Saturday

 I started out the day at Camp Wildwood, the girl scout camp. It is Sisters Retreat Weekend - where the adults get to go and enjoy camp. I signed up for the day, and Emily was there to help out and get volunteer hours. Turns out, they didn't really need the girls much for helping as most of the sessions were self doing. We did the morning session and lunch (she was in the dish room cleaning up), then knowing she had nothing to do....and could be home sleeping or doing homework we headed home. (She drove me there) We got home around 3. The morning sessions were making a bamboo walking stitck - sanded down, added the grip, some bling and added one inch marks up from the bottom. So, if you run into a stream or swamp you can see how deep it is. Honestly, in Florida..... I'd never venture into a water area. There are gaters or snakes in everything! I'll use it walking the dog in case there is wildlife in the early mornings when it is just turning light out. We are 2 streets from a forest greenway area.  The second session was archery. I always like this and found out last year I do better shooting lefty. So, my 7th shot of 9 (I got to shoot 3 times in my group) was a bulls eye! The last round was junk journaling. I'll probably use mine as a quilt journal and diary I think.

Thursday, I finally buckled down and got the graduation quilt pinned for quilting. I was able to outline the blocks and then on the outer edges I am doing a walking foot echo around. I need to get back to work on that in hopes of getting to the binding stage tomorrow. Right now, the quilt is about 86x86 with the extra border I added. 

This week, has been very rainy. It started raining on Tuesday and finished up Friday. We had over 8 inches of rain in that timeframe. Good thing Florida is pretty much sand! Friday I got to chauffeur my FIL and Greg to FIL's doctor appointment in the afternoon. Since Emily was to have a late night, we stopped for dinner on the way home. A tornado advisory was issued in the evening, so the football game was postponed and we did have a couple of bands swing through. No issues here. My MIL about 45 minutes south had some good gusts of wind that toppled lots of branches and broke her Jasmine in two. We might head over tomorrow and help pick up sticks. For now, I'm heading into the sewing area and adding some stitching to the graduation quilt. 

Oh, I picked up a quilt from a friend today that needs a new binding attached. I've yet to pull it out of the bag, but I'll take a look at it after I get the graduation quilt finished off for Aidan. 

Sunday stitching or pinning.

 It has been a lazy start to the day. I watched the F1 race (which was way too early for me, so I watched it when I got up!) and felt a little closer to the boy away at college. Hubby cooked a brisket on the smoker and then in the oven yesterday and it took all day long! It was a 17 pound one. I finished the clean up this morning of the dishes. I'll have to seal and freeze a bunch at some point today. I got a whole brisket instead of the flat since the price was very different. The extra part is pretty fatty, so he made some chunks of it and I'll seal them and plan to use them when I make beef barley soups. (Still pretty hot here but I can do soups any time of the year!). I did make a baked french toast for breakfast this morning. Yummy.

Grandma wants to go see the new Brad Pitt movie, so Greg and I will go with her today to see that. 

I'll be adding more outline stitches to the cross stitch later today. Question for all who do cross stitch, do you do the outline one stitch at a time, or do you do a couple at a time? I've done a bit each way but think the single stitches look better. I know some of my stitches will be over multiple areas for the grass later so those are different. The outline sure does make a difference! The three wheels are done and I'm working on the wagon now.

 

Yesterday, I decided to machine quilt the graduation quilt and was laying it out to roll onto the boards. I'm using a new to me batting so we will see how it works. It is so soft! Bear really liked it. I got a roll of MSQC Natural Cotton batting on sale at some point and just cracked it open. It says it is good for either hand or machine quilting. I need to clear off my sewing banquet table so I can put the boards up there and pin this quilt. I measured it at 78x78 so decided to cut a 4.5 inch strip and add it to each side to make it a little bigger. It should finish around 86x86.  If I can get it pinned today, I hope to work on it a bit each afternoon this week.

I do need to do a little girl scout online training before a retreat next weekend. That will take a solid hour or two. I'd better get moving and get a little done before the movie time starts.

Linking up with Kathy and the Slow Sunday Stitchers.

More blocks needed.

 We got a new bed which is a king size, and I have NO quilts that size! In a pinch, my granny flowers on black is being used, but it is a little too small. What's a girl to do?

I have a collection of 12 inch blocks in flowering snowball and shoo fly, waiting patiently for me to sew them together. I think I'll hand stitch another 23 of them and make it a nice King size before it gets sewn together. That had me checking for the background - Kona eggshell. I have some left, but not enough for 23 blocks. I'll be checking MSQC over the next months to pick up another 10 yd of it on sale. I've got a couple yards on the bolt so can continue making blocks for a bit. I cut out one flowering snowball and two shoo fly blocks using my Accuquilt dies. I have the Flowering snowball and the 8 inch cube - 1+3 shapes used for the second block.

Thank goodness this is a scrappy one in blue, green and purples so it should be fairly easy to add to! 

Now that I have a plan for that, I think I will plan to hand quilt the graduation quilt - bear paw for Aidan.  I have the backing but need to get it prepped to size. I also looked up the big roll of batting I got from MSQC - natural cotton and it says it can be hand quilted. So, I'll plan to use that for the batting. We will see how it goes. It's been a while since I have loaded something onto the frame so I'll have to rewatch the Grace EZ3 loading video again.  That will be my afternoon plans!

Linking up with the RSC.... I think I did some of these blocks with the RSC...years ago!

Fall 2026 UFO Ravelry challenge

The Summer of 2026 was spent away from home for various reasons. No quilting or sewing happened. Lots of family time, a trip to Alaska with my hubby and kids for 2 weeks and hospice care for my Dad a couple of months and helping Mom after he passed. One kid back in school for her Senior year and one kid off to College for his Freshman year. It has been a summer! (No, his graduation quilt is not done but it is a top!) 

The list of UFO's -

 1.) I know I have at least one more cut somewhere to fill that open spot for a 7x6 setting. *** found the parts in a baggie!  These are hand pieced.... and might need a little fixing along the way on some of those middle joins. From Inklingo lemoyne stars.  The blocks are 4.5 inches.

 

2.)  I think it's a 6.5 inch cut center of greys and 2.5 inch strips. Finishes 10 inches. 

3.) Midget Applique quilt from Sentimental Stitches. I need to add more flowers and leaves and the vines... and the last border. Hand pieced and hand appliqued. Started January 2015 as a car line project. One block a week.

4.) triangle pyramids. started June 2024. I need to find these!

5.) Midget block collection - I started these in Vermont in 2010! I have a light blue for sashing.

6.) Erin's Butterfly - I made the wings in 2021.  Need to add one more set of wings... thinking 9 is a nice number? These have been machine stitched onto the background. Need to add body and antenna to each. Also need to add 1 block in another color.

7.) Flying Snowballs - hand pieced shoo fly and flowering snowball blocks in blue, purple and green from 2025. Will plan to machine piece them together into a top about 84x84.

Flying Snowballs - Accuquilt dies for Flowering Snowball and Shoo Fly block. Scrappy blue, green and purple with solid background. Hand pieced blocks. Currently 7x7 for a 84x84. Thinking I want 106x92 at least.... so need 23 more blocks. The joys of getting a king size bed!

8.) Aidan Graduation requested quilt... for after college as he wants a queen size Bear Paw in civil war style green and blues. This is a top. Have fabric for 2 possible bindings and a backing is purchased.

9.) I forgot I had this. It is a cute birdhouse wall hanging but is foundation pieced, which I dislike. Maybe I can deal with it enough to get this done? Or rework it?

10,) This is a kit I purchased mid-90s - butterfly's. I think all the parts are there and I did start arranging them.

11.) Quilters Patch. A sew along that I completely did not meet my goals on in 2022. One block is done.

12.) Alternate BITA blocks from RSC 2025 collection

** I need to get a photo of these

13.) 16 patch blocks from 2.5 inch squares

** I need to get a photo of these.

14.) chicken blocks... these have not had much love this year.

15.) Bittersweet Briar - pattern in Kim Deihl's book and kit of fabric.

16) Brimfield Awakening EPP. I did start this and have the first fabric thread basted in purple!

17.) Bonnie Hunter Mystery - On Ringo Lake - maybe step #2?

18) Bonnie Hunter Mystery - Grassy Creek (2020) Think I am on step #4.

19.) 30's log cabin tulip quilt.

Quilt Tops: 

 20) Ella Maria Deacon Blocks. Hand pieced, machine stitched together into a top. Patterns from Sentimental Stitches.

 I need to measure and see if it is happy with it's size or not. All my quilts seem to have a mind of their own!

21) Vermont Quilt Festival Booth Hop from either 2008 or 2009.  it is 71x71.

22.) Y2K Joann's BOM - quilt top

23.) 1857 Quilt Along Top - This one is in the hoop for hand quilting as of December 2024. ** Might unpin this one so it doesn't rust and do something smaller first with the big BITA on the frame...

24.) Spring Hexagons - not sure if this wants to be bigger or not.... 

25.) Triple Irish Chain - green. 80x80 I think. I did find both fabrics extra with it... Might need a green or cream border first or both... Made in the early 2000's. circular feathers in open spaces.

26.) String of Beads is a top. I do want to add green circles to the meeting points of the green peels I think as well. The yellow ones really helped the colored parts of the peel flowers. I need a new photo of this one as I did get it to a top on 10/5/25. I promise!

27.) Little House Sew along with Melva at Melva loves Scraps earlier this year.  Each of my blocks is 18 inches and 54x54. Wants to be a wee bit bigger I think. Used a jelly roll of purple shades from MSQC from a few years ago.

 

Beautyberry jam

 Long time no post. Just not getting much done.

I did get the right wheel all outlined and moved back to the other ones. 

Sunday I did a cookie decorating and other class. The other part was this cute pottery bowl I painted and glazed. It was a sushi theme. I did sign up for the Halloween one next month as well. Halloween type cookies and a wooden skeleton is the second half of the class. 

Monday - was our 20th anniversary. We went out to dinner.

This is a BeautyBerry bush in my back yard. I decided to pick some today and make a jam. Emily tried a few years ago, but it didn't set. I used this recipe to make the jam. I had an extra 1 cup of the juice leftover.... so just added some lemon juice and sugar and boiled it up and popped it into a jar in the fridge. A concentrate or syrup, we will see.  

The bushes.

in the water bath canner.

The extra made into a syrup.

6 jars canned and a baby jar in the fridge.

The boy is coming home this weekend. His second time home but the first time I get to see him since we dropped him to college last month. I was in Vermont when he was home over Labor Day weekend. Emiy has a Marching Band Competition on Saturday near Tampa. I'm going to stay home and spend time with my boy!

Sunday Stitching

 I spent way too much time on my phone yesterday instead of stitching. Today, free time will be not playing games but stitching instead!

I did add a row or two to the crochet blanket. I find if I do too many rows at a time my hand cramps, so I'll pick this one up again and work on a row a night to keep it moving.

Brimfield Awakening project changed slightly, in that I think I will work on it with the RSC. That is the thought right now anyway. I do have a bunch of colors in blues, teals and purples and greens prepped already. I need to add 3 more of the yellow peels then hook them together with the black tall houses to form a circle. These are using EPP.

Cross Stitch - the main stitching is done. Now it is the finishing outlining and there is a ton on this project. I forgot how long it takes to do that! Now that I am back home with my good lighting I hope to move this one along this week.

Linking up with Kathy and the other Slow Stitchers.

I found that my blog reading list was not updating correctly on my blog as of 5 days ago. I tried all the things (emptied the cache, tried a different browser, etc.). Nothing worked so I had to reset up the blog list icon. I did that this morning while watching the F1 race. I texted Aidan a few times as he is watching it at college. He did go to his first UF football game yesterday and had a great time. He is loving college life and the freedom.

I have an idea of the meals for the week as no one gave me ideas other than my Mom's spaghetti sauce from Greg. I do need to grab a few things from the store at some point - out of onions and garlic! Yikes. Thankfully I don't need much but a few veggies and some fruits other than apples. We have plenty of apples!

Last night I made chicken broth with a roaster chicken carcass, and made chicken noodle soup for them and some pinto beans with corn bread for me. I'm not a chicken noodle soup person but both of them have colds, and like it. The chickens got the things used to make the broth - they love those days!

Sunday - spaghetti sauce and salad (greg grows me lettuce!)

Monday - pork schnitzel, roasted potato and a veggie

Tuesday - shrimp scampi

Wednesday - leftovers (I have a meeting with pot luck)

Thursday - Risotto and a veggie.

Emily is late on Tues, Thurs and Friday with marching band, so she'll probably have something else as I know she dislikes both of those meals!

Now to search and find where the heck I put the leaf quilts for decorating for fall. I found a handful of them but am missing 2!

RSC in purple.

I took a little time and cut out and sewed up a purple house today. I plan to head back into the sewing room this afternoon and add more houses to the collection. I hope to also press and trim the graduation quilt. Linking up with the RSC.

I had 2 weeks up in Vermont with Mom and returned home Wednesday evening. Thursday was all about errands, visiting Tom and doing bloodwork and picking up scripts. 

Friday after work I did a bit of a deep clean in the master bathroom. It still needs a little work but much better after being gone most of the last 3 months. The cat litters and food and water are in there. I'll finish up in there today and work on the master bedroom today. The floor needs a vacuum and a steam clean. 

 Friday night - I volunteered as a chaperone with the band for the Football game. I just helped out a bit here and there and probably lifted a few too many things with loading the truck for the concession stand and getting the water containers into the stands for the kids to get refills from. We did get a bit of rain, of course right at halftime! 

The sky had some beautiful shades with the sunset with lots of angry rain clouds. Thankfully the rain stopped and the game was able to continue fine with no thunder in the area.

The rose bush by the shed is in bloom with this beautiful peachy pink flower.

Last night, I noticed Emily was parked in her spot which was way across the parking lot and it was dark. I parked there until she got into the car and it started. I headed home, and she called not 1 minute away (I was wondering why she didn't back up and leave). The battery light was on. We tried a few things and then I figured I'd just follow her home. We got home safely around 11PM. This morning, battery light still on so Greg checked it. I did not know there is water in the battery! It was pretty empty, so he filled it up. Nope, still got the light on after letting it run for 20 minutes. So, they get to deal with that this afternoon. I'll grab a few groceries and spend the rest of the time sewing!