On the veranda, look who is back! The wren couple have build another nest in a little metal bucket. I felt so bad for them when something got their eggs a couple of weeks ago. Maybe they will be able to raise a family this time. I hope their nest is high enough so no predators get at it. They still won’t use the birdhouse that My Sweet Babboo got for them. Look closely, those white spots are on the female wren as she is sitting on at least two eggs. I tried to get a good look when she left the nest for a minute, but I can’t see into that dark space that well.
I have been continuing to work on putting sleeves on quilts for the fair. I got the largest one done, Twist in king size. I have two more to go, ready to stitch today.
In the front, the hostas have begun their summer show.
This lovely lady came by last week.
The deer love hostas, and she made a meal from some of the leaves. They don’t come by much so they won’t eat them down to nubs. She did strip some of the flowers off though.
I finally got a start on my embroidery project. This adorable iron-on pattern transfer is from Stitcher’s Revolution called Cute Kitchen Sayings.
I think my reluctance to begin was the color choices I had made. They just didn’t go well with the design, so I spent a bit of time going over it again, changing out the green I had picked for a deep burgundy instead. I pulled a variety of browns for most of the rest. I just need to add a bit of black somewhere to blend well with my kitchen, maybe on the outer framing.
I have a decision to make on one of my quilts for the fair. There is a section of the quilting that I am just not happy with. The stitching line should be where the orange line is, but I got off track with the ruler work. I know it doesn’t look like much, but I see this every time I look at the piece, and I am sure a judge’s eye will go right to it too. I am afraid that the perfect thread tension balance between the top and back will be off. Right now, I have four colors on the front of the piece, and just one on the back, with zero pokies! See the quilting process on Quilting The Dahlia, there are links at the bottom of the posts to see it all over three posts. This one would go in the whole cloth category.
So, a bit of slow stitching and maybe a bit of ripping today. I plan more work on the tiny blocks this coming week. I still need to finalize my recipes for the contests I want to enter at the fair too, and I want to get another tutorial on an Alzheimer Fidget Quilt done. What are you working on this week?
Sharing with Slow Sunday Stitching
From My Carolina Home 
I’m really looking forward to the fair this year. I never attend the one near our primary residence in Florida because of the area in which it is held. The Mountain State Fair is always such a treat and we love looking at the quilts. How wonderful to know someone who will have entries in the contests this year! Good luck to you. Hope you win at least one first place!
You got some nice nature pics. Looking forward to see your entry(entries) for the fair.
Don’t envy you taking stitches out…but understand that feeling. I am putting the binding on the last project that has been sitting around for a few months. A very good feeling. I adapted your sleeve tutorial for a few months back…I like to put corners on the backs of smaller projects that I want to hang, but if they are larger, they tend to sag in the middle…I put a 4 inch sleeve in the middle, and smaller corner pieces, and hope it will be a nice combination. We’ll see! Then looking forward to starting one of the new projects that are lined up!
Love to see your wildlife, as always! Those Stitcher’s Revolution designs are so fun – I keep meaning to look for them and always forget. Good luck with your ripping and re-stitching! I’m hosting my book club tomorrow, so am focused on making sure the house is ready.
I enjoyed the pictures of the nature. This week, I plan to continue to knit my scarf. I’m currently on skein #7 of 8. I am also planning on continuing the free motion quilting as well as some rulerwork on the blocks for late Di Ford-Hall quilt.
Apparently flowers are tasty, she stripped a lot of stems. It’s hard for us to keep ahead of the deer, they eat most everything I plant, even supposedly deer-resistent ones & those spritzed with repellent. So far they don’t seem to like ferns. I’ll be sandwiching a baby quilt later, it’s on point & the pattern doesn’t use borders. I’m going to add some to tame those bias edges on the setting triangles.
I think taking it out and trying to correct it will make it show up more than just leaving it. With all of the quilting on that quilt I can’t imagine the judge’s eye will see it as anything more than an intentional line of quilting.
You have some lovely nature photos thanks for sharing, The hand embroidery piece is lovely.
Hi Carole, Your embroidery piece is lovely, have fun slow stitching it today.
Love the pictures especially the deer.
Such lovely wild life photos! For the deer – we put black pepper and dog fur around the garden and that seems to help a little. Love the embroidery – the colors look like a raspberry pie in the making! No one on a fast horse will see the spacing on the quilting – but if you don’t like it now it will make you crazy forever! I have one quilt I have re-done the center block, fabric and all, 3 times, I still don’t like it. I need to give it away – but I can’t do that until I’m happy with it. Then I won’t need to give it away! LOL
Thanks for the wonderful Sunday Chat, Joan
I know how you feel Carole! Would you do that little section on your domestic? I would probably leave the stitches in, and stitch the correct arc, leaving long threads, and then pull out the offending stitches, tie off and bury. How will you attack it?
Fortunately, it isn’t far to take out. The fair! I’d forgotten about that. Your hostas look so pretty. My lawn fella keeps cutting mine back, so I only get blooms if he forgets or doesn’t come because of rain for a while. Your hand embroidery looks wonderful. I just found my folk tales patterns today and can get on with the next one if I can also find the background blocks I cut from linen!
My deer enjoyed the hosta flowers as well, but that’s ok.
I’m working on a couple of embroidered tea towels too, love those kitchen sayings. Must get them out again, they have been put aside far too long. Beautiful photos of the deer, and I do hope the new bird family survives this time.
Gorgeous hand embroidery work. I always admire it so much. Your nature photos are also very nice.
Ahhh… summer! Lovely photos. Wonderful embroidery and I like the burgundy you selected. Sleeve stitching- tedious but necessary. I’m with a couple of other commenters- I’d be inclined to leave the stitching as it is for fear the holes left by ripping out might be more noticeable than the fix. However, it is bugging you and might just have to get remedied. Good luck at the fair. How fun to look forward to it.
Your hosta blooms are so pretty! Your yard is very inviting for us to look at and for the deer and birds.
Hello Carole, Well you know what has been going on so I’m late in getting around to answering my e-mails. Your experience with the wrens reminds me of mine this past winter when I didn’t get my decoration off the front porch and they made a bed in the basket and raised their young there. What a time I had going into and out of the front door as it was right beside my front door. My little Sunshine kitten seen her first deer this past week and she sure followed him across the front yard and stood onto the edge of the setee seat and stood onto her back feet and was pawing at the window, she wanted to be out there so bad, thank goodness she wasn’t. The deer have eaten a lot of my hostas and lilies but they have left them alone this year for some reason. I have some 3 tier orange lilies my mother had that are periods I have been able to keep them going all these years, about 38 or so, they are so pretty. Have shared them with a lot of friends . Your little embroidery reminds my so much of the time my mama taught me how to embroidery out on my grandma front porch swing to sew the little dishcloths of the chores to do each day, what a fond memory. Guess that’s why I love a swing so much today and my Jay always had a swing for me. Will try and answer some more e-mailss so bye for now. Sent from Mail for Windows 10
How absolutely lovely! I adore the deer but yes, they do love our hostas (so does my other favorite critter, the bunny). And your blooms are simply gorgeous. What a lovely summer you are having!
Hello, such a beautiful quilt. but honestly if you hadn’t put some sort of line on the photo I would never have known there was any sort of problem. I like the lady above’s way of dealing with it, sew in the new line and than take out the offending one if you are going to do it. love your work and yard and embroidery. Soo Happy Sewing !! from Iowa
oh i do hope your birdies are able to hatch out there eggs this time……….
I often do one colour stitcheries…….blue is my favourite colour……..