Starting Some Binding

There are three quilts waiting to be finished off, all they need is the binding...

so I've been cutting and cutting and pressing and am finally ready to start sewing them on now.

I'm going to start with the one that has been sitting the longest - Martha's Star. I think that it has been sitting on the arm of the basement sofa for over a year (eek!). I'd have to go back and check but I think the gals at the church finished quilting it last spring.

It's a good sized quilt and I think will become the summer quilt for our bed, replacing my two faves of the moment which both happen to be Christmas quilts.

I'll use the same red that was used for the tiny squares that run diagonally through the quilt - I'd forgotten just how much I love this fabric. There's about a metre left so I'll have to figure out where to use it again.

This quilt has been in the works for so many years it will be a small miracle to finally sleep under it, tho we won't need it this weekend - we're in for a heat wave. Still, stitching a red binding seems appropriate for our upcoming Canada Day celebrations...M

Pie Day

Rhubarb. It's sort of like the Christmas of springtime for me - such a great treat but really short lived.

Yesterday this lovely bouquet was calling my name. One of the Official Cookie Tester's favourite pies is rhubarb but I seldom make it because the Rhubarb Torte, with its yummy custard filling, always seems to get to the front of the line (not that he's complaining...). Well, I decided that it was time to make him a treat.

It was a quiet day, perfect for putzing in the kitchen, so I made up a batch of pastry and then went on the hunt for a recipe - nothing all tarted up, just a good, old fashioned rhubarb pie. This one looked like it would fit the bill, so I headed out to the garden before the rains came.

It also gave me an excuse to try my hand at making a lattice top with the pastry cutter that Jane gave me for my birthday last year.

I have to say that I'm pretty pleased with my first effort at a lattice-topped pie, despite the fact that I think the bands are a little thicker than they should be, but I was leerie of having them break when I wove them together. I

I made a second pie for the freezer and the bands weren't as thick and it went together much quicker. That will be a nice treat to dig out in the middle of winter.

It took quite a while to bake and I think it could have used a few more minutes in the oven but I didn't want to ruin the pastry so out it came. Another time I would use a little less rhubarb. It's very good even if it on the sweet side. No complaints registered by The Official Cookie Tester though - he even had a piece for breakfast!

While I was out in the garden I couldn't resist picking a handful of peonies so their heady fragrance has filled the house. Pie and peonies, not a bad weekend....M

Churning

Another little collection of Churn Dash blocks for my Omigosh quilt have been added to the pile - twenty-two, I believe.

I'm  still working through my stacks of 10 but each stack has a different collection of prints so it makes for a slight change of scenery.

Love this large floral.

The polka dots are lots of fun too....M


p.s. Thanks for all the tips on how to stay cool while quilting on my hoop this summer. For whatever reason Blogger is not letting me see/respond to your notes individually but it looks like there might be a fan in my future to help me fend off the high temps.

Hot Stuff

It may only be the middle of June but this weekend has been hot, hot, hot! If we don't get a storm later today I'll be very surprised. Ah well, it is the beginning of summer and great to have days like this (especially since Newfoundland received six feet of SNOW this weekend. What the...???).

In a way, I'm counting my blessings but also thinking that if this weather continues my hand quilting days may be over for a while -  it's just too hot to quilt much in this weather, even with air conditioning.

I did spend a little time stitching more stars into my Candied Hexagons though and continue to be amazed at the metamorphosis that occurs on a quilt after the quilting is added. That added dimension and pattern takes a block that you like and turns it into a block that you love.

I've been making slow and steady progress on it lately and hate to lose the momentum. Maybe if I quilted later in the evening, after things have cooled down a bit, I wouldn't have to give up on my hand stitching totally until the fall....M

Heavenly HSTs

Jane has been hand stitching a collection of absolutely beautiful blocks. She found the pattern online but cannot find a name for it so if you know it, please do tell.

They are made from HSTs and a gorgeous collection of graphic floral prints.

The combination of coral, green, turquoise and brown is so perfect.

We were a little puzzled as to how they would connect with each other...

but when we placed four and stood back a bit a pinwheel was revealed.

With a nice little pile of blocks now made and her supply of fabrics starting to dwindle she is wondering how to put them together. There will likely be a sashing between the blocks to help make it as large as she can, but I have to say that I do love it without the sashing.

When she started eyeing up the green of my shorts as potential sashing I figured it was time to scoot while I still had all my clothes!....M