All Dressed Up

and going to Bolivia via Lori.   Here are some dresses I've made this week.  I was inspired by my friend, Nancy, after seeing how cute hers were.  I was short on the teapot fabric so I added a front panel.

 I decided to make my own bias tape since I have an abundance of fabric.   I used the pattern at Nancy Notions.

They looked like little bells blowing in the wind yesterday.

These are the big girl dresses.   I tried to make them a little more sophisticated.  I love this limey yellow and blue combination.  The pocket was inspired by Nancy too.

Instead of quilting I've been doing these summery things:

Watching and feeding the hummers.  Here is a video I took last week.  It's been Battle Royal lately even though I have three - yes 3 feeders!

I've been taking this monster to the State park for lots of swimming time - her favorite thing to do.  coco looks 10 lighter when wet.  I'm so grateful that her leg has made a complete recovery!

We have a new toy.  A bright green kayak I've dubbed the "Green Hornet" to play with when there isn't enough wind for our little laser.  Here are both toys on the Sound at one time.  I love water and beach fun.

After my fan marking tutorial I received some questions about marking pens.  Click here to see a post that I did on the subject.  Here is a link on how pin baste on a table.  Thank you for the great feedback and the stencil orders.

Thank you all so much for the quick and overwhelming response to this years swap.  Emails have gone out to both groups.  I'm sorry to those who didn't make the cut off this time.  I've already picked out a block for next year!

Have Fun!

Long Live the King!!

Because I'm not making another one!

After being away for 5 days, I hustled this week and finished King George!

These shots were taken outside on this gloomy afternoon.  Here is the backing.  You can hardly see where I pieced the three sections.

I thought I might have to go to the launderette but I washed it at home.   In the dryer after washing.

I did check it after washing to make sure that all the markings came out - ha ha, let's not even go there!  You must use CLOROX 2 in the wash when you use the Crayola markers.   Looks good

I had to pull it out and regroup it about every 7-10 mins.  It took a long long time to dry.

In the Family Room - no flash

Here you can really see the texture.  One of the things that made machine quilting on a home machine possible is that I never turned the quilt - all the quilting is vertical.

Miss Lady Hummer came to check things out during the shoot and have a nip.  I used canned goods to hold the quilt on the deck rail.

Yesterday coco was so annoyed at how much time I was spending on this quilt she had a sit in.....okay a lay on....

I actually spend a lot of time and thought on selecting bindings.   At one point this week I thought "I HAVE TO BUY SOMETHING JUST RIGHT".... am I really that insane?

If I can't find something acceptable in this closet, there is no hope.  The problem is I buy mostly FQs or 1/2 yards which aren't large enough for a king sized quilt.

I put a brown print with little blue berries on the sides, a tone on tone brown for the bottom and zippy red, blue and black print for the top.  I like to do old fashion binding on scrap quilts...especially ones that use so many repros, hence the non mitered corners.

Here is my label

On the bed to show the extra wide size - I'm going to so love having the extra this winter. (don't judge my mint green carpeting, it's getting replaced soon).s

with the pillows.  I think I have to make some pretty pillowcases.  I bought the toile' valences on ebay...cheap)

The eye level view of the quilting texture is really good.

Thanks for all your encouragement and interest.  It was a real challenge.  I am thrilled with the results; a finished king sized quilt made all by myself.

p.s.  thanks 9-patch swappers for sending your packages - deadline is firm at October 1st.  They all look really great!

Well Begun is Half Done & Humming Right Along

Easy for Mary Poppins to say......

On Sunday I remarked my whole quilt.  I didn't want to take any chances with the second half.  A stitch in time, saves nine and all that.

The Crayola markers were the best.  They even showed on the darker browns.

I laid the quilt on my table, smoothed the backing and pulled back the top to expose where I had cut the batting.  I slid my travel pressing surface underneath.

I matched the batting exactly where I had cut it away.

This is my favorite way to join the two pieces of batting.   (look at my marked up hand from the markers!!)

Plain soap and water and like magic it's gone!

I worked my way across the quilt pressing the bonding tape.

Thank goodness Coco was there to support me~ doesn't she look guilty?

I secure the finished side to my table, then smooth the backing.

I clip the backing down keeping is nice and square, being careful not to pull it out of shape.

The measuring tape is showing where the battings have been joined.  I picked a spot mid-block so it will be good and quilted.

After a gajillion pins I was back in business and back to machine quilting the second half.

I felt there a little too much un-quilted space at the outer edges of the cable.  I filled it in by marking a point then quilting in the ditch and then hitting that mark.  I sort of makes an outer cable echo.

I marked it here to show you the line, but usually I eyeball it and just hit the dot I've made.  I think it is a good solution.

The craziest thing happened last week while I was quilting.   A hummingbird flew in the front door and up and into my sewing room!

The poor thing!  I took the screens out and finally caught her in my hand and released her.  A few minutes later I saw her at the feeder.  I'm sure she need a drink after that ordeal! here she is just taking off.  It is so hard to photograph them as they move soooo fast.

This is the second time I've had a hummer in my house, you can see the other time here.

The next post will have the finished King George Quilt!

Summer Time Fun

Happy Friday!  I hope you are having a wonderful summer.

I recently received 2 lovely surprise gifts in the mail.  First was a lovely assortment of greens from my friend Diane.  Don't they look perfect nestled in my potted herb garden?  Thank you Diane.

Kelly sent me this beautiful Bee pin cushion.  I have yet to stick a pin it as it is too lovely!  There are such pretty details in the stitching.  You can read more about it on her blog Pinkadot Quilts.   It looks perfect among the flowers.   Pretty fabric and card too - Thank you Kelly I'll treasure it.

And hey - it matches the tattoo on my foot.

Coco loves to lay on the deck and watch the birds.   She has always folded her paw under - silly puppy.

The hummingbirds are continuing to visit the feeder regularly - like several times an hour during the morning and evening.  I have had as many as 3 at the feeder this year.

What a handsome fellow!

For Fun I did a puzzle that was a gift from my son and his girlfriend.

Andrew and Sig attending a beach wedding in Florida.

Hope your summer is the right combination of busy and relaxing and most of all fun!

Small Scale Gardening

Yesterday we did a little small scale gardening.    Terrariums seem to be making a comeback.  You can see them at a lot of nursery's and garden shops.

So Susan, Hanna and I thought we'd give it a try.

All you need is a glass vessel for an indoor one, or a shallow bowl shaped vessel for an outdoor table top garden.

The basic steps for layering it are:

Rocks for drainage
Charcoal for filtering (I bought it at a pet store)
Potting Soil
Plants - small scale, succulents or sedum
live moss (for indoor terrariums - i found mine in my yard)
Pretty Rocks for decoration

Here they are finished~

Hanna's:

Mine~

Susan's - I love the color in hers~

The Hummingbirds are back!  I set up a feeder off the deck which they seem to really like.

The Female

 The  Male - he is gorgeous in the sunlight.

I have a good view from the kitchen sink and I'm amazed how much time they are spending at the feeder.  Sometimes they just sit a spell.

Have a wonderful Memorial Weekend!