Where Have I Been?

Well, goofing off on the computer rates right up there as a big time-waster, but the truth is that I have been quilting as much as I could squeeze in.  I have now received 35 quilts to quilt for others and I still have my Quilts of Valor and Project Linus local commitments (1 and 2 a month, respectively).

So here are some of the results that I have posted on Facebook or in Yahoo groups but not here on my blog:

Project Linus

panto is Stars and Clouds

panto is Van Gogh

panto is Cotton Candy

Quilts of Valor

panto is Surf

panto is Stars and Clouds

Another QOV is on the frame now so I can turn it in at the Monday meeting and have someone else do the hand-binding.

Quilts Beyond Borders

panto is Geometric

panto is Stars and Clouds (must be a favorite of mine!)

panto is PS I Love You

didn't get a detail picture yet, but the panto is Celtic Spiral

That’s it for now.  There will be lots more to come!

The Rain Stopped

I actually got a lot of quilting done when we had all of the rainy days.  This is the standing water at the back edge of our yard.  They haven't been able to mow that far back for three weeks:

But this is the quilts/quilting I have completed when there was no lightning:

this is the Easy Baby top - it is now quilted - I'll take another photo when it's bound

still using up the Nigerian fabric I received

Spaniels quilted up with Paw Prints, of course!

Finished Another QOV

Quilted another one for my Quilts of Valor group (I didn't make it) - the meeting is in two days - had to get'er done!

panto is Stars n Clouds - it's a favorite of mine

Catching Up Project Linus

Finished quilting two more for Project Linus this weekend (they do the binding).  And posting the pic of one I did last month:

Panto is Sparks

Panto is Celtic Braid

Panto is Celebrate (colors are prettier in person!)

Panto is Bo Dangles

Also worked a little on growing this panel for a Quilt of Valor for a lady Vietnam vet:

Summer Sewing and Extras

I thought summer was supposed to be a relaxing, more laid back time.  Hasn’t happened yet for me!  My DH had a grueling year of medical interventions, but is now doing extremely well, so he is raring to go and make up for lost time.  That includes getting his golf game back up to snuff.  We have been playing at a little executive course so he can work on his short irons – in this heat that wipes me out for the whole day, but the course is nice and I’m losing weight – that’s a plus!

 

Hole No. 1 - over water? No fair ...

The course has lots of critters and some have highly developed skills that would rival any good sneak thief.  This is where my purse with the granola bar was in the basket with the towel completely covering it:

When I went to retrieve the granola bar, it was missing!  I was bummed, big time.

 

suspected perp

Oh, yeah.  This guy snagged something from a cart.

These big guys do not steal things – I like them:

 

see the cranes?

I have been concentrating on finishing things and making easy tops to get some boxes shipped out of here and into the hands of the kids that need them.  This batik started with the intentions of becoming a table runner with a braided center.  Then I got some orphan blocks from a friend and they had some of the same batiks.  A donation top was just meant to be.  The blocks were added to the sides and this is the result:

The inspiration for this little quilt was a pattern called Hopscotch.  The actual Hopscotch quilt is cuter, as it had 3 columns of vertical sashing, but I whipped this up one evening and finished quilting it last night (done is good):

And the other thing distracting me recently?  Why it was the New Horizons Mission to Pluto, of course.   I’m just nuts about space exploration and I’ve been glued to the TV or Internet watching to see the new discoveries.  I can’t begin to fathom 3 billion miles or 32,000 miles per hour, but I do know that there is a lot more out there than we know about.  Fascinating stuff.  This site has lots of good info:  http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/

And one of the things on it is “Pluto Time”.  Since Pluto is so far from our Sun, the light reaching it is weak.  These are my photos of what noon looks like on Pluto:

 

8:33 EST = noon on Pluto

Too cool !!

Sewing or Exercise?

That is the question …

Well, in my mind, I think that certain amounts of sewing ARE exercise!

It’s times like these though that I really would like to be able to do custom quilting.  Wouldn’t this look lovely with thread painting of that gorgeous eagle?!

I guess I should be able to about now, since I’ve had my longarm about a year and a half.  But fear holds me back.  So alas, until I practice I’m stuck with edge-to-edge quilting and that’s what this panel is getting (Star Dance Digital Panto):

This will go to Quilts of Valor at our meeting at the end of the month.

And, as for that exercise, DH and I went out to play golf at a nearby executive course a few days ago (I haven’t played since Sept, so I haven’t the stamina for a big course yet):

 

ominus clouds beginning to gather

getting darker

We had to share the course with a few critters:

 

seagulls come inland during storms - onto my tee box

that ibis didn't mind my golf ball by her feet - and that's not a short putt left!

soft shelled turtle laying her eggs not far from a green

And we got rained on twice, but we got the 18 holes in – now that counts as exercise!

A Weekend of Sewing

Just a little bit of sewing this past weekend.  In the evening of D-Day, I finished a top for Quilts of Valor using the last of the 4-patch blocks that were made by volunteers.  We used the blocks that were meant to be 6.5 inches in a Bonnie Hunter design, but these blocks were made using a 3/8 inch seam and so they only measured 6 inches.  This was the design I came up with last Fri night, but it isn't the final top.  I didn't like the blocks around the corners so I ended up putting them across the top and bottom.  When my quilt holder returns, I'll get a photo of the changed design.

Then, just for fun, I did this quickie Big Block Sailboat from a Project Linus design.  Did the whole thing in one evening (and just selecting fabrics takes me a long time!).  It was fun.

Which Computer Taking Up Time?

I haven’t kept up with my posts here because I finally broke down and got a Tablet.  Not the top of the line – more of a tablet for Dummies.  Ha!  Should have bought myself an 8-yr old to go with it to teach me how to use it.

I easily downloaded both the Kindle and Nook apps first thing, of course (I love books).  Then easily downloaded a free book.  I read it, then got stuck and could never get out of the book nor delete it entirely.  Bummer.  Three days later, I got around to looking on-line on the REAL computer and found others had the same problem.  Easy solution – tap click with fingernail, not push with finger (huh??!!).  Worked fine.  Went back to sewing – made me happier.

I made a few Heart Hugs and got them in the mail to an on-line friend that lost her husband.

It was a tradition in our on-line quilt guild that had fallen by the wayside, but I’m glad it got revived.  Even if she never makes anything from the many hearts she gets, she will have something tangible coming in that reminds her that we care.

I have been working on Quilts of Valor recently because we have a big event coming up in Nov with lots of quilts to be given out.  I quilted the one I made last Sept and am now working on that panel to the right that doesn’t show very well in this photo.  I’m not much of a designer – it might just get framed and framed and framed:

I have also been trying to keep up with the walks, but we’ve had lots of rain and lightning.  Here’s a few floral sightings that have perked me up:

 

geraniums

hydrangeas are rare this far south

don't know what this is but I liked it!

I even like weeds!