Flowering along ~

With Molly Flanders Makerie.

I spotted her sew-along just before I left on a working vacation, for my husband not me! heehee! The plan was to find fabric during my travels. Nothing stood out to me.

 Then I remembered my stash and in particular the selection of batiks I have from the Sunshine Pineapple quilt that is resting on the shelf waiting to be finished. Squirrel...

templates at Molly Flanders Makerie

traced using clover Chaco Liner pen style and cutting with rotary cutter

layout

fork pins to keep seams together

 

machine stitched ~ back

front pressed and waiting for more

So yes, here is another project I have started. I should try and finish at least one this summer.

Happy summer and may there be a picnic or trip to the beach in your future

on my cutting table ~

and ironing board ~

folded poncho
pattern Churchmouse
Rowan felted tweed

 Blocking my poncho on my ironing board. Since I finished projects a year at a time no need to invest in an expensive blocking board. And the weather here is just right. Not quite a Santa Ana but dry enough for fast drying. It is the perfect weather to wear.

And the Sunshine Pineapple quilt is coming along. All 9 panels are ironed, 210 strips cut and half-square triangles assembled. But first comes the stitching around all those leaves and each pineapple.
 Good thing this is not for Christmas.

Kauai chickens ~

Rooster with three point comb and hen with two ~

She is 1" smaller ~

 

Inspired by the roosters and chickens on Kauai, I went in search of a tutorial for chicken pincushions. There are many but none exactly like I wanted. So, because of all the crafty people on the internet, I was able to use some of the techniques for making quilt blocks to make these cute little guys!

One can not have enough pincushions ~ right?

one hot summers day ~

 

 

I completed the quilt back for my enlarged Hawaiian Postcards quilt, the one that will now cover the 'whole' bed. Quilting in the summer seems a little backwards. You need light, an iron and fabrics. Sweaty!

The pattern for the back is called Making Waves and is from Modern Quilts Illustrated issue #3. I haven't measured it but it is re-sized to fit our eastern king bed. I was nervous to start cutting and then sew the curves.  I drew a line from the striped piece to the solid, then matched the marks and pinned like crazy. It came together without a hitch.

 Free-motion quilting ahead...on a cooler day

random day ~

1000 piece donut puzzle ~ sometimes you have to walk away

grass blades and rabbits ~ pictures to come

in need of prioritizing ~

Summertime is a quiet time filled with activities we seldom have time for during the school year. We are enjoying putting together puzzles, eating breakfast, lunch & dinner together on the patio and I have begun too many projects. I am a  little overwhelmed. I did it to myself.

We have a to-do list of household projects neglected for far too long and I find that it so much enjoyable to be doing these things together as a family.

Hope you too are enjoying summertime ~

fabric and more fabric ~

batiks, kona cotton and many projects ~

pincushion swap and lovely fat quarter ~

I won this in a raffle ~

I have been having fun with my girls, both big and little. I was able to take some time out and go to the SDMQG meeting where we swapped pincushions and fat quarters. So now I have a table runner from Angela and a pincushion from Sandi. It is so much to swap! And forgive me, I failed to take a picture of the flower pincushion I made but you can see in on the San Diego Modern Quilt Guild flickr page with all the other fabulous pincushions. 

I am ready to tackle the second 'Postcards Quilt'. The top is complete and awaiting a back. I have decided on a pattern in the 3rd edition of Modern Quilts Illustrated, Making Waves. And yes I am changing it slightly due to the size of the quilt. Wish me luck! It is 106 x 86 and I had to do a lot of math to figure out how many strips I would need as well as the solid fabric. It was easy once I realized it was easy.

I also wanted to make the cute bunny on Purl Bee's website, before Easter...

So many projects so little time. If only sleep and food weren't so important ~ right?