Fall Art Piece is Done!!

This is Edyta Sitar's "Fall Memories," and it is finished! Just in time for the fall to be over! It was great fun, and I learned a tremendous amount---more as I am asking questions about techniques, etc.
The wonderful accomplishment with this piece was that all of it was free-motion quilted, and I have gotten more confident with that! Unfortunately, none of the stippling really shows up in these photographs. I stipplied using very small strokes and a thread color which blended into the background around all of the leaves, basket, and pumpkins. The orange inner border has a leaf pattern sewn around it, and the outer border was stippled with large strokes and metallic copper thread.

Most of the applique work, however, was sewn with my walking foot. I had trouble with the tackiness on the back of the applique pieces as the needle was moving through. The walking foot is an amazing piece of engineering. Oh, so many things to learn......

Now, on to those few (very few this year) Christmas projects!!

Where Has The Fall Flown?

Several of my friends have commented that I have not been blogging. And now I am having trouble uploading my pictures....so much to show and so little technological knowledge!! My biggest joy has been the birth of my second grandchild, Elliot. He is just fabulous. I am the luckiest grandmother to have them both!! And we have taken several trips. My sewing has really suffered, but I will add more when I have pictures.

Sewing those Pillows, Pillows

This pillow was a combination of two sweatshirts. The green reindeer was one I made in 1987 with my two son's handprints as antlers. Chris was 6 and Kelly was 3.

The Christmas of 1994, I made one for Bob's mother with Kate's handprints added. She was 5. Cleo never wore it, so it was in perfect shape. It became the front of the pillow. As my children are now all adults with children of their own, I don't want to forget the love and memories that pour through me when I see pieces of them at much younger ages.

This began as a Tshirt that Bob brought me back from Bangkok! It was so unique and I wore it a few times in Houston. But then I just saved it. So, I combined it with a bit of upholstery remnant and a lovely cording. And there it is.

I really love the way it looks with my favorite aubergine pillows that my good buddy, Christie, made for me several years ago.

The "Big BB" Bag

This is Mickey Beebe's bag pattern. It is so clever and has two zipper pockets, and three other pockets. An amazing amount of organization in a small space. I made it while I kept Ruthie. She took such wonderful naps, and I could be upstairs and close by listening for her.

From my stash of fabric, I was able to pull several of these pieces. Being the critic that I am, I would defnitely work to make it perfect, but it was a fun short project, and I really needed a small black handbag for summer---perfect answer.

The DREADED CAT BED

This has been the summer of finishing projects and making ideas come together. This was truly the project from the underworld. I will defer to my sweet daughter in law and not use the other word. It was a Simplicity pattern I bought two years ago and began. I soon learned that it really required a commercial sewing machine since I was sewing as many as 3-4 layers of foam rubber together.

I have picked it up and put it down several times in utter disbelief and frustration. I decided this week was THE WEEK. I was in such a foul mood with this thing that I should have been in Time Out. Fortunately, Bob went out of town, and I just DID it. It's not perfect by any means, but it's finished. Bob named her Sweet Lips after a tropical fish with large lips just like hers!

As my friend Rosemary said, "If those cats don't use it, they should just be given to the SPCA." Of course, I may not let them use it since it was so dang hard to make it! But, I just don't seem to give up and quit! I think I would be saner if I chose that path.

Sadie's Visit

July was a very busy month!! Whew! Kate, Chris Myers, and his new puppy, Sadie came to visit July 15-18. Chris attended a Seal Reunion at Little Creek with his dad and Kate and I took care of Sadie. She is the sweetest little lab, and it gave me a taste of a new puppy.

One of the wonderful things about puppies, like children, is that we can buy them all of these fancy specialized toys, but if we give them an old sand bucket, they are just as happy!!

We were blessed with just amazingly breathable July weather. We were sitting out Saturday morning watching kayakers and playing with Sadie.

July 4th Pictures

July 4th was a beautiful day---very cool and dry for our typical July. What a gift. Chris, Kristen, and Ruthie came up on the 2nd. We took them to the subdivision beside us for their annual July 4th Parade. It is just so much fun--very small town with ALL the kids participating.

John and Carol's granddaughter had decorated her wagon, and Carol pulled her in the parade. Carol was all decked out in red, white and blue down to her toes! Too fun.

We finally were able to persuade Ruthie to get in the wagon.

It was after the parade, but so what?

She had a good time, and we were able to pull her around in the wagon for a spell. It was a fun beginning to a lovely day.