Scrap Quilt in Progress

I've been working on making crumb blocks for this quilt for awhile now. It's based on a quilt by Victoria Findlay Wolfe in her book, 15 Minutes of Play. I used up lots of scraps although my scrap pile still looks pretty large! I made 12 blocks made up completely of scraps that measure 12.5" square. Then I made 20 blocks that also measure 12.5" square but have 4 blades that make the block look like a windmill. The above setting is how it should be sewed together. Unfortunately, it's just not my thing. It looks too chaotic to me and I feel my eyes need some place where they can rest.

I decided to add cornerstones and sashing. My eyes can now relax! The scraps look like they're framed and not running into each other. This is more to my liking. The whole quilt looks more orderly.

 I had to figure out what size to make the setting triangles. I found an online chart and I just followed the directions, As you can tell, they're much larger than they need to be. I'll just trim them down when the quilt is all put together. Two more rows to go! Whenever I work on a quilt where the blocks are on point, I always work on both halves at the same time. The last seam will be where the rows meet in the middle. It takes longer but it seems easier to me. I'll post a picture when it's done! 

I Like Thursday #154

It's time for I Like Thursday. Once a week, LeeAnna from Not Afraid of Color hosts a few of us bloggers to post happy and uplifting posts. This week's prompt is where do you go each summer to unwind  and recharge. We have always gone to Maine. This is the Maine coast in Ogunquit. We used to stay there for a week when the kids were little. Scott and I usually go for the day since it's not that far from home. It's always been a family favorite.

My daughter took this picture of a fox in the neighborhood. I see them every so often but not as of late. They're so pretty and I love baby fox! So cute!!

This is not takeout! I made beef and broccoli following a Paleo recipe. It came out so good! It tastes  just like the restaurant version. It was easy to make! Find the recipe at All The Healthy Things. 

 I'm reading this book and it's wonderful! 1958 was the last year that debutantes were presented by Queen Elizabeth. This is the story of what it's like to be a deb. There sure is a lot of  back stabbing and sabotage! So enjoyable!

Have wonderful weekend! It's hot and humid today but heard the weekend might be cooler! 

Finished Antique Quilt

Hot off the longarm, the antique quilt is done! This worked up so much faster than I had expected. It looks much flatter now and it has so much texture. I truly believe quilting makes the quilt!

 Here's a closeup of one of the corners. All it needs is binding. It's always a great feeling to have finished a project. Now I get to finish a quilt top I had been working on before I started this on the longarm. There's always a project waiting in the wings!

I Like Thursday #153

It's time for I Like Thursday! LeeAnna over at Not Afraid of Color is our hostess. Go visit her page to link up to more fun and uplifting posts. This week's prompt asks us about what sandals/shoes we enjoy wearing in the summer. Because I've worked in hospitals most of my life, I rarely bought sandals. We could never wear them to work. I used to wear espadrilles which are on the left side of the picture. However, this year I bought myself sandals for the first time! I bought these from Famous Footwear. They're so comfortable and so easy to slip in and out of. I really enjoyed wearing sandals this year. It's just another perk of retiring!

This is an aerial view of our vegetable garden. I took the picture from the deck. Our tomato plants are bursting with tomatoes! They're in the middle of the picture. We have potatoes on the right side. I'm hoping there are potatoes in the soil but who knows! The plants did fill in nicely on top. One the left we have cucumbers and egg plants. The last time I looked, they're doing well and have a good amount of veggies growing. 

I finally broke down and ordered a new laptop. I've had this one for ages and it's just getting too old. I've always used my fingers on the little pad but my husband got me this mouse and said it's so much better. Any thoughts?? I never had a problem using my fingers and just thought I'd continue when I got my new computer.

This is much greener than the picture is showing. I don't have many reproduction fabrics but I felt the antique quilt top I'm quilting needed this for the binding. It looks like it will fit in nicely with all the other fabrics featured in the quilt. This quilt top has so many different fabrics. It made it sort of easy to choose the binding as long as it was a repro fabric.

It's so nice and cool today! The temps are in the 70's with no humidity. It's also a little windy. I'm almost cold but I like it! Have a great weekend!

 

Quilting a Wavy Border

I knew this antique quilt top was going to be a challenge to me. Look at this border. So much fabric! This picture makes it look better than it actually was! I didn't know what to do with all that extra fabric.

Here's another view. I ripped out my quilting a few times because I saw a few puckers. I decided to stretch out the fabric and pin it so the bulk was spread out evenly throughout the area I was quilting. 

After a few attempts, I finally got it right! It looks so much better and finally lays flat. I'm about 2/3 done with this quilt. I'm hoping there aren't many more of these areas as I advance the quilt. I want this quilt to lay nice and flat once I'm done and take it off the longarm. I'm saying a little prayer until it's finished!

 

I Like Thursday #152

It's time for I Like Thursday! Every week, LeeAnna over at Not Afraid of Color,  hosts us bloggers to write positive and uplifting posts. This week, we also have a prompt which is favorite food of summer. I do eat a lot of fruits and vegetables such as watermelon and native corn. However, my absolute favorite is lobster! It's so expensive this year so I've only had it a few times this summer. I love lobster rolls and fries. My absolute summer fave!

My husband just had this crossword framed. My daughter gifted his a personalized crossword puzzle for Christmas a few years ago. It's sort of funny since it shows how nutty my husband is but it was a very thoughtful gift! It even came with an answer key just in case in my husband didn't know the answer!

I love Atkinson Designs and loved the look of this table runner. I just had to buy the pattern. This pattern has 3 separate designs included. Those triangles look interesting!

I visited my closest friend whom I met while in college. She was 18 and I was 17 and it was 1975. We roomed together a few times over the years and then went our separate ways but would always talk to each other off and on. She lives about 75 miles away from me but I went to visit her and her new apartment. We had a great time and I think we both felt young again!

 The heat has broken but the humidity is here for one more day. I'm looking forward to some nice dry air. Have a wonderful weekend!

Antique Feathers

I decided on quilting feathers in the plain blocks of my antique quilt. I divide the quilt diagonally and through the middle.  These lines give me a stem for the feathers while the other lines are a guide to the width of the feathers. It's difficult for me to fill the whole block with feathers. These feathers are big and I'm much better at quilting smaller feathers! I don't mind having the corners free of quilting. I think it still looks good.

 Here's a view of a row of feather filled blocks. I like it and feel it fits in with the antique look of the quilt top. 

It's too hot today. I don't have much energy even though I have central A/C. It's just miserable out there! 

I Like Thursday #151

It's time for I Like Thursday! Every week a group of us bloggers try to post happy and uplifting ideas. LeeAnna over at Not Afraid of Color is our lovely hostess! Go visit her page to find more like minded posts. As you know, my son got engaged a few weeks ago. I bought these Waterford Toasting Flutes as an engagement gift. I visited Ireland right before I got engaged many years ago. I bought Waterford crystal for my future home. I was trying to keep the tradition going! My future daughter-in-law is Irish so I thought it was fitting!

My son and his fiancee had dinner here this past weekend. They brought this delicious Dutch Apple Pie from a bakery called The Black Forest. It was so good! Of course, it's already gone. Good stuff doesn't last too long around here!

This week's prompt from LeeAnna was about how we protect ourselves from the sun. To be perfectly honest, I try to stay out of the sun. I often sit on my deck but I'm usually in the shade. I don't garden either. However, I do love this wrinkle cream that also has SPF 30. I use the Dr. Dennis Gross line of products so I usually get this for the summer. 

 I've been trying to decide whether or not to open an Etsy shop. I make things and gift them but I think I have enough items I could sell also. I bought this book to give me a little insight into how Etsy works. I just started reading it. I'll let you know what I decide!

It's so hot out there. It's 95 degrees right now and we could hit 100. I'm staying indoors near my air conditioner! Have a wonderful weekend and keep cool!

Antique Quilt Top Quilting

I made some progress on the antique quilt top I loaded last week. I wanted to highlight that circle formed in the middle of each block. I just quilted lines up and down in the circle as well as the triangles in each corner. I quilted arcs in the square areas.

I wanted to keep the quilting traditional and keep away from modern motifs. I decided to quilt feathers in the alternate blocks. This is a half block.

This is a corner quarter block. I'm trying to keep the quilting simple and classic. It's so nice that there's minimal marking to quilt this top. I'm hoping to keep it quick! It's so hard to see some of my quilting. I feel simple is the way to go!

How can it be August 1??? Where did July go??