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I always love pieced bindings. What I'm especially loving these days is using a print fabric, like the candy canes above, to make a colorful binding without piecing.
The bigger the better, really, but the print can be smaller and still look nice. The candy canes aren't a large print but still bring in red, green, and white in a nice color mix.
On Monday the grands and I spent some time at the park under the Big Mac bridge. We used to call it the Downtown Park, but with the new park areas along the river front we'll have to come up with a new name.
I always think that under an expressway overpass is a strange place for a playground, but really, it's a wonderful location. It's shaded, which is awesome for red-headed kids. There is usually a nice breeze from the river. And, there's all that sand for the sand volleyball courts. I usually try to encourage the grands to take a walk, to look at the river, but it's a no go. They love that sand.
On that hot day, there weren't a lot of kids. I suspect that most have moved on up the river, to the parks with the water features and and air-conditioned Merry Go Round.
Today, we'll mostly be inside. Last night I got a new movie, The Dog Who Saved Summer, a sequel to The Dog Who Saved Christmas. And then I'm thinking a trip to the Blue Manitee bookstore in Oakley. Lots of kid books and reading nooks and a coffee bar with smoothies.
Before the kids come, I'll be cutting out a quilt binding. My upstairs sewing area is so warm in the summer that I don't do nearly as much sewing as during the cooler months. I've been thinking about a small window air conditioner, but that seems kind of lazy, my machines are portable, after all. I'll think about that next year.
The grands brought a tote plus a grocery bag of Matchbox cars the other day. And I'm thinking - this could inspire a great baby quilt.
I thought I could reduce my scraps with this baby quilt, but the scrap basket looks as full as ever. Guess I need to try again.
I sewed 2 1/4' wide scraps together, then 2 1/4" wide strips of white. I sewed the white strip to the scrappy strip, then joined that together jelly roll race fashion. From the pieced result, I cut the widths I needed for a baby quilt, adding the long vertical strips of white. There is no reason why it couldn't be a larger quilt, though.
There is also nothing magical about 2 1/4", it could easily be 2 1/2' or more or less. I just chose 2 1/4" because that's the width I use for binding and I almost always have a strip left over.
Last night there were empty swings at Smale Park,
no Coast Guard boats visible on the river,
and the ESPN trucks have moved on.
The All Star party's over, but it was a great one.
Yesterday was All Star day, and the kids and I headed across one of the bridges to the parade. They enjoyed seeing the red carpet on the streets and the hitters they'd seen the day before on tv coverage of the Home Run Derby.
Traffic was closed to cars on this bridge with the metal grating because of the parade. The wind was starting to blow and the kids loved looking at the river water through the grating. About a block and a half from our car it started to storm and we ducked into a store to wait it out. On the way home we saw trees and branches blown down.
Weather in the evening was beautiful. We watched part of the game on the big tv at Fountain Square. I hated that I forgot the sunscreen earlier in the day and there is a little sunburn showing on the grands' faces.
Aaron had a loose tooth and he really started working it during the game. He took my phone and turned it to selfie video so he could see how to wiggle the tooth. He finally got it out. I hope the fairy was generous for an All Star tooth.
The grands showed their mom a few of the sights on the river front park. This contraption is a flying pig. It takes an outside person to move the wings up and down.
The view from the bridge walking back. I feel kind of like Christmas is over, it was that great.
I am taking a workshop with Liz Lamoreux. Part of the exercise is to pay attention to our days, to take pictures, to pause and really notice. I would have thought my Saturday was an ordinary day, and yet . . . Above, Aaron's treasured key from the locks we put on the Purple People Bridge yesterday, that mean "I'll love you forever."
Aaron, who spent the night, making a quilt for me.
I finished a class sample and took it to work.
A new pair of Teva's from TJ Maxx. $14.99.
Tried a sofrita bowl at Chipotle. Can't decide whether I like it.
Panties on the Purple People Bridge for gyno cancer awareness. They stretched half way across the bridge.
The news trucks outside the Reds stadium, waiting for the All Star Game.
Sitting on my porch at the end of the day.
Beer from West Sixth Brewing in Lexington.
Sewing with friends allowed me to finish this NICU quilt that had been pieced weeks ago. I've noticed that left to my own devices I tend towards making baby girl quilts. I especially like the binding on this quilt, made by cutting 2 1/4" strips of fabric printed with hearts.
I actually finished another NICU quilt and did the quilting on a long paper pieced Christmas tree quilt. Pictures to come. Sewing with friends is very good for me, especially during the warm months when I'm usually dividing my time between gardening, sewing, and grand kids, all of which I love. And housework, which doesn't fit in the love category. It's good for me to be in a space where I don't divide my time.
It was also good to come home and admire my garden. There are so many butterflies and birds swooping around the back yard. And even though there are deer tracks, so far the plants haven't been nibbled. I'm thinking that perhaps this fall I'll set up some raised beds in the back yard for some vegetables next year. I do love my flowers though.
It's ok, if today,
On the 6th of July,
That I sponged off mud
That splattered the tent
From rain that fell
On the 12th of June
In the Smoky Mountains
In Elkmont
Where it rains
When it doesn't
In town.
I've been busy, the tent's been spread out in the garage, and all is well. I won't beat myself up about this.
Happy 4th of July, everyone. Design from Dakota Collectibles Redwork.
Trampolining at Newport on the Levee.
Lunch at Taft's Ale House with Steph and the kids. I love that place. Nicely renovated from an old church. They have started selling Nellie's Key Lime in cans since it's so popular. You might have to buy it at their place, though.
This is a very kid friendly place, except for a few designated times on weekend evenings. And please note, Nora has a Coke, she isn't sampling the beers.
It was fun to show the kids the logo of the president in the bathtub and tell them the story of the president being stuck in the tub (google it.) And, heard from the back seat as we were on the way: "Wait, is Aunt Sarah going to be there?" Aunt Sarah has the reputation of doing the cool things.
Afterwards we had some time at Washington Park, which is another of Cincinnati's wonderful new parks. Parking at the underground garage is reasonable, and the Ale House is only a block away.
