Aqua and Yellow

 The Rainbow Scrap Challenge colour for July is Aqua.  I just had my Aqua fabrics out last week at the cottage to complete the last block of my Sommer Sorbet sampler quilt so it was easy to cut out some squares and HST's for my blocks.  This is the only one I got sewn this week but the 25 patch HST block is laid out and ready to sew this coming week.  My interpretation of Aqua is blue-green, leaning towards green.  Turquoise leans towards blue in the blue-green family.  I think others do this the other way around.  It's hard to categorize some blue-green scraps as they are right in the middle of the colour family. 

I only had enough of the white with grey dots fabric, the background for my nine patch blocks, left for one more set of blocks.  I looked at all of the blocks I have made so far this year and decided that I needed yellow to finish off the set.  Even though it is not yellow month, I made my yellow nine patches and then figured out a layout for the blocks.  Right now, they are pinned in piles labelled for each row, sitting by my sewing machine waiting to be put together. 

I made a zipper pouch for a friend for her birthday when I was at the cottage with Christine but could not show it here until it was gifted. 

I finished hand quilting the medium blue pineapple block and then quilted the dark green block.  The light blue block is just about done too.  Only three more blocks to finish. 

I basted my next hand quilting project this week so I am ready to start it when the pineapple log cabin quilt is done.  This was the Round Robin quilt that I made with my friends, Christine, Katherine and Carol.  I have orange, green, yellow and blue thread to use for the quilting. 

I have been working on adding stitches on the bottom part of my farm scene.  There is a field of sunflowers at the bottom made with cross stitches, beads and a sunflower button.  I have to finish the cross stitches first before adding the beads and the button. 

My red bee balm flowered this week as well as my red echinacea.  The colour of these flowers matched the temperature outside this week.  Hot! Hot! Hot!

Through all the heat, Mom and Dad robin flitted about the yard finding food for their quickly growing babies. 

We had our Canada Flag up for Canada Day this week and to show our support for the Canadian Soccer team at the World Cup.  Unfortunately, they lost to Morocco today so they will be heading home.  This is the best showing that a Canadian Team has ever had at the World Cup. 

My geraniums on the front porch are putting on a show right now.  They are a lovely red/magenta colour. 

Finn loves being outside, even on a hot sunny day.  My daughter only lets him stay outside for a short time before heading back inside where it is cooler. 

Daisies are such happy flowers--if only they stayed in bloom longer!

I will link up with Frederique, Cathy and the RSC group. 

Back to Hand Quilting

If you read my blog on a regular basis, you will know that I started hand quilting my pineapple log cabin quilt a while ago and then, I stopped.  This week, I brought it upstairs from my sewing room and spent a few hours working on it.  The gold block is quilted and I am almost finished quilting the orange block.  Next up, the red block.  Funny how projects don't get done if you don't work on them...  I have another quilt that is begging to be hand quilted in the wings so I want to get this one done so I can work on it.   Only 8/12 blocks to quilt after the orange one is done. 

I also spent a few hours adding more stitches to my counted cross stitch this week. There are lots of colour changes in the bottom part of the picture.   More sky stitches were added too.  When all of the stitches are done, there are beads to add. 

I made yet another zipper pouch this week.  I can make these with my eyes closed, but I usually leave them open to prevent sewing and cutting injuries… 

The Rainbow Scrap Challenge colour this month is "pastel colours".  I don't have very many pastel colours in my stash so I will be making purple blocks this month.  I started cutting squares and HST's for my blocks one day this week.  I have not cut any of the background fabrics yet.  I don't have a very large stash of purple so my friend Christine has given me some of her scraps to add some variety. 

I noticed that one of my neighbours has a tulip tree in bloom in their yard.  Such interesting flowers!

Our peony has several flowers now.  If you look closely, you can see just a touch of pink on some of the petals. 

Our Dianthus is in full bloom right now in the backyard garden.  

Chives have such pretty flowers too. 

The squirrels are having lots of fun at the park where my friends and I walk each morning.  It is fun to see their antics as we walk by. 

Finn is such a happy boy!  

This spider was casting an interesting shadow on one of the chairs in our gazebo this week.  

I will link up with Kathy and Frederique this weekend.  Take care and have a great week. 

Kintail Retreat Report

 Christine and I spent last weekend at Camp Kintail at the crafter's retreat.  Others were making paper crafts, scrapbooks, knitting and painting. Four participants were quilting.   It's always fun to see what everyone is making. The food and snacks were plentiful and tasty too. 

My first project was an open wide zipper pouch that I had started at home. This one may just stay here for me to use.  This project was a good place to use the large scale print that I loved but would not be good to cut up into smaller pieces 

Next, I made two rainbow scrap challenge blocks.  Yes, I have started a 4th RSC quilt for this year...  All of the blocks I am making are made from squares and HST's.  This newest block was inspired by one I saw on Facebook. I'm going to match the dots in the background fabric to the scrap colour.  This month's colour is red.  I will be working on my red blocks next. 

Every year, the VP of the Oxford Guild hosts a VP quilt day--she chooses the pattern and everyone makes the same quilt with their own fabric choices.  I had a solid jelly roll and the dark gray background fabric in my stash.  The VP day was on Saturday while we were at the retreat so both Christine and I worked on our blocks on Saturday while the others were sewing at our guild meeting place.  I made 14/20 blocks at the retreat and will work on the rest this weekend. 

Christine's big project for the weekend was a queen sized quilt top that had been aging for a while in her sewing room as a bag of fabrics...  She finished the top and will now be looking for a backing and a long armer.  There are lots of lovely low volume fabrics in this quilt top.

I made this scrappy quilt top at the last Kintail retreat and quilted it at this retreat.  I have found some binding in my stash and will get that attached and sewn down soon. 

Finn has come to stay at our house for his annual Spring visit while our daughter is busy at work.  He held the quilt top down while I cut the batting before the retreat.   He is very helpful. 

I added some more hand quilting to my pineapple quilt at the retreat as well. I need to get back to working on this one on a regular basis if I want to finish it...

Finn has been keeping us entertained and supervised...

I made him some banana, peanut butter and yoghurt "Pawsicles" this week.  These are a big hit!

In my "spare" time, I am knitting poppies for a Remembrance Day display in Ingersoll where the quilt guild meets.  I found red and black yarn in my stash and started on my first poppy...  we have already established that I am not the fastest knitter so don't hold your breath waiting to see a large pile of completed poppies next week. 

I finished my second Folk Art Critter--a rabbit this time.  I gave this cute bunny to my daughter for Easter.  It is sitting on her bookshelf.  I hope to make some more critters soon. 

 I will link up with Kathy and the Slow Sunday Stitchers,  Angela and the RSC folks and Frederique this weekend.