Making Progress

 Finally some quilting weather this summer. You might think with all the rain that we have had that I'd have been quilting more but for some reason it hasn't been reason enough to quilt. But it has gotten hot and humid so I have been working on the sampler. I have 1 1/2" rows done except I will still go back and do a background fill in each block when the rest of it is done. Here are two blocks.

It's not been hot all week, so on pleasant mornings I have been outside. This white Turtlehead plant I started from a seed I collected two years ago across the street in the sedge meadow. This one is growing alongside our brook with the orange Jewel Weed.

This afternoon I went with Sue to visit the daughter of a friend and student that had recently inherited some quilts made from great grandma or was it great-great. I admit, I didn't pay close attention. I was busy studying the quilts. They were mostly in pretty poor shape, either treadbare from wear or where the brown dye was disintegrating the fabric or normal fading. This first one was in the best shape. There was another nearly identical to it that was worn out. They looked to be from  about 1880's.

This one was a beaut. This block was faded less than all the others. Would love to have seen it after it was just made. Couldn't guess the age on this one cause it was so faded.

This was an interesting crazy quilt. The patches were sewn to the foundation by hand with a blanket stitch.  Some of the blocks had a thin middle layer. Then the red sashing strips was appliqued between the blocks by machine. They have pretty much rotted away. This one looked more like 1930's or 40's.

Nothing on my design wall. Judy, I hope you don't mind.

In Need of Quilting

I finished the Shoo-Fly quilt the other day. It does not fit on the flannel wall with the border so I didn't take another picture of it. It is ready for quilting and will get added to the pile. If you missed it, I showed it in the last post.

Next up to be quilted is this Thirtysomething sampler from my new Block Book. I need to find a back for it first so that will probably require a trip to a shop. That's always fun. I'll do custom quilting on this so maybe I'll show some pictures as I go.

In the mood to do some piecing. You wouldn't think I'd say that but I guess the Shoo-Fly just wasn't my kinda quilting. Any purple lovers out there wanna buy that quilt top???  I guess I like a little more of a challenge than that was. And I guess I really like the 1800's reproductions more than the batiks.

Time to check out all the other posts linked up to Judy's Patchwork Times.

Just the Right Size

My only excuse for not getting these blocks together any sooner is that we've had such a beautiful summer I would rather be outside. When I got my longarm I knew I wouldn't be quilting outside anymore. I didn't do it that many times, but I sure did like it. I pushed a table out the front door onto the porch on the northwest side of the house. I could quilt out there for several months till the bugs chased me in. Normally bugs don't bother me much, but when they bite your legs and make your stitching lines crooked then it's time to go in. That's re: quilting. Cutting and piecing I never did do outside. I didn't like the idea of chasing after patches if the wind picked up.

Just the border to go. I found it in my stash so no need to go shopping for that.  I better put it on before I even begin to procrastinate. The bigger quilts I am making hardly fit on my flannel wall. Maybe it is back to smaller quilts for a while. And I think I just may need a new camera afterall. Unless I can find a setting for my cellphone that allows the flash to go off with/for the shutter or whatever it's called. Anybody know about how to adjust that?

Still feeling the inspiration from the Machine Quilting Show. I straightened out the warehouse a bit. Next perhaps I ought to organize it by which tops I want to get quilted yet this year. Match it to it's backing and take advantage of that inspiration. What a plan!

And thank you Sharon for hosting your "Can I get a Whoop Whoop?" linky party here. 

I have chickens

We have chickens in our driveway. They are the neighbor's chickens. They come to visit everyday and I love it. They are indeed fun to watch. As soon as we step outside in the mornings they hear us and come running for the corn we put down for them. Then they follow me around in the garden looking for bugs. One old gal doesn't show up till later in the day after she has laid her egg. I've always loved chickens, but never wanted my own, so this is perfect.

The Quilt Show in Oconomowoc was last week. Always a good show. The quilts for the Thirtysomething Tool Challenge were shown. They will be given to soldiers through Quilts of Valor next year but will be displayed at various shows throughout the year. I took one class from Jamie Wallen. It is very rare that I take a second class from any teacher so that should tell you that he is very good. His techniques would work very well for any machine quilter. All freehand and a minimum of marking. If you get the chance to take a class of his, don't miss it. The class I took Saturday was Mystical Grids.I found lots of inspiration to get more of my own tops quilted.  I sure hope I can recall that inspiration this winter when I have the time and inclination to quilt. I entered the show with the cover quilt from The Thirtysomething Block Book. I don't enter shows often but displayed it because of the Thirtysomething Tool Challenge. I don't like heavy quilting so there is no chance I'd ever win a ribbon. That is fine with me. 

Work has stalled on my Shoo-Fly quilt. My cutting table is seeing paper more than fabric. The flowers I found growing along the creek are the invasive lythrum. They were the first bunch I have ever seen blooming along our creek. It's too bad they are so invasive. I saw them driving over the bridge  towards the house (behind me in the picture) and immediately got a shovel and back to the creek with Mark to dig them out so they won't spread. I'm glad they are perfectly safe to enjoy in the house.
Maybe I will find inspiration to finish this top at Judy's. Today is Monday and it's time to check out all the posts linked to Design Wall Monday.