Nearing a Finish

Sadie had to give up her lap time this morning so that I could write this post. I hope y'all are appurreciative of her sacrifice.

The morning was pretty nice yesterday. Mike and I got out together and filled two buckets with weeds. It was nice to get that job done, and we had fun doing it together. Mainly, we joked about how hard it is to get up off the ground once seated there. We ended up scooching around the garden on our rear-ends to avoid having to stand up.

After lunch, it was time to get started quilting my challenge quilt. These are the threads I selected, although I switched out that one on the right for a pale tan variegated thread before I was finished. And I love those Coats & Clarks Star variegated threads on the left. I'm so sorry they didn't continue making them. I have a large selection, but they won't last forever.

There isn't a lot I can show you, and I can't show you what I did for the uppermost part of the quilt. That would expose too much. In the green section, I did a leafy meander...or maybe those are hearts...I can't tell. They're supposed to be leaves.

At the bottom, I did some pebbling. The fabric kind of cries out for it. 

That fabric has been so versatile. Originally, I bought it just because I liked it. It made a great background fabric for the Cats of a Different Color quilt some years back. And I've used it in other quilts too.

On the one left border, I did a Greek key sort of thing. Also, you can see just a tiny bit of the quilting in the "sunset" background.

And when that was finished, I was ready to sew on the binding. You can see a little bit of the quilting in the image below too.

I can show you the quilt back. That's the most you'll see for the time being. The reveal will be August 1st.

I took a little walk around the yard after that. The poppies are still blooming away. I believe there are nine now, and still lots of buds. They're looking a little bedraggled from the rain.

I was standing on the retaining wall above the peonies when I took these shots. I was checking this first one for any flowers opening. You can see how close they are...especially that one in the lower right-hand corner.

To its right, are lots more buds on its neighboring peonies.

This has been the best year yet for the peonies, and I'm feeling optimistic about the cruel never-blooming peony. This might be its year. And if they all bloom together, it's going to be quite a show.

So, there are still no flowers, but I'm watching them, only checking on them every five minutes or so. If only there were some way to rig up an alarm so that I could know the instant one shows its face.

Back inside, I went to work hand-stitching the binding. It was nearing dinner time, but I was able to get around the first corner before I quit for the day.

I'll spend my slow-stitching time this morning finishing it off. If I do any sewing today, it will be to get started quilting the Garden Sunshine quilt. It's been patiently awaiting its turn draped over my sewing chair.

If you're looking for me this afternoon, that's where I'll be sitting. It's good to have my challenge quilt nearly finished, and now I'm looking forward to getting another long-time project finished.