Splendid Sampler Blocks # 44 - 48 and Weekend Update!

At exactly this moment in time, I am current with the Splendid Sampler Quilt Along.  Fitting in a block here and there has worked well so far.

#44 - Stitch in the Garden - These embroidered blocks have been lovely to work on this summer.

 #45 - Sewing Nut - We have red squirrels in NH!

#46 - Twirl Time

#47 - Circle of Love - A tricky block for me but I love the effect of the finished block.

#48 - Whim - I decided to make this block the one for resting the eyes!

And the wall looks like this right now:

If you follow me on IG, you know that last weekend was our Annual Birthday Party Extravaganza weekend here at the lake.  Our sons all have July birthdays so this timing works out beautifully to celebrate and have some summer fun together.

The weather cooperated and we had a great time (as we always do when together!).  The weekend started with taking the Chicago based side of the family over to visit my mother-in-law in beautiful Maine.  Yes, there was seafood and ice cream as well as a tour of four lighthouses! Great day!

The weekend was full of resting, swimming, cooking, laughing and even a little sewing!

The guys (and gals) decided we needed a corn hole game for the house so off they went to the hardware store for supplies.  And voila!

Of course that meant I had to jump into the sewing room and make bags! This outdoor weight fabric made for some pretty fancy bean bags, don't you think?

Our oldest son is celebrating a BIG birthday this year.  He plays on a vintage baseball team and one of his gifts was a custom shield for the games this next weekend.

My goodness, how did my little baby get to be that old?  And his "little" twin brothers just turned 27. Yikes!  It's true about time flying by when you are having fun!  So blessed!

Happy Friday!
Kathy

Splendid Sampler Update - Blocks #28 - 43

I know this is not technically a "finish" but I feel like it is a major accomplishment, that I am up to date with the Splendid Sampler blocks!  There continues to be quite a bit of hand sewing, either embroidery or appliqué that really slows me down.  As you will see, I will admit to cheating on a few blocks.

#28 - Stitching Fashion This was a fun block to paper piece, even with some smaller pieces on the dress.

 #29 - Scrappy Happy Heart 

#30 - Simple Surprises

#31 - Blossoming - I took the easy path here and stuck with one color.

#32 - Constant Needle - Having just completed a class, I used a freezer paper appliqué method on this one.  The hand stitching and the curves are not perfect, but I am OK with this!

#33 - Selvage Saver - You know I make these blocks for relaxation therapy so this was a winner!

#34 - Lemonade - Tricky little curves to make this lemon!

#35 - The Wishful Garden - This block introduced me to a few new embroidery stitches.  Fun!

#36 - Inchy Hexagon Club - OK, my mother told me if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all.  Sorry mom.  I spent SO much time on this block and I really am not a fan!  Those hexes are tiny, tiny and my attempts to do something clever with the patterns was disappointing.  In frustration, I sewed the hexie flower to the background with a clear monofilament thread.  Notice the puckering?  UGH  I may end up unpicking it and hand sewing it back with cotton.

#37 - Dashing by Chocolate - On the other hand, this block made me very happy.

#38 - Vintage Flower Basket - I used the monofilament to applique on this block and I am fine with the results.  A little cheating, I know, but life is too short to be changing thread all the time!

#39 - Balls in the Air - A real test of paper piecing patience!

#40 - Flights of Friendship - Sorry about all the little threads that show up in these pictures!

#41 - Sew South - Yes, guilty again of monofilament appliqué!

#42 - Pencils - You can certainly guess the color scraps I have the most of!

#43 - Pincushion Love! - So, I was on a roll with all that appliqué work and that disappearing monofilament thread!

The blocks have been sorted by color to see how well they are playing together.  I'm not surprised with the leaning toward cool colors!


Life at the lake has been wonderfully busy this summer.  I really, really want to bust open a quilt project but for now these little 6" blocks give me an excuse to duck into the quilting cave for a few minutes.

Have a lovely day.  Peace.
Kathy

A Pillow for Boba Fetch

Angie and Marty just celebrated their first wedding anniversary!  Marty was our son's roommate all through college and a few years after.  Our son takes credit for introducing Angie to Marty as they were friends first.  And we are so glad he did!  They are a lovely, fun couple with an adorable dog with a great name.  Let me introduce you to Boba Fetch and his doppelgänger pillow:

Look at those ears!  This is an adaptation of a pattern by Lorna of Sew Fresh Quilts that I have had so much fun with!  Remember this one and these!

My husband and I just returned from a week in Bar Harbor, Maine.  Acadia National Park is one of my favorite places on earth.

The rocky Maine coast, beautiful lush green forests, mountains and lakes combine to make this a very unique National Park.  Numerous trails and the carriage road system provide many choices for hiking, bike riding and just being outside.

It was a perfect place to spend a New England style Independence Day.  Starting off with a massive blueberry pancake breakfast, we found great seats for the Bar Harbor parade that this year celebrated the 100th anniversary of Acadia National Park.

Can you see the sign below the bike that reads 'Early Acadia.'  Dinosaurs, get it?  I thought it was a riot anyway.  And then I met these guys:

              

1-2-3 Dance...hysterical!  After the parade we rushed over to the races...the lobster races!

In addition to my love of Acadia, we annually leave our house in New Hampshire to our son and his wife who hold a gala July 4th party there (a tradition that started when we had to get our poor dog as far away from fireworks as possible).  First we received this lovely cheese tray from Odin and Nolan (two black labs staying at our house for the weekend).  How sweet!

The next day when we returned from our hiking adventures we had this yummy tray of chocolate covered strawberries from Gus, another four legged guest at the NH house.

And then on July 4th, our grand-dog sent us this bottle of champagne to share as we watched the fireworks from our balcony!  What a thoughtful group of dogs!!

Oh and look what I found!  Please excuse my "exhausted from hiking in the heat" look.  What a cute store in an old bank building with a nice selection of locally themed fabric.  Yes, I did take some crustacean fabric home with me!

Bar Harbor and Acadia, I will return!

Now, time to spend a little more time in the sewing room.  Or, maybe I could go kayaking....

Have a wonderful weekend and be kind to others.  Linking up with finish it up Friday!

Kathy