Embroidery Quilt, Zucchini, and Laundry

This gal loves doing embroidery and is making quilts for her grandkids.  This one is number four,  think.

Edge to Edge in the center portion, with a separate border.

I still have zucchini in the freezer (which, as you can imagine, DH is THRILLED about, lol).  This was good.  Normally you see zucchini used in a sweet loaf but a savory version was great with soup and made for a nice bite at lunch.

With the weather getting nicer I can get some of the laundry outside to dry.  Save the environment, you know?  You can also use it to track your laundry patterns by counting your socks...19 days since my last dark load.  And why 2 pair of boring socks?  Was I depressed?  I like to entertain myself with these existential questions as I pin things up.  Over the years I have also discovered that apparently I often match the colour of my knickers to my tshirt.

Ha ha ha, it almost looks like they're hanging on the fence. 😆          

I will leave you with a little cartoon...

                 

Catching Up, again

 I seem to have put my blog posting on the same schedule as my house cleaning...pretty darned infrequently! My new system for cleaning is to keep an eye on a couple of the pictures hanging on the wall - if I notice gooey, stringy cobwebs hanging off them I make myself vacuum some time in the following week.  

I'm just going to give you some pics of a few quilts that I've completed for customers over the last couple of months, ok?  OK.

This quilt came with a special request to add a couple of hearts in the quilting.

This was so stinkin' cute.

This is a special quilt for some Florida people.

I love these Quick Curve Ruler quilts!

Another quilt made from embroidered blocks.  This is #3 for this gal.

Scrappy - my all-time favorite quilts.

Like many people these days, I've had it up to the wazoo with politicians.  I was SO ticked off with one local provincial representative that I actually wrote a letter to the editor.  They edited out some of it, but I think they should have kept the comment that Oosterhoff is part of the governing provincial party that has mandated the regulations currently in place.  WTF???

I have a new t-shirt to get me through the rest of the year.  This arrived in time for me to cry in my wine over the cancellation of the annual Tobermory retreat with the Beach Girls.  This cancellation might explain some of my fit over Oosterhoff.  He gets to play with his friends, but I don't???  WTF???

Then I soothed the savage beast with copy-cat Starbucks Pumpkin Scones.

This was my most interesting volunteer in the garden this summer.  It's a kale plant in the same spot where I had one two years ago.  It's been feeding us for weeks (a fact that DH is not particularly impressed with, seeing as it is a green leafy vegetable).  These days if he makes any kind of negative remark over supper all he gets from me is an eye roll and "suck it up, buttercup".  Yeah.  Not winning any BEST WIFE, EVER awards.  Oh, covid... how many marriages are facing some less-than-stellar-days thanks to you?

On a personal quilting note, I stitched up and quilted a whack of Christmas panels.  Since this pic was taken I have cut them all apart and trimmed to size. These will be donated whenever I get all that binding finished.

The current GOOD news is that Biden/Harris won the US election.  I cannot wait to see Trump get his arse booted out of the White House.

COVID NUMBERS

Worldwide: 49.9 million cases and 1.2 million deaths.  Daily increase in cases 540,000.

USA:  9.9 million cases and 238,000 deaths.  The US hit a new daily high of over 130,000 cases yesterday.  Sad.

Canada:  261,400 cases and 10,493 deaths.  New cases yesterday 4,246.

Ontario:  84,153 cases and 3,233 deaths.  We hit a new daily high of 1,328 new cases yesterday.  Sad.

What happened to February???? Lovely Embroidery

I have obviously been M.I.A. ...almost a month since I last posted?  Well, let me catch you up.

Oh, such a beautiful embroidered topper... tablecloth?

The maker is such a wonderful woman, she embroidered my name on there too. 💗

As I mentioned, my birthday was the end of February (the 27th to be exact, in case you want to note that on your calendar for next year, which will be a BIG ONE ha ha ha...).
I crossed off a bucket-list item and got the tattoo.  Many thanks to Tamara King at Sinkin Ink in Hamilton.  I am super happy with it, although still a little bit self conscious about it.

I am planning on semi-retiring next year when I turn (ahem) 65.  Having a life plan, for me,  means I need something to get me out into the social-sphere AND feel productive/contributing to the world-at-large.  I decided to start volunteering at Mark Preece Family House a couple times a month, with a view to spending more time there next year.  I managed to finish one four-hour shift, and then Covid-19 hit, which shut the house down until further notice.  Well, better safe than sorry.

A demo presentation at the guild (Four Patch Posie) left me with 18 quilt blocks.

I went on retreat with the same guild a week later and got three tops done, including those 18 blocks.  The panel quilt on the left is ready for quilting.  The two on the right still need border(s).

I guess now I can take one of my volunteer days and get the little panel quilted.  Or work on bookkeeping.  Or fill another box for the Goodwill.  Or...

 

Nouveau Muses, Buckhorn Quilt Show, Zucchini Report

This is called Nouveau Muses.  I had to get help spelling "nouveau" because it seems my brain is not as sharp as it was 30 years ago.

These lady panels are drop-dead-gorgeous.  If you've been hearing about the new digital prints, this is an excellent example.

They were paired with some beautiful William Morris prints for the borders & sashings & panel insets above and below the ladies.

I did some pretty quilting in the piecing, but in the panels I just did outline quilting along the printed lines. 

This used wool batting which added a perfect 3-D effect to the women.

These bottom pieces were quilted with the identical motifs as the upper windows.

Last night I got home from Margarets where I spent a few days with quilting buddies at the Buckhorn Quilt Show.  The quilt I am taking a lesson from is this one... I love, love, love the motifs stitched in the blocks!  Embroidery is a skill I use very little of these days, and this example has been done with thread painting.  By machine.

Here's the artist statement with a story about the quilt.

ZUCCHINI REPORT

Picked this week:  5
Picked YTD:       121
Gave away:             3

I left on Thursday morning for Margaret's, and got home after dark Saturday night.  DH would never in a million years go out and pick zucchini, so I have a BIG SURPRISE waiting out in the garden for me today.  They could be all ruined by some stupid animal/bug/disease, or perhaps I'll find 10 cricket-bat-sized fruits lurking under the leaves.  We'll see, after I get dressed.  Pray for me. 🙏

9 Reasons Why Your Longarmer Might Be Late With Your Quilt In The Spring, and My Fave From St. Jacobs

I don't know where you live, but HERE we had a bit of nice spring weather and then we got blasted TWICE with more winter.  Now that the temperature is finally Helen-friendly, I check the Weather Network and see that the pollen counts are off the charts - which explains the sneezing and stuffy sinuses.  Nevertheless... I love spring!!! When the weather gets warm and I can strip off the jacket, scarf and mitts I have a difficult time staying indoors.

9 REASONS WHY YOUR LONGARMER MIGHT BE LATE WITH YOUR QUILT IN THE SPRING

1.  The asparagus is up and needs to be cut every morning.  Harvesting (heh heh, I love that term) is best done before noon, when the plant is fresh after a good night's sleep and has sent all it's energy up into the world.

2.  Lettuce has reseeded itself from last year's crop.  This needs to be inspected every day and overcrowding dealt with by judicious harvesting.  Don't buy baby greens from the grocery store... take those thinned out babies into the house, rinse them off and store them in damp paper towels in the fridge.  Eat later with a light salad dressing.  Yum.

3.  That damned garlic is at it again, sprouting everywhere it shouldn't.  Large clumps need to be dug up, separated, and replanted where they belong.

4.  Oh, the lovely peas you planted during the nasty rainy and cold weather are up.  Yippee!  Now to weed... you can't do that until the peas are sprouted 'cause you would be courting disaster.

5.  The Raspberry patch needs to be corralled.  Raspberries spread by runners and they will end up taking over whatever space they feel entitled to.  Chop off the offenders and rip them out, or transplant them into pots, to share with a friend.  DH and I used to throw a plant swap every spring.  We'd barbecue burgers and hot dogs.  Guests would bring side dishes along with transplants from their gardens.  It was a big horticultural free-for-all. One of the guys brought a zillion garden gloves from Costco. He had only recently moved and had no plants to share, but he was able to take home enough to make a really good start.  One year our neighbours came on their lawn tractor, and contributed a huge landscape rock. This type of event is best done in the spring or early summer because that's when we're all dealing with the over-abundance.

6.  Strawberries.  See issues with 3. Garlic and 5. Raspberries.  These things are EVERYWHERE.  Again - dig 'em out and either transplant or share.  Your friends will love you.

7.  Oh, your quilter has discovered the CILANTRO seedlings and is perhaps rolling around in them.  Just like 2. Lettuce, this will reseed itself into beautiful large patches of spicy, lemony, goodness.  On the downside it also must be weeded, as you can clearly see.

8.  Johnny Jump-Ups. 😊😊😊😊😊  These little violas are completely edible.  Bake a cake!!  Decorate it with petals!!  Your friends will think you are completely off your rocker.

9.  We cannot forget the Useless Assistant.  She wants to go for a walk.  How can you refuse on such a gorgeous day???

MY FAVE FROM ST. JACOBS
I always have a good time with the Beach Girls, and St. Jacobs was no exception.  I was disappointed that my quilt was not hanging at the show, they had it laid over a small table, which does not show it to it's best effect.  However there was not one single inch of space left in the building for hanging quilts, so I understand why it was displayed that way.

My favorite was absolutely this Dresden Plate.

Appliqued and hand embroidered.

Hand quilted.  So often I'm disappointed with hand quilting because there just isn't enough quilting. (Not that anyone cares what I think.)  But this one?... gorgeous!

Oh, love.

Kudos to Dorothy Sittler, whoever she may be.  Beautiful.

The African Quilt, Today's Pet Peeve, and First Zucchini Report of 2017

OMG, this African Quilt is quite a work of art.

 Where to start, where to start?  Well, GOOGLE is where we all start today, I think.  Because the little corner of my brain where "African designs & motifs" is supposed to reside is apparently empty.

Lots and lots of s.i.d.

After s.i.d. then it's time to add in some African background quilting.

I have a great deal of admiration for quilters who are so adept at applique.  It also appears that she has an embroidery machine that (wait for it...) she knows how to use.

TODAY'S PET PEEVE

Passive-aggressive people.  link here
Seriously.  If you're going to be mad at me because I (apparently) hurt your feelings, maybe you could do me the courtesy of TELLING ME WHAT I DID/SAID.  You can even YELL at me, if that's the only way you can get it out.  Because quite likely, what you are hurt/angry/insulted/shocked about is a MISUNDERSTANDING.  Which, obviously, I cannot clear up IF YOU DON'T TALK TO ME.  If it's not a misunderstanding, if I actually DID something that hurt your feelings, I would like to apologize and not do it again.  Because in spite of how you are thinking right now - I do NOT want to hurt you.  You're one of my 'peeps' and I love you.
How do you think it makes ME feel, when you are supposed to be someone who LOVES ME, and you are walking around acting like I hurt your feelings on purpose?  C'mon.  You've known me for a zillion years and you should know that I don't go around intentionally hurting people's feelings.  If you REALLY think that's what I do, you should not be in my life because apparently you do not think I'm a very nice person.
You probably noticed a little bit of personal hurt feelings and anger here but there ya go... that is Today's Pet Peeve.  I apologize to any of you reading this if it gave you stress, but I had to get it out.  Have a martini, you'll feel better.  😁

ZUCCHINI REPORT
Ooh, this first report covers three weeks.  I meant to take a few with me yesterday when I dropped off boxes to the Quilts of Valour rep in Hamilton.  But I'm gettin' old, and I forgot.  Stupid.

Picked so far:  23
Tossed in the compost:  0
Given away to customers:  3

Thankfully, these are all little ones.  The teeny ones get chopped up into salads, where it's pretty difficult to identify them.  There are six or seven plants in the garden in two separate clumps.  I seem to be getting about three per day in the 5" size.

Beautiful Embroidery and Never Too Old For A Little Excitement

Machine Embroidery was used to make the beautiful bird & butterfly blocks.

Quilting in the outer border doesn't really show on the busy fabric.  Everything else was s.i.d., with Egg & Dart in the blue border, then a motif in all the geese units.

Background x-hatching took f.o.r.e.v.e.r.
The embroidered blocks were quilted first by the quilt maker, then they were sashed and appliqued to the background.  I did not quilt inside them at all, except for the s.i.d. on both sides of the sashing.

It turns out that even at the ripe old age of 60 I can still find things that excite me.  Today, for example, I washed a load of laundry.  It was two hours later when I went downstairs to get the wet items out of the washer and hang them outside on the solar dryer.  Oh, you should have heard the piercing scream when the *!*!!$#! centipede surprised me.   8O
I friggin' HATE those things.  But, I can assume now that my heart is in good shape.

ZUCCHINI REPORT

Picked this week:  6
Picked YTD:    39

A friend of mine from Manitoulin Island emailed me today to report that a zucchini is going for $3 up there.  If I were selling mine I would have enough $$ to pay for the shoes that I ordered online last weekend.  ha ha ha...