I don't take good pictures

I take lovely vacation pictures. I am even a Iowa State Fair blue ribbon winner, but I can't take quilt pictures to save my life. I think it is because I have to stage them. With monuments or people in action, they are already staged.
Well, a friend of mine went into the hospital last weekend. It was a very serious situation and a scary time. I didn't have a lot of time, so I made up a pillow to give her while she was in. I made a Turning Twenty block and I think it turned out well. I stitched in the ditch to hold the fusible batting in place. I used three fat quarters from Dena Designs. I like the way they coordinate, but not matchy matchy. I needed one pillow, but I had enough fabric for two more so I am going to do that and mail it to my niece.

I also finished up the blocks for the Toes in the Sand Block of the Month. Only 2 months behind. Go me! I have to finish it, but that shouldn't take long. Famous last words, I know.

I like the red and yellow added into the prescribed blue blocks. It makes it brighter and more fun. I went to a crochet class Thursday which is quite the story, but I will post that later. 

Catching up

I've been catching up on my Toes in the Sand Block of the Month this weekend. I've done 2 months worth (4 blocks) and should get another month's done this evening. I will only be one month behind then, which isn't too bad. I am now starting to coordinate the colours a little more so that I don't have two that are exactly the same next to each other. I like using the red and yellow as well as the blues. It makes it fun and colourful. There are two months worth after January and then just the setting triangles. I don't know if I want to use the white grunge or try something else.

Still crafting

I have been busy with work, but still been working on projects. I've been doing a lot of cross stitch because I find that the most relaxing. I finished up the June Woodland Sampler and just started on the July. I am really surprised by how much I am enjoying it.

I also finished up my scarf. It is too hot to take a picture modeling it. I haven't decided if I want to stitch the ends together or use buttons. The colours lend to large wood buttons. I am leaning towards buttons. One of my local yarn stores is hosting a crochet along. A sampler afghan of different stitches. I am going to sign up. This year I have been branching out into different areas and I am enjoying the variety.

For the Toes in the Sand BOM, I've only done one of the two blocks. This month was a Y seam of sorts. It turned out well and I just need to find the time to finish out the next one.

Baa Ram Ewe

I'm in the middle of several small projects. I finished up my two June blocks for the Toes in the Sand BOM. I am really enjoying that. Fabric choice makes such a difference and i feel I am getting my money's worth from both the ruler and the pattern.

I'm in the middle of my June Woodland Sampler cross stitch. I need to take a picture when I get done. It is a firefly this month. It is cute. I have to use the metallic floss again. I'm not looking forward to that; it was a nightmare in the February block.

Saturday I went to the Iowa Sheep and Wool Festival. I had so much fun. There were a ton of vendors for yarn, roving, spinning wheels and all sorts of good stuff. There were sheep to look at and pet. They did a great job with signage of the different varieties of sheep. I picked up yarn from Esther Purl again and already crocheted up half of it into a scarf. I didn't get the hank wound into a ball again, but this time I was wiser and watched a youtube video. Supposedly you undo the hank and if you position it over your knees you can unwrap it nicely. It worked pretty slick. The scarf is just treble crochets.I wanted something airy for the fall.

The festival had sheep dog trials which I found very entertaining to watch. I sat through several of them. Some of the dogs were in training so they would get distracted easily, but you could see the ones who had done it a while and knew what they were doing. So on that note, here is a clip from Babe.

Productive weekend

Does anybody else notice that they are now pronouncing the word 'weekend' like Dame Maggie Smith? "What is a weekend?"

I had a very productive Memorial Day weekend. I finished off the two May blocks for Toes in the Sand and 99% of a quilt top. I only have pictures for the BOM blocks. The recommendation is pressing seams open. It is EXHAUSTING and more than once my fingers got a little singed. I am not a fan. The blocks turned out well. I again swapped colours out. There are a lot meeting seams and some of the triangle points are a good bit shy of 1/4". I've thought about ironing on interfacing as a bit of stability and then sewing the blocks with the background. Has anybody done that before? Recommendations?

Yet another Block of the Month

I still haven't finished the 2011 Block of the Month, but went with the Toes in the Sand block of the month. I signed up through my local quilt shop. I'm switching out some fabrics because it seems too blue. It uses a special ruler which works pretty well. I haven't used a triangle ruler before, so getting the little notches cut was a little weird.

I thought my seams matched up pretty well. This was my bulkiest seam and it came together pretty well for both blocks.

 Let's see if I can keep up with this one!