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Archive of entries posted on 14th May 2009

A Wee Window Visitor

14 May 2009, 6:56 pm

This is my favorite view this time of year — my kitchen window with a flowering crab tree right outside.  I end up shooting my pictures through the blinds so I don’t startle the birds that may stop for a rest in our little tree.  And I don’t think we’ve ever had prettier flowers than we’ve had this year:

beewindow

beetree

The birds are either avoiding this tree or have found better spots to hang out for the time being.  (Maybe if I started offering a Happy Hour. . .)  So I’m reduced to taking pictures of whoever stops by:beeinflight

 

bee1

 

bee2

 

beeinflower

Here he’s gathering pollen on his hairy legs.  I’m amazed that you can see the hair on his body and how gossamer his wings are.

Sue

Filed under Out My Window.
2 Comments

A Quilting Entry!!!

14 May 2009, 11:14 am

I know, I know, you were starting to think this was a birding blog.  I have been sewing, and have decided to share a few pictures. 

I did the final touches on the neat-o bag that some of us did last month.  This is The Big Bag Theory by Penny Sturges; pattern found in McCall’s Quilting, Beautiful Patterns for your Home, April 2009.  This is an awesome bag, and one that I know I will be using.  My only modification I made was to add the ties to the sides to hold it together a little better and give it a nicer shape (if only I could do the same for me).  The ties can be loosened for more room, for example, while shopping at a quilt show.  I LOVE this bag.

bagfinished

Another task completed is our guild’s BOM for May’s meeting.  This is Cross Within a Cross, and all the blocks I’m doing have a sprinkling of metallic gold in the Asian fabrics.  We are doing twelve blocks.  I have a chocolate-brown blender fabric set aside for the sashings.

plq-bom-may

Remember the jacket I was embellishing, and wasn’t quite happy with how it was coming together — actually how it was NOT coming together?  Sandi A. said it needed rick-rack, and darn it anyhow, I knew she was right.  So I took the collar back off (the ONLY thing that was DONE!!!), and redid the collar.  I borrowed Betty’s yo-yo maker and did the flower with a yo-yo center with some gloppy looking beading (I hope Niece Julie doesn’t read this, as she is an expert beader and I’m anything but).  Took off some fabric I added under the pocket on the left side, and kept the covered pocket flap on the right.  (And I had some other nice comments too — the buttons I am stuck with as they are the riveted-on type; I still may cut off the cuffs and replace them with the burgundy fabric if I can get another piece of it.)  And ta-dah!  It’s as good as it’s going to get.  It’s officially in the “done” pile.  Here’s a “before” and an “after” pic:

jacket00021

jacket

 

jacketclose

Wasn’t Sandi right about the rick-rack though?  I think it really sets off the collar.  Thanks, Sandi!  (This was a purchased $7 clearance jacket originally.)

Thanks for visiting!

Sue

Filed under Quilting.
4 Comments