Slipping in under the Wire

We've been enjoying our friends from the UK while they are here with us for a couple of weeks.  Needless to say, we have had a blast.  I wish they lived across the street.   Of course that also means that I haven't been around the blogging world.  Give me another week and I will be back.

I just need to quickly post my finish for this month.  I know my goals were small this month for a reason, but here is my finish.  Although I did not get it finished for the last election,  I really am pleased with the way this one turned out and look forward to many years of hanging it during future election seasons. 

End of the Month

It's hard to believe that August is quickly coming to a close for us.  Half of the grandchildren are already back in school and the rest go this week.  Where did the summer go?  My orioles have already migrated as well.  The garden will quickly take on an autumn feel.

August has been an incredibly busy month for us so my sewing room has sat idle day after day.  The bits and pieces that I did get to are mostly not finished. 

Thanks to Ida, who so kindly sent me some of her leftover Dick and Jane fabric, I was able to work on a quilt for the newest grandbaby.  Since her name is Sally, I wanted to use the Sally piece as the center of the quilt.   It still needs a border to tie it all together before the quilting can be done. 

Quilt Story recently had a sponsered giveaway that I was lucky enough to win.  These are the luscious fabrics that I received from Joy at A Joyful Soul Fabrics.

I was able to finish my Easy Street binding this month while being a passenger on several long car trips.  Mary did the wonderful machine quilting on it for me.  It's nice to have this finish for the month.  I hope to make some shams to go with this and use it on the bed in my guest room.

For my September finish, I think I will try to finish the election quilt that I made last summer. 

Randomness

I suppose if I blogged more frequently I would not need titles like Randomness or Odds and Ends, but such is life right now.  The last month and a half has been a little crazy, but things seem to be getting back to a more normal routine.  Hopefully, that will mean a bit more time spent in my sewing studio. 

As I mentioned in my last post I was working on a Civil War project with eleven other quilters.  We were each assigned a mini quilt from a wonderful book, Civil War Legacies, by Carol Hopkins.

The book is loaded with terrific small quilts that make up easily and quickly.  I thoroughly enjoyed making my quilt, titled Mary Smith's Dishrag.   I used the CW reproduction fabrics, but these quilts would also be gorgeous done in modern fabrics.  I may try that with the next pattern I make from the book.  There will definitely be more as the instructions are well written and easy to follow.  Here is my finished quilt.

I love the visibility of quilting stitches on a solid backing so I used a muslin for mine.  You can find more from the group at the Flickr site. 

We had our youngest son and his family visiting for a few days and I was able to gift the newest little one with a very girlie quilt done in pink and green.  I love that color combination.    We had fun with the kids (and their parents).

A few weeks ago Nedra had posted a picture of a great idea for this fall's election.  They were patterns from the Kansas City Star Newspaper and they looked like fun.  I decided to give them a try and although I changed the design just a bit,  I really think it will be fun to hang this fall. 

I was fortunate to win some wonderful fabrics from Irene's for her 200th Post Giveaway at Hilachas.  I love all the wonderful brown tones in this bundle and I am looking forward to using them.   Why are there endless ideas when there is not endless time????

While our weather has not been great this year for the roses, it has been great for other flowers.  I am especially thrilled with my lilacs.  We live in an area where they do not do well, but we have found a low chill variety that seems to be taking hold.  This is the best bloom I have had over the years.  They do smell fabulous.

The family will all be here on Sunday for our Father's Day celebration.  It is the wives day to cook and wait on the guys and we have a lot to live up to after the royal service we got for Mother's Day.  The menu is still in the works.  I hope that all of you will enjoy a wonderful weekend of celebrating fathers too.