Ta da, it's done!

 Finally, the machine quilting is done on "Wish Upon a Feathered Star"! I still have the label and sleeve to make and sew on but I'm happy to be this far. This wall hanging, made of Kaffe Fassett Collective fabrics, measures 43x43" and was begun in a Prairie Quilt Guild workshop with Peggy Martin in July of 2019. It was quilted on my Janome domestic sewing machine.

I've decided to make some wall hangings which can hang over our fireplace and this is the second I've made this summer which will fit into the space.

After making a few more masks, making an applique block for my applique group's donation quilt, and tackling an "I Spy" quilt, my next major project will likely come from the UFO shelf. I found a list of all my UFO's from 5 years ago and many of them are still on the shelf. I have to do something about them before they take up permanent residence there!

This was our sunrise one day this past week! It almost looks like the sky is on fire. 

The large unplanted area in the lower right of the photo will become a rain garden in September. I've spent untold hours digging up Bermuda grass and getting that area ready to plant with native plants and pollinator attracting flowers. We plan to plant bushes, which can stop road dust coming from the gravel road to the right of the photo, in the circles of dead grass. If I'm not quilting, I'm out working in the yard. All is good until the temperature and humidity get high. I'm not a hot weather kind of girl.

 

I just realized that this blog post is color coordinated - purple, red, pink, and orange! I must be drawn to these colors more than I thought I was.

 

Enjoy! Until next time, Mayleen

Quilting Update but first ...

Mr. Clyde, mighty hunter specializing in bugs

Color makes me happy!

I like the overgrown naturalized look but this might be a little too much. If you want to follow the path, you have to fight your way through the sunflowers.

I thought I may have dug up all the Surprise Lilies (AKA Naked Ladies) when I was thinning out the orange daylilies but here they are making themselves at home in the Hibiscus.

In May, I decided to hide the septic tank cover by planting Zinnia seed over it. When I didn't see seedlings, I planted more and maybe planted just a few too many!

I really am working on machine quilting the Wish Upon a Feathered Star wall hanging but its going slow. There was a time when I would have pushed myself to just get it done but since Covid began, I've been slowing down and usually only spend a couple of hours quilting a day if at all.

I've finished quilting one star block trying to get everything just right. Then I took this photo and realized because the fabric is so busy, most of the quilting is not going to show at all. Not only that, this wall hanging will hang over our fireplace where no one will be able to get up close to see the quilting. This is the perfect machine quilting project for me at this time!

Until next time, Mayleen

Star stitching & the flowers in my backyard

I've begun stitching in a ditch on the "Wish Upon a Feathered Star" wall hanging. I decided I really must get over my fear of machine quilting. I've tried before but with disastrous results and am currently thinking of a project I need to pick out teeny tiny stitches. Yes I know the key to learning to machine quilt is to practice. So I'm trying again and will only use my walking foot. This is not a fast project.

Yesterday I needed some mindless sewing so I pulled out the red/pink and white/tan 2 1/2" squares I'd been cutting from scraps. Paired them up and ran them through the machine. I don't know what they will become but probably 4 patches. It was fun to work on something different even though it was a very simple patch.

Mornings you will find me outside watering, weeding, or digging in my flower beds. Here's a little tour of what's been blooming this past week!

The white hardy Hibiscus finally began blooming!

The pink hardy Hibiscus continues to put out new blooms each morning.

This is the first spring for the native flower rock garden I planted. I put too much in too small of an area and some plants will be moving next year. This is just one small corner.

My wash tub and wringer looking decidedly prettier than in its original use.

Two varieties of Anise Hyssop which bees were supposed to love but they seem to be more interested in most other flowers than the hyssop!

Blanket Flower, pink Yarrow, and Vervain

This is my first year at trying to grow Lavender (back left) and it has one bloom. Parsley and Patchouli are the other two container plants.

I do like flowers to appear a little overgrown! Next spring some of the Brown Eyed Susans will be moving because they're trying to take over.

Every year I think the tall phlox are so pretty but I think they've outdone themselves this year!

Until next week, Mayleen

Wish Upon a Feathered Star, with borders

My Wish Upon a Feathered Star wall hanging top is finally done! Borders were an issue for me and I couldn't find a border design I really liked but I've told myself that finished is better than a top partially done. It measures approximately 43 1/2" square and when its quilted will hang over our fireplace. It was begun in a Prairie Quilt Guild workshop taught by Peggy Martin. Now to figure out if I should quilt it myself or call my machine quilter.

These are a few photos of my flower gardens. The area I live in is officially in a drought but yesterday we got some rain and this morning again. Not enough to end the drought but I'm grateful for every drop of rain. These photos were taken before the rain and I think the flowers look this good due to me watering them every day. Above: Phlox, Sunflowers, and Daylilies. There are a few Zinnia growing in that area too but not many came up this year.

Anise Hyssop which smells wonderful whenever I brush against it.

Russian Sage, find the bee! I'm trying to attract more beneficial insects to my flowers.

Below: My husband and I visited Dyck Arboretum in Hesston, KS last week and I thought I'd share this photo of a sign with you. I doubt that I ever become a Minimalist but we are trying to downsize. One of our spare bedrooms has become a catchall room for everything we are no longer using or don't know where to put. There always seems to be more stuff. Guess where I'll be tomorrow morning getting ready to make donations? That definitely beats digging up Bermuda grass which it will be too muddy to do!

Have a great week! Mayleen

Wish Upon a Feathered Star

Have you noticed there are never instructions for new software, computers, etc? I guess you're supposed to know what to do or figure it out yourself. I'm a Luddite and haven't a clue about this new Blogger format. If anyone reads this, it means I've somehow muddled through writing a blog post!

This week I gave up on the sashing idea and sewed together the four Feathered Star blocks but I'm still stuck on that dark Mad Plaid for the border! I think I'll cut it to finish at 3" wide, sew it on, and call it good. If I absolutely hate it, I can always take it off and try another fabric. One thing the pandemic is teaching me is not to be so hard on myself.

I bought this Hexie Grandmother's Flower Garden quilt top in an antique mall last weekend. I don't have room in my sewing room to get a full photo of it. Its hand pieced and looks to be in good condition except for a lingering smell of what I don't know. It was priced at $20 and even though these are not my colors, I couldn't leave it there. I doubt I will ever take the time to make one of these for myself so to whoever pieced it, thank you! The problem is now how to quilt it or have it quilted?

Until next time, Mayleen