And there goes July!

It is hard to believe that July is just about finished for this year! The summer seems to be flying by. I am behind on my Sweet Sixteens.  I finished April yesterday. I have March started.  February and January are completed. I don't have a good idea for June, but do for May and July. And now I need August as well. It will happen. I hope to get myself caught by the end of the year.

Flower Power for April

April's color is purple.

Close up

I had experimented with some new ways to wiggle quilt the background. I like the effect, and will do more with this idea soon. This photo was rotated by blogger. Why does it do that to me? I can't make it rotate back. It was right side up when I took the photo, right side up on my computer and then it rotates when uploaded to my blog. Gremlins.

Emerald Pools

I started quilting on this guy earlier in the summer. He got set aside and now it is time to finish!

One line of Quilting

So I only got one line of quilting sewn before he was set aside. It still counts as the quilting is started! I hope to have this finished for next week.

I am linking to Nina-Marie, Fort Worth, Judy, Emily , Beth and Amanda Jean.

It's gonna be a Hot One Today!

This weekend is supposed to be a hot one! I am hoping to keep cool in the house. But we will be at the new house which doesn't have A/C. It will be a test to see if we can keep it cool using other tricks.  Hopefully I can sew. Or at least sort some things in the new sewing room. I really need to find the "languishing sweater" that is half knit. It is for my daughter. I have restarted it 3 times already, and now can restart it again. She dropped 40 lbs! and so it needs to be a different size (and maybe pattern!)

The beginning of the quilting lines

I made an effort to get back to my Sweet Sixteen project for April (March is half done, but I was not in that frame of mind) I decided to quilt the background before adding the raw edge appliques.

One direction completed

At this point I was undecided whether to leave it with only quilting in one direction or to cross the lines.

Fun cross lines!

After I had three lines down the middle, I decided to not cross everything, but just to put some random 3 lines crossing every few inches. I thought it was a fun, funky look.

Adding the appliques 

I got the stems done and my flower centers cut. I am going to make 60's type flower power flowers. I had to cut the binding strips to make sure I had enough of that green.

As for the Tour De Sock, the new pattern dropped yesterday. Look for the stage six finish thread. I love the pattern, random cables. I dislike the method. I don't care for the way toe-up socks fit, in the toe, at the cuff or even the heels. I love my cuff down socks. I think I will knit this round, but will have to reverse it to a cuff down pattern.  So it will not qualify for points.  So it goes. It is a good cause and I have had fun chatting and laughing with my teammates (we are in it for fun, not to win). A link to a previous post about socks.

I am linking to Nina-Marie, Fort Worth, Emily, Judy and Amanda Jean.

Finished, just in Time!

Too bad it wasn't the project I wanted to complete in time for the Springville Art Museum show. LOL. At least I have something to enter.  I will try to finish the Red Rock landscape for the next show.

Swirl

I had been working on Swirl for a while, just a fun little piece. The photo is pre-binding.

Maple Leaves

I borrowed back a commissioned art quilt that I made for Karen last year. I feel it is my best work over the past year. I blogged about it here.  It has been a wild ride this year. Hopefully it will calm down soon and we can move on to the next stage in our lives.

I am linking to Nina-Marie Sarah, Emily, Beth, Judy and Amanda Jean.

What to do When your Daughter is Visiting

My eldest daughter married a Brit and is living in England. She came for a visit and to go to her High School Reunion. She spent the first week of her trip in Salt Lake, staying with our son and his wife. They did all kinds of the museums and swim lessons with their young sons. Then a birthday party for our 3 year old granddaughter at our other daughter and son-in-law's home. Then the visiting daughter and I went up to Bear Lake and the family cabin. I finished a pair of socks for the Tour De Sock and gave them to her. Project page here.

Vicky modeling her new socks

We also did the Limber pine trail hike. At the Reflection Bench, which overlooks the lake, ashes were scattered from my Mother and Brother. It is a place to go and remember two wonderful people who lost their battle with ALS. Both too young.

My Daughter and Me

Selfie at the bench.

Mom's initials

Every time I go to the bench I use the gravel from the path to write Mom's initials. I am sure that they were trampled soon after we left, when we got back to the parking lot it was full.

Peace sign

I also put a peace sign near the reflection sign. It is only slightly off the path, but no doubt also trampled. It is not a place that one would look down, so unlikely to be spotted. I just like to think I am putting the thought of peace out in the world.

Creepy looking tree

Early on the hike we saw this tree in the distance. It looked really creepy. Neither of us were game to go and check it out.

Cocoon

Later in the hike we spotted all these caterpillars forming a large cocoon. I am assuming that was what was going on in the previous photograph.

Indian Paintbrush

The wildflowers were prime!  Just a few of the many inspirational photographs I took on the hike.

Columbine

I believe this is a type of Primrose, but I didn't have my wildflower book with me. There were many other flowers, I didn't get good photographs of them.

My Personal Roofers

So how did you spend your vacation?  Helping Dad replace a shake roof with steel! We only got the shake stripped off the west side. Still a lot of work to do this weekend.

She worked hard!

Just a bit of the shake

My job was to be the ground support. They tossed this mess off the roof and I loaded it into a wheelbarrow and brought it over to the woodpile and stacked it.  I don't know where I am going to pile the other half of the shake.

Stacked for firewood

So the only finish was a pair of hand knit socks! But quality time with my daughter is priceless!

I am linking to Amanda Jean and Nina-Marie.