Happy Fourth of July!

Happy Fourth of July! I hope you get to enjoy a fireworks display.





My husband and I went on an organized motorcycle ride today, Stars and Pipes. He's done many rides. This was my first.








It was quite an education.

I found out I can't be a biker chick. First, I don't have a tattoo. Second, I don't smoke. Thirdly, I don't have an iron butt. My tush was aching after about 10 minutes. I can't imagine what it would be like to go on a real ride of a hundred miles or more.

I could get a temporary Born to Quilt tattoo, and almost qualify. I just don't think that I could take up smoking at this stage of my life (my father died from lung cancer). I don't even want to speculate as to how one would acquire an iron butt. So, I am resigning myself to being a poser. I can't even say I'm a wannabe biker chick, just a poser.

Quiltlets

Today I worked on this quiltlet. It's going to be donated to Valley of the Mist Quilt Guild for their silent auction at the October quilt show.












Or this one will be. I'm giving both of them to the guild. One will be for the monthly meeting's mini-quilt raffle, the other will be for the show's silent auction.

I'm going to let my friendship group, or the show chairwoman, help me decide which one should be which.

Goodbye Wednesday

Our sweet dog, Wednesday passed away this evening. I tried to find a picture of her. Did you ever notice how hard it is to get a picture of a black dog?

What's on my design wall

I like this new book, Scrap Basket Surprises, by Kim Brackett. I picked it up at Orange Quilt Bee when I was there last week. I was attracted by the quilt on the front, but there are several that I want to make.









The quilt in progress on my design wall is Scrap-Basket Blues from the book. Of course I had to change the colors a bit. They're still blue and a light, but not the dark blues in the book. I cut the 2 1/2" strips from stash fabrics. I think my husband is getting tired of me appropriating the kitchen island, but it's at the right height for cutting.




I've gotten three blocks put together so far. I like the way it is turning out.








When I sew on the white squares I stitch a second seam to that I can get little half-square triangle units.




I have had several projects lately that I've done this with. When I trim them up they should finish at 1 1/2" square. I have no idea what I'll do with them, but I couldn't bring myself to just pitch the triangles. I'm getting quite a supply of them.

Disneyland

Yesterday I went to Disneyland with my children and grandchildren. Exhausting and delightful. It is so much fun visiting the Happiest Place on Earth with little people. The girls walked hand-in-hand almost everywhere. They were excited about just about everything.





The boys on the other hand weren't quite as enthusiastic. It seems one can be too young for all that the park has to offer. Dear Grandson 1 was not overjoyed about the rides. Even It's a Small World frightened him. Poor baby we just kept torturing him with rides. I hope we haven't warped him for life.







Dear Granddaughter 1 showed me how she has learned to whistle. I was totally in awe, as this is a talent that I have never acquired.






DGS1 had a lot of fun on the slide in Toon Town. It's just that the slide doesn't really slide very well. The kids have to pull themselves along with their feet, or push themselves with their hands. I do think that

for DGS1 the true allure was the steps going up to the slide. The boy does love to climb.









As we were getting ready to leave I found this mug for my husband. It's perfect for him. Except for the fact that he no longer drinks his coffee from a regular mug. He only uses thermal mugs now. Oh well, I like it. I think it suits him to a T.

Life

I finished putting this quilt together this evening. I do like it better than I thought I would yesterday. Now, to decide what to do next. I think my Dear Grandson 2 needs me to get to work on his quilt.

I picked up the border fabric when I was visiting a new shop in Orange, The Orange Quilt Bee. I was picking up two quilts from a new customer, and she had suggested we meet there. They have a wonderful, spacious area for classes. Very nice people too.

In the afternoon I picked up three more quilts from a customer (continuing? returning? regular?).

Five quilts in one day! That's a record for me. Just a week or so ago I was thinking that since no one had called recently for quilting services I might see my business winding down. I have been expecting it because of the economy and all. Good thing no one is relying on me for predictions.

What's on my design wall

You know how sometimes things turn out better than your wildest imagination? This isn't one of those times. I bought two fat eighths packs in slate blues from Batiks Etc. I had a nice simple pattern, Serenity, from Quiltmaker. It just isn't turning out the way I pictured it in my mind's eye.








But, of course I had to make it bigger than the pattern. Maybe, that's where I went wrong.

Not that it's really a candidate for the ugly quilt contest. It's just not the way that I thought it would be. I'm hoping I like it better once it's sewn together and it has borders on it.

We shall see. We shall see.