Vermont

 It has been a very long day. We headed to a hotel late last night and attempted to sleep a bit before the 3:20 alarm to wake up to head to the airport for our 6AM flight. We had an uneventful flight and arrived in upstate NY before 9AM. There was some delay in getting the rental car but we were off and hitting a Dunkin drive through for hot coffee for the ferry ride over to VT. About 2 hours later we were arriving at my parents house on a small lake in Central Vermont. It was hot and muggy for their warm spell and there is no AC up this way. Well, we remembered an AC unit that I took out here when we moved south and Aidan carried the heavy thing down the steep stairs and we got it installed into the living room window and running about an hour ago. Emily and I are sitting out on the screened in porch while my parents are in the living room watching a ball game. We took a little kayak paddle on the lake after dinner and clean up. If it was cooler upstairs, we all would be up in bed! Hoping the slightly cooler air outside will be drawn in with the window fans and cool things down a bit soon. Another day of heat before the cool front and storms ushers in highs around 70 on Thursday.  Some photo's of the kids in the kayaks on the lake.

The mountain we are planning to climb while we are up here.

Too hot to stitch... and too tired! Maybe tomorrow.

Summer 2021 Ravelry Challenge.

 I'm in again! I'm just removing the few finishes from Spring and see what can get accomplished this quarter!

Since I never know what I am in the mood to work on.... lets just throw a whole bunch of things out there and see what sticks shall we?

Block Collections.

1.) I know I have at least one more cut and in a baggie somewhere to fill that open spot for a 7x6 setting. These are hand pieced.... and might need a little fixing along the way.

 2.) Hexagon flowers on a black background. These are a stack of blocks I hand pieced a few years ago then hand appliqued to the black background a couple years after that!  Not sure if they will become one or two quilts....

3.) Crumb blocks.... might these end up in a quilt? Or the start of some baskets?

4.) Sweet Confetti blocks - I have 96 of these made.... need to be put together and quilted.

5.) Midget Applique quilt from Sentimental Stitches. I need to add  more flowers and leaves and the vines... and the bottom yellow border. This one is completely hand pieced.

6.) Ella Maria Deacon blocks - make a few more and finish them off into a top. I believe I was making these by hand. Patterns from Sentimental Stitches.

7.) Purple applique hearts... need to figure out how they want to be set.

8.)  this quilt that has been an on and off, leader and ender for years. My scrappy irish chain. I believe I had a bucket of 2 inch squares next to my sewing machine for a while and would make sets, and rows and blocks in between sewing other things. I think it wants to get competed.

9.) Midget block collection - I started these in Vermont in 2010!

10.) Civil War Blocks

11.) Churn Dash blocks these are a top - no picture for proof though. *** Finished September 2021.

12.) Endless Diamond Blocks - 21 made.  20 will make the top I think. All hand pieced. This is a top... but it wanted borders to finish the stars, silly quilt. 

13.) Birds in the Air block collection

14.) Harmony - hand pieced project started March 2021- one 28 inch block completed - 3 to go.

15.) Lets go fly a kite- because it might have percolated long enough in my head already. - 2 completed into a placemat august 2021.

16.)  Flowering Snowball - Completed August 2021.

17.) Round Robin. Finished 7/17/2021.

18.) Cat and mouse is on the frame in process of hand quilting but has been sadly neglected.

19) This one stayed on the list - needs quilting. Vermont Quilt Festival Booth Hop from either 2008 or 2009. I have backing for this and it is 71x71.

20.) Green Tumblers - a hand pieced top. 

21.) Hoarfrost - top is done will it get quilted this year? **Snowflake gray backing

22.) Baby Bear Paw quilt top ** Made back from a class in 1999 I think from Yankee Pride. ** Polka dot backing

23.) Trip around the World

24.) Y2K Joann's BOM - quilt top

25.) Blue and Purple 9 patch with muslin top Made in the 90's. Have a back for this 50x60. * Completed September 2021.

26.) Tumbler flag - this did not come out how I imagined.... It might get reinvented after taking parts out. We will see.

27.) 1857 Quilt Along Top

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

29.) FCQG baby quilt challenge. 40x48 have a backing for this. ***Polka dot backing

30.) 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.

Slow Sunday

 I have been trying to prep things for hand work for travel this week. This cross stitch always get tucked in when I travel yet rarely gets worked on. Might this be the year? This is Januarys pattern from Paula Vaughan's Quilts for All Seasons - cross stitch designs.

I made the September one back in the late 1990's.

A Harmony block is prepped. I might prep another one, just in case. I plan to make 4 blocks. The first one is completed.

I did make a guess and prepped 16 Hexagon QAYG blocks for July. I finished 30 purple ones for June this week.

If there is room in the checked bag I'll tuck in this knitting project. Maybe I can unstitch those sheep and learn how to do them properly. It is intarsia knitting - lots of youtube videos should help me! I have never knitted with more than one color before so I guess this will be what I learn in July?

I really wanted to have a hand quilting item as well, but if that doesn't happen then the above should keep me busy and out of trouble for the next few weeks! I can't wait for some slow stitching on the screened in porch or in a chair down by the lake.

I'll also tuck in the crochet hook - I'm sure Mom needs new tops to the kitchen towels stitched up.

Linking up with Kathy and the other Slow Stitchers. 

June OMG is completed!

I finished the hand stitching on the binding last night for the graduation quilt. It just went through the wash and is all set to pack in the checked bag tomorrow for delivery. This disappearing nine patch is a long twin size and will be going to my nephew Charlie who graduated high school this year. Emma the chicken allowed a photo op with the quilt.

Linking up with the June Monthly Goal.

 

Purple Table Scraps Challenge

 When I made my spring blossom quilt a few years ago I had an extra purple one. 

After selecting it for the table scraps challenge it sat, and sat, and sat. Today was the day to machine quilt it. Then I attached the binding... and added a little hand quilting inside the blooms. Sophie was napping but allowed me to cover her up a bit with it for a photo.

Linking up with Joy and the Table Scraps Challenge.

Saturday in Purple....

Lets see how the month went in purple, shall we?

I added a few blocky blocks in purple this month.

I stitched ahead and got my 30 purple Hexagon QAYG done.

I added my purple Erin Butterfly to the pile.... missing green and red I see...

2 of these purple blocks were added to the pile. I am missing the green in this set so I'll catch up on the next green month.

Linking up with the RSC Challenge. I hope to finish up the table topper today.

Thursday, the boy and I headed to Fort King here in Ocala. It was a self guided tour of the grounds with posted information to read all about the various wars. They rebuilt the fort walls a couple of years ago. We were the only ones there. We liked the garden, where we saw herbs, egg plant, tomato, peppers and a few other plants growing. This pretty butterfly allowed a nice photo. After the fort Aidan and I went out to eat at Moes Southwestern Grill. It was a nice Mom and son outing.