Fabric, Friends, and Farming

I can not believe July is almost over. There is something like 150 days until Christmas!! That is certainly closer than we think! I have been busy in the sewing room...and on the hoop...and on the frame. Since we took 6 weeks off of school (other than reading) I am finding all kinds of time. I need to make the most of it before school starts again!

Today I spent a couple hours with a friend. We went out to lunch (KFC) and then to a quilt shop. I bought the remainder of the fabrics I need for the basket quilt. Finally, I am in the home stretch.All washed, dried, and ready to cut. Now it would not be a "Brenda Quilt" if I did not have to rip at least one seam out!!That bottom green basket was too light. I thought it might be, but figured it would pass. It did not. I ripped it out of there and will replace it with a brighter pastel. Speaking of pastels....what will I do with all of these leftover fat quarters? There are a couple dozen or more. I only needed either an 8 inch square or a 5 inch square out of each one. I picked up the new July/August issue of Fons and Porter and this was on the cover....I love it!! Even I, who is not a pastel fan, could see myself making that! Next year...maybe.

I picked up a new thimble for my thumb today. I chose a leather one. It is tricky but I am not giving up!! I have been spending about half an hour to 45 minutes every morning at the frame. Most of my hand quilting time is given to the pink and brown. I finished the large section I was working on and now have moved to the final center motif...a very tedious one. Once that is done I will be working on the outside section of the quilt. A big goal to say the least.

This afternoon, Uncle Bruce came to spend several hours. Bruce is my friend Candy's brother in law. He lives with her and her husband (his brother) and has Downs Syndrome. Bruce is a year older than I am. He is the sweetest soul I have ever had the pleasure to meet. He works with my Kyle at a center for mentally handicapped adults. They ride the same bus, so Bruce jumped off at our house to wait for Candy and his brother Terry to pick him up. He watched a movie with the kids and colored at the table. He loved the spaghetti dinner made just for him...it is his favorite!

We sure enjoyed having Bruce over for dinner!

I have a garden update. Zach went out to water and I snapped a couple of pictures before he did. We have the most amazing soil here in Northern Illinois. Just look at that weed....it is flourishing!!!It is growing a foot a week!! Donetta wanted a close up of the leaves.Looks like it is getting ready to go to seed! Yikes!! Here is the stalk. It is as red as red gets!Everything else in the garden is thriving too. The cantaloupe has jumped the fence and headed out into the yard.Onions are bursting through the soil......and look how big my peppers are getting!Remember I have a brown thumb, so most of this is Zachary!

Well it is getting late and I have 5 little baskets to make before I go to bed. 4 to make a block and 1 to replace the light green one I ripped out. That should be about 3 hours of sewing time....It is after 8pm, so I need to go NOW!

Be blessed and productive!!!