think I'm a better piece-r than aplique-r.  Probably why I prefer it, you think?

Here are some of my quilts:

Celtic Solstice

Desert Sky

Christmas quilt

Crazy stars

Crystal  Star

Dilly Dally

Some of these are still waiting for quilting. Sigh.

I have learned so much about blogging from this New Quilt Bloggers Group. I was a raw newbie in January. I asked a lot of questions, Googled a lot of ideas, and tried things. Don't be afraid to ask questions and try it! That's what I would tell other beginning bloggers.

In that line, the thing I would tell beginning quilters is to check and double check your 1/4" seams. I still have to keep checking myself. Especially if I change machines. I have a machine at home, and another in the camper. We have spent a couple winters in Florida. I told you retirement was good!

What was your best vacation? About twenty years ago we rented a motor home and the 5 of us, plus dog, went out west. Grand Canyon, and the whole bit. A great way to travel with kids. There was enough room that nobody was touching anyone! Far less whining. (Including me.)

Several years ago, my husband and I took a Hawaiian cruise. We flew to Hawaii and got on our ship. Better in my mind than spending days cruising the ocean. A trip of a lifetime!

Those are my two best vacations. Totally different.

Last year I bought a Handi Quilter Sweet 16 sit down long arm, and I love it! You'd think with the addition of my quilter, I'd be getting these quilts finished. Well, life keeps getting in the way.

Such a long post, I know. Thanks for sticking it out.

Be sure to peruse the others in the Blog Hop today. They are all my new best friends!

Sarah @ Berry Barn Designs

Liz @ Green Cheese Quilting

Janet @ Simply Pieced

Ruth @ Charly & Ben's Crafty Corner

Kristyn @ Melon Patch Quilts

Jo @ Riddle and Whimsy (http://riddleandwhimsy.wordpress.com/)

Linh @ Calling All Stitchers

Alida @ Tweety Loves Quilting

Rachel @ Quiltineering

Thanks,

Lin

HOLIDAY COMPANY

I hope you all had a great 4th of July week end. We celebrate with my husband's family. A whole bunch descend upon us for a big cook out. Most of them spend the night. We had 11 people sleeping in and around our house Saturday night. We set up the camper in the driveway and one family sleeps there. The rest disperse themselves throughout the house.

A good time was had by most.

We usually make hamburgers and hot dogs, but someone suggested we get rotisserie chicken, and have them cut it up. This worked out perfectly. They had it in a big aluminum pan, so we just set that on the grill on low, and kept them warm. Much less work. We liked the idea a lot.

Fireworks in the evening.

DESERT SKY

Because I decided to make my Judy Niemeyer Desert Sky quilt larger than the pattern I used at the NQA class, I needed more batiks. DUH, right?

I really wanted to go to a LQS and pet some batiks to make sure I liked them. Quilt shops are not local here. So I had to order online. The pattern is written to use fat quarters. Shops didn't sell fat quarters of chosen fabrics, only packets they had made up. I needed high contrast, 6 of lights and 6 darks. I was running into difficulty.

I saw beautiful batiks at Canton Village Quiltworks, so I sent an email asking if they could accommodate me. Jackie responded that they did not cut fat quarters to order, because they would have an odd packet left. However she worked with me, and they picked out beautifully contrasting batiks for me and sent them off.

Such fast--lightning-fast, service. Here in two days! I'm so impressed!

Aren't they awesome?? Now I can't wait to get working with them. And to praise Canton Village Quiltworks.

Thanks,
Lin

CLEAN!

This is to prove that my sewing room was once clean.

OK, so it could still be a lot cleaner, but at least I don't have piles of things all over. I can move around in there now. Looks like I need to do some work on my shelves, eh?

Until after our company leaves, I won't work in there, so I don't mess it back up. Hard for me. I'm so anxious to begin quilting my Celtic Solstice.

FOURTH OF JULY

Happy Fourth of July to all my peeps. I'm proud to be an American.