Rainy monday

 We are getting a good soaking rain and all the new plants and trees are drinking it in.  Was planning on going to yoga today.  I really was even though M was out of town but sitting here watching and listening to the rain is so calming I think I will miss it today.
I let Cecil out early and he did not stay long.  He looked like a drowned rat when he came in but he does love to get dried off with the towel.  Free massage.


We had bee in Garner Saturday and those ladies are so talented and do so many charity quilts for veterans and kids.  They also are so giving to the collection of scraps for dogs project at ME's quilt shop "Thistle Bee" that the back of my suv is full of bags of scraps. 

Here are some of the dog beds that volunteers make at TB and fill with donated scraps.  There are big and small beds for dogs at the Animal Shelter.

I have been working on the blocks for "Stitchers Garden" and here are the  two for last month's class

 

I do love the Kaffe fabrics for these blocks.  I still have to finish putting on buttons on the top block.  Then I have to work on the two for this month.

Here is my Baker's Dozen block for the calendar hangings.  Just love these.

And last but by no means least here is the Easy Street Mystery quilt from Bonnie Hunter.  It is really large.  Had to go to ME's shop and use the quilt rack to have enough room to get a good picture.  I do love the colors and all the action in the quilt.  It is now my "spring" quilt.  The back is a purple and turquoise 108" wide batik.  yum yum.

Got to get to work.

Rainy quilting.

Sally

 

 

 



Nature and sewing

I love this time of year when we get those little reminders of how cool it can be in April and I look out my window to see the abundant display of Azaleas, dogwood, and other flowering trees in my yard or in my neighbors' yards.  If I am patient I can see the bluebird watching out for his home from the top of a camellia bush and Cecil sleeping in his chair at the same time.  God is indeed good.

Our quilt guild had a day of sharing today with nearly 100 quilters attending from surrounding guilds.
It was a wonderful day because of the amount of work done in preparation.  Our theme was "April in Paris" and it was reflected in the decorations which included a lighted 4ft. tall replica of the Eiffel Tower, chocolate candies in the shape of ...you guessed it towers, and challenge quilts on the theme.
For lunch we had chicken salad in ...what else...croissants and the members brought salads and more salads.  The guild from the next county brought desserts.  Many beautiful quilts were shown, giving inspiration to get home and get started on a new pattern.  Door prizes were distributed from vendors who were kind enough to respond to our request.  And after a year from its beginning our beautiful double irish chain raffle quilt was given away.
All in all a pretty satisfying day.

I am moving out on the limb of embellishments and adding beads to my calendar quilts.  It really is fun.  Don't know if it will show up here. These are such fun.

 

I have made the blocks for "stitchers" garden but need to do the machine applique on them.

I do have a picture of a real flower however which is at my mail box.  I don't know why it blooms so early but it does then that is it.  Maybe it will be stronger this year.  I love the color of this clematis. 

 

Time to feed Cecil and me.  It has been a wonderful day.
Pollen-free quilting.
Sally

 

 

Beach sewing

After a trip to outer banks to sew it is hard to get back to regular stuff getting in the way.  We had a great time and the weather was wonderful.  The beach walking was cool with the wind off the still cold water but having lunch and sitting in the sun on the deck was the best. 
The detour was not too stressful except for the turtles.  I have a picture but not the best one.  haha.  This one looked prehistoric and was not in a good mood.  Hopefully he got to where he was going in one piece.

 

We stopped at the Big Trout Café in Englehard and ate with the sheriff.  We had shrimp sandwiches and C had a flounder sandwich cooked by "hot dog" Our food was delicious.

 

Cecil was glad just to be in the car and he chose P to be his bff.  He had a great time.

 

I finished putting on the pieces for Heartstrings on 9 blocks and now have to machine applique them..

I also worked on a batik quilt "texas tumbleweeds" and got two blocks ready (thanks to P) for machine applique on the "Stitchers Garden" workshop at ME's.
C was doing strip sets for a small 25 patch and cut us all enough for one of our own.  I did get one block made. 
Was a great time and worth the 5 hour drive.  P brought her delicious chicken and bean soup, C brought tea and those wonderful sugar cookies dredged in soft sugar.  I brought baked spaghetti and we ate most of all that food. 
Now to get back to reality with Day of sharing on Saturday and my cousin Art coming through on his way to Canada on Friday.
Sunny quilting
Sally