It has been such an interesting week for projects, with a lot of things in the works. I’ve been working on a Quilt of Valor on the frame, my Japanese art quilt in my chair doing handwork, and crafting in between. We’ve had wildlife visits, too. I’ve been cooking up a storm testing recipes for the upcoming Mountain State Fair, so My Sweet Babboo has been eating pretty well. The highlight of the week was a visit by a pretty female hummingbird, perhaps the mate of the male I was able to photograph recently. It was a lucky day when she stayed long enough for me to grab the good camera and get a picture. Lovely, isn’t she?
In keeping with my history of naming the squirrels after Christmas movie characters, I named one of these squirrels Jasper (from The Holiday). It is rare that I can get both of the little beggars in the same shot, but I did this day. So the other one will be Miles.
Jasper is the fat one.
Miles is a bit skinnier.
I needed a big, sturdy bag this week to transport a bunch of items to a meeting. I didn’t have one, so I made one. It took about 15 minutes. My Sweet Babboo saves the potting soil bags and birdseed bags to carry things with sharp edges. This potting soil bag was cleaned when it was empty and put on the shelf. I cut the top off to make it the size I wanted, and give me some material to make the handles.
Handles made and added, then I boxed the corners at the bottom. When I was done, I had a sturdy bag that I can give away for the chair of the guild’s raffle quilt to use to carry her things. If you’d like to make one, click on my tutorial on Birdseed Bag Totes.
On the frame, I loaded a Quilt of Valor. This one is so vibrant in color, with the gold.
I chose a soft gold Glide thread with Bottom Line in the bobbin.
I’m using a star pantograph called Blue Star from Urban Elementz. I’ll finish the quilting and trim it up. No hurry as the QOV chapter director is out of town for a bit.
I made two more of the blocks for the miniature quilt, and I still don’t like it. Actually I like it even less now, it is too busy and too fussy. The prints fight each other for attention. And, I just don’t like the design. So, I have given myself permission to abandon the project. I threw it out, returned the fabrics to the stash and will try something else.
Later in the week, coming home from a meeting, I noticed five wild turkeys in the meadow. My Sweet Babboo went out with some seed that he scattered on the ground while they watched. They came up quickly to take advantage of the bounty.
They stayed around for quite a while, and came back the next day for more.
On the feeder, the goldfinches have been here daily with their bright summer feathers. There are at least a dozen in the flock, and it is fun to see them congregating all at once for a feast.
Thread painting has my attention at the sewing machine, and I wanted to try out this technique. I did a little star for practice using a straight stitch, following some directions I saw on a quilting program on PBS.
Then, I did it with a zigzag stitch. I really didn’t think this would work well, but it did. I am not sure how I am going to use this technique, but it was a fun experiment. It does fill the space a bit better.
I’ve been playing more with my embroidery machine. One of the categories for the fair is Christmas ornaments in the craft division. I stitched out a reindeer, and spent a bit of time putting some seed beads on the piece. This was my Slow Sunday Stitching piece for last weekend. I framed it with a Christmas print, then finished it like a little pillow with a ribbon loop for a hanger. If I get the beaded ornament done, it will move to a holiday decoration category. I could kick myself for giving away an ornament stand to the thrift shop, now I need one and cannot find one. Isn’t that always the way? You don’t need something, it hangs around for years, and as soon as you give it away, you need it.
I’ll show some of the craft projects this coming week. As long time readers know, I usually have several projects in progress, and flit between them. I’ll quilt on the longarm until I need to sit for a bit, then go to the domestic machine or the crafting bench. The embroidery machine can happily stitch away on its own while I do other things, only returning to it when it beeps to say the thread color needs changing. It is now August, and I have until Labor Day to complete all my entries. That includes the Japanese Art Quilt, and I’ve made significant progress on it. Lots of handwork on this one! I’ll update its progress this week too.
What is going on in your sewing/crafting/painting/quilting/gardening space?
From My Carolina Home 
Good morning, Carole. I love seeing the Goldfinches in our garden. Our resident turkey population weren’t seen this past week. Happy sewing and crafting!
Carole, that hummingbird photo is fabulous! Your projects are varied and interesting every post! I have been very slow to accomplish anything this week, had some sort of bug that finally exerted itself mid week, so now I am playing catch up.
Love the names for your new squirrel friends! The hummingbird pictures are also gorgeous. I have been mostly gardening and reading when I am not prepping to get the kids ready for school. It starts next Tuesday so I am hopeful that I will have some more time to be in my sewing room. We have a chipmunk that is doing a lot of damage this year and has bitten all my ripe tomatoes so I have had none to enjoy. He is also smart enough to avoid the traps my husband has put out.
I finished the book What the Wind Knows. Not sure if you have read it, but I loved the story plot and it was nice to read some historical fiction that wasn’t WW2 based. Hope all your cooking/baking goes well!
Such a productive week!
What a great post, Carole. You’ve been so busy and productive — lots of good things are coming out of your studio! (Jasper — a great name for a squirrel, and such a terrible character! Or maybe a good character but a terrible guy! I love that movie!) The hummingbird is lovely and all the critters are too. I bet the Sweet Babboo loves fair time!
You have been busy! That tote bag you whipped up is amazing! Your quilts are so beautiful, you make them seem effortless and I know they are not. I look forward to hearing about the recipes you enter for the State Fair! Have a great week~
Jenna
The hummingbird photo is amazing! I always enjoy your photos, but that one is very captivating! I like to make carrying bags to reuse the big dog food bags – they are very sturdy.
This must be the reason I save all of the cat and dog food bags. Perfect.
My you have been busy, like that lovely hummingbird, with its wings buzzing! My week has been busy as well with a variety of projects. Looking forward to seeing your projects as you get further along. CONGRATS on throwing away those blocks you didn’t like! I would have hung on to them, because of the time investment. 🙂
Fantastic wildlife photos. I think Miles is Jasper’s offspring, out learning the ropes. The centers of your mini-quilt blocks were very pretty. You’re right about the outside fabrics being too busy. I hope you didn’t cut too much in advance. I have 2 quilts pin-basted & almost finished a twin-ish top, just needs borders (& a back!). Our Club’s summer project was either taking orphan blocks or a panel & building a quilt around it using up scraps. I’d better get those basted ones finished or I’ll miss my deadline.
I put together a quilt top this week out of blocks i made in a group class I took called Color Collective. My biggest yet—83 inches square!
Terrific tutorial on the vinyl Birdseed/potting soil bags. I will never throw away another thanks to you! Love to reuse things. One more week with family in Hawaii then home to get quilt ready for Jacksonville Quilt Fest. Thank you for a wonder filled blog.
Hi Carole! Well, after about a month and a half hiatus from any kind of crafting at all, I’ve been back to sewing this past week. I’m concentrating on smaller projects this month. Two table runners and two cute mug mats are in the finished column! I have a new wall hanging ready to start on Monday! I’m feeling less stressed and more relaxed by the minute. And, my sewing machine is happy, too. She thought I had abandoned her! LOL
Hi again! I forgot to mention how great your critter photos are! And, I love the movie The Holiday also. I watch it several times a year!
I love the vitality of the Quilts of Valor quilt. It will make someone very happy. I have thrown away some projects that just didn’t work out the way I wanted. Like you I put the yardage back in my stash and it felt as good as a finish because I didn’t need to worry about that project anymore.
Did you hear me gasp! Throw out a block? GOOD FOR YOU. I cleaned a drawer of odd blocks and made hot pads, but some are too ugly to serve food. Absolutely love all the animals! What fun! Also LOVE that you added the gold to the QOV. So much pazzazz! Thanks
Always fun to see what you’ve been doing each week! I love your bird photos – those turkeys coming right up to you and hubby are just amazing. I love the reindeer design for an ornament! Have fun working on all your fair projects!
Beautiful hummingbird photo, and brilliant use / upcycle of the potting soil bag!
Working on some lovely projects….. Very cool pic of the hummingbird……