Eye Spy Quilts

See there really are two quilts, I finished the binding last night I love striped binding and I had enough for one, the other is lots of bits from the binding box.  I feel like today is a Monday after the last road trip with darling daughter.  First I helped her hang pictures in her new apartment, she learned the Ann way of centering a frame on the wall, measure the wall then fold the tape measure in half, no math!!  Then we had a day of shopping, she had a long list of things she needed like a lamp and window treatments, we found a real bargain on the curtains, then she found a dress for all the summer weddings.  My big purchase was footies that were on  sale. The next day was lasik surgery on her eyes and now she has 20 20 vision in one eye and almost 20 20 in the other,  in the next days or weeks it should catch up. She did the math on the cost of her prescription eye glasses and contacts and decided she should have the surgery.  Everything went well perfect in fact. Then we puttered around getting back home.  It was a great beginning of the week and here I am on the back side of the week and the last day of June.  --Ann--

basting day

I had a big basting day over the weekend.  Three new tops sewn and five quilt tops basted in an afternoon.  It goes pretty fast if I only have to set the frame up once.  (click) to Grandmas quilt frame.  Next a couple days of power sewing!  Ready to roar --Ann--

another scrap quilt

This is almost like last weeks quilt with all tractors in the center of the wonky log cabin blocks.  I added some pheasants, mountain lions and cowboys to the centers just because they were there and I could.  These blocks take more time to sew than you would think because I am digging through the pile of strips and scraps looking for one that is about the right length or width in-between pressing and trimming.  A lot of scraps were used and a lot of small pieces were tossed.  It felt good.  Scrap happy --Ann--

More Log Cabin Blocks

I fussy cut the motifs from a length of Alexander Henry fabric that I bought who knows how long ago, a good sized chunk is on the back of this (click) and I still have lots left, then sewed log cabin strips around each.  I was not particularly careful about measuring the center piece so the strips were cut wider than they needed to be then the blocks were trimmed to 12 1/2 inches.  This was super fast to sew and most of the fabrics were fairly new to my stash.  It was fun to sew.  --Ann--

List of Rules

As I was sorting through things in my sewing room I paused to look through my notebook of blog ideas.  I saw my list of rules from 2013.  
1. Not buying fabric unless I needed it to finish a project or sometimes I needed it to start a project.  I bend that rule frequently.
2.  Knit only wearables because as a quilter I do not need to knit blankets.  I have really stuck to that one.  Good thing we need clean socks everyday except in summer when why bother.  
3. Has been the most challenging is no new things could go in the closet unless I got rid of something of equal size or larger.   That has kept me from collecting more art supplies, it has only been bent for yarn and if I put it in a vacuum sealed bag the yarn doesn't take up any space at all.  Haven't really done that but its a thought.  Then I couldn't pet my yarn.
4. Spend more time on the elliptical reading;  I go faster if I watch something instead of read so I am caught up on the final season of Downton Abbey and a few other prime series like Poldark and Bleak House and now Doctor Thorn.
5. New rule no more canning things so I got rid of all that stuff and I haven't canned anything in years my little garden doesn't produce enough and I hate putting all that steam in the house when the AC is running just to keep up with an ordinary hot day in August.  And the new house has a very small yard with no garden.
Sometimes rules make life a little easier and so does my notebook  I'll start a new notebook with the new house. --Ann--

Scrap Happy

The dumpster was full so I could spend a couple much needed days in my sewing room.  We are moving again so I have been sorting and tossing and when the dumpster is full for the week I need to do something else.  I have leafed through all my old quilt magazines some stacks two deep in the  closet and when I haven't looked at them since I put them in the closet almost 10 years ago it is time to get rid of them. We are moving back to the town where hubby and I grew up to be closer to family and other fun activities since it is a college town.
I must sew 3 baby quilts before we move the end of August.  This is more of a toddler play quilt for a little boy than a baby quilt.  I can just see him looking for the tractors that match then driving over the tractors with his tractors and trucks. Or putting off nap time by playing I Spy with My Little Eye and searching for the black cow and the rooster then the pheasant.  I just pulled out some bundles of scraps from earlier quilts and sewed and flipped and sewed some more.  Then trimmed them all to 12 1/2 inches and sewed them some more.  The sweet hum of my sewing machine  --Ann--

On the Needles

Actually off the needles and home on a Friday!!  I just finished the sweater and need a cooler day to wear it.  Too many days in the 90's here.  It does make for good knitting weather when the AC is running.  I love the eyelet edging and it was so easy, switch to smaller kneedles so a double yarn over and knit 2 together then purl the next row dropping the second yarn over.   Makes for big eyelets.  The pattern is by Laura Aylor and is knit from the top down.  The neck line lays nice.  Links to the pattern and the yarn in this post (click).  I may be making this pattern again.
Linking to Judy's OTN --Ann--

reading list

My lilies of the valley are blooming I wish I could put a scratch and sniff sticker on this post for you.

My latest list of books:

1. The Moonlit Garden by Corina Bomann
2. A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman  very funny
3. The Art of Hearing Heartbeats by Jan-Philipp Sendker  for book club  a love story
4. The Midwife's Revolt by Jody Daynard  revolutionary war era
5. The Storied Life of A.J. Fikrey by Gabrielle Zevin
6. the life-changing magic of tidying up by Marie Kondo
7. Welcome to the World Baby Girl by Fannie Flagg always fun to read one of her books
8. The Power of Habit by Charles Duhig for book club
9. Starting Now By Debbie Macomber 
10. Blossom Street Brides by Debbie Macomber 
11. The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah  very good  German occupation of France during WW II
12. Circle of Friends by Maeve Binchy  college age friends in Dublin in the late 1950's
13. Angel by Colleen McCullough not nearly as good as The Thornbirds or The Touch
14. Standing in the Rainbow by Fannie Flagg
15. Voyager (Outlander, Book 3) by Diana Gabaldon  

I think its time to start a new list.  --Ann--

The only thing prettier.........

The only thing prettier than a bowl of strawberries would be a heaping bowl of strawberries.  Blasted robins took one bite out of a bunch of berries.  --Ann--

On the Needles

I need to stay home on a Friday to post an "on the needles" post.  Too many road trips the last couple weeks and a couple all by myself.  I do enjoy driving alone and taking in the scenery,  South Dakota is so green right now which means things are growing so lots of time has also been spent in the garden pulling weeds. The planting is done and to my surprise I found rows of potatoes coming up.  Last year I planted blue potatoes and I remember being disappointed by the yield, well apparently it wasn't the yield as much as it was my digging.  They were the same color as the dirt and they were small so I missed a bunch.  The up side I didn't have to plant potatoes.  Back to the needles.....socks for oldest son are done, I need to get them in the mail today.  I knit some bottle socks and reading mitts to add to the stack and I started a Laura Aylor sweater called Sun Rose with an Elsebeth Lavold yarn called Hempathy it is hemp, cotton and modal.  Its a little stiff to work with but after it is washed it is soft and has a very nice drape. Linking to Judy's OTN.  --Ann--