The Endless Summer Begins!

      I love the summer! The smell of mown grass, the long days, and cookouts.. the weather is finally acting the part--we had a blistering hot day of 85 after barely getting out of the 60s all spring. I intend to spend half a day in my garden and half sewing for the next three months-- Nirvana. 

     On the sewing front, I decided to shake up the project mix-- moving some things to the back burner and starting up some fresh work. While being loyal to one project is good in theory, I just don't think my brain is wired for it. To continue the kitchen metaphor, by "back burner" I hope these projects are still simmering-- I am NOT wrapping them up and putting them in the freezer. Just a little slower for the summer. 

     First up, Prairie Meadow. When I read my past blog posts on this, I laugh-- it's been love/hate for quite a while now. I am committed to finish-- I do have 8 blocks done. I am just driving myself crazy trying to do one every three weeks, every two weeks, every four weeks... it needs a rest. Maybe I'll just try for two more blocks over the summer and two in the fall. I’m giving up the "on my bed, by my birthday" idea. It's not worth the stress.

     I slow walked the charm basket table runner, deciding on a Memorial Day release. I love this design and could go on stitching it for quite awhile. While I resisted the Summer Memories basket quilt-a-long, I think I was subliminally making it my own. So here’s my patriotic color scheme. 

     The project didn't even make a dent in my two Lori Holt "Bee Plaid" charm packs and used only 25 squares. But I love this piece, and I'd love to make a red version for Christmas, with more Christmas-y flowers.

     I did start working on Christmas designs, but haven't gotten much further than sketches-- so many ideas are buzzing around my head. I'd love a Zen Christmas tree, with all the Christmas tree varieties listed around it-- "White Pine," "Frasier Fir," maybe "Artificial" for laughs! We definitely need more cross stitch this Christmas as well. Redo "St. Petersburg Christmas" in a cross stitch window? I'd love to.  Next we need July bowl fillers and also the Summer bowl fillers will complete the set of four seasons, so those are also high on my list for now.

    

     For a new hand stitching project, I caved and bought this cute Fat Quarter Shop Fourth of July ornament book for their Red, White, and June Stitch Along, and it's my first time using the gorgeous Classic Colorworks threads.

     I wasn't planning on doing a ton of cross stitch this year, but I find it totally relaxing first thing in the morning or last thing at night. I really don't have a ton of summer décor, either. The designs are 28 x 28 and stitch up really fast. (No, not as fast as machine embroidery!)  I already finished up one-- this is "Benjamin's Kite" and started this yummy pie-- and it's not even June yet! 

     I did also get the sticky circles and tin pieces to complete them. I'm not making any goals or projections on how many I'll get done by so and so a date-- this is getting to be a bad habit and a creativity crusher for me!

    I did finish my first Pressed Flower block and the crazy meadow table runner from the last post just in time to walk out to the mailbox and get the May Sew Sampler box! 

     This month has a half layer cake of Fig Tree's Fruit Cocktail fabric. I love Fig Tree fabric, but just didn't buy this collection because it's straying too much from the usual cream-peach-green colorway that I love. 

     Also, I’d have loved a pattern with fruit in it, but what we got was a house-- a house with really big pieces. I do small pieces.

    After last month's foray into far left field, I want a project this month that I like more... and something that finally fits one of my tables! So this is my all time, favorite ever table runner-- (it's on my coffee table right now.)  Perfect fit, huh!

     I made it in about 2002 from this Thimbleberries book:

     I'm not sure if I still have this book, but I just loved it. I am considering buying it again. (I've done this before, and when I do, I usually end up with two copies.) So this was actually my first project on the fabulous 180E Bernina I purchased used on eBay, little knowing the E was for Embroidery Module and that my entire life was about to change direction. I also started sewing a lot more again at this point in my life.

     The table runner is obviously for Christmas, but it's still on my table. So for the May Sew Sampler fabric, I am going to somewhat re-create the design, but make fruit blocks all around the outside with the checkered center. I'll start by making 20 fruit blocks and will figure out the rest of the layout as I go. Then I don't have to have a coffee table "Christmas in July" anymore! I'd love to make spring and fall versions of that table runner, too. It's an old friend to me.

      I already made a sample fruit block, but this project is going to be a killer to finish in the 3 weeks I have left before June's box shows up. I'm going to try hard-- I have five beautiful projects from these boxes this year so why quit now. I've already looked out some extra greens and some cream backgrounds from other Fig Tree fabric I have, because I don't want to spend a ton of extra money this month, either.

The Pressed Flower Block 2 is also very cute.

    And, of course, I purchased the Liberty Box-- feeling a bit under pressure just thinking about all of this. We'll see what happens! Here's my February tablerunner up on my picnic table for Memorial Day just as I imagined it-- what could be more encouraging than that.

So that's the state of affairs as Summer 2023 begins!

I hope you are all poised to enjoy every minute,
doing what you love.

xox

Carol