The old gals turned out okay. This is my OMG for October, and don't you think I'm feeling pret-ty smug at having it finished before the goal-setting linky has even closed.
Of course, I'll be linking up at the end of the month.
After that, we had wine shipments to pick up from two wineries. It was a dreary, rainy day. I'm afraid the days of sunshine are coming to an end soon, and the murky lurker will be here for good. Despite the rainy weather, we saw a few blooming things at the wineries.
The Photo-A-Day prompt was "red" and so I was taking pictures of red things...these pretty rosehips, for example.
These were some cut dahlias in a vase at one of the tasting rooms.
But this is the one I ended up posting...
Red, red wine, stay close to me
Don't let me be alone
It's tearing apart
My blue, blue heart
When we got home, there was some fun stuff in the mail. With the Heart & Home blocks nearly finished, I'm already looking forward to my next slow-stitching project. I saw this pattern made up into a quilt while we were traveling last year, and I couldn't resist it.
I ordered it online while we were still traveling and had it sent to Erik and Mae's address. It was waiting for me when we got home last March. Here's just one of the barns for stitching.
My idea for this is to stitch it all in brown, but I'm going to use crayon to color the quilt blocks. Usually, I'm a DMC kind of gal...I like their floss just fine and it comes it lots of colors. There was a DMC alternative for stitching this pattern, but the designer recommended this Valdani floss.
I've never worked with Valdani before, but I bit and looked for it online. I only found one source for this color, but it was so pretty, I couldn't resist. It's a little hard to see in this image, but it's a slightly variegated brown. That was in yesterday's mail, which caused me to get everything out and look at it again. Earlier in the week, I received the fabric I've chosen for the backgrounds. I'm hoping you can see that this is an off-white fabric with just the slightest hint of a design. I've messed with the contrast and lighting to bring out the pattern. It's barely visible in person.
Then there's this panel that was a gift from my friend Sharon of Vroomans Quilts. Sharon knows I'm a sucker for barns, and she gave me the panel when we visited her a year ago.
And then there's this one I picked up when we visited One Quilt Place in Fredericksburg, Texas, last spring. The little quilt blocks are about 2-1/2 inches. I haven't really thought through how I'm going to use the panel or these little quilt blocks, but somehow...somewhere...I'll make it happen when the time comes many moons from now.
And, well, don't you know that dreaming about the beginning of a new project gets me so excited I've practically got the vapors just thinking about it.
So then I put that all away and got back to my monthlies. There was still time left in the day to start the dark green/sage blocks for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. Lo and behold, it's Saturday...time to link up.
I'm just barely getting start on October, but I dug through my green bin in search of the darkest sage and olive greens...Marine Corps drab, you might say, in honor of my father, a 32-year Marine Corps veteran.
That was as far as I got with the greens. I'll need to cut them into strips of various lengths. The black and white strips are already cut for these blocks, and so I started there. This was endlessly boring for Smitty.
He really wanted me to go outside and do something constructive with the weather.
By day's end, I had the black and white blocks pieced, trimmed, and cut on the diagonal.
Today I'll get to work on the green fabrics and, hopefully, have the blocks finished by day's end.
But first, I'm baking some biscotti. Erik's birthday is Tuesday. He and Mae are coming up for a birthday brunch of Eggs Benedict tomorrow morning. I have a couple of little things for him, but I wanted to do something else in the way of food for tomorrow, and so biscotti it is. We'll keep a few pieces for ourselves and then send the rest home with them.
Okay, so how's your weather? It's looking as if fall has passed and we're into the winter gloom at this end. Just yesterday Mike was saying how he's happy to see the gloom return. My response: "Speak to me of this in January."
18 comments:
Here in Florida it's still warm/hot! We aren't having as much rain now but the temps still go into the 90's. I'd love to see fall and feel it too. But that is a wish that probably won't come true. Need to get back to my sewing room and work on my dd quilt for her new house. It will have trees around a lake with her in her kayak and her dog. Still figuring out how to do the kayak and dog.
You will love Valdani thread! I have drawers full of it. But it isn't easy to find. The main difference from DMC is that you can't separate the strands. The more common is the size 12 but I prefer the Size 8. It is all run proof.
I like to do some Sue Spargo projects and that was what she used. But now she has moved to another name but I use the Valdandi whenever possible.
Mike got a job? I must have missed this. Did he go back to his old job or is this something new? Why or why? Typical male? My husband always says retirement is a process``you can't do it overnight.
Whatever works though.
The barns look nice.
Where did you get your Valdani?
Oh, I love Valdani threads, too. In fact, I prefer just about any perle cotton to floss. That pattern has my mouth watering. Where was this when I was looking for a nice long-term stitching project last May? It has such great possibilities for embellishment. Have you considered coordinating another stitch-along? Yeah, you’re probably wondering what I’ve been smoking.... Anyway, Alfie invites Smitty over and they can explore the garden here and nibble on some ‘nip....
I think the small block panels would look great as a border with the barn quilt or the barn panel.
I know that what ever you decide to use it for, it will be beautiful.
It’s still unseasonably hot here in Georgia. Looking forward to fall weather. Primitive Gatherings and The Rusty Crow are two good sources for Valdani if you need more colors later.
I see a barn quilt series in your future! That embroidered barn pattern is almost enough to make me want to embroider again - almost! Those tiny panel blocks would look great in a 'build a barn' quilt. Great panel from Sharon too.
I’m not any kind of a barn person, but I loved that panel when I saw it. And bought it. Haven’t used it yet, but we all know how that is. It’s fall in upstate NY. The weather and the temperatures bounce up and down, back and forth. The leaves are changing colors now. Pretty time of year here. Hugs to Smitty and Sadie, although I’m sure they don’t tolerate hugging.
Congratulations on getting all the borders on the ladies. You have some great Fall projects to chose from. I have that barn embroidery - somewhere. You will love working with the Valdani and great color you selected. The Adirondacks are at peak right now, but down state in NY is just seeing color, but I think it is going to turn fast.
Looks like you have some fun projects lined up and wow - a monthly goal done before the first week is done! Great job.
It will be interesting to hear what you think of Valdani. I like it, and use both the 12 and the 8, but i prefer 8. You can get it through Craftsy too, and sometimes it's on sale. Sue Spargo's new thread that she uses is Wonderfil. I use it when I need some really bright, fun colors. That biscotti -- yum! We have snow to the north of us, so I think our fall season is going to be short, unfortunately.
Love your new project! That brown thread looks so rich. I used to think brown was boring, but it really depends on the shade. Have fun with your RSC blocks this month. Oh congrats on getting the Bag Ladies into a finished flimsy. It turned out beautifully.
Lots of barns coming up! That variegate brown is luscious looking - and I'm not much of a brown fan normally. Except for chocolate, of course.
If the quilt block panel is big enough, might be a nice backing for one of your sampler-style quilts.
Looks like you have a good selection of greens for the RSC blocks.
There was actual RAIN at my place Thursday night, and I swear one of my rose bushes grew 4" overnight!! I'm hoping we'll get some more, but not to sure that will happen soon. It is HUMID today, but luckily only in the mid-70s so far. Nice & cool overnight though. Yay!
The barn stitchery is PERFECT for you!! Will you stitch the barn blocks in color or the same pretty brown? The barn block fabric will be a great addition to the quilt!
Congrats on the Bag Ladies. I'm getting close to assembling mine also. I have a tiny bit more stitching to do on #12 - I already have sashing on the other 11 then I'll see what I want to add for borders.
Mike working again? I too must have missed that. And I too like your barn pattern. Good luck with the floss. I've used it on some stuff too.
I like the barns in brown! I read something last week on why bans are painted red. Back in early America, they painted the barns with linseed oil to protect the wood. Then they added iron for insect repellent! The iron gave it the red coloring. Many barns were painted red because of tradition.
Lots of interesting projects happening at your place. Love the black and white blocks.
Fun quilt top! Thanks for linking up with Elm Street Quilts One Monthly Goal and congrats on your finish!
I, too, love barns. My kids get a little impatient when I have to stop the car by the side of the road to pictures of a barn. Ha!
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