Post Christmas

What a week! I know everyone has a lot going on this time of year but really.  I think I can finally
breathe today.  Yesterday was recovery.  Today is coming out of a fog and looking forward to the
new year.  But first some pics from this past week.

La Vonne and me at Peter and Lilys for Christmas Day Brunch of Strawberry Crepes

My younger nephew's wife Joy and me

My sister-in-law LaVonne and her daughter-in-law Lily and LaVonne and Win's for Christmas night dinner

My Nephew Luke, LV and brother Win

Luke's wife Joy, Bambi sister to Lily

Joy and Luke

LV, Bambi, me in our Walmart cozies and Mason Lily and Pete's Aussie-Doodle

LV and son Peter Donat

We had drinks and apps at my house with Luke and Joy as hosts for a wonderful start to our festivities then piled into cars for the 8pm choir concert and Eucharist service at St Pauls downtown 

in Wilmington.  It was a wonderful Christmas.

On Boxing day I drove to Wilson to visit my brother-in-law and his large family.  This is his grandson Henry in the state jammies and his younger grandson Dallas.

Well the others from that day will have to wait.

Enjoy the 13th month and rest up for new year.

Celebrating quilting.

Sally

PS

This is baby Edward Kemp Pope and his great Aunt Sally.

this is his brother Dallas and his new etch a sketch.

So good to be with them.

Sally Out.

It is nearly Christmas!!!

I don't know why it is always a surprise that Christmas is so close.  It is not as if we have not been
bombarded with this information since July but it still seems to have sneaked up on me.
Our altar guild team has December 22 which also means we have the week following.  I really enjoy
this service to the church and like my team. 
Some catching up since mid November without all the medical stuff.

This is a gift from Lily who gathers the greens and with her handy wreath maker is able to make this beautiful green wreath.  I just have to add the extras.

I have so much Kaffe material and I saw this pattern on MSQC.  The circles are so easy to do

with Jenny's instruction.  I have never been able to make such smooth curves before.

We attended the Airlee Gardens light show again this year and under threat of rain walked around

to see all the displays.  It was misty but no rain and crowded.

Cecil is thinking about what he wants for Christmas.  Or maybe just when he will get his treat.

Pete and Lily helped me get this tree and set it up.  Pete who is 6ft 3in had to stand on a ladder

to put on the angel.  Either the tree leans left or I was leaning left!

I hope the weather stays seasonally cool and everyone stays safe and I can keep up with BH mystery.

Merry Christmas

Cooler weather is welcome

I know I rag on about the weather but it is so wonderful to put on sweaters and warm clothes and go walk Cecil in the cool air.

Some of the blocks for a new quilt which by now I have finished and am taking to Heather.

It was from the MSQ pattern "Wandering stars" without the stars.  I could not believe how easily the

curves went together with her method. All the fabrics are Kaffee and are from a layer cake with some additions (lights) from my huge stash of Kaffe. 

I love to get flowers from HT and love the sunflowers but they do not last as long as the lilies.

They do look nice with the table runner and my pumpkins.

My "niece" Lily and LV came by to help me fix my garden (about the size of a card table but just right for me) for the fall.  Pansies and cabbages (kale). 

I have a small space in the back which is bordered on one end by this privacy fence.  Just perfect for 

climbers and these extra effort zinnias which I probably will lose by this weekend to the cold.  They have been amazing. 

Had a really nice time at house warming for C just north of Selma.  Such a wide range of ages and 

relationships to share in this new home.  And the food was awesome.  Bundt cakes, ham biscuits, cookies etc.  Was just wonderful.  Can not wait to see her sewing in her new space.

Off to exercise and Heathers/

S

Cooler weather at last

What a time with hot weather.  I will take low 80's after the high 90's.  And my water bill. Yikes.

This is the neonatal workshop quilt for September.  It is really cute and goes together quickly

once you have done the string piecing.  They want us to put on the binding by machine.  I really do 

not do that well so I think the next ones i will make the tops, quilt it and let someone else do the binding.

I love the colors in this Stonehenge quilt.  Finally got the binding on.  I still had rather do the hand

work than try to make a machine binding look good.  

My biggest problem has four feet and long hair.  I am trying to get him groomed and he just is not
happy even with meds.  I am going to try a different med the vet gave me and take him in on thursday. He is so sweet but 15+ years old, deaf, and blind.  We will see how it goes.  The next step would be an injection and grooming at the vet's to monitor him for his heart murmur.

Old is not easy for any species.  He is good physically and his bloodwork is good so now he needs to look good.

Time to be off to take Australian quilt to Heather's.  Can't wait to get it back.

Boo time quilting.
Sally

a nice day at the dock

I went with LV and Joy to watch my nephews and friend weigh in for the 5th tournament in a series.
Here are some of the pics.

This is the crew, John a friend, Luke, LV, and Peter

Here are the two drum they counted and which won them some money.

I was amazed at how this giant fork lift would just take the boats in and out of the water.

There is nothing keeping the boat on the fork except gravity and skill of the operator.  We tried to stay out of the way.  

It was a gorgeous day and a great venue for watching the weighing in.  Spot On , the name of Luke's 

charter business caught two nice drum which weighed 6lbs 5oz and 5lbs 7oz.  This was enough with 

other weeks totals to win several third places and 4th overall.  Yippee.

I went to neonatal quilting at the orthopedic hospital activity room yesterday but as I still cannot lift more than 5-10 lbs did not take my sewing machine.  I picked up the pattern for the quilt and some batting for the one from last month. Had planned to go to the meeting but thought it was Monday and found out it is tuesday when I have an appointment. Arrrrgh.

Sat on my porch this morning with coffee and just watched birds. 

Life is good.
Quiet quilting.

Sally

Last of Summer

It is hard to believe the summer is on its way out.  I know there is one whole month left until fall
but it is hard to think summer after Labor Day.  This has been a busy summer even a busier year.
I have been in Ilm for 13 months and it seems like yesterday sometimes and years other times.
Missing friends will still be the only downside of the move.
 I have been getting my car in shape to be able to make the trip to see them as often as possible given their schedules and mine.  I also know after Labor Day comes Thanksgiving and Christmas. Whew.

I took two quilts to Heather and hope to be able to get them in a week or two after surgery.

 Right now just to keep busy I started the Globe Trotter from the latest Quilt Sampler.  This is the first issue of that magazine I have bought in a while.  There are several quilts I would like to make in it.
This one uses Australian fabrics of which I have a few.

The background or light is a white stars on cream. This is the inner round.  Can only manage 4 or 6 blocks at a time.

This is the stonehenge quilt on the left and the new "cactus flower" fabric from Kaffe for the back on the right.  I do love his fabrics.

  

Off to run some errands then lunch at Firehouse subs with B who comes down to work at aquarium every other wednesday.  It is nice to get to visit with her.

Hope to go to Southport on Saturday with Joy.  Luke is in a tournament.  We will watch.

Sunny quilting.

Sally

New Week

After spending most of last week in doctors' offices, this week should be easy.  I have learned to make peace with a lot of new processes here.  One is travelling on College/Carolina Beach road, another is using "my chart" to find out information from visits etc.  They even put the same report in my chart as they sent to my primary care physician regarding the results of my stress test.  Of course I did not understand 75% of it.  Let's be honest 95% of it but it is there.  Now to get a surgery date.

I went to a workshop for neonatal quilt making sponsored by Cape Fear Orthopedic Hospital and Quilters by the Sea.  The kits are already made and they have tops others have made if you are willing to quilt them. They come with batting, backing and binding.  It is interesting how so many
things in quilting start with a "b" isn't it?

This is the pattern for this workshop.  However it is turned sideways.  It is called Candy Bars and is

about 40" by 40"

Yesterday was a lazy day.  My church buddy was out of town so I came home after stopping at Lowes

to get some chicken salad for lunch.  Cecil and I promptly took a nap.

And somehow last week I finally finished 30 blocks of my red and white quilt top. Each block is 14.5".  Not sure about borders yet.  Have to put them together.

I will put on a 2.5" inner white border then maybe an outer border of cream with tiny red something in it.  Of course I have ordered several fabrics to make a selection. Surprise.

On to sewing this morning then take old car in for oil change at 1:30 and Guild meeting tonight at 7.

Happy summer quilting,

Sally

Appliance menace

This month is getting off to a great start.  First I have never had a garbage disposal before and after
hearing all the things you are not supposed to do I did nothing.  As a result the prima donna disposal
refuses to work at all so brother is coming to take it out and just put in a drain.  Yea.
Then after deciding I don't eat enough sweets I thought I would bake a lemon pound cake.  Don't
get excited it is a Krusteaz mix but really good.  I put it into the oven and was going to use the timer
on the microwave to keep track.  Instead of pushing the little timer button I just set the microwave for 40 minutes.  After sometime I noticed the screen was blank and the microwave was not making any noise.  No worries I just finished timing the cake myself.  Not thinking about it again at supper I was going to heat up my leftover shrimp and grits.  Yum.  After 2 minutes I took it out and it was as cold as when I put it in. I tried it again, I have to be convinced, and again it was cold.  When  I looked inside the microwave I saw in bold print Never use microwave without something in it. Well lesson learned and brother is also going to put in a new microwave.  Not a good day.

Just got this back from Quilting Concepts.  It is beautiful and so big.  Now to put on 400+ inches of binding.

This is my brother and me at a memorial service in Pennsylvania for a favorite cousin who passed

away with mesothelioma in early 2019. 

Expecting to see C today. Have to get crackin.

Hot and muggy quilting.

S

How not to bathe a dog

Well it started when I picked up C and he smelled as if he had p;;;on himself.  Got home, jumped out
of the car, grabbed dog, put him into bathroom, turned on water for tub, closed door to go get soap and towels, tried to open  door but it was locked.  And yes the water was still running.  I ran next door to get Harry and fell on the wet grass, must have pulled something so limped back, Harry came and with a sewing awl was able to open the door.  C must have tired himself out because he was nearly asleep on the rug and the tub was nearly full.  Some things just should not happen.

This is my clean dog.

This is my quilt top I just took to quilters and which I started April 2018.

Just started this for new baby girl born to couple who live across the street.

And last but by no means least is Baby Kemp Pope, born Saturday June 1 to my husbands nephew and his wife.

Had a great time Thursday visiting and quilting with C and P.  Ride home uneventful.

Cooler quilting.

Sally

at home

This week is a good rest week at home.  I went to a concert by the Wilmington Boy's Choir at my
church last night with LV and then we went to Rx restaurant for a delicious supper.  It was a very
nice evening.

This is the second blooming of an orchid that was given as a housewarming gift in July 18.  All 8 blooms were perfect.  It is so beautiful.

Sunday was so special to be at Pete and Lily's house for brunch with my family.  LaVonne was the

mom and here she is with her two boys.

I won the blocks last month at guild.  They were so cute with some blocks having extra embellishments.  Now to quilt it.

Going to lunch with friend from Goldsboro who volunteers at the Ft. Fisher Aquarium every other 

wednesday.  Then home to prepare for quilting buddies tomorrow.

Love this cool weather.

Happy spring quilting.

Sally

Post Easter

I know it is not right to say but I am glad to settle down to everyday life after Easter.  It was so
crazy but rewarding.  I had only been to one Saturday night vigil service and that was at a Coptic
Church in Egypt.  The men and women were on separate sides of the church, everyone was dressed
for Easter.  The Bishop? was there and the men and boys lined up to pay their respects.  The lights went out and when they came back on there was a boom and everyone stood and sang.  It was impressive.  The service here was so beautiful with everyone holding candles and then the altar
was set for communion and the lights came on for the rest of the celebration.
I have been making tops for neonatal quilts the guild gives to the hospital here.  Also trying to
finish up some other donation quilt tops and one large top

Some pictures I took after the Sunday service at St. Paul's in Wilmington.  The music was un-

believable and so many people.

Off to get a foxtail fern and another firecracker fern.  Yea.

Sunny quilting and gardening.

Sally

Watching others work

Well Lily came by yesterday to make my front bed beautiful.  I had gotten some plants on friday and
she came by to put them in, get up those pesky leaves, put in mulch, fix the water spigot and the sprinkler system.  That girl can do anything in record time. Some ladies came walking by and
I was quick to say that Lily was my niece in case they wanted to hire her.  Her days are so full
and I am so grateful for her work in my yard.

I finished these tops last week.  The top one is animal fabrics with star points from blenders we

got on a fabric buying trip with the quilters from Sneads Ferry.  The bottom one is to use all those

wonderful grunges I have stored up.  It is a Lucy Prior pattern.  I reduced the number of boxes to make it smaller but the ratio of sizes for the boxes is crazy.  6 inches finished for the large ones and three and one half for the smaller ones.  Hence the inner border of one-quarter inch!!!I made so many

of the boxes that I have made a modern quilt out of the left overs. We will see what Heather does 

with it!!

This is not the final setting but close.

Well Mr. C slept until 8:45 this am and the rain started at 8:46 so we got wet.  He is sleeping on the

floor where ever he wants at night so he won't fall off the bed.  

Time to work on the 9patch wonder quilt.  Only 15 more small blocks to go.

Rainy quilting.

Sally

New Bed

Just loving this fine weather.  I even sat out back late this morning as the breeze is cut off by
privacy fencing and the sun was overhead.  Wonderful way to get my Vitamin D. 
I cannot finish until the guarantee of frost free night.  So the big blue pots will remain empty.
Lily put in two minature gardenias, one regular sized gardenia and a blue hydrangea as well as dug up roots and two nearly dead bushes by the mail box.

She wants to sod the front when it is warm enough and we(she) will fill in the spaces with hostas 

and lilies. She also wants to make the black flower box in the back to hold soil and flowers.  I am 

excited.  Love the big blue pots.  

Yesterday I decided to get the last red, white, blue and brown donation quilted.  It has been a long

time since I quilted and I was rusty.  I wanted to do feathers but realized after some practice they are

not ready for prime time so I stippled the rows and did leaf/vines in the sashings.  The outer border is

just straight lines.  Now for the binding and handwork.  Hope i still have a label from Guild.

I have begun binge watching Vera on Brit Box/Amazon Prime.  It is really good but it is a good thing

to have Closed Captions because of the heavy accent.  It is not uplifting but so well done.  I can only take so many episodes at a time.  I think there are 9seasons.

In checking on my favorite "Endeavour" series I see that Shaun Evans is sporting a mustache in this 

seasons episodes to start airing in England in April I think.

Also want to check out the new season of "Shetland."

So much tv so little time.

Spring quilting

Sally

Finally sunshine.

What I am working on now.

My latest project including the ongoing 9patch scrappy and the two-block red and white quilts is
this panel of Van Gogh's Irises.  Let's just say that snowball blocks are not my favorite but it was a
kit so.....
This is at the quilters.

This is a Lucy Prior pattern called Soft Corners? from an old Kaffe book I was looking through.  I got a package of star, dot, and solid grunges in Myrtle Beach at the Quilt Gala last weekend.  I'm not sure

that I will like it when finished.  Hopefully after using other colors it will grow on me.

These two quilts were my favorites at the small but nice quilt gala. I don't like English paper piecing or green but I liked the colors of the one above against the white and the placement of the pieces.  The green one was quilted with a fan feather in each of the clam shells and you know how I feel about feathers. I also liked that it had no borders.

Time to get quilting.

Sunny quilting.

Sally