Summer Leaf

 

I've let myself get behind on my Blockheads 4 piecing, doing other projects, but I did get block 10 done today.  I've thought of similar patterns as autumn leaves, but I like this in spring/summer colors.

And summer it is.  Ninety degrees today, and the upstairs sewing area is hot.  Unless I make another arrangement, it will be early morning sewing and little pop-ins later.

Only thing is, early morning is also best for yard work.  I'll need to figure it out.

I've been tackling a back porch bed of hostas and other things that shouldn't be there.  Mint and honeysuckle, mainly.  I have to wonder - once the invaders are gone, will the deer come for the hostas?  They have left them alone the past few years, and I know deer love hostas.

  

Pretty Dress But More

 

Preschool graduation, all those years ago.  The dress was an Indygo Junction pattern and I loved making it.  And now this crazy year is over and Nora is a high school senior.  Aaron a freshman.

Yesterday there was a lockdown of all the schools in their district (and there are a lot of schools in that district) because a woman had threatened to shoot up her kids' school.  Because she had left the place where she did the threatening, the police didn't know at first which school was involved.  And the day before there was a brief lockdown in Aaron's  middle school.

I keep thinking of the surviving kids in that classroom in Texas.  How will they ever be normal again?  They can't be.

And even on the smallest scale, the elementary students here yesterday thought they would go to school and have the anticipated graduations and parties and cupcakes and what they will remember is the lockdown.

All Those Buttons

 

I had a nice visit to a new quilt shop close to home, Around the Corner.  I got some nice patterns and a few other goodies.

The owner loves vintage buttons and has a whole drawer full, plus more at home.  

I'm eager to try out my new Best Press that is supposed to make fabrics stiffer than the original.  And I'm pretty sure I'm going back soon for some fabric for pillows.  

I'm still such a fan of Just Sew, enjoy their Wednesday Live, their website is wonderful, but they are now online only, and sometimes it's just nice to actually see new things in person.  

I gave up last night and turned on the air conditioner.  I had hoped to keep the windows open a few more days, I love feeling the breeze and hearing the neighborhood sounds.  And it's nice to keep the Duke bill lower.  But, it was just too humid to enjoy those any longer.

Middle of the Night

 

Just have to share this middle-of-the-night picture from Sarah and Winnie's front porch in North Carolina.  The bear is black and the night is too, but you can easily spot the nose and go on from there.  Sarah said she banged on the window, but the bear wasn't impressed by the noise.  Eventually it went on its way.  

Diversion

 

We are updating the church foyer and wanted a few pillows for a single long bench.  I used one of the recent Moda Blockheads weekly block designs for this pillow cover.  Just multiplied it by four.

I'll do the same for the next pillow cover, just different blocks.  Which means, of course, that I'll be behind on my own quilt blocks, but that's ok.  I like the diversion.

The fabrics were left from banners designed by one of the artists from the last Mennonite Arts Weekend.  She picked out the fabrics, I did the sewing.

These leftover fabrics have lived at my house since then.  I've been waiting for just the right thing, almost started a comunion table cover a couple of times.  That may still come to be, we'll see what's left after the pillow covers are finished.

Stars Lined Up

 

The stars lined up at Aaron's 8th grade concert, and Nora's band joined them for a few songs.  My heart feels so happy when that happens.  

It's really a good call on the band directors' parts, to get the younger students playing with the older ones, getting a taste of how it feels to be in a big band.  And hopefully deciding that's for them.

I have a few bags of mulch spread in the front bed, and that makes me happy too.  My gardening is on the slow track, a little most days, as opposed to a full work day.  That's ok.  Some seedlings are sprouting well  in their little peat discs, some aren't.

The compact sunflowers are the best, and I'm thinking of putting them in the front bed instead of in the back as planned.  And direct seeding more in back.  I put a mixture of seeds in a big planter, knowing that some will move.  I was inspired by pictures in May's Southern Living.  Lovely planters with different annuals.

There are always some nice recipes in Southern Living too.  I try to make at least one every month.  Yesterday, some really good baked beans.

Comforter Knotting

 

Ir may have been awhile, if ever, since you've seen comforters being knotted.  Instead of quilting, knots are tied every few inches through layers of backing, batting, and top.  A binding is added later.

My church friends are knotting several comforters tomorrow for Mennonite Central Committee to take to Ukraine.  Hopefully lots of people will help out and we will get several done.  We have eight to do.  Several of us got together Thursday and put four on frames ready to go.

The battings are thicker than I would usually use, and the knotting goes a lot faster than quilting.  No special skill required.  

I'm pretty sure I have a few knotted quilts in my cedar chest, and a couple are really old.  Knotting was a practical way of getting things done.  Still is.

Happy Mother's Day

 

I'd really like today's title to be Women's Day.  More inclusive.  Let's make the table bigger.  And so, happy day to you, whoever you are.

Celebrate the color of that coral rose.  Celebrate with a good meal.  Celebrate with good music.  Just celebrate.

And celebrate with me that the Reds won a series.  A series!  Yesterday morning I wouldn't have believed that it could be a  possibility.  They are still in the cellar, they are 5 and 23, but still, a series win!  A grand slam!  Happy day!

And that Kentucky Derby winner!  Who only got into the race on Friday because another horse pulled out.  Who was the long shot.  It's a dream come true!

Kitten Block

 

After a very long time, way too long, the kitten quilt is finished.  Washed and dried.  Next week after it's received, I'll post a picture, but in the meantime, here is one of my favorite blocks.

The back story isn't all that interesting, but I bought the local daily newspaper yesterday, and it was $3.50.  For just that one newspaper!  And, it was skinny.

It was raining so hard this morning when I got up - I'm reminded of one of my favorite Appalachian phrases - "it's pouring the rain."

It looks like, finally, it's going to rain and rain today, it's been way too dry.  And tomorrow is the Kentucky Derby.  There may be a wet track and a wet infield, although the day will be dry.