Frame Friday

On these now Summer afternoons, (after the rainy few days we had this past week) I'm indoors and I  loaded a quilt onto the long arm yesterday.  Hope to finish it this afternoon.

 I'm doing one of my favorite pantographs. "Butterfly Garden" I like the small scale of this design and fills all the areas of the quilt nicely. It is also completed in one pass as the design first travels up, curves around, then travels down. Easy to line up and nest.

Wordless Wednesday

Little Pond

I've missed having a fish pond. We had one for years but the last time the raccoons and Egret raided the pond and ate all our friendly fish we decided to fill it in. That space has now become a flower bed for the Iris.

When I saw blogger friend Patrica's water barrels in her gardens I remembered that we had an oak barrel liner I had bought ages ago, but never used. So with that inspiration-------

 Here is the spot near the edge of the patio I decided would work. Here the plastic liner is partially in the ground. The old concrete statue is something I've also saved and moved around the yard over the years.  This idea lingered for weeks while my eyes healed. It's probably a good thing that the liner sat empty because it gave me a chance to see this was not an ideal spot for a little water feature.  Too much sun and a lot of debris from the trees landing inside the barrel. Time to move it.

This past week I found a new space on the north east side of the house. Near the front of the house and partially under the eves.  Just a bit of morning sun and shade for the rest of the day.

This is the beginning of a fun garden project! I'm using this tutorial for ideas

Taking the stress out of Longarm tension.

I thought I would share thee Best Video  EVER on adjusting Long Arm Tension by Jamie Wallen.

Sidetracked Again

I've been busy outside in the mornings as it's been hot here later in the day.  I've been prepping dish towel for machine embroidery.  Washing, spray starching, ironing and sorting out day of the week designs on my computer. Sorting out stabilizers----that I can't find product tags for.

Getting sidetracked cleaning out files and quilt patterns I've collected.

I found a basket under my cutting table with some vintage hand embroideries I had saved. Here are just a few of the dresser scarves. 

They are so pretty!  

----and some pretty old hankies. These are some my Mother collected.

Finally I've sat down to embroidery.  

I think I have some sort of attention deficit disorder as I sure get distracted anymore. 

I'm working on Scottie dog day of the week towels for a customer. I better get my act together and quit digging around in the sewing room inside drawers and under tables. It sure has been fun though! 

Finding stuff I had forgotten about.  

Wordless Wednesday

New Toms

Not Much Stitching

I have not stitched a thing all week, unless you consider some mending ---sewing.  We have been outdoors weed eating, raking, hoeing, sweeping and moving plants around, and I have the blisters to prove it despite gloves.  Soon I will have callous where the blisters are. Thankfully.

Bill cleaning up some prunings. Sassy directing the project!

I did take off Saturday to the local Farmers Market and Quilt show and met up with wonderful friends there. I saw some beautiful quilts. The best part of quilt show for me the inspiration that get  my creative juices going which  makes me want to rush home and dig though my patterns, threads and fabrics and start creating! Such talent at the show! Sorry no pictures. It was so crowded it was difficult to get good pictures.

There are not a lot of vendors at the quilt show, but I still managed to bring a few things home!

 30's prints, some turquoise blender, some colorful stripes, and a novelty print

A placemat pattern I thought was so cute. Mug rug included.

Today I will be doing some machine embroidery. I've been contacted to do several sets of day of week dishtowels. But, first I'm off to town to have coffee with the "Starbuck Stitchers". Friends first! Orchard Supply awaits me later----gardening dept of course! Weeds await me----