New Wallhanging

Finished a wall hanging (that's really straight, need to get a system for taking good pictures) using curved piecing. And I'm realizing that I need to do some dyeing before cold weather so I can get more bright "solid" fabrics for this kind of piecing.

Actually, I have a nice little stash of solids, but some really nice pieces I want to save for something more "special" than this experimental piecing. I think I got this from my mother and grandmother, this saving of things for "good." I try to be intentional about actually using my nice things, but there's just something that I have to get past every time. Shoes, jewelry, fabric . . . makes no difference.

I'm thinking that this afternoon I'll do some work in my front yard garden. Surprising that I'm not seeing pansies for sale at the grocery stores this year, guess I need to actually go to the greenhouse or a garden center. I'd love to find some ornamental kale too.

Maybe I'll Try

The cockcomb are especially pretty in the garden this fall - maybe I'll try drying a couple. I have no idea what to expect, but I can always compost them if they don't dry prettily. Then next summer I'll have a lovely cockcomb bed in the compost pile.

Big Day

Yesterday was a big day in the life of Nora, who wore her pretty new dress to school, saw the 3D Lion King (thumbs up,) and finally, finally, has not one but two loose teeth. She's been waiting and waiting for those loose teeth. Turns out they're the bottom ones, which wasn't what she was expecting, but she's happy none the less.

Playscape

This year brought a Playscape area to the Cincinnati Nature Center. It's a great place for intuitive play,

for "pretend you're a troll under the bridge," "pretend we're building a house," "pretend you're camping in a tent and I came to visit,"

for imaginative, unstructured play,

for putting your feet in the stream and running through the grass, for looking at a wetland up close and understanding what that is.

There's a gentle reminder as you leave, that on the other 1,000 acres respect for nature is part of the visit, but in the Playscape things can be touched and manipulated to create whatever imaginary kid world is desired.

Piecing Curves

A couple of months ago I took a Kathy Loomis workshop about piecing curves. It was a great workshop, but I was especially hooked on her workshop from the day before, fine line piecing. Since then, I've done a lot of practicing on that and none on piecing curves.

Recently I picked up two Dianne Hire books (thanks, Lockharts, for the birthday Amazon birthday gift card) and yesterday I opened "Vivacious Curvy Quilts." Taking what Dianne says and building on Kathy's workshop, I get it. My curves are lovely and flat, and this is something that's never worked for me before this summer. And it's so easy. Who knew?

And, there's more. I've always appreciated the 1/4" piecing foot that came with my Viking Quilt Designer and never even tried the one that came with my Diamond. Until this week, when I temporarily misplaced the Quilt Designer one. And now, having finally tried it, I love the Diamond one, especially for 1/8" seams, which is what's used for curves. Happy Day.

Friday Miscellaneous

Thanks to Winnie for my new Arboretum tee shirt - I really love it.

I brought out my knitting the other night while watching a movie (Rosemary's Baby, from long ago.) I'd really, really like to learn to be a good knitter. Socks and granola kid hats. Not just scarves.

And, a tiny picture from Nora's Kids First teacher, from a summer field trip. I think it was taken outside the bus during a drizzle, and it was the day that Nora got her treasured yellow bracelet which allowed her to swim in the big pool, no longer restricted to the baby pool.

It was one of the highlights of her happy summer.

Smoky Mountain Brewery

Lots of restaurants in Gatlinburg, many, many, but I have a couple of favorites. The Pancake Pantry, open 'til 2 p.m. And after that, Smoky Mountain Brewery.

I wish I'd taken a picture of the micro brew sampler we shared - it was the first time I'd tasted ALL the brews. And there was this delicious Margherita pizza, made with fresh mozerella, tomatoes, and basil.

Got to try that at home. The pizza, not the brews.