Deadline !

 Here is a timeline of the Creative Process:  Work begins. Screw Off for 75%. Panic but don't actually accomplish anything for 20%. All the work while crying for the last 5%.

When I know for months that a friend is having a baby, I still wait till the last minute to finish the quilt. Literally. I pondered and dreamed, let ideas percolate and marinate, then decided on a design and had only a few days to get 'er done. Sheesh. I used a collection of homespun plaid scraps to make little bow ties, with a taupe stripey shirting back ground to give the blocks a vintage look. Since the parents of this new baby like all things outdoorsy I picked an Ed Emberly animal print for a border. It didn't fit with the vintage look, but still made me smile.

From Mary Hickey's book, "Sweet and Simple Baby Quilts"

I got the October challenge black applique blocks sewn together with yellow sashing and a border of black and white Moda "Lazy Daisy" Mama Said Sew. I sent it off to my sister, Pam, to quilt on her long arm, and didn't get a photo. It looks darling and a lot like a bumble bee. Goal Done!

My quilt guild, Pinehurst Quilters, had a fund raising quilt and craft auction last week. It was a big production for our little club, lots of generous and creative women, and we raised over $4500 for our group and for community projects such as Quilts of Valor and Hike for Healthy Hooters. Here is a photo  of the set up.

My Christmas Wreath Quilt is on the left.

Roasted Peppers

We have not had our first frost here. It is imminent, and the garden has been on my mind. It is no longer warm enough for veggies to ripen, so I decided to pick the rest of the peppers and eggplants today. I filled a 5 gallon bucket with choricero, banana, and jalapeno peppers. A smaller tote held all of the remaining eggplants.

A  lovely group of nightshade fruit.

I roasted all of the peppers, except the jalapenos, by broiling them for 5 minutes per side on baking sheets. Then I wrapped them in waxed paper and sealed them in zip lock bags for winter cooking. A fast and easy processing method. And, the house smells delish!  Tomorrow I'll roast the eggplants for baba ganoush. The jalapenos will be strung to dry.

Hand appliqued and embroidered (not by me!)

For my October goal for the finishes group, I will turn these 8 inch blocks into a quilt top. I am using yellow tone on tone for the sashing. After I get the top and back pieced, I am sending it off to my sister Pam to be quilted. Mom won the blocks in a quilt group drawing. It is a sweet, old fashioned collection. Can't wait to see the finish!

Best Gift Ever

Sew... my Uncle Pat's companion, Sonja Mann, is a fabric rep for Moda, and she sent me a giant box of wonderfulness.

13 inch squares!!

 I spread it all out and just glowed with the possibilities!! I am full of exclamation points just now. I thought I'd share it with my sister, Pam, but now I don't want to. Luckily, Sonja and Pat said I don't have to, because they are sending Pam her own box of wonderfulness.

I have been working mostly from fabric gifted by a shopaholic hoarder friend, who favored Thimbleberries. Her gift was bought about 8-10 years ago. Lots of nice stuff, though not my first choice. I do have my own purchases, albeit on a shoestring budget and often from thrift shop finds... sew this gift rocketed me into the 4th dimension!!!

I have spent a little time browsing scrap quilt ideas on Pinterest. I allow myself 30 minutes a day to surf the mighty web. Then I need to get back to reality and create epic cuss. (My 4 letter word for s***.) When I combine these yummy fabric samples with solid contrasts, I will have a plethora of quilt loveliness. I got up excited at 4:30 this morning to finish taking the staples and cardboard off of the samples, and folding them into neat order. I already cut one set up, for a block of the month project for the quilt club. After that, on to holiday and December birthday sewing. I am SEW EXCITED that I am standing beside myself. 

When I looked up from the fabric all over the design floor, this is the view I saw out the window:

Sunset on the mountains with clothes line, viewed out the window from my loft.