For sure – it is getting down right warm every single day – still no rain in my little corner of Arkansas. It has been missing us – other than a 5 minute thing here and there for about a month now. I have been watering the yard and the plants for over two weeks now – just enough to keep them alive – I don’t want a huge water bill. I dug up the potatoes last night and I guess I got about 5 to 8 pounds worth – I could tell it wasn’t going to be a good harvest, the plants just didn’t look good if you know what I mean. As you see though I only garden for the heck of it, not with the intention of having something to eat for months on end 
this colander full will be enough for some good potato salad and other meals for several weeks only!
The yellow squash that I thought was going to produce well, hasn’t – the veggies are getting soft and not maturing and falling off – what causes that I wonder? The zucchini has a lot of blossoms but no veggies. The only thing that is doing well are the tomatoes & peppers – I hope they stay alive long enough for me to get all the tomatoes off of them that are on them now without having to put them in the windowsill to ripen. The woes of container gardening – you have to water every single day when it gets hot.
Yesterday morning I had quilt group and I brought Joseph’s Coat to work on – I have three more segments to work on and then the row can be attached!
I got started hand stitching the binding on Star Crazy yesterday – I sat down two different times with it and I am almost done with one side! Here is one section of it – I don’t know if you noticed that I decided to have rounded corners on it when it was on the quilting frame way back at the beginning.
I fold the quilt up and lay it across my lap so the heaviness of the quilt doesn’t make me too hot while working on it.
And just for fun so I could say I got started on the quilting – I sat at the quilting frame for about 10 minutes or so last night and stitched along the vine and leaves on the beginning of the Pineapple Square wall hanging.
I got some questions on how and why do I keep track of time spent on my quilts. It all started way back when – people would ask “how long did it take you to make that quilt” and I could say oh about a year and then would be asked “well did you work on it every day, every week, a day here and there” you get the picture? So when I started a new quilt – piecing about 12 years or so ago – I put a little notebook in the basket with the work and when I would sit down to start to hand piece or applique I would jot down the time started and stopped and write down the minutes when I was done. I did this throughout the whole process and was amazed at how many hours had accumulated during the making of the quilt. Then when I began to quilt that quilt I kept the same notebook right there by the quilt and continued to keep track of my time – this was just for my information – but also so that when someone asks that question “will you make me one” I can truthfully say – “do you realize how long it takes me to make this – and of course “how much does it cost to make it” – especially if they have said “I’ll pay you” – they quickly realize that maybe they can’t afford to have me make them a quilt after all. Like for Star Crazy – 250 hours of work and cost was at around $170 and that was only because a lot of the fabric in it was on sale. What kind of price would you put on that? It is very hard to price hand quilted quilts because of the time involved – next to impossible to put a price per hour on something like this. Anyway that was probably more of an answer than you all wanted but that is why I keep track of my time!
I got the machine part of the sewing done this afternoon for the binding on Star Crazy. Working binding in a small room is a bit of a challenge. I have to pull my SewEzi table out from the tight little space it goes in, I get a small fold out table out and put it next to it – I pull Mike’s office chair over so some of it can rest on that – but it got done!
I have it all folded up now so it will be easy to work with and will get to the hand stitching later today or tomorrow.
I had enough backing and batting leftover from Star Crazy (I had cut it way too long) that I was able to cut it and sew it back together again to fit the Pineapple Square Wall Hanging and still had some of that backing and batting leftover! Here it is ready to work on.
This sure is little on the big quilting frame – I don’t know if I have every had something so small on it. Almost the whole this is showing right now. You know I totally forgot I said I was going to clean out under that frame before I put anything else on it!
My space back to being a computer table – Words with Friends – playing two games – one with daughter and one with sis in law.
I got the backing fabric for the Joseph’s Coat quilt – all ready for when it is finished! I like the wide back fabrics from Christian Lane Quilters – if you have never tried them you might want to check out the Fatbacks! Prices aren’t bad – here is what I got for Joseph’s Coat – I just ordered it about 3 or 4 days ago and it came today – what fast service.
We have a barbecue college graduation party to go to tomorrow for one of my many nieces – should be fun – I’m seeing the family way to much this year 
EDITED: I have been so busy that I have barely been on the computer! I have been answering a few e mails here and there but I have not had good reception in the motel. Sometimes the wi-fi is working fine and other times it hasn’t been so hot. I will add a few family photos after I get home. Also we went to the museum Crystal Bridges on Thursday afternoon and I got some photos there that I will share. We have been on the go constantly 
When I get home on Monday afternoon it will then seem like I am on vacation LOL
I have decided that Pineapple Square is going to be a wall hanging after all. I had thought to enlarge it with a Round Robin type of style to it but what with deciding to make one of the Edyta Star’s pattern next – and having two of her patterns as it is and the Sedona Star quilt – all large quilts to make – I better stick with a wall hanging for this one!!
When Star Crazy comes off of the quilting frame Joseph’s Coat quilt top will not be finished and ready to put on the frame. Pineapple Square is small – it can go on the frame. The quilting will be done simply and it will be finished quickly – maybe Joseph’s Coat will be ready to put on the frame when that one comes off?
Seeing as I was so close to finishing the applique last night on Pineapple Square I thought I would continue on that this morning after I finished a few things outside – I must admit I skipped the fitness center this morning – I just didn’t feel like it – no excuse. It was just so nice outside I did some things outside instead.
I have showed my Gutermann 100% Natural Cotton Thread Cabinet on some previous post and wanted to share with you how easy it is to do applique by having such a convenient cabinet of thread at hand. I treated myself to this cabinet some years ago after I had sold a quilt – I decided it was something I would really use and I wanted it! It is so nice having so many colors at hand! You can get one at the above link – although I do not remember where I got mine – I ordered it on line for about the same price I believe, which surprises me as I have had mine for over 5 years now. Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores is a reliable business so I know they are safe to order from. I think there are some on ebay and other on-line stores as well.
I just bring whatever I am appliqueing to the cabinet, turn a light on and shine it on it and select – it is nice just running your piece next to the colors and see what I can find to match it the closest. Sometimes I am out of luck and if that happens I have a couple spools of silk thread in beige and I normally use that as the thread is so thin it seems to sink in and is not very noticeable.
The threads I selected – I was lucky this time and had near perfect matches – there are 100 different colors in the cabinet and each slot holds 3 spools of thread – it comes with 1 spool of each color. Those that I use a lot of I try to keep 3 in place others just have 1 spool. I see I have a couple empty slots – I might have to write those numbers down and see if I can find them when I go to Paducah later this month – although I normally order them on line and just have them sent to me. I am making out a list of things to look for at the vendors and the store and get all that I need in one place and save on shipping and handling.
My top finished for now:
This is the triangle design that I am thinking of using for the next border. A couple weeks ago I asked for opinions on the triangles and I agree that maybe 2 rows of triangles will be better than four – but that means I need to start taking these apart and then press. Because these are hand pieced I really don’t know if I want to have to take them apart – some were whip stitched together in the English Paper Piecing method and others are regular hand pieced – that means a mess for taking apart not easy like if it was machine sewed. I might start to take this apart and I might just leave it alone and use it for something else! In the meantime I will start on a fresh row and maybe take this apart a little at a time while sitting around doing nothing!
Maybe I will have some progress to show on this quilt top next week – and maybe not 
it might be a couple weeks!!
BY the way: I do not have any sponsors on this blog – anything I promote (like the thread cabinet) is just because I like the product not because anyone has given me anything to promote them. If I ever get any sponsors I will let you know – but so far no one has asked 
A busy day so far – and I do remember today what I have done so far 
Started the morning with the quilting group – small group but had fun and I am one petal short of finishing the 3rd border on Pineapple Square. From there I met Mike for lunch at Pizza Hut – we ran into a small group of guys that he works with when working and one lady – who I also know from quilting groups so we had lunch with them. From there I had a half hour to kill before my neck/shoulder massage so I went to Tuesday Morning to look around – as I was checking out someone called my name – turned and there was Regina! Great minds think alike when there is a half an hour to kill. I did find a good buy and the guy said they came into the store just the other day!! Baskets to organize some of the sewing stuff.
So after I got home I got started straightening things out:
The biggest basket now has a queen size quilt (Bow Tie Medallion) (plus backing), the second Dear Jane quilt to be quilted plus backing and thread, the Square in a Square quilt to be quilted plus backing and the Pinwheel quilt – no backing for that one yet.
yes there is still room for the two smaller quilts! I save plastic zipper bags from sheets to store these in. I am short one storage bag but they all fit nicely in here – room for no more so I have to finish Star Crazy this coming month so I can take one out of the basket before I put another one in it – great idea huh, wonder if it will work
The medium size basket well be the one to hold the Pineapple Square quilt plus the triangles as I have an idea in mind that might put the two quilts into one.
The smallest basket – the applique quilt that needs to be finished –
Odd angle I know – I had to lay down on the floor and aim up and to the side to get it all in LOL, you can see the smallest basket on the shelf, the medium on one of the side tables – easy to grab for in the house or outside on a nice day – and the big on on the lower shelf of the table out of the way.
The idea I have for Pineapple Square – I’m not 100% on this but I had been thinking of a round robin type of quilt – one border after another – all out of scraps and I thought maybe they will go together? Not sure, I haven’t decided. Maybe after the flower border is done I will put a skinny stripe of black to divide it a little then the triangles on all side about the width of the one that is started? Then another applique border – then something else with scraps – checkerboard style? something – just noticed I would have to turn that triangle border the opposite way for it to work because of the diagonal design – it would have mitered corners. What do you think? yes or no on the triangles for this quilt – just wondering I will make up my mind for sure when I get done with the applique.
Well I managed to work on Joseph’s Coat last night. I must admit I did no sewing during the day – I was too busy with outside work. Quite a bit more to do on this row, maybe a third done? I will try to keep working on it this week.
I even got a couple leaves appliqued when I put purple melons aside for the evening.
My container garden grew today – now I have 3 tomato plants and a container of red peppers and one of green peppers. I do wonder how they will do in these buckets – I hope they grow.
The hostas are coming up also. I got the tick pellets spread out all over the yard – I hope it works. Most times it seems to help keep the ticks at a minimum.
Today I am off to North Little Rock – lunch and shopping with my dear daughter Melanie – a girl day – neither of us are big at shopping though so I have a feeling we will be looking a bit and finish early! Maybe I will get in some quilting/piecing this evening – I never stay all that late, I hate the traffic in rush hour and always try to leave by 3 to avoid it all – it is either that or stay until 6:30 or so and come home in the evening after it is done! I am just not an all day shopper type of person!
Well I didn’t get done with much of any sewing today – so far! Such good plans I made this morning – and then the sun is out and I’m outside – I appliqued a flower 
and that was it!! I will try to quilt a little this evening.
Two sides of the applique are now done – two more borders to go. The sides need the work still.
And from the applique flowers I went to look at the real ones in my yard Clematis
Azaleas in full bloom including the bees!
And butterflies on the red azalea – I managed to see two of them.
And I turned back to the pink ones and saw a butterfly there too.
Last spring I found a trillium in the yard right up by the azaleas and I have been looking for it again this year – I hadn’t seen it until today so I thought maybe it had died – only one but it came back. How do they multiple?
And even though it is early – my plan this year seeing as I do believe we will be home all summer is to have some tomato plants and maybe some peppers and cucumbers – but I am going to plant them in containers. My soil is poor, several of the tines on the tiller broke a couple years ago when we tried to till up some soil for a small garden – too many rock! I stopped at Lowe’s this morning to get some tick killer (kills other annoying pests also) and I picked up a 5 gallon bucket and had Mike drill some draining holes in the bottom of it – and I planted a nice size tomato plant!! I know– a little early – but it is in a container – I can move it to the house if I have to A little jump on spring.
I made an appointment to get my hair cut – I intended to do it tomorrow but she was available today so I did that and that cut in on some of my plans – then I stopped at Sonic on the way home and enjoyed a Cherry Limeade on the porch while I appliqued my flower – you can see relaxing was about all I had on my mind today –
There is always tomorrow – maybe I will get some work done then? I don’t know – the swing might be calling to me after I get those tick pellets spread all over the yard!!
Did your Monday go as planned!
What will I be working on today? Well the weather is continuing to be be nice but I am going to try to get a little work done on the quilts too. Why don’t you run on over to Judy at Patchwork Times and see what all are working on 
Today if I have time I want to applique this one little flower on this Pineapple Square wall hanging – then two sides will be done! I could take this outside with me to work on and sit on the porch.
And if I really feel like it maybe I will get this section of the Star Crazy Quilt quilted and then I can crank it down again! I guess with the window open I can listen to the birds outside chirping away in the nice beautiful weather!
And if I’m a really good quilter and get both of the above done I will try to hand piece another couple segments of Joseph’s Coat!! I was good yesterday and worked a little bit on all projects and got a good start finally on the the purples - if it isn’t windy I could take it outside with me and still have laundry going inside – get two things done at once
Now of course I don’t know if I will get done with all of that 
I do have to work out this morning for an hour at least and then run on over to Wal-Mart to pick up a couple prescriptions and a couple groceries that I forgot and/or didn’t find on Saturday at Kroger’s – so by time I get home it will be lunch time and we will see what gets done!
I really do want to run to Lowe’s too and look at plants and start plotting what to plant on the porch in pots and will I or won’t I have much of a garden. Hmm – lot’s to do, better get busy!
I finished one border of the applique for Pineapple Square today! progress -
And some quilting last night and this morning when I got home from the fitness center on Star Crazy -
Other than this we have been making some progress on a project that we started yesterday outside. When we get horrible heavy rain we get a lot of water flow from the road that comes downhill to us – right through part of our property to a low laying area that gets very soggy and stays that way for days on end. I should say we are at the top of the ridge – so all water continues on downhill from us. But we have low sections in the yard where the water collects. We decided to do what we do a lot of times and that is use what is handy and free – rocks!! Arkansas grows rock I swear – we have so much rock it is unbelievable. I have so many flower beds and they are all built with rock we dug up in the woods and different sections of the land where they seem to just pop up out of the ground.
Our weekend project – a low rock wall to divert water we want it to flow on the side that you can’t see.
This side – Mike put water in it to see if the flow would be right and it will be. He also dug a trench in front of it there and piled up dirt in front of those rocks to make a bit of a dam. We hope it works. We really need to make it higher and depth wider – but it is a start. We will test it out over the next two days – heavy rain expected through Wednesday! We do a lot of our projects like this – use what is here on the land for free – just have to use our muscle! Well I admit to using the lawnmower with the wagon attached to it to haul the rock!! But I did pick up 6 – quarter loads in that wagon yesterday 
what a work out.
The dogwood tree in full bloom – you see that wood pile over to the left in the photo – that is where we have a river of water running from the top of the road all the way through this whole area – the house is higher and to the right.
The Red Bud Tree getting leaves on it already, those buds well all be falling off over the next week I bet. A lot of those brown dead leaves on the ground – washed in from the last storm.
Little black circles – that is what I am working on today – plus the applique that goes with them and who knows what all.
I have 8 little circles ready for the applique on Pineapple Square – I only have one flower out of the 8 ready to put one of those little circles on though for the center so I guess I will be working some more on that today. Head on over to Judy at Patchwork Times and see what everyone else is working on today. Two more orange petals and another little flower will be ready.
How tiny are these little black circles? There is my little finger on it so you can see.
What do you buy with your 40% off coupons from Hobby Lobby? This is the last coupon I had and I figured seeing as I was practically sawing through my fabric with my rotary cutter maybe I needed a new blade? Why do I wait so long to replace the blade? I don’t know. 40% off made this $4.19 I really need to check Wal-Mart and see if they have them any cheaper but I doubt they have them cheaper after I use my coupon. I noticed that there was another coupon for this week so I actually printed out 4 more, I might be stopping by there 4 days this week while I am in town after exercising at the fitness center and stock up on more blades and maybe some sewing machine needles. No quilt shop around here so I have to make due with Hobby Lobby or order stuff and if I can get something for 40% off all the nicer!
A pretty spring time bouquet from the flower gardens – I actually have a few there that are limp already – been a warm couple of days – or make that 4 or 5 warm days now – if not more. Rain coming in over the next 3 days I guess, I hope it doesn’t knock the flowers to shreds.
Have a good Monday everyone!
