Still Unpacking

I didn't do a lot of sewing this week but I did unpack all the large pictures and even hung a few pictures. Most of them are placed in the spot I think I want them to be but am not brave enough to put a hole in the wall yet.

I also took a truck load of goodies to my niece and another truck load of stuff to the animal humane society thrift store. I can almost move around my garage and there might even be an empty shelf.

I finished the disappearing nine patch quilt top.

I really like how this turned out. It is about 66 x 78 inches. Best part is it is all made from stash scraps. All of the fabric in this quilt has been in at least one or more other quilts. I still have a few blocks that wouldn't fit in this quilt that I'll make into a baby quilt. I want it all gone!

I'm still learning about the plants in my back yard. Here are a few pictures I took:

Pink/purple hydrangea.

Blue hydrangea...this bloom is huge!

I've always called this plant an elephant's ear. I love the tall blooms on it.

And the Hosta's are blooming.

No goals for this week. Jayme is coming up to visit and I don't know how much sewing I'll be able to do. Have a great 4th of July.
 

It's getting hot!

 
It is suppose to be 98 degrees tomorrow. Too hot!! I melt when it's hot. I am very glad I'm not in California. Roseville has already had 3-4 days over 100 and it is supposed to over a 100 there for the next 3 days. Yikes!

Last week was the third Friday in June (again Yikes where does the time go) so I hustled and quilted the whale quilt so I could turn it at the Kiwanis Quilts for Kids meeting.

Simple quilting, mostly straight line frames. I in-the-ditch stitched around the whale applique and then tried some FMQ "water" in the background. It was supposed to be a working / sewing meeting but I was the only person who stayed and sewed (binding). 

My mom asked for some coasters for her bedroom that coordinate with her quilt. When I dug out the scraps I had just enough for the coasters and a small table topper.

Probably should have quilted the center of the table topper but really didn't feel like it. It is doubtful that she will ever wash it so it's probably okay.

My goal for this week is to finish piecing the sports themed quilt. I have all but two rows of blocks sewn together, and half of the rows are already sewn together so it shouldn't take long to finish the top.

I also want to finish setting up my quilt frame so I can quilt the sports quilt before the third Friday in July.

 

Quilt Retreat

  

I spent last week at a quilt retreat at the Girl Scout camp in Somerset, CA. Which is somewhere up a very narrow, very windy road in El Dorado County.

We practiced social distancing...

There were twelve of us and everyone got their own table to work at. We had to take our temperature everyday also.  Most of us were dead with a temp of 90 degrees or less.

I forgot to take a picture of the bunks where we slept and I got eaten up by something (either fleas or spiders, cause mosquitoes don't like me).

Nancy taught a Stack and Whack class to seven of the ladies. Here are a few...

 

This one was made using the panel in the center. I would have never given the panel a second look but I LOVE this quilt.

The retreat was a half day Monday, I started a disappearing nine patch. I made and cut all the blocks.

 (laid it out on my design floor yesterday)

A full day Tuesday. Worked on my General Jack quilt. Got the center done, the next round of stars partially pieced and about 2/3 of the bazillion 1.5 inch HST for the outer border squared up.

Wednesday was another full day. I started another quilt called Sunny Lanes from The Big Book of Nickel Quilts. I used charm squares from a clearance kit I purchased 10+ years ago. I never liked the original pattern and have been trying to find the right pattern ever since.

160 HST that still need to be squared up and 160 four patches.

Thursday was another half day for Nancy and I. I cut and pressed all of the Sunny Lane HST and four patches.

It's amazing how much sewing / piecing can be accomplished when there is no internet service and barely any cell service.

The year is more than half over - wow - someone commented today about how fast time flies when you are not having fun - I thought that was very funny and very appropriate for this year.

 

Finishes

 
I finished quilting two table runners last week.

I quilted wonky oak leaves in the center of the quilt and in the border. Still have to hand sew the binding down.

These were extra blocks from a quilt Nancy made (many) years ago. She made the table runner and I volunteered to quilt it.

I've been wanting to try lines on a quilt. Since this table topper had fabric with wavy lines, I tried to create something similar to the fabric. I used a variegated thread which normally my Juki hates.

I will not be posting next week as I will be at a quilt retreat with friends and no internet.