A little quilt show and August mini

 Greetings my dear bloggers!  Hope you are enjoying these last weeks of summer.  Can't believe Labor Day is next week.

I was not able to get much sewing done but I did manage to make two cute washcloths for my grandkids in Virginia!  So I'm calling them my August minis!

One turned out way too large and I didn't care for the yarn.  The second one was getting much too big so I finished it and folded it over and closed the edges up!

This wound up looking Christmassy, which wasn't my plan.  My grandson loves red so that was what I saw when it was all wound up!

This second one is fun.

Both patterns are on Ravelry.  I am going to use the leftover yarn and whip up a couple of others before I leave Virginia.  My grandkids love playing with the washcloths I've knitted over the years.  I'm always the one giving baths to all the kids so knitting them washcloths is entirely appropriate!

Before I came to Virginia last week, I managed to stop by a very small cute quilt show and thoroughly enjoyed it.  Here were my favorites.  Some of the quilting was really well done; not in the sense that it was over-the-top at all!

I thought the piecing on this was really interesting.

This was one block from a quilt with 9 blocks.  I was very impressed with the quilting.

This modern little quilt was awesome and I took a close-up to show the quilting.

I think a closer look reveals that she changed her pattern for each part of the circles.

I also liked this version of a string quilt.  Very random but effective.

On another note, I love to read and just finished a book that I was sorry was over.  Know what I mean?  It's called The Rose Code by Kate Quinn.  Highly recommend it.

I'm flying back to Central Oregon next week where I'm hoping to get lots of kayaking done before the cool weather and fall sets in!  

Have a great week!

xxx

More 6" blocks done

 It's mid-August already.  YIKES

I did finally finish the Sampler Spree blocks that were navy and I enjoyed all of them (I left out the boat, which really didn't speak to me).  I am being very liberal with my alternating colors since this quilt will have many colors.

I've  started the next week's blocks, which are supposed to be coral and purple.  I''m using lavenders and don't have many coral fabrics. Oh well.  I think I'm on week 7 and we are on week 9 already.  Just a little behind.

My granddaughter came to stay with us this weekend and she always enjoys playing with my pins and arranging them in a pin cushion!  This weekend she wanted to play with a variety of the pins and pin cushions and I am always amazed at her creativity.  She turns 9 on Tuesday.  She has been using my Shawnee glass collection this time.  She also seems to enjoy drawing donuts a lot!! ;-)

I went to the local Barnes & Noble bookstore on Friday and came across this adorable book which I really enjoyed reading.  It's a kid's book and I don't think my grandkids would necessarily enjoy it.  I certainly did.  I may have to go back and buy it!

Hope you are all enjoying the last part of summer!

Can it really be fall?

 I know I suggested fall by my July mini but I noticed two trees in the last couple of days where the leaves are already turning!!  This is one of my Japanese Maples -- it's probably one of my favorite trees and I have many!  I was really surprised to see these leaves already orange!

And then on my walk yesterday, I saw this tree!

I am hoping for many more warm days to kayak up in Central Oregon when I get back in early September!

Here's a funny tale!  My new puppy seems to love grabbing my fabrics and running around the house with them!  It's pretty annoying and I have to hide all loose pieces. Let me tell you that he's FAST!  We keep his leash attached so it's possible to grab him when he's running around!

We had him neutered two weeks ago and I'm anxious to see him calming down!  He's a very sweet dog but so strong!! 

Hope you're having a great week. I'm working on my Sampler Spree blocks!  These are some of the navy blocks--I'm two weeks behind but it's not a race, right??  It's really kind of an interesting process--the blocks are pretty basic but are a little different.  I'm enjoying this.  Not sure how they'll all go together since the colors are all over the place.