I won't be posting for a couple of days because I am going to have eye surgery. Those pesky cataracts are starting to cramp my sewing and reading style, so I decided to do something about it.
I really like my doctor and think I will be in good hands. My left eye gets done this week and my right eye gets done in July.
So don't worry if you don't hear from me for a few days. I will be sure and let you know how it goes!
Happy Summer Solstice and Happy 14th Birthday to Ozzie!
This Red Sampler Sew Along by Lori Holt is so lovely. I am enjoying the fabrics, and the block patterns are all terrific. The patterns are all from various books she has published over the past few years, so you do need to have them to complete the blocks. I had them already, so that was all fine by me. If I had had to purchase four new books in order to participate in the sew-along, I may have felt differently, just saying. But the books are good, the patterns are well written and easy to follow and my blocks make me happy. So there we are.
The largest block in the photo above is a Granny Square block. They are kind of fussy to make, but the results are wonderful, don't you think?
That pinwheel block on the upper right is really a cool block, and I think it would be a terrific block for a One Block quilt. The construction of the pinwheel is a little bit different, and I really do love the look of it. It was fun to make too.
Happy Father's Day to all the dads in your lives. I am off this morning to spend a few days with mine. Goodness, I feel so blessed that he has been with us for so many years! 96 of them come November. Amazing. And he is a total love. He is so considerate. He forgot my birthday (at 95 I forgive him) and when it was brought to his attention, he called me to apologize and wish me the best on my special day. Like I said, he is a dear.
Have a great weekend everyone!
If you love sew-alongs, a new one started up this week that looks like it will be a lot of fun, and a skill-builder too. It is the Sampler Spree Sew-Along, based on the book Sampler Spree by Susan Ache. A lot of great designers are participating in this one, everyone doing their own thing as far as colors, etc, but all the 6" block patterns come from Susan's new book. There are 100 quilt block patterns in the book, so it is a nice resource.
Here is a link to Moda's website introduction to the project. And here is a link to Lella Boutique's website. I am going to use Vanessa's layout (which is a big maple leaf), and even copy her on the fabric collection she is using. I have fat quarter bundles of both Persimmon and Cider by Basic Grey, which I have been hanging on to for the perfect project for a fall quilt. I plan to make five blocks a week and just start on page one of the book and dive in. Lots of people are posting their blocks on Instagram #samplerspreeqal which are fun to see.
This is Vanessa's planned layout for her blocks.
Now that the Sewcialites Sew Along is a wrap-up, there may be room in my life for another sew-along. I know I have been rather impulsive in jumping into every sew-along that starts up lately, so I thought I would give you an update on the status of the ones I have joined.
Moda BlockHeads 3: all but finished. One final vertical row to assemble and attach. Then off to the quilter.
365 Little Blocks: these paper-pieced blocks are too much, and besides I have no idea how in the world I would use them in a finished project. This one has been shelved indefinitely.
Sewcialites: all but finished. I have sewn all the rows and just need to sew those rows together. Then off to the quilter.
Heartfelt: I have shelved this one for the time being. I may get back to it, but no guilt.
Serendipity: still enjoying this one. I have a couple of rows to complete, then will sew the rows together for a finish. The colors are quite springy, so I don't feel a big rush to get it done right now. Once I decide to wrap it up, it won't take long.
Red Sampler with Lori Holt: loving this one and have completed three of the ten weeks released so far. I don't feel a rush with this one. The red and white color scheme works well for the holidays, so I'll keep plugging away at it.
So out of six sew-alongs, I have just about finished two, have shelved two, have one that I am in no rush to finish, and one that I am actively working on. So, I have decided to jump into Sampler Spree. I just can't resist. I realize that the idea of juggling so many sew-alongs can be extremely over-whelming. I am going to be concentrating primarily on two of them (The Red Sampler and Sampler Spree). My goal is to complete MBH3 and Sewcialites and get them quilted and off my conscience this next week.
Are any of you as impulsive about joining in on these sew-alongs as I have been? I would like to be a bit more discriminating and not join so many of them. The thing that I love about sew-alongs is the structure of the weekly block making, and the camaraderie of so many other quilters working on the same project. At this point in my life, I don't NEED any more quilts, but still enjoy the process of getting into my sewing room and working on something. The drawn-out schedule of these sew-alongs suits my needs right now, and I find I can still learn new techniques and skills as I participate.
What are your thoughts?
I haven't had quite as much time to sew as I had expected, due to my poor grand dog Remy's anxiety issues. Since we are taking care of him for a few days while his family is on vacation, we have witnessed how severe his anxiety issues are. He will go to the veterinarian on Thursday, but in the meantime, we are trying to deal with his issues and make him as comfortable as we can.
I thought at first that the poor little guy's anxiety attacks happened at dusk, but it turns out he has them any time during the day. Yesterday he began shaking and trembling and panting at 9:15 and did not stop until 2:30. It was awful. We tried to distract him with sips of water, treats, peanut butter (what dog can resist that?), and holding him securely. Nothing worked. He just had to get through it, but it took a long time. I hope when my son-in-law takes him to the vet, some solution will be offered.
The photo above is Week 3 of the Red Sampler Sew Along Lori Holt is sponsoring. I love how these blocks are turning out, but those little ones with the 3" blocks sewn in a quadrant are a real challenge!
Hope your week is going well.
I fixed it:
Have any of you heard of canine dementia? I am curious. I know a bit about dementia in humans, having had friends and relatives succumb to it. There is a symptom that is particularly interesting that is called "Sundowner Syndrome" which apparently affects not only us humans with dementia, but dogs as well.
This little guy is my daughter's dog Remy. He is a West Highland Terrier who is going on 14 years of age in December. He has some issues with arthritis in his hips, (or some other deteriorating condition of his hip joints). Other than that, he has seemed to carry on fairly well with his aging issues. Recently, however, in the late afternoon and early evening, he has started behaving strangely. He paces around in circles, seems anxious, has his tongue hanging out, and appears not at all comfortable or happy. It is as if he feels something needs to happen, but he isn't sure what that might be or how it will affect him.
It turns out that in both humans and dogs, the approach of sundown can trigger emotional, cognitive, and behavioral changes. In both humans and canines with dementia, the approach of darkness can trigger fears that they need to be somewhere (go home), or do something to wind up the day. He definitely appears to be anxious and insecure at that time.
I found that getting Remy snuggled into a warm comfortable spot seems to help. He likes being on the couch, surrounded by pillows or with me at his side cuddling up to him. It is as if he is getting the signal that we are done with our day, we are in a cozy spot, and can settle in. Most of the time it works, but at other times he just can't settle in and continues to pace around anxiously.
Here the poor little guy is. We try to hold him and comfort him, but he trembles and shakes and seems terrified. Ozzie sits at my husband's feet, worrying about his buddy. You can see out the window that it is just at sunset.
Have any of you experienced this strange symptom in your loved ones? Human or canine? Have you come up with any techniques to manage it?
Hope you all had a lovely weekend. Mine started last Thursday and lasted through Sunday. It was my birthday yesterday and I seemed to have started the celebration early. My daughter and her husband came over yesterday for a barbeque and I rounded out the meal with a mushroom leek tart. It was so easy and good I have to share how it's made. Here is the link to the recipe that inspired my version.
The original recipe calls for asparagus with the leeks, but I am not a fan, so I substituted mushrooms. This is the third time I have made this recipe and I am getting my technique down better. This time I cut the recipe in half and it was great. I have actually posted on making this tart before. Here is a link to my first effort if you would like to read that. I share more photos of the process in that post.
Here's what I did in a nutshell. I used one refrigerated pie crust, topped it with 1 cup of shredded fontina cheese. I topped the cheese with one leek and 5 or 6 mushrooms I had sauteed in 2 T. butter. I put a few dabs of ricotta cheese on top of the veggies (you could use soft mozzarella too I think). I sprinkled some thyme on top, just a little. Lastly I crimped the pie dough up and all around the filling as you would for a rustic tart. Brush the crust with egg wash. I baked it on a hot pizza stone at 450 for 18 minutes.
Refer to the recipe for detailed instructions for a tart that is double the size of mine. You could use any veggies you like and use a different cheese if you prefer. Make sure your filling isn't too "wet". The first two times I made this my bottom crust was a bit soggy, but that hot pizza stone solved that issue.
Eva is off camping this week, so I plan to get in some sewing and reading. Summer seems to be in full swing all of a sudden!
New Project! Woo hoo! I am so excited to show you my first two weeks of Lori Holt's Red Sampler Sew Along. Each week it seems we will make one 12 inch block and two 6 inch blocks. The block patterns come from three or four of her published books, so it sure helps if you have them on hand. Luckily I have collected them over time. Two weeks done and seven more to go to catch up.
The most challenging block was the one on the bottom left that consists of four 3 1/2" Churn Dash blocks. That is an easy block, but try making it in a 3 1/2" size and you might re-evaluate that opinion. There will be a number of blocks in that style throughout the quilt. Easy blocks, but made super small and connected in a quadrant. It is a fun look and I am excited to see where we are going with it.
While I made the blocks yesterday, I listened to the end of the audiobook I have been so enjoying. The Hail Mary Project by Andy Weil. Ok, this is a surprise. It is science fiction and I loved it. As a matter of fact, I like it the best of any book I have read this entire year. It will be in my top five favorites without a doubt. I URGE you to read this book. I laughed, I cried, and in the end, I was left with the happiest best feelings. I loved this book so so much. It is a book about heroism, unlikely friendships, and features a character who is the most unusual I have ever encountered in a book. Not going to spoil it for you. Just read it. Or listen to the audiobook. The narrator could not have been more perfect. And then tell me how much you loved it. You are welcome!