Random

Thanks to my Craftsy class "Garden Fresh" I was successful at growing my own tomatoes.  

If you have only looked at the quilting classes on Craftsy, I encourage you to look further, there are so many great classes.  I am not affiliated with Craftsy, just addicted.  

I also did well with fresh herbs, basil, sage, mint, cilantro and parsley.  It was so rewarding to finally do well with gardening, because it does not come to me naturally.

With school starting, my Tuesdays with Ethan and Holly are back.  Today we started with tomatoes and then made cookies.

And, just to keep things random, here is my Sunshine hen.  You may remember her from this post.

Well, she is broody again, and this time she looks to have many, many eggs under her.  Too many I think, but I am going to leave her be and let her do her own chickie thing.  I am actually really surprised that she is going through all this again, but I am really pleased because we have had a run of bad luck with our hens.  I don't know what has been getting them, but I have lost most of my flock.  We live out in the country, and  they are for the most part fee roam chickens.  

And since I started with Craftsy, I will end with another Craftsy picture.  This is my needle turn applique project from"Big Techniques from Small Scraps".  I have loved this class, and this project is just one of the ideas she teaches. 

Life has been good and busy, saying good bye to summer and getting back on somewhat of a schedule.  Thanks for reading, I appreciate your company.

Esther

Karen's quilt for Susan

My friend Karen made the most special quilt for our mutual friend Susan.  Karen and Susan are both special education teachers.  Susan retired this year after a lifetime of dedication to these special students.

There are so many memories in this quilt including photos and reproduced student art work.  There is a fun and loving aspect to this piece, and I so enjoyed quilting it.

I used variegated thread, and the design of the fabric for the background quilting.

I also used metallic thread and  love the sparkle it adds.  I didn't want to quit over the photos, so I just highlighted the sashing around them.

Here are several more photos, not so much of the quilting, but more to show off the art work created by the students.  

I love all the Halloween costumes on all the children in this drawing

 (sorry it is upside down)

This is the center block

Working on this quilt made me happy in many ways.  Thank you to Karen for asking me to quilt it.

Thanks for reading,  Esther

Carol's Believe Quilt

This is Carol's Believe Quilt, and I totally enjoyed working on this.  I used different designs in each long stripe which created lots of texture, while trying to keep the quilting open and "light", as Carol requested.

The quilting shows up so well on the back of this one, I love it.

Thanks for joining me, I appreciate it.

Esther

Dog days of summer

I spent some time with friends and our dogs at Gold Beach, OR.  It was wonderfully cool and relaxing, and a nice time catching up with friends.  The dogs and I spent many hours walking on the beach.  

We walked in the fog, in the sunshine, morning and evening, and throughly enjoyed all of it.

We went to our favorite dog shoppe, and took our annual photo

And, we found a new fabric shop with the best ribbon selection ever.

I bought several so I can make some dresses with my Whimsey book.  It was such fun.

Then I drove eight hours home, and made it in time for the Farmers' Market.

Ethan just loves flowers, and picked out a special "botay"  

It was a great time with friends, but it is always so nice to come home.

Thanks for joining me on my adventures near and far, I appreciate your company.

Esther

Susie's Whack a Roo Quilt

Here is Susie's quilt, called Whack a Roo.  

I wanted to emphasis the off set blocks, and not take away from the center squares.

 Before

After

Excuse the blurry shot, but you can see how I used the design in the fabric for the quilting.  I like this technique because the quilting does not interfere with the print of the fabric.

This quilt was pieced so well.  Good piecing expands the possibilities for quilting choices, especially when doing ruler work.  Straight lines on crocked piecing is not a good combination.  So, thank you Susie.

Another heat wave headed our way this weekend, I am headed to the Oregon Coast.  Happy Face!

Thanks for joining me on my quilting journeys, I appreciate it.

Esther

Grandmother's Flower Pots

This top has been in the works for a couple years now.  It has been my take along project, and once all the hexies were made, and applique finished it was time to piece it all together.  With some sewing time over the Fourth of July weekend, I almost have the top completed.  All that is left is a scrappy border.

I love the reproduction fabrics, and I am really looking forward to quilting this one.  It has been hanging in my quilting room, making me happy that the piecing was almost completed when I finally noticed.

Bummer!!!

Thanks for visiting, and I hope you day is bummer free.

Esther

Loving that Laminate

I have wanted to make something out of laminated fabrics for quite a while, so I got busy and made a bunch of aprons for all my little cooks.

These aprons are quite basic, I just enlarged a bib pattern.  Instead of ties, there is velcro on the neck closing because I thought that would be easier to fasten.  A simple ruffle on the girls aprons and ta-da, an apron.

I also used this tutorial and made some trash bags for the car.

If you have thought about laminate fabric and are hesitant to use it, I say with enthusiasm to try it out.  I found it quite easy to work with, and it is so darn cute.

You may (or maybe not) be wondering why my little cooks didn't model their new aprons, and that is because they all had the good sense to get out of the heat and head for the coast.  We are no strangers to heat this time of year, but it just wouldn't be summer if we didn't comment on it.

Seriously, 7:05 in the evening and it's 108*

Here's wishing you weather you enjoy.

Esther