There and Back Again

The last two weeks were spent on an extended road trip from Central Texas to Monterey, California.  We had not planned on a long trip this year, but the stars aligned in such a way that it was meant to happen.  Hubby was suffering from a major case of cabin fever after rehabbing from knee surgery that included some setbacks.  The second week in August was coming up and in our area, that means lots of noise and traffic congestion for the annual motor boat races.  And a relative had taken a tumble resulting in a broken leg and we wanted to see her (it had been 12 years).  So, off we went.

Needless to say, no sewing machine work happened, but I did invest quite a bit of time working on my Edyta Sitar project.  The second row of rosettes is now anchored to the center.  I will need A LOT more neutral hexies, but I’m ready to start placing the outer row of rosettes.  I love it when I can begin to see real progress on a project.

Other than the pounds I gained largely due to this and other indulgencies…..

This is the only souvenir to come home with me.  I'll look pretty classy while walking the doggies in my pink Pebble Beach hat!

Monterey has some fabulous scenery.  

I think you could make just about anything grow there if you stick it in the dirt and give it some water.  These were in a planter by the parking lot and I love the way the fresh colors play together.

This will be a very busy week on the home front.  Not only will we be in recovery mode from the trip, but I will be prepping for our Guild’s annual retreat next week.  

Hot Weather Equals Quilting Weather

It would be an exaggeration to say we’ve been sheltering in place the last few weeks, but it has certainly been hot enough for us to limit activities during the hottest part of the day.  I’ve been using the time to push forward on my ongoing projects.

I’ve started playing around with the layout of the second row of rosettes in my Handful of Scraps quilt. 

I’ll need many more neutral hexagons and that has been my focus in the evenings while Bob watches dance, Alaska and Ninja Warrior programs on television.

I’ve also been working on bow tie units and blocks.  The units in the container are made with darker fabrics and will be used in the border.  I estimate I’ve made about half of what I need for the border.

I’m very grateful to my quilting buddies who have generously saved scraps for me.  I find a new pile almost every Tuesday when I join the group.