More slow summer days of stitching...

Being so relaxed is just wonderful!  One more Celestial Star was made.  I think it is my favorite so far.

Here they are all together.  I plan to make a total of 9, so five more to go.  They really do take a long time.  I love the secondary pattern in the open space created from using two different background fabrics.

Two barns done - check

One church done and another close to done- check

Color My World might actually get finished in the next few weeks.

Everything looks and smells so good after the rain.  Here are some photos of my back yard and our horses leisurely eating their dinner.

The first crop of the neighbor's hay is cut, bailed, and mostly hauled with another crop in the back getting sprinkled.  I love the mountains in the background and the solace of living here.

 I have been reading quite a bit.  Some are book club picks while others are recommendations from friends and family.  These are my 2023 book finishes.

Favorites on this list:  

• The Moonlight Child by Karen McQuestion
• Someone Else's Shoes by Jojo Moyes (great book but the F-bom used way too much for my taste)
• The Selection Series by Kiera Cass (a cross between the bachelor and hunger games)

These are the ones I am currently reading.

"The Life of Elizabeth I" is educational; I am reading it very slowly.

Learning to Love Isaiah:  I am using this as a study companion to help me understand Isaiah better.  It is a very very slow read by nature of the topic.

God Will Prevail - I haven't picked this one up in months.

Goodnight Beautiful - such a cool book!!!  Slow at first, but now I cannot put it down.  This read is very unpredictable.  I nearly didn't listen past the first chapter due to some sexual content.  Nothing that bad occurred since.

I would love for my fellow readers out here to join me on Goodreads.com where we can share books we read.

Celestial Star Progress and more...

 I completed two more Celestial Star blocks this week. I am honestly surprised at how much time they take.  I still plan to outline embroider the elephants to help them stand out.

I also completed another exchange block. 

Not having been truly happy with my border on Tulip Winnings,  I took them off and added a white border before the red one.  I like it much better.

Before

After. You can see the backing fabric I chose.  It is all about friendship which was the quilt retreat theme where I won the blocks.  I love it!

Been enjoying the grands again this week...

Quilting Friends Retreat: Classes

Much is needed to still post so I am gradually getting it logged.  Stay tuned for more over the next couple of weeks.

At this retreat they have classes.  I kind of prefer retreats that don't because I enjoy just sewing on my UFOs rather than starting new projects.  I will say, however, it really is fun to see several ladies make the same quilt in different fabrics.  The classes make that happen.

I took a foundation paper piecing class.  I am already a pretty accomplished paper piecer; however, we can ALWAYS learn something new.  My take away from this class is that you can buy newsprint paper at Amazon and run it through your printer.  I ordered some and received it yesterday.  I really love paper piecing on newsprint because it eliminates a piecing step for me.  When I use regular copy paper, I like to score the paper on the sew lines with the back side of an old seam ripper.  It makes for perfect folding on the lines and the paper comes out so easily.  With newsprint there is no need for scoring because the paper folds more easily and comes out easily as well.

Here is my first block nearly done!  I intentionally did not sew up the ends of the wedges because I am going to add a couple of fabric pieces to the corners.  I won't know which corners to add them to until I make all the blocks and decide on the arrangement I like.  I am appliqueing the little elephants in the centers of the blocks and will be adding some hand embroidery to highlight them better.  I want to do the same in the corners of four blocks assembled together.  The fabric I wish to add to the corners will frame the elephant circles.

I am alternating between two different background fabrics in order to create a secondary design when the blocks come together.  Another new thing for me is using , in my mind, wild and unusual fabrics together.  Lately I have been drawn to quilts described as such.  I have mixed batiks, Tula Pink, country, and a solid to try my hand at it.  We shall see if I can pull it all together in the end.

I also took a EPP class.  The teacher, Robyn, is a retired school teacher and did an exceptional job.  She went over the best needles and threads to use as well as glue and a variety of ways you can create your own or purchase templates and papers.

My last post showed this cute little travel pouch Robyn made us to get us started on EPP.  She had us sew the little hexagon together on top and hand appliqued it at the class.  

I am displaying it on top of my Tulip Market Quilt that is all pinned and ready to assemble.  More on that later.

When you open it up, there are little EPP storage pockets.  She gave us all of these items inside our pouches to get us started.  I am so excited!

Here is a close up to show the brands and items she likes to use.

Here is a book Robyn had at the class that I want to buy.

Another cool take away from this class was a long time quilt friend, Peggy, let me use her sewing glasses in the EPP class. Wowzer!  I went straight out and purchased a pair just for EPP and hand sewing.  I could see to do it with my contacts, but that little extra really brought everything in nice and clear.

My zoom friends like to do EPP when we get together because it makes sewing and talking very simple.  While in Australia, both Chooky and Kylie showed me their tips and tricks for EPP as well.  I have been trying to decide which EPP project I want to undertake.

Here is Kylie's EPP project that I fell in love with.  I am leaning toward doing this one.

Here is a photo of a finished EPP quilt that I fell in love with while at the Baradine show n tell night done in the same pattern.  If anyone remembers who made this one, please let me know.  I want to say it was someone sitting by kylie like maybe Diane or Annette or Natasha.

My zoom friends showed me this pattern by Sue Daley Designs I can use to make it.  They say it is very similar to the Australian designer's pattern.

This is the EPP project that Chooky and some of the ladies are doing.  I am also contemplating doing this one.  It is called Miss Elizabeth by Cherry Pie designs.

Side note: here is a photo of our latest zoom session!  They all make me smile.  I should have taken more photos as others came in and out while I was on including my sister.

The other class I took was on designing your own fabric.  I am super excited about this one and want to give it a go this summer.  The teacher showed us how to purchase graphic art online to use in our designs.  I have already been to Etsy buying up some things.

This was not a class, but I was shown a new, cute, and easy way to do a machine binding.  I am going to try it soon.  There is always something new to learn from someone even if you have been quilting for as long as I have - over 25 years!