August EQ7 BOM

This is my entry into the August EQ7 Block of the Month contest. Each month they post on their blog a quilt block and they only give us the size pieces to cut, no instructions on how to put the block together. This is a small block - only 6" square. That means really small pieces. I used scraps of the fabric designed for the WV shophop I did in June. I wanted to fussy-cut the shape of WV for the center piece but it was too large and all the edges would have gone into the seam allowance. I am very happy with the block and would love to make a whole quilt out of them, only larger of course. I don't usually fool with pieces this small.

Design Wall Monday and some miscellaneous

Here it is Monday again already. I can't believe another week has gone by. I have done very little sewing this week, embroidered the Halloween shirt and sewed two potholders. Haven't even put the binding on the potholders yet. I need to spend some time cleaning the sewing room and putting fabrics away. I pulled nearly everything out looking for scraps for the Halloween appliques. Then I didn't put it back. Now I have a big job facing me. I worked in the garage for a while yesterday and filled my car with bags for Goodwill. I was going to take them up there today but I guess I am just too lazy to get dressed and go. I'll take them tomorrow before Richard's doctor appointment. I will probably go with him for that. I want to make sure he tells the doctor that he has been feeling bad lately. I am afraid Richard doesn't tell him anything.
Today I put a roast in the electric skillet and I will surround it with potatoes, onions and carrots. I also made up a box of Suddenly Salad. I love pasta salad but I'd rather use a box mix than make it up myself. I am thinking about making some haystacks for dessert. They are a favorite around here. The problem is they are made with sugar and you cannot use Splenda. I tried it once and it did not work.
We are still getting lots of tomatoes from our four tomato plants. I have heard all over that people's tomatoes were not doing well, and that they were nearly finished for the summer. We have had a bumper crop this year and they are not done yet. I took a bag of them to JoAnn's with me yesterday and gave them away. I have eaten a ton of bacon and tomato sandwiches! Richard and I both make a point of eating at least one tomato a day, but I bring in about eight a day. And very few small tomatoes, these things are huge!

Halloween shirt

I did the appliques from the Halloween Applique Quilt and put them on a denim shirt I got at Goodwill some time ago. It made a fun shirt I can't wait to wear. I am a little tired of doing applique in the hoop now after doing all these on the shirt and all the blocks for the Halloween Quilt. Now I need to put the blocks together for the quilt and then I am thru with Halloween. Not my favorite holiday.

Damien spent the day with us yesterday

Damien and I played Mario on the Wii for hours and then I took him over to Jeff's house to see Pam's grandkids. Taevion and Damien were born the same day and have played together before but they don't remember that. The kids all played together like they had always known each other. Then they all got in the pool. I took these pictures with my phone so they aren't the greatest. He has grown so much! He starts kindergarten soon, and they have just moved back to Charleston from the Elkview area. School will be good for him. He really hasn't begun to learn to read and write yet. I need to go to the mall and look for some nice school clothes for him. He was wearing his new shoes and they looked great on him. I can't believe he wears size 2 shoes. I wear size 2 shoes! He is going to have big feet!

My prize package

This is what I won with my June block on the block of the month I am doing. The Christmas wallhanging is applique which is something I try to do very little of. However I am going to do this one. The fabric is four fat quarters of Kate Spain's 12 Days of Christmas from Moda Fabrics, according to the selvedge edges. I need to make something with these fat quarters. It is a wonderful prize package and I am truly overwhelmed to receive it. I'm sending thanks to Reeze Hanson from Morning Glory Designs for my prize.

Just a quick post

They finally fixed the street in front of the house! That has been waiting since the first of the year. I have begged the city to take care of it for months and months.

These are the tomatoes I brought in from the back yard today. I included the fork to show the size of these beauties. I know, a couple of them are less than ripe but I decided to go ahead and get them. Last year we had a lot of blossom-end rot but we have escaped that this year. I only have four plants but I think they will keep us well supplied.

I have made some more blocks for the Halloween applique quilt, but I think I will wait to show them when I get them put together. I made a different pumpkin, a witch's hat, and a bat flying in front of the moon. The more I make these blocks the more I want to put them on a denim shirt to wear this fall.

I think Debbie, Diane, Tammy and I are heading for Barboursville tomorrow for the quilt shops. We will have a nice lunch and make a day of it. I am looking forward to that!

Halloween Applique Quilt

I am making a wallhanging for Halloween that is appliqued on the embroidery machine. This is a picture of the first two blocks. You hoop tear-away stabilizer and the background fabric. The machine stitches the placement of the applique and then you lay fabric on top of the stitching. It stitches it again and you closely (and carefully!) cut away the fabric at the stitching. Then it satin stitches around the applique. There is a little more to it but that is most of it. I think I am going to hunt a denim shirt to do these appliques on. I will post pictures of the other blocks as soon as I get them made. It is piddling work but they are sure cute when you get them done.

Design Wall Monday

I actually have something on my design wall to show this week! I have been working every now and then on my Bow-tie quilt. The background will be the same on all the blocks but the bow-ties will be scrappy, probably no two alike. I don't expect to hurry with this quilt. The nine-patch block will be the center of the August block of the month I am working on. I did that yesterday, hope to finish it tomorrow.

The slug was on my awning Sunday morning. That sucker was huge! I saw it thru the kitchen window when I was washing dishes and thought it was a twig or something. I know slugs move slowly but this one got all over the porch. Richard said it would die if it stayed in the sun when it got really hot and it did. I found it dead today. Saturday I saw a lizard going up the wall on the side of the house and it had the most georgous colors. I don't mind lizards, but I hate spiders.