Favorite Quilt Books

Becky asked what our favorite books were, and I have two. The first one is Two Color Quilts.
I enjoy the quilts in there, and have an Irish Chain started in blue and white. My other favorite book is Big Book of Best-Loved Quilt patterns. Lots of vintage patterns in both of them.
I spend a lot of time paging through these two books for ideas.

Tonight I assembled all my tossed salad blocks into a top, I will look at it again tomorrow, I think it needs a border or two. The pink heart quilt has it's binding sewn on, all that is left is the hand stitching. WooHoo!! I like this part of quilting, I find it very relaxing. And yes Julia, you can come and visit me and we can sew bindings by the dozens!!
Sweet Pea also asked about pictures of containers we use in our sewing rooms. Hmm--I will definitely say I have a basket fetish!

#1 has geometric scraps


#2 holds thread

#3 is a woven palm basket from Hawaii and holds orphan blocks

#4 is an egg basket holding a UFO

#5 is a flat basket that holds bobbins and things for my long arm

#6 is a little basket hanging on the wall that holds small cones of threads, clothespins, and sharpie markers.

Monday Goals

I am home until Thursday night, hmmm, what kind of goals can I set??

1. Finish the pink heart quilt
2. Seal the deck
3. Trim my tossed salad blocks

Think that's enough goals for this week, I am volunteering Fri-Sat-Sun and does that make me feel old!! But I also want to pack my traveling sewing kit--you know--featherweight, cutting board, rubbermaid sewing box (that has about EVERYTHING you might need) and a few projects. What I like best it to take quilts that need the binding hand sewn down, perfect for sitting in my lawn chair in the evenings. I also set my sewing machine outside under the awning on my picnic table when the weather is nice. Too much wind and my awning flaps and my pieces fly away! You would be surprised how much sewing you can get done in a camper without a TV or a Husband!

Motivation Friday

Checked my goals, and I've done fairly well. The big bedspread quilt is off the Princess, Ken and I got some rubbermaid totes and packed away some of the things from the basement. I looked at shelving, Ken wants permanent type shelves, but I want portable, stand by themselves kind. We also bought some more floor fans, and I've got the pink quilt loaded and bobbins wound. I have even started quilting it. I am using the panto "Wandering Daisies", this quilt is for a little girl's birthday, isn't it darling??!! And my deck is done, I love it already. I doubt I will get much time to sew before Monday, I spend Saturday and Sunday at the Visitor Center.

Wednesday Ramblings

The deck is shaping up nicely, the carpenters are down to the pergola and trellises on the sides. This morning they gave me a shopping list of wood they needed yet, and Ken and I made a quick trip to get it. I don't think it will take them much longer, maybe it will be done by tomorrow.

And I did a little quilting after they left yesterday and finished the quilt on the long arm. I like how it looks, I tried to get a good picture of the back with the solid backing and varigated thread, but it just faded out in the sun and you couldn't see it. Maybe later I can try a shot inside.

It's a beautiful day here, warm without being hot and a nice breeze. The guys teased me when I sat on my deck with my diet pepsi, said "you're supposed to be drinking a beer when you're on your deck!" Maybe iced tea and a hammock??

Deck started but no sewing

Today the carpenter's started my deck. I want a pergola above it, and they will have to draw the plans up themselves for that, so materials are not here for that.

The peonies are in full bloom, this is the first year they are loaded with blossoms, I think it just took them a while to be established and LIKE where I planted them. There are also columbines everywhere, they are so prolific if I don't sometimes cut them back they try to take over. Finally there are some Lathyrus Latifolius in several places, these are also old fashioned perennials, they are also called perennial sweet peas.

I haven't been able to sew, if I run the Princess, I am on the same circuit breaker as the carpenters. But I'm glad the deck is being worked on!

Monday Goals

I'm so far behind, not sure what to make for goals!!! Okay--I'll try

1. Finish quilt on Princess
2. buy some more fans and rubbermaid totes to pack up stuff that's sitting around to go back into basement
3. Look at shelving for basement to clear up some of the clutter
4. Ready pink quilt for quilting

Think that's enough, I am supposed to have insurance adjusters stopping and carpenters coming to build my deck this week. I am about three WEEKS behind schedule.

Sunday Stash Report

No new stash. And so far I don't remember removing any stash due to flooding! The water is mostly gone in town, except for the creek and the low lying areas. See lots of stuff setting out around people's home, they are cleaning their basements. But on the bright side--I had a Dr. Ruppel clematis I just planted last year, and after sitting in the water--she bloomed!!!

Quack Quack!!

It rained some more. And some more. AND SOME MORE!!! It rained so much that our little town was flooded. We got over another 5 inches. There were canoes going down some of the streets. Sandbagging. Pumping. And I got wet. The water came up to the top of the first step outside, and well, that was higher than the window wells. So water trickled into our basement thru the closed windows. And there was no where for the water to drain to, the floor drains weren't draining. At least my basement slopes to the floor drains and the water headed to them. There is no carpeting in our basement, either tile or concrete, so I'm not too upset. Ken and I put everything up that was important, stuff was stacked on top of tables and chairs. What a mess. So today we were sorting out the wet stuff we were going to keep from the wet stuff we were tossing. We have two washers and they went non-stop. Tomorrow the dump will be open and we will be hauling away by the trailer full!! Now, the basement needed cleaning, but wasn't planning on doing it this way! Oh, it wasn't much water, maybe at most an inch, but it sure makes a mess. I may have to get another bottle of Mr. Clean to scrub the floor, I don't think one will do it.

Right now sewing motivation is at a standstill. I even was too tired to remember to take pictures earlier today when we drove around.

More Rain or I'm Buying Ducks!

The heavens opened and it POURED today! The street drains were backed up and there were flash flood watches. (I find that particularly funny as where I live it's very flat, and the water usually just sits there!) It rained anywhere from 2 to 5 inches. Here, hmmm, my dad said 2.30".
The first picture is to the east of my house, in the neighbor's backyard. The second picture is to the west of my house, in the other neighbors yard. My rain gutter sticks out and you can see where the water goes. My yard is a little higher than either of theirs, I don't get ponds in my backyard.

I would have taken pictures of it raining, but it was just a white sheet out, it came down so fast. A few small hailstones, but nothing to do any damage. And it wasn't tornado weather, too cool, just lots of rain. Ken and I had been out checking our fields right before the rain, and somehow I think they are very wet now! I am thinking the plan will be to not plant soybeans, and instead put in winter wheat later on. (all you farmer people understand that-right??) I was watching the ducks swimming up and down last year's corn rows.

Well, I've had a nap and now I will quilt. After coffee!! Somehow rainy weather makes for good napping weather.

Monday Goals (on Tuesday!)

Stayed so busy yesterday I didn't have time to think about this week's goals.

1. Quilt the top I've been waiting on the thread for--I'm halfway
2. Quilt the pink hearts quilt
3. Work on the tossed salad blocks--I thought I was done but I have two more strips for each block yet-drat!
4. Get more dirt hauled into my flower beds--I figure I need about another 30 five gallon buckets!
5. Put together the blocks on my design wall

Its rained here again, over an inch last night, and today while I was gone shopping it rained again. Ken is moping around, but I am glad it's at least green out! I have a few more Lathyrus Latifolus to be planted, started the seeds in little peat pots and they are now about 3 inches tall.

Sunday Stash Report

Didn't buy anything, and I haven't finished anything. But my best friend found me a cone of that thread I have been waiting for and had it shipped. That quilt is loaded, the bobbins wound, and one pass already made! And the thread just came yesterday. It's the perfect thread I think, varigated to show on the plain sage green backing, and the other colors all blend on the top. The owner plans to make it as a reversible bedspread, so that is why I have been waiting for this special colored thread.

Today we took our camper to where it is parked for the summer. During this LONG rainy spell I have cleaned it and packed most the regular stuff. Now I am down to clothing and food etc. I spend a lot of time living in it during the summer, I volunteer at a Corps of Engineers Visitor Center above Lake Yankton on the Missouri River. So I can honestly say I spend my summers "out of state" as I cross the line into Nebraska! I wave a lot to Julia from there! It's a tough job--I play movies and answer questions and give lots of directions and maps! You meet so many interesting people, I enjoy the busy days best. Its a very large Visitor Center, there are Corps of Engineers and National Park Personnel both there. Very beautiful view, we are high on chalkstone bluffs above the dam overlooking the lake and river.