Ever Playing "Catch Up"

 It seems like I just posted about the April garden and here we are at the ending of May! Nothing of great note is happening here, other than the fact that time is flying. 

I have been sewing a lot, mowing the lawn, planting seeds and flowers, and finding a few fun excursions to take with friends. One Friday, Kay and I went to the Fishersville Antique Expo. It was a true antiques fair and so much fun to walk through. I found three things to bring home. My favorite find was a large and deep wooden tote. I seem to have a 'thing' for wood totes and have collected a few over the years. This one is large enough to hold some folded doll quilts, which is how I intend to use it. I also bought an old salt-glazed crock with a bit of blue on it and a washstand, which was a bargain. The dealers were all very friendly and willing to dicker. Steve is not thrilled about where I have placed the washstand so it may have to move. We will see...

 

I framed the racoon cross stitch in a vintage frame I already had in the basement. I ordered non-glare plexiglass, a matting board and hanging hardware from an online shop called Web Picture Frames which I frequently use for framing needs. I gifted it to Blake. I also sewed a pretty Flying Geese bag, a needle book (not pictured), and scissor case in coordinating fabrics. I was preparing to travel to a stitching retreat and wanted a way other than Ziploc bags to carry my things. I feel like I am traveling and stitching in style now! : )

 

Kay, Pat, and I drove to Gettysburg for the annual Gathering Hands retreat last weekend. It is held at a new venue, which was much nicer than the last two places. We had a lot of fun seeing our friends whom we only see once or twice a year. We spent three days talking, creating, shopping, and learning from one another. We found a great fabric store called Needle and Thread. It has been in business for forty-two years, run by the same family. I hope to find my way back up there again. 

 

Starts and Finishes, What I Have Been Working On

 I have really been enjoying my new sewing machine. The dining room table is perpetually cluttered with a work or two or three in progress. Today I sewed the binding on the latest quilt I got back from the quilter. I adore these Tilda Christmas fabrics I bought last fall. I used four of the prints to make this variation of an Irish Chain pattern. This quilt will be tucked away until Christmas when we will keep at the foot of our bed. It doesn't scream, "Christmas". The duck egg blue border is the only thing that gives away a holiday theme. So, it should be able to stay out for a good long while around Christmas time.

Without the binding.

 

I also pieced a sweet 30"x30" quilt with little baskets on it. This one will be made with a flannel layer rather then a batting layer. This way it will be floppier for use as a table topper or some such. I plan to hand quilt this one while I am away at a hand crafting retreat in a couple of weeks. Boy did I struggle with the points on these baskets. I managed to do okay with the bottom points but I really lost the side points in the sashing. I worked and re-worked a few of them to no avail. My motto regarding quilting needs to be, "Good enough."

These little baskets are just adorable!

 Lastly, I just finished a cross stitch for Blake. I thought it was sweet that my son-in-law should want a stitched item made by me, his mother-in-law. Blake chose this racoon pattern but asked that the pink flowers be replaced with blue. I found an older frame in the basement (from my hoarded picture frame stash) that fits perfectly. I ordered glass and backing and once that arrives I can truly finish it and gift it. 

I have no active rugs on my hooking frame although I do have one started. There are so many other things I want to dabble in which take away from time I would normally spend on hooking. I am sure I will come around to working on the rug again. It will probably be when I have to clear the dining room table of my sewing machine, etc.