Design Wall Monday

Monday, August 29, 2016
I've been playing with two charm packs--


Palm Springs Contempo ($1.99) and Jurassic Jamboree ($4.99) from Missouri Star Quilt Co.  I sewed them into 4 patches--


One charm pack was $4.99, the other was the "mystery charm pack" from Missouri Star for $1.99.  I think they play together quite well!  Please see everyone's design wall posts at Patchwork Times.

We love to find "new to us" plants at the Visitor Center.  Last week Karla said she had found Ten-Petal Eveningstar.  





They are supposed to be quite fragrant but I didn't smell them, I might have snorted a bee!  They don't transplant well so will harvest seeds later this fall to plant in the Prairie Garden.

Weekly Goals--

Sew on Apple Crisp
Sew on anything else I have in the camper!

There are lots of projects stacked in totes, anything I sew on will be progress.  And progress eventually leads to finishes.  Working on only one project is not for me.  Quilters ADD.

~LORI~

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday to my wonderful husband!


 He cuddles grandchildren.

Plays games with them.

Sometimes he IS the game! (dogpile!)


Enjoys my baking.

Even eats outside because I want to!

He stops at quilt stores and waits in the car.  He admires my latest project.  He can even locate fabric in my stash and deliver it to the camper!  (Yes, he found the pink fabric with cupcakes on it when I had no idea where it was.)  He patiently picks thread off our clothes before we leave the house.  He brings in boxes from the mailbox or where UPS has dropped them off, only saying "you have a box".  He buys me sewing machines on auctions--and laughs as he carries them up the sidewalk into the house--so I can admire his newest purchase! Yes--I'm going to keep him!!  

Happy Birthday Sweetheart!  

~LORI~
 

 



 

Sunday Stash Report

Sunday, August 28, 2016
Time to update my numbers--

Stash in 20.00 yards
Stash in YTD 258.75
Stash out--zilch
Stash out YTD--95 yds

Stash is ahead 163.75yds 

I added 20 yards in charms packs, jelly rolls, layer cakes and FQs of Tonga Treats batiks on sale.  I also added 3 FQs from the new local shop and small piece of license plate fabric to fussy cut and add to "boy" quilts.  Just something for fun.  Please see everyone's stash report at Patchwork Times.

I am THRILLED about my stash report!  I've added fabrics to fill holes in my stash.  Lots of those yards are backgrounds.  Will I be in the black at the end of the year?  Maybe.  I've never wanted to reduce my stash, only think more carefully about my purchases.  There are still colors lacking in my stash.  Blacks, grays, and yellows are low.  I'll add them as needed.  

Lorri2Rs loaned me some quilt books, one was S is for Scraps by Gayle Bong--

 Image result for s is for scraps by gayle bong

Its a great book, I have two patterns I KNOW I want to make!  Thanks Gayle and 2Rs!

~LORI~ 

Rainbow Scrappy Saturday

Saturday, August 27, 2016
This week I was finally able to make some purple blocks--


Hard to see the purples but they're there!  Arrowhead blocks.  Next I made a block for Three Steps Forward--

Please see everyone's purple projects at SoScrappy.

~LORI~

Back to Blogland

Wednesday, August 24, 2016
Its been a busy two weeks. For a few days I babysat the youngest grandsons.  Asher is 4yo and Maxwell is 1yo.  I looked up from reading to see this--


Laura Beth said "we're going to have to screw the shelves to the wall".  Maxwell is a climber.  He pulls his little riding scooter to the window and climbs up to look out.  He stands on the cooler and wants to jump up and down.  No fear of heights.

There is a small garden behind the Visitor Center with native to the area plants.  The  Sawtooth Sunflowers are huge--


They must be 9 foot high. 


 That's a milkweed beetle on the sunflower.  And here is Ironweed--


Hard to see but they are covered with purple flowers.  Most plants were started with seeds, a few transplanted by Karla when she found them.  They are all quite hardy and mostly "grow like weeds" and need to be hacked back or pulled up as they want to spread into another plant's space.  This garden is not about beautiful landscaping but for visitors to be able to identify different plants that might be where they live.  

Last weekend was Riverboat Days.  Nick, Laura Beth and the boys all were camping.  The weather was perfect, you needed a jacket in the evenings.  Grandpa and Grandma babysat while the parents packed up their camper--


A whole weekend outside and Grandma took this pic!  Remember the red wagon I bought?  It was used at Riverboat Days--


Two little boys sat in the wagon to avoid chiggers in the grass.  Ken, Laura Beth and Maxwell sat on chairs--the chigger eat them alive!!  Nick and I sat on the blanket--they seldom bite us.  We waited an eternity for the fireworks (1.5 hours)  Hey--when you're a little boy, its an eternity!  

Lorri2Rs came to visit one day bearing gifts!


Magazines and books and the lime green and yellow fabric.  2Rs--I love you!!


And a "tool mug".  Perfect for quilters--it was stocked with chocolate kisses.  The lime green fabric is for the boy quilt I'm making.  Thank you 2Rs!!

The windows are open and I'm watching the finches, cardinals, orioles. turkeys and humming birds.  Remember about 4 years ago I made a bluebird house from PVC pipe?  This year I had BLUEBIRDS in it!


Its probably 20 foot from my door.  The hole had to be exactly the right size to discourage bigger species etc from nesting it it.  Its a great design, I hung it from a plant hook about 4 foot off the ground.  Raccoons and other predators can't reach it, and can't destroy it.  Snakes cannot climb the metal pole.  It has a roof, vent/drain holes and I glued wooden clothespins inside for "steps" so the babies could climb out.  

Summer is winding down, I cannot believe how fast it has gone.  

~LORI~

Design Wall Monday and Weekly Goals

Tuesday, August 9, 2016
The Apple Crisp blocks are being sewn in rows--


Hannah and Lucas held some of the rows up for me.  Please see everyone's design wall posts at Patchwork Times.

Weekly Goals--

Sew more Apple Crisp rows
Decide whether to start "X Marks the Spot"
RSC Purple block

That's enough, I'm going to babysit Maxwell and Asher this week for a few days.  Grandmother moments for sure!  

Its going to be hot again this week.  Good weather to stay inside and sew.

~LORI~

Design Wall Monday and Weekly Goals

Monday, August 1, 2016
This week I worked on the last Apple Crisp blocks--

Apple Crisp Blocks
I need 99 to set them 9x11, I think there are enough now.  Please see everyone's posts at Patchwork Times.

When you can't sew, you shop.  When I'm volunteering at the Visitor Center I don't get to visit quilt shops, so instead I buy quilt books!  This was a recent purchase--

Large Block Quilts by Victoria Eapen
This book is by Victoria Eapen, I started the Three Steps Forward quilt and I like it so ordered a book with more patterns by her.  Stashbusters is having a FQ challenge QAL starting August 1st.  Most my FQs were busted last summer so I'm using fabrics from my traveling stash--mostly "chunks".  Odd sized pieces of fabric--some FQ size, some almost a yard.  Usually a piece has been cut out of it.  This way I can use some of them up, and will cut the remainder into pieces that work for precut sizes I use.

Weekly Goals--

Sew Apple Crisp blocks into "threesies"
Another 3 Steps Forward block

It will be a busy week, that should keep me busy.  Apple Crisp needs to be a flimsy by Labor Day.  

Can you believe its August 1st?  Someone turn the calender back to May!!

~LORI~