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