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!

It's Been HOW LONG???!

I went on Spring Break with my family, shortly after my last post.  Then, as soon as we were back, I hit the ground running and it has taken a while to slow down.  So, I guess I better do some catching up.  I had an opportunity to use a long-arm quilting machine... and quilted this to hang at the store.  It isn't bad for my first official quilt.  I would like to do some more.

 Then, there is this runner.  I took a quilt guild class for flying geese in 2010.  Then, last fall I pieced these three blocks together to make a runner.  I basted it soon after, and finally quilted it this month.  Last week I finished the binding while at a family reunion.  I am pleased with it, and will use it in the Spring.

 In April and May, I only had time to finish one quilt guild project...The Mystery Quilt.  I decided to do straight lines diagonally across the quilt.  This is a very time-consuming way to quilt!  I do like how it finished.

I have more to show later...and much more to work on.  I'll try to keep up here more frequently.  I've missed this, too.