So Little Sewing

Despite my determination not to spend the entire day in the kitchen yesterday, I still managed to spend most of the day there. It's okay. It always ends up this way as we're gearing up for a trip. The refrigerator has to be cleaned out, and a lot of foods are prepared ahead just to make it easier on both of us for the first few days on the road. Also, there were plums to can, and I ended up with 8 half pints for my effort.

Also yesterday, I roasted some beets. They were piling up in the crisper, and so they went into the roaster and then were chunked up. They're good tossed into a salad or just eaten plain. In case I haven't mentioned it before, beets are one of my favorite vegetables. Also, there was an eggplant rolling around. That was roasted and turned into Baba Ghanoush. It will make a good snack while we're traveling. This is the recipe I used, but I like lots of garlic, and so mine was made with four cloves. 

Before picking up our CSA share yesterday, there was a little time for sewing. The first item on the agenda was to make a block for the August Block Lotto. This month's block was a split nine-patch. Sadly, I'm told I used the wrong fabrics, and so it won't count toward the lotto. Oh well. It seems to me this block could be turned many different ways and grouped to form some interesting secondary patterns. That's what I love about the Block Lotto...it's a great chance to experiment with different blocks and to use up scraps to boot.

After that I started getting serious about my project for

Since finishes aren't required for Let's Book It, possibly I can get a start on this project and just slip into the linky party under the wire. This is the Summer Holiday lap quilt

from Lynette Anderson's book:

When I looked at the image of the quilt contained in the book, I really liked those vintage prints she used and realized, yet again, that my stash is sadly lacking in anything like that. Then, shortly after heaving a heavy sigh on that topic, an email notified me of the release of Jo Morton's new line called "Gratitude".

It seemed as good an excuse as any to purchase a fat quarter bundle, because you know I need lots more fabric to supplement my meager stash. (Not.) So yesterday, I spent some time comparing the fabrics in Lynette Anderson's quilt to the fabrics in my bundle and I pulled these to make the double nine-patch blocks.

Not all of these are from Jo Morton's collection. A few were already in my stash. I'm not certain about that light one in the center. It still might get switched out for something less bright. 

This quilt is a combination of applique and hand embroidery. Oh yes, and those triangle borders around the blocks? That ain't happening. Not on your life. I'll substitute something a little less life-threatening; meaning, something that won't make me want to slit my throat. You know there's enough going on like that in my sewing room already.

This morning I stitched the whole left side of the latest Hocuspocusville block and then moved my hoop. Still a long ways to go on this one.

Although I was hoping to avoid a trip into town today, I'll need to drop off my cousin's baby quilt at the post office and then do a very short grocery shopping trip. After that, I'm sewing, and that is that! 

It's a drizzly typical Oregon day today...and that means it's a good day to be spent in the sewing room.