Good morning, my friends! After several hot days in a row, we awakened to overcast skies this morning. We're expecting some sunshine later, but the clouds will help cool things off a bit. It'll be nice not to have to run the air conditioner today. I prefer open windows to blowing cold air.
My day started off hoeing weeds. While I was there, I noticed some newcomers to the bee garden. These first ones are evening primrose.
This pretty pink one is godetia.
These yellow propeller flowers are known as spreading wallflower.
Also, I watched this cabbage white butterfly flitting from flower to flower. She was here for about 20 minutes.
I know this is a "she" butterfly because of the two black spots on her wings. Males have just one spot.
In other garden news, the new dahlia is doing great. It's got a ways to go to catch up with its brethren, but I'm happy to see it growing taller and sprouting more leaves.
Its neighbor to the left has two flower buds now. They're a little hard to make out in the picture below. On the left is a large bud, and just to its right and overlapping a little bit is a smaller one.
Also, these next three hydrangeas are all on the same plant. This lavender one...
And this larger blue one. The smaller one looks a bit more lavender to me.
Across the yard, the echinacea are getting enticingly close to opening. The bees love these.
So gardening took me to lunch time. After lunch, I went to work on my quilting. I finished off the hearts in the floral sashing. In the yellow sashing I did a stylized feather...something I saw on Pinterest. I've realized that trying to copy something I see on Pinterest is like trying to copy someone else's handwriting. I can get close, but it always ends up looking slightly different.
So, you can think of the portions I've quilted so far like a center "panel." Here's a picture of the whole quilt for reference.
My goal for the day was to quilt the three plates to the left and right of the center. Starting in the center of each plate, I worked my way out doing various little looping designs and outlining some of the embroidery. Then, I did a different background swirling and hooking meander. I'm happier with this than I was with the center panel.
I was getting tired of quilting before I was finished, but I'm happy to have all six done. Today's goal will be to quilt the bottom section where the "table" is. I'll continue on has I have been, outlining and loopy designs, and then I'll fill in the background as I have with these six plates.
Okay, so do you want to see a flat cat? This was Smitty's contribution to yesterday's quilting effort.
Today's to-do's are a mystery since I haven't looked at the calendar yet. If I'm remembering correctly, there's nothing to do but quilt. I'm hoping to get the whole bottom section finished. If I'm feeling really energetic, I'll get to work on the three plates at the top of the quilt. Already, I know what I'm going to do in the blue sashing, but I'm completely at a loss what to do in the crazy quilt blocks. I'll figure something out.
Right now, I'm heading off to do some slow-stitching. What's going on in your sewing room today?
7 comments:
Gardens are not made by singing 'Oh, how beautiful,' and sitting in the shade. ~ Rudyard Kipling
I saw a "pollinator" garden a few blocks from our house recently. There is even a sign to indicate a nearby business has planted it and is "maintaining" it. It's close to a butterfly garden in a park that was dedicated to a little girl who was killed several years ago by a drunk driver. Both are such nice additions to our neighborhood.
Love those "swirley-cues" around each plate--nice quilting job!!
in my sewing room, Helga will be getting a good cleaning under her bobbin...
then perhaps she will behave better...been a bit stutterey lately...Must be those dang dust bunnies that have taken up residence hahha
Hugs, Julierose
The quilting is looking really good - such a pretty quilt! Tomorrow's agenda - cherry pickin'!
It's always nice to see your flowers, the different hues of colour on the hydrangea plant is interesting, and very pretty.
I love all your flowers. I am trying to plant some echinacea because I saw at Home Depot how they were covered with bees. My other bee attracting plants are suffering for the moment by some "cleaning up" by my yard man. I have fed them and we got some rain so I hope they recover.
I am in total admiration of those beautiful plates on the quilt. Ah, if only my eyes were younger so I could do something that detailed. Thanks for sharing all your activities. You really do keep me entertained and love your sense of humor. I also love the antics of your two kitties. You certainly have a lot of patience with the different ways they "help" you.
I just entertained myself by spending some time with my mouse trying to trace your swirly stitching to see if I could figure it out. Dismal failure, I am. One more reason I'm not a sane quilter! (and some would say there's something wrong with a woman who sits and traces someone else's quilting designs and some would be right)
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