Bountiful Blessings

Hello Everyone,

I've been very busy over the past few days machine quilting Bountiful Blessings. I will finish the binding and the pattern writing this week.  I had fun with this one.

I machine quilted a tight stipple around the leaves.  The pieced leaves are intricate, yet easy to make.

It's a little hard to see all of the stitching in the sunflower.  Trust me it's there.

I used a variegated thread for the crosshatching in the borders.

I was pleasantly surprised when a box arrived from Air Lite Manufacturing.  They kindly sent all of the Henry Glass Ambassadors a sample of their batting.  They sent me a 72" x 93" piece of cotton/polyester blend.  I normally use wool batting for my quilts, but I didn't want to use wool batting in a table topper.  I am very happy with the results.  My Handi Quilter long arm just breezed over the batting.  It has a nice weight and feel.  It drapes beautifully on the table, and has minimal shrinkage.   I would definitely use their product again.  Thank you so much for sending me a sample.

"Autumn is Calling" is the fabric I used for this project.  The fabric was designed by Color Principle for Henry Glass & Co.  I'm looking forward to seeing this table topper on display this Fall, with my family gathered around, sharing a meal together.  We can only hope life will be better in the Fall.

Soon,
Lynn

Mountain Musings

Hello Everyone,

Here is the latest fabric which I received from Henry Glass & Co.  The line is called On the 12th Day by Anni Downs from Hatched and Patched.  The line comes with a panel that makes into a 12 Days of Christmas book.  I'm not going to make the book, but I haven't decided just what I'm going to do with it yet.  I've been so focused on my Christmas Ribbons quilt, that I haven't had time to focus on this line.

Yesterday I loaded Bountiful Blessing on my long arm and started in.  The quilt measures 40" x 40", so it shouldn't take me too long to quilt it.  What I realized is that I need to practice more on my long arm.  I felt a little rusty yesterday when I took hold of the handlebars.  I haven't touched the machine since January.  This fabric line is called "Autumn is Calling" by Color Principle for Henry Glass.

It's a cold, rainy day here in the mountains.  This rain is great for fire season, so I'm not going to complain one little bit.  We will probably have the fire going, and just stay inside for most of the day.  Yippee.....I don't have to rake pine needles!

Soon,
Lynn

Christmas Ribbons Update

Hello Everyone,

Here is my progress on Christmas Ribbons. What you can't see is the pattern is almost completed too!

Now that's the exciting part for me.  Every morning I spend a couple of hours at the computer working on the pattern, and that investment in time is paying off.

I just need to make a couple of more blocks, more sashings, and a couple of pinwheels, then I can start putting this quilt together.

I have to dust off my long arm and start the backlog of flimsy's that need to be quilted. I'm so glad the weather has warmed up so I won't freeze to death quilting in my garage. No fancy quilting studio here.  I have to make do with the space that I have. First up is Bountiful Blessings.  This pattern too, is almost done.

This imposed isolation has been good for my quilting mojo.  I've been making use of every minute of the day.

On another note, I was taken down by an ant the other night.  Yes, an ant.....a very, very big ant.  About 7pm, we headed out for a walk around the neighborhood with Mazey and our airhorn.  With fewer people in the area, the forest critters are taking back their territory.  The airhorn is our only protection except for a Golden Retriever who wants to play with anything furry.

Anyway, as I've said before, we live on a hill.  We have to walk up the cement stairs by the side of the garage, to get to the street. As I was walking,  I stopped on the stairs to squash a big carpenter ant.  When you live in a log cabin, carpenter ants can really give us problems.  Squashing that ant made me stutter-step and threw off my cadence going up the stairs.  I tripped and fell, and my right cheek made direct contact with the edge of the cement stair ahead of me.  (The cheek on my face, not my other, well-padded cheek that would have bounced!)  Luckily for me, I didn't have my hands in my pockets, and I was able to break the fall....somewhat. Mr. Joe immediately got me a bag of crushed ice, and I sat in the recliner nursing my wound, my pride, and contemplated my klutziness.  No swelling, but it does look like someone gave me a nice, left upper cut.  Luckily for me I can self-isolate and lick my wound.  It all happened so fast.  One minute you are upright, the next minute you are seeing stars.  I'm calling this ant karma.  That ant got the best of me, and I'll think twice before I step on another one again.

So watch your step today and avoid ants at all costs.

Soon,

Lynn

Bountiful Blessings

Hello Everyone,

This is what I've been working on.  I'm going to be all set for Autumn with this table topper gracing my table.

I've been wearing my Madam Ambassador hat for Henry Glass Fabrics for the past couple of weeks.  The fabric is named "Autumn is Calling" by Color Principle. I enjoyed working with this palette of gorgeousness.

The blocks finish at 5" and look so good around the center panel section.

Here are the fabrics that Henry Glass Company sent to me.  When a box of fabric arrives, I always put it out where I can see it everyday, and then starting imagining what I'm going to design.  The center panel was meant to be a placemat.....but not for me.  The circular panel became the center medallion for my 40" x 40" table topper.  I always try to think outside of the box.

The weather has warmed, so I can spend time in my garage machine quilting.  I will probably have the big garage door open, so I'll be on the lookout for bears while quilting.  There have been so many sightings in our neighborhood.  They are getting entirely too comfortable around here.

I am really looking forward to Fall this year.  I'm looking forward to my family gathering around a harvest table, with this table topper smack dab in the middle.  I'm looking forward to their sense of humor throughout dinner, and the constant chatter between all of the cousins.  I miss that now more than ever, and anxiously await the day we can all be together again.  If I sound melancholy, I most certainly am.

This is day #37 for us in self isolation in California.  We can't open the country too soon.  I don't want the clock to have to start all over again. Let's do this right the first time, and listen to the experts. As our Governor Newsom says, END, PERIOD, FULL STOP.  Stay home, and be safe.

Soon,
Madam Ambassador