Designing Monday

I actually got some quilt type sewing in this week.  I pieced this cute RW&B top for fun after I saw it on Pinterest.  Anybody else do this?  I love finding new ideas and figuring out how to piece something.  I like the math part.

Kathleen Tracy of the Sentimental Quilter blog hosts a monthly challenge for her Yahoo group.  This month's theme is Blue & White.  Once more, Pinterest came to the rescue.  I found a cute little quilt that was just what I wanted.  I drew up the pattern and got busy.  There will be a group trunk show via Facebook in September, so I won't be showing a pieced top or finished quilt until then.  Here are some of the pieces.

A few of these 

And one of these

And a long strip like this.  

Hmmm.  Wonder what it might be!!

Be sure to hop over to Judy's blog.

Better Late Than Never Tuesday

Hot days and sunny weather are so foreign to Wisconsin summers that I have been trying to take advantage everyday.  Somedays I just sit on the deck and read the paper or sip a drink to keep cool.  My tiny garden is taking off and we are enjoying every veggie that comes our way.  We have been trying to grow grapes for several years and this year appeared to be our year for purple grapes.  And then came the turkeys.  I checked today and there are only about 3 small clusters left and none have ripened yet, so I guess they have pretty well cleaned us out.  They have the cutest babies - 8 of them.

My sewing this week has been pillowcases for a local group.  There is a place near our church that offers services for children that may be abused or in need of counseling. It is their aim to provide each child they serve with a quilt, a teddy bear, a book, and a pillowcase.  We have made several quilts for them and now are working on pillowcases.  Our church quilting group offered 4 workshops for church members to come and sew one pillowcase for themselves and one for this child's advocacy place.  Lots of fabric was donated and the quilt group made up kits ahead of time and set up machines for others to come in and learn.  I was able to get 3 done the first time I went and this past week I brought home lots of fabric and made up 5 more.

These prints are just so cute and were from someone's stash that no longer sews.  They appeared to be 10 - 15 years old.  Hopefully they will stand up to washing and lots of use.

 Cute double decker buses.

 Very busy on route 66

 Love the pink VW buses

 Got the stripe at Hobby Lobby.  I have bought this fabric 3 times in 3 months.  It goes with everything!

 A dark blue green solid from someone's stash

and Voila!  5 Pillowcases 

Linking up to Judy's blog

Designing Monday

Such a busy summer!   I haven't blogged for a month and don't have much sewing to show.  I made this little chicken potholder that showed up on my Pinterest page.  Super easy pattern and I love how the comb is loose.  I will probably have to make some more of these for gifts.  Just too cute.

Here's the link for the block pattern if you are interested.

I got all my rows sewn together for my Florida quilt.  Hopefully borders will follow along soon.

We had company over the weekend which always necessitates me cleaning up my sewing area.  I am always amazed at what I unearth when this happens.  I somehow lose track of what I am working on since I am usually starting something new while working on other projects.  I'm sure that doesn't happen to anybody else.  

The Tall Ships came to Green Bay for their Triannial visit.  I got my husband tickets for a sail on the  Appledore for his birthday.  It was a perfect day.  Sunny, but not hot.  Breezy for sailing, but not blowy.  We don't have a boat and don't have friends with a boat, so it a fun opportunity for us to get out on the Green Bay.  

 My husband in the striped shirt got to hoist the mainsail.

There were 7 beautiful tall ships from all over the Great Lakes plus 1 from Spain and 1 from Norway.

 And a giant rubber duck.

This tiny island is made from dredgings from the river and is covered with pelicans and cormorants.

Today I am linking up to Judy's blog.