August and Elizabeth is in Milwaukee

 Thank goodness for USPS tracking that let me know my quilt "Elizabeth, My Almost Perfect Cat" arrived in Milwaukee safely to wait to appear in The Great Wisconsin Quilt Show 2020 Virtual Experience--a joint venture of PBS Wisconsin and Nancy Zieman Productions, LLC. The event will be September 10-12, 2020, and can be seen at this link. 

The real Elizabeth is unaware that the quilt is no longer on the wall, as long as she can get my undivided attention occasionally.

I have been doing some repair on a very old quilt, using fabric and parts from a second quilt for the repairs. This involved frequent threading of a needle for hand stitching. You have seen tools that look like a gimmick. . . well, this little jewel is one of those, but it works like a charm. 

Place needle in needle slot, thread across thread slot

Press down on lever

Voila! Lift threaded needle out and pull thread through

The two quilts show evidence of lots of use, love, spills, stains, perhaps even some dog teeth, and washing. One was in such poor condition that it could be cut up for repairing the other one. The outcome certainly doesn't look pristine and new, but it can be passed on to another generation in this family. The first picture is the worst quilt. The other pictures are of the quilt with pieces being replaced.

The older quilt, for cutting up

Repairs underway

Replacing a bonnet and background

Meanwhile, there was lots of sleeping going on. But I had to wait for their naps to get anything accomplished.

Rahrah keeping me from reading

Tarbaby on garage floor

Finishing up new quilts (quilting and binding) is much easier than working on old ones! 

Elizabeth is Going on a Trip

My quilt Elizabeth, My Almost Perfect Cat, was a joy to make, and it is the focal point in my living room. It was shown and won ribbons in Pine Belt Quilters and Gulf States Quilting Association's 2018 shows and South Mississippi Art Association's show. I took it with me to Gatlinburg when I attended a class at Arrowmont and showed it to my teacher and classmates.
When I saw announcements that the Great Wisconsin Quilt Show for 2020 would be a virtual one I decided to enter it since Elizabeth could stay at home and appear online in the show. I filled out entry forms and sent photos for this quilt plus another and was pleased that they were both juried into the show.

Elizabeth, My Almost Perfect Cat

Elizabeth on my wall

Interleave Symphony

Wait!!! When I read the acceptance letters I saw that the quilts still must be mailed in for photographing. I spent a week wondering if I really wanted people to see Elizabeth badly enough for me to pack her up in a box and mail her to Wisconsin.

Okay, I will be praying for safe travel while the quilts are gone. The virtual show will be available September 10-12, 2020, at this link: Great Wisconsin Quilt Show 2020.  There will be vendors, demos, as well as the quilt exhibit. 

July and Church Online

Quarantining was easier before the high 90s took some of the joy out of being outdoors. I still enjoy watering the flowerbeds, and on days without rain this is a high priority. The milkweed pods are bursting open--so much fun to see the neat little seeds lined up and then flying in the breeze. My hydrangeas are lush and green but without any blooms; the zinnias are getting closer to blooming and I still cannot bear to thin them. Coleus is one of my favorites. My tiny tomatoes have produced about a dozen; so I go to the farmer's market once a week.

Although I don't have any trouble staying at home, my creativity seems to be dormant. But I enjoyed working on these Color Blocks. They are 12" x 12" with different stitch patterns in each of the quadrants. Once I decided on thread color and what to stitch in each section, I felt a sense of order and calm and control--a welcome relief after the troubling news of rising COVID numbers and unrest and lawlessness.

I have also enjoyed making clergy stoles for my pastors. We miss being in church together, but it is wonderful that our staff have been making our services available online. We have learned how to have Zoom small group meetings and watch sermons on YouTube.  University Baptist Church 

Things I Enjoyed in June

Things I enjoyed this month: flying my American flag on Flag Day on June 14 and Juneteenth. Seeing people visit the cemetery across the street from my house. Some bring flowers; some stand a few moments; some sit on a bench or on the ground. It is very moving to think about their stories.

I have enjoyed taking care of plants in my flowerbed and yard. Here is an interesting find in the grass. A friend identified it as Polygala nana, and Wikipedia supplied "commonly known as candyroot or low bachelors' buttons." I tried moving some to a shady spot in the flowerbed before it was mowed but it doesn't seem to be happy there. 

My oregano has been growing so profusely that I had to trim and pull up lots of roots. I shared with several friends and have a sack drying some for cooking. 

I have planted zinnia seeds in several places and they are coming up like weeds. Instructions say to thin out some, but I can't bring myself to pull up any. 

Elizabeth was an ever-present helper as I finished my Shared Fiber Art piece for Rena Krol, who loves leaves like I do. 

The latest puzzle is finished. Placing white paper under it was a great help working on my dark wood dining room table.

My last Shared Fiber Art piece in our Southern Fiber Artists exchange was for Leanne Green. I combined some of the quilted green damask I had made stoles for my co-pastors for with a deconstructed piece containing painting, inking, and machine and hand embroidery. It is titled Only God Can Make a Tree. 

Breakfast with a Friend and a New Puzzle

The nicest thing happened to me this week. A friend called saying she had been missing me and would I like to come over for breakfast on her back patio. What a treat to sit down across a table with a dear friend and enjoy flowers, birds, fellowship. Then she sent me home with the sunflowers from the table. This was my view above the sink all week.  Things definitely look brighter viewed through flowers!

There is a new puzzle on the table to tempt me to while away some more time when it is too hot outside to go for a walk. Elizabeth is ready to help. After she greets a squirrel friend looking in the window.

There has also been some stitching going on, most of it involving leaves and leaf patterns. I love to use saved caladium leaves for artwork.