Quilting Time

I have started working on the 5 (maybe 6) quilts that will be Christmas presents for our grandkids.  The for-sure 5 are for the toddlers; the sixth one will be for Lauren if she wants one.  Lauren is 8 and is the DGD I made a play outfit for back in May.  

Needless to say, I have been on a fabric buying spree.  But I am only buying what I need to finish specific projects. So far.  And yes, I am still trying to destash, and to that end I use my cotton coordinates wherever I can in sewing, crazy quilting or in regular quilting. And my extra fancies (bins-ful) are selling madly in my Etsy shop.   I am almost sold out of my Boho purses, so will be making some more of those in August, thus further reducing some of my home dec fabrics.   But I digress.

Here is a finished quilt top for Abbie, who will be three in November.  She loves yellow and pink.

The fabrics are mostly from the Apple of My Eye collection (one of my current favorites) by Amanda Herring of The Quilted Fish for Riley Blake Fabrics.  I also added in some Riley Blake Chevrons and a few other pieces here and there from my stash.

This was from last Friday.  It is now 75% quilted with a cotton batting and a Minky backing in yellow. I will finish the quilting today and plan to bind and wash it tomorrow. Should have finished pictures in a couple days.

I am also done piecing a quilt for DGS Hunter in the “Peak Hour” fabric collection of trucks and cars. I need to square it up and will begin quilting it in the next couple days.

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My July CQJP block is more than half done, and that is also on my list to finish and post by the weekend. As you know, I have a vintage needlepoint piece that I salvaged which will be the centerpiece for the 12 blocks I am stitching.

Black Floral CQ by Cathy Kizerian - in process (pinned only)

Susan Elliott over at Plays With Needles is not only a wonder with a needle, but also follows and reports on couture fashion every season.   It appears that needlework (needlepoint, embroidery and more) is playing prominently in many of the lines coming out of the best-known fashion houses this fall.   If you haven’t already, you must check out her post here.

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Our vegetable garden is thriving this year. I swear we can almost sit on the patio and watch it grow.

This was last week; there is NO dirt to be seen now; just pumpkin plants!

Lots and lots of bees this year (see at right). We are thrilled!

The beans are twisting up the corn

Pumpkins, pumpkins everywhere!

The grapes are prolific this year, too

In the front yard, the flowerpots are looking a bit weather-worn, although I water and snip them regularly.  Look at the lilies and alyssum!

The hanging pots have been real troopers, and seem to really appreciate a regular snipping of their trailing legs. I hate to cut off perfectly good blooms, but in the long run it creates more and extends the life of the arrangement.

There is so much deadheading and weeding to do in the garden, but the heat is on, and it is even too hot to work comfortably in the early mornings.  So, things will just have to mosey on for another month until the Dog Days of Summer are over.

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Finally, my (grown, adult) kids told me that our old dog, Herschel, age 12 passed away. He was a Husky and German Shepherd mix, and went to live with Scott, my ex-husband when we divorced in 2002. We are all sad about Herschel, and it really gave me a wake-up call about Boomer, my dear sweet cat, who turned 17 last week.  He is in excellent health, and at his last vet visit (about 9 months  ago), the vet said if he hadn’t known Boomer was older, he would have guessed him to be only about 10.

As a side note, that vet, Dr. Dan Good, was a friend of ours and the most amazing animal lover I have ever known. Dogs who hated other vets LOVED Dr. Dan. He would get down on the floor and play with them and become their friend before trying to examine them. He donated his time to rescue shelters and performed complex surgeries to save animals, often at little or no charge.  He would work with psychologically damaged cats and dogs to place them in compatible homes, and was generally known and loved my thousands of people in the valley.  It was always a comfort to me that when Boomer’s time came, Dr. Dan would be there with us to guide us through.  But last month Dr. Dan left this world. There was a memorial service for him at Wheeler Farm, and I walked there to attend. Good thing; every available parking spot was taken, and people were parking on the grass and in the street.  Hundreds of people turned out to pay their respects.  And although I know he would wish us to all continue visiting his clinic (his sister is office manager), no one will ever take his place.  But I keep thinking that he must’ve had a Hero’s Welcome at the Rainbow Bridge.  And he is there for Herschel, and will be there for Boomer, too, someday.