Vacation 1

I'm always trying to make my vacations longer. So at the last minute-the night before we were leaving-I spent about an hour re-figuring our route to the Outer  Banks.  I thought a couple hours at Monticello would break of the trip nicely and we would definitely avoid any delays onto OBX. 

Unfortunately, the weather was cloudy/rainy and we decided not to go the alternate route and take the chance of it being soggy at Monticello.

The further south and east we traveled the better the weather became and I, of course, started second guessing our decision.  

About 2 miles before we crossed the Wright Memorial Bridge onto the Outer Banks it started to drizzle and then the deluge.

It's a good thing Paul has super 'eyes'.  

The worries over traffic were unfounded.   Sunday here it was still drizzly so we drove down to Roanoke Island and toured The Elizabethan Gardens.  I enjoy it tremendously.

We also went through the Ft. Raleigh History center, which adjoined the gardens.  It was quite interesting.  The next time we come during the summer season, I do want to see The Lost Colony production.  

It's very quiet here now that summer season is over.  We spent Monday at the beach, our new Sport-brella is fantastic.  We saw a couple families with them last year and thought it would work for us.  

It's very windy here now so this is perfect-keeps us out of the wind and sand.  I think our regular umbrella would have been inside out in two minutes or half way to Bermuda by now.

I had fun boogie boarding.  

The waves are crazy big.  

****

On Tuesday morning while taking my morning long walk on the beach, I found these.

The one on the left is a whelk of some sort.  I could not believe when I saw it just sitting there in the sand!  I bought a book later that day on sea shells.  There are over 140 varieties in North Carolina waters!!  I wouldn't have guessed there was that many in the world.  wow.

I've been cookin'....

baking actually!  My first loaf of "One-hour French bread"

I had already eaten the two ends before I thought to snap a picture.

this is my 12 days of Christmas quilt (from here).

I never liked the sashing; too white so it's having a coffee staining bath here.

Right now it's out on the deck drying.   It's looking good.

It's hard to tell from the picture but it's way darker and dull-er-

just as I hoped.

I've been finishing bindings-- 9-patch lattice is done-done.

sewing bindings--union jack is just started but I'm hopeful.

quilting an all-over stipple on the Granny Squares quilt. That I first saw here. I can't wait to see this washed and crinkled.

granny square getting quilted

...sewing on more binding. 

I used almost all my leftover pieces of binding from other quilts-hate to toss them, for granny squares. I still have some left but not much. 

granny square w/binding on-not hand sewn to back yet

and all the while thinking more and more of this...

I actually thought for a sec of taking a quilt with me to bind..hahhaaa 

I did find a rug pattern but not sure if I'll have time to transfer it and get a bunch of worms cut, not worrying about it that's for sure.

Went and saw The Bourne Legacy on Sunday (very good if you like that kind of action-I do) and today Meg and I saw "The Odd Life of Timothy Green" (really good.) 

 I can't remember the last movie I saw in a theater and now two in three days- craazzyy.

I have one more quilt on 'the list' that I want to quilt before we leave.  I think I can, I think I can.

Nine Patch Lattice

no binding yet but I quilted it last night.  I used "Kiwi" thread from Connecting Threads  Essential Pro line in the top (really do like that thread) and Bottom Line "taupe" in bobbin.  I loaded it with the long side horizontal and quilted straight lines randomly spaced across it.  At first I started marking straight lines with chalk and then remembered that I do have a channel lock somewhere for HQ....found it and dang! it works!  I did unload and reload it so I could quilt it the opposite way; which took no time at all since it's a small quilt.   I am very happy with how it turned out.  

Today I will make and sew on the binding, which I have already cut from the leftover backing fabric pieces--just love using it all up!

(44 x 64)

Before calling it a night I got out the Union Jack top and backing; it's going to be loaded today.  I'm thinking straight line quilting on this one too.  Although I do find it a tad boring so I may do a jiggly line instead.  I'm also thinking of quilting in a couple Union Jack blocks in the big empty spaces.  I will give it a go but if it takes too long to figure out how to mark it so I can quilt it without a ton of starts and stops I know I will abandon it.

Last night I toyed with the idea of nixing the quilting list and instead spend this weekend prepping and painting my bedroom.

I've had the paint for a long, long time now.  Paul has gone to camp to get the shingles on the sleeping loft addition that has been this summers' big money pit project. And I thought getting the painting done before vacation would be a good thing.  But now that I'm up this morning I've decided to stick to my original plans of staying home and quilting.  Meg and I may take a drive up to see the camp tomorrow.  

We've not been there since last 4th of July and although the guys have sent pictures from their phones, I think we're in for a shock at the changes.  

I will have to do a before and after post  sometime.  

I did spend what felt like a zillion hours last week organizing my photos.  It was brought on by the slew of wedding pictures.  That was another long over due little project which kept nagging at the back of my mind.  

August 31st!!!

Wow!  

My life (as I'm sure yours) seems to be in a time warp thing. 

"The List" on my sewing machine is keeping me on task. 

Four customer quilts went home yesterday.

I have the backing for my 9-patch lattice loaded but have to piece leftover batt together for it.  Paul is going to camp this weekend and so I'm planning on a marathon of mostly quilting with some sewing to break things up; but quilting is the focus. 

The plan is to take HQ in for a checkup while we're on vacation.  The last time I checked the turn time was 4-6 weeks!

Oh dread!

 I'm thinking of taking my new rug hooking frame along on vacation in case we have a rainy day.  I don't have a kit so the next project will be from my wool.  

I'm thinking a chair pad or something of that size.

Wedding day

Our son John was married on Saturday.

Because of all my worrying in spite of (wink) the weather was beautiful!!

The traffic was light!! (no one was late to the venue)

And parking at their house for the picnic reception wasn't an issue!

...these thoughts had pretty much taken over by Friday

 night...

he he

at the house waiting to leave....

The ceremony took place at The West End Overlook Park.

The new Mr. & Mrs. Werley

It's now official.

 I am a 'Mimi' !

fun times, fun times

Life is Good!

granny is a flimsy

62 x 84

I also pieced the backing for Union Jack included the label in the piecing but forgot to take a picture.

If I continue to be good and work my list, next week will be quilting, quilting, quilting.  

Unlikely since 

1.  I work Tues. Wed. and Thurs and 

2. my son is getting married on Saturday!

fun times, fun times. Life is Good!

the list

I made has been helpful.

I have the backing fabric for the Union Jack quilt and the border fabric for the granny square quilt in the dryer.  Today they will be pressed and prepped and hopefully the borders will be on the granny square one too.

The Dresden's are back up on the design wall.  I originally thought I would do a straight setting.  And so I bought fabric for that and cut the backgrounds for that.

But now I don't want to make 30 blocks and I like the diagonal setting better.

I spent a little time googling Dresden quilts for setting ideas.  

I really liked theses two.

(and yes they are straight settings)

I put up the 13 blocks I have made with a 2.5 inch pieced sashing strip.

It's OK I guess. 

 The more I look at it the more I like it.  I'm wondering if

-I should do it with more of a controlled sashing instead of just scrappy

-perhaps using blues (really blues-I am so predictable)

Somewhere in the recesses of my mind I'm remembering a quilt pattern with a cool pieced border...I need to find it.  I think it's a pattern I have, Bonnie Blue perhaps(?)

where oh where could it be....

Then I took the sashing down and spread out the blocks

I need to make 5 more blocks. They are up on the far side of the wall as a reminder.

I will think more about sashings and setting squares while I sew. 

While I was rummaging around in the 2 1/2 inch strip bin I started pulling out purple and blue batiks...thinking oh this would be a good quilt!!  I suddenly realized what I was doing and shoved them all back in the drawer and closed it tight.   

I have no shame.