August - A Busy Time

Hi All, 

It's getting close to the end of August.  It's also getting pretty busy around here.  We went away for the weekend to visit family.  It was a nice visit.  I'm especially glad my DH got to visit with his family.  We've stayed away so we don't get anyone sick, but took a chance to go this time.  

It's harvest time starting up.  We've been picking blackberries for about 3 weeks.  The raspberries are starting up, now, as well.  I've made 2 batches of blackberry freezer jam, 3 batches of blackberry syrup, and one batch (pints) of crushed tomatoes.  I'm very blessed that my DD comes to help me.  

They are waiting to be washed and labled, then put on the shelf for the coming year.  I forgot that I had made blackberry syrup last year, so I need to start using it up, and giving some to the kids.

My DH has been experimenting with sourdough (like the rest of the world), only he's just been at it about 6 weeks or so.  Today's sourdough became tonight's dinner - scones, or frybread.  It was delicious!

They were light and fluffly, but had a lot of chew time because it's sourdough.  It just isn't the same texture as regular white bread.  Delicious with peanut butter and blackberry jam!

I also washed some raspberries to have with our dinner.

Delicious with cream and sugar!  Just like grandma used to serve!  I love this time of year!

I am working on a very big customer quilt.  And it is custom, so it takes me a while to get it done.  In the meantime, I keep getting quilts in to be done.  I'm at 25, with 2 coming tomorrow and 1 on Monday.  I need to really buckle down and get some done this weekend.  I'm hoping the custom quilt will be done by tomorrow evening.

Here's as much of the quilt as I could get a picture to work.

Here is the first row, what I have been doing.

Here's a small sample of my quilting.

Usually on custom quilts, I do a mixture of computer designs and free motion.  I'm trying to do everything as I go, but I forgot to quilt on the eagles near the top, so I will be returning to that after I finish to the bottom of the quilt.

I have 2 blocks I am working on for the store.  We are part of a shop hop coming up in September.  We are making one of each of the blocks that are being provided by the participating stores.  I'm only doing two, and I need to have them finished by Monday.  So, no quilting after 9 pm, so I can piece instead.

Over the weekend, I finished binding some small quilts for my sister, so she can give them as Christmas presents.  

Next time I'll share some of the things waiting for me on my sewing table.

Keep on Sewing and Quilting!

To Do Tuesday

Okay, it's time to check on my To Do list from Last Tuesday.

1.  Order Swarovski crystals.  Nope.
2.  Finish Custom Quilt.  Yep!  (Hooray!)
3.  Three Blog Posts.  Yep!  (If you count Tuesday as #1).

Here is the custom quilt I was working on.

 Each parallelogram is made of two half-square triangles.  Each triangle is 12 inches.  So, I had to set up each triangle individually. 

 I changed  thread with each color of fabric.  The outer triangles have a double echo of the triangle, with pebbles inside.  The next row has continuous curves.  Then, the next row has waves, pearls and curves, with a single echo with lots of swirls on the inside star.

I would have loved to get a straight on shot, but my 6'4" quilt holder couldn't hold it up for me and keep it straight.   It's just too big.

I believe the customer was very happy.

Now for the goals for July 14-20
1.  Quilt as many customer quilts as possible.
2.  Order Swarovski crystals.
3.  Work on Summer Blossoms quilt.

Keep on Sewing and Quilting!

To Do Tuesday

Hi again,

Today is my check-in to see how I did on my to-do list last week. 

1.  Post 3 blog entries.  I'm okay if I do more, but this is my minimum.  I get a partial credit on this.  I got 2 blog entries posted.  The 4th of July time with family was more important.

2.  Organize quilts under my frame.  I store quilts to be quilted under my Forte frame.  Right now it's a mess and not in quilting order.  So, I am going to get it back in order.  Done!

3.  Quilt 2 quilts that I have had since the end of February.  Both are queen sized, one is using an edge-to-edge design, and the other is custom.  The custom one has had me pondering what to do for 4 months.  I think I might be getting there, finally.  Partial credit.  The edge-to-edge was done fairly quickly.  The custom one is still on the frame, almost to the half-way point.  It will take me a fair part of the week to finish, but it will be finished!

So, here are some pictures:  This is of the top right corner of the custom quilt.  I used the Mark function on my Pro-stitcher to do the lines of the triangles, then filled with a bubble fill from Wasatch quilting.

Now, down a few rows.  The half-square triangles, that make up the parallelogram, are 12 inches.  I cannot fit 2 of them together in my throat space.  So, I used the same design in each triangle, matching them at the center seam.  It doesn't take long to quilt, but it does take time to place each design.

This was a finish for the week as well.  The employees at our local quilt shop did a block exchange for Christmas.  We each made an extra block, then I made them into a quilt for the store owner's wife.  She just recently (couple of years) started working at the store with us, and she is such a delightful person to work with.  So, we gave her the quilt on Monday. 

Now, a couple of shots of the fireworks we enjoyed on Friday, July 3rd.

Next week's goals (July 7-13):

1.  Order more swarovski crystals for a quilt I am embellishing.

2.  Finish the Custom quilt on my frame.

3.  3 blog entries.  I'm trying again.  

Linking to To Do Tuesday #48

Goals for the Week, July 1-6

I just saw a blog that sponsors goals for the week.  I saw it last night, too late to jump in, but I'll link up next week I think.  

However, I have decided to make some goals for the week.  I will lose some quilting time this week because of the holiday, but I still intend on getting some things done.

1.  Post 3 blog entries.  I'm okay if I do more, but this is my minimum.

2.  Organize quilts under my frame.  I store quilts to be quilted under my Forte frame.  Right now it's a mess and not in quilting order.  So, I am going to get it back in order.

3.  Quilt 2 quilts that I have had since the end of February.  Both are queen sized, one is using an edge-to-edge design, and the other is custom.  The custom one has had me pondering what to do for 4 months.  I think I might be getting there, finally.

During my quiet time, or time just sitting around with the family, I have two quilts that need the binding sewn down by hand.  These won't take very long, so I expect to share those in the coming weeks.

I also plan to Keep on Sewing!