The cannas are now towering over the Coneflowers. They look so pretty with the light coming through the leaves.
This hosta that starts out light green in the spring is almost white at the end of the season.
The Delphinium blooms are fully open now. I hope we get the rain predicted today and tomorrow because the ground is dry and cracked.
The shaggy petaled Coneflowers are opening.
A friend came over yesterday and we laid out her blocks on my double design wall. We also went through other fabrics for quilts that I am going to cut for her.
I had a busy day yesterday finishing cutting and sewing the preemie layettes in the morning, sewing circle in the afternoon. I was tired last night but decided I needed to start sewing the 2 triangles together that make the Hunter Star blocks. When I ran out of bobbin thread on the third one I decided that was a sign that I needed to quit for the evening and go to bed at a decent time (before midnight).
On a totally different subject, this is post #3900. That means there are a lot of old posts with a lot of quilt photos and tips. The label list on the right sidebar will lead you to different topics.
I'm still working on the preemie layettes so no sewing photos.
The Zinnias are finally filling in. The shaggy variety has started blooming. Some of the plants are only about 8" tall and others are more like 18".
This is an example of how the camera reads color. Look at the difference between the photo above and this one, taken just a few seconds apart. I think maybe the sun went behind a cloud but I think it is the majenta that threw the green color off.
I like all of the different shapes of zinnia blooms.
In the back garden the Coreopsis is starting to bloom again, mixed in with the Dianthus.
It was another beautiful low humidity day with a nice breeze so I mowed the lawn. It had been 12 days since I last mowed because we haven't had rain. The only sewing room activity was cutting the preemie gowns for Monday's sewing circle at church. I cut three sizes and still need to cut all of the receiving blankets to go with them. There is a link to the pattern in my Label list, right sidebar.
The last batches of perennials that I planted are doing well. I didn't expect the Delphinium to bloom again since it had been cut back and was half price. I hope it makes it through the winter.
The orange Coneflower with the shaggy center had a lot of little buds so I hoped they would bloom. This one is just opening and another down below is just starting to open too. Next to it is the Zebrina. Behind it, the spotted leaves is the Lungwort/Pulmonaria.
The little Carnations are starting to re-bloom too. This is the prettiest of the 3 so far.
The book came a day earlier than predicted so I was sidetracked yesterday. I always find it interesting how he uses some of his fabrics that are a challenge. I haven't read it yet, just enjoyed the photos and checking out the directions. There are actually some paper pieced parts in a couple quilts in the book.
I spent 2 hours yesterday looking for a pattern; no, I didn't find it.
This is the table that is in the background every time I show a quilt on my longarm machine. I usually crop the photo hoping it isn't noticeable. I have decided it is time to take everything off the table, sorting as I go. This is the table my Studio die cutter used to be on. It has become a dumping spot. Time to fix that.
There were storms predicted yesterday late afternoon and evening. On the radar maps on TV it looked like we would get some rain. Not a drop at my house and we need the rain so I guess I'll be out there watering everything today.
I pre-ordered Kaffe Fasset's new book and I got a notice yesterday that I should receive it on Saturday. I hope it is a good one.
I finished sewing the next 4 pairs of fabric in the Australian fabric Hunter Star quilt. Next I need to sew the 2 triangle halves together on all of the ones that are to this point and then press and cut more fabrics.
We are still having beautiful low humidity and comfortably warm weather. This is unusual for August and I'm sure the hot blast will come in a week or so when the kids go back to school.
I have made several sales on my Wandaful blog but there are still a lot of reduced price items available, vintage 50s and 60s fabric and other items.
Last night I took all of the new improv blocks from the quilt along and the older blocks from over a year ago and put them all up on my double design wall. This space is 96" wide and 83" tall so it looks like the blocks take up about a 60" square area. I didn't do any planning here, just plopped them up there to see approximately what size quilt I could make with them. I have some other commitments and won't have time to play with this again for awhile. I might make some more blocks now and then before making any decisions on how to sew them together.
Debbie at A Quilter's Table blog hosted the quilt along and on this post she shows her blocks in several layouts as well as sewn together. At the end of the post is a link to the Instagram page where a lot of people have posted their blocks and layouts if you are interested in seeing more.
I was sorting a box of scrap batik strips yesterday. I pulled out a pile of narrow strips, less than 3/4" wide and a pile of 1" to 1 1/4" wide pieces.
There were a bunch of 1/2" wide strips in the left pile so I pulled them out and consider them too narrow to sew. They should go in the dog bed stuffing bag but for now they are in a little plastic bag.
I started making some mug rug tops while watching TV last night. They are approximately 8" x 10". Some of the sewn strips are only 1/8" wide.
I ended up making four of them and then wondered what they would look like with a strip or two inserted across the strips. I just laid some strips on them to see how it would look.
I think maybe I like them just like this.
I'm still working on Hunter Star blocks too, little by little.
I chose more pairs of Australian fabrics for my Hunter Star quilt but couldn't get motivated to press them and cut the pieces. It was a lazy day yesterday.
I spent some time adding 3 new posts of items for sale to my Wandaful blogshop. I also lowered prices on many of the older posts.
Here are 3 photos of the annual Dianthus which is in its second blooming.
