SAHR - Border #1 - September

Stay-at-home-Robiners:  Get out your rotary cutter and let's get started.  Have you posted you center block on the flickr site yet?  Have you checked out the others?  It's not too late to join us.

http://www.flickr.com/groups/1711536@N20/

For our first border, we’re going to make a 3” border incorporating TRIANGLES. Stop and think of how many triangles you can find in quilting. You could do an entire border made of HST’s. Or how about some hourglass blocks? Or you can incorporate almost any star pattern. You can use 2 triangles or 100. I spend a lot of time at Google Images, and you can look there for inspiration, or also on other flickr groups.

a zigzag border made of triangles.

flying geese border

sawtooth border

prairie points

I have a plan - do you?  The next assignment will not be made until October 1, so you have plenty of time to design and sew.  Always remember, the only rule is that you have fun!

Counting my blessings ... and my borders ....  Sunny

Black Eyed Susans

The black eyed Susan is the state flower of Maryland, which is where I live.  I've always loved them.  Several years ago, I collected a few little porcelain quilts, and one of them was a black eyed Susan.  I'd love to find a pattern to make this quilt.

Last week I saw a picture of a quilt in a magazine, and knew that I must make it.  It took me about thirty seconds to decide that I would do it in the colors of black eyed Susans.  I already had some yellow fabrics, and Marianne found the perfect brown for the centers during our little shopping expedition last week.  I've been making hexies like crazy since then.  I can't stop!!  I need a total of 29.

I'd like to get them all finished, because I think I signed up for not one but TWO quiltalongs that start tomorrow.  That's in addition to my Stay at Home Robin.   Aack - what was I thinking?  Oh yeah, I was thinking about fun and about quilts, of course.

In other news, I received my September hexies today from Jan for the Inchy Swap.  They're perfect for my garden, and came with the cutest card.

beautiful flowers for my garden

How cute is this?

WooHoo!! I reached 100 followers today.  I was shocked and amazed when I got my first follower, so this makes me very happy.  I've never made being a follower a condition for any of my giveaways, as I prefer to write for people who enjoy coming here and leaving the occasional comment.  Thanks to all 100 of you.  Stay tuned as there may be a small giveaway coming to celebrate.

Counting my blessings......Sunny

Will you be next - Travelling Stash

A big ole box of stash arrived on my front porch today, and I'd like to get it back on it's way no later than Thursday.  Would you like to play?  The box is packed full of fabric, books, patterns, thread, buttons, rulers,  and on and on.  I've found a few things that will be staying at my house, and I'll replace them with others.  So what do you have to do to play?

The rules are really very easy~~

You must have a blog to participate.

Due to shipping costs, you must live in the US (a flat rate priority box is the best way to go).

And you must agree to host your own giveaway with the Traveling Stash after you have taken what you want from the box and refilled it.

Sound fair? And FUN? :-))

Just leave a comment on this post and I will announce the next lucky winner on Thursday the 1st..

 

Counting my blessings......Sunny

Bits and pieces

Pretty skies on Friday

Saturday Irene skies

I live just above the 'W' in Washington DC

We started getting some rain bands mid afternoon today.  We are just on the edge of the storm, and don't expect any damage.  We hope.  Prayers for all those who have been and will be more seriously impacted.

I made a trip to Borders today to see how the sale is going.  I wandered around for awhile and picked up a stack of books.

I believe I've mentioned a time or three that I love books.

I didn't realize the irony of my selection until I pulled these out to photograph!

I will really miss Borders.  Thank goodness for Amazon.com.

I went to an antique market on Wednesday, and bought a really cool frame.  Unfortunately, it's still in the car, and it's really raining right now, so no photo.  I did take a picture of this in the market, though.

How cool is this?

On Thursday, I met a new friend for lunch, and then we went to a new-to-me quilt store.  It was a wonderful afternoon.  My new friend is Marianne from Life @RuffHaven.  She's the first quilting blogger that I"ve met, and I just love her!  If you don't already 'know' her, pop on over to her blog for a visit. 

I saw a picture of a quilt that I really liked the other day, and it uses hexies, of all things.  I've been a hexie-making fool since then.  I think I only need 29 flowers, so it shouldn't take me too long.

Speaking of hexies, I received my August flowers from Dawn in the UK.  THe colors are beautiful, and will fit right into my flower garden.

I've noticed that I've gained a few new followers this week.   Welcome!  If you're here for the Stay At Home Robin, you can find the information on a seprate page link, listed just under my header picture.  It's not too late to join the party!  We've been working on our center blocks, and I'll be posting the first border assignment on September 1.  If you get started right away, you'll be able to catch up in no time.  If you have any questions, or need info to get to the flickr site, comment here and I'll get back to you.  Here's my center block:

I guess it's time so stop rambling now.  One last note.  I have a job interview on Thursday, so if you could say a little prayer or send some good vibes, all will be appreciated. 

Stay safe!!!!!!!!!!!!       Sunny

Wow - Earthquake!

I just felt my first earthquake!  It was centered south of Washington DC, and was very minor.  I was out sunning myself on the deck, and it was swaying!  But it's all over the TV, so I'm not able to watch any of the afternoon programs that I've become accustomed to watching.  Guess I'll have to sew.

Today's post brought to you . . .

By the color GREEN!  As hubby and I were driving down the highway over the weekend, I was amazed by the lush 'greenness' of our surroundings.  Believe me, green is not normally a color associated with August around here.  So I decided it was time to celebrate green.

Seriously, green and August are not usually used in the same sentence around here.

Green flag marks which entrance to go to at the Medical Center for the Cancer Center.

ugh...grocery shopping

All ready for my morning cup of tea

three new tomatoes!

my under-used kayak.  poor thing.

And last, but certainly not least....How about some Green trees!  Quilty green trees that is.

If you like either of these, and you know you do, you'll want to go HERE to see what Linda and Stephanie have up their sleeves for a new Quilt Along!  there's still plenty of time to get signed up, and you'll have a lovely quilt in plenty of time for Christmas.

Counting my blessings.....Sunny

Stay at Home Robiners

Well, ladies, how is everyone doing with their center block?  I only see one posted on the flickr site so far.  I had to go back to the drawing board for mine, but my goal is to have it posted by tomorrow night. 

If you haven't joined the site yet, or introduced yourself, come on over!!

I just went looking for a little more inspiration and here are a few images that speak to me.

What design is speaking to you??  It's not too late to join the fun.  If you'd like more information, click on the tab just under my header photo. 

See you aRound!    Sunny

Busy Friday

Wednesday night, hubby told me that he had made plans for us to go out to dinner with friends on Friday night.  Yeah!  He's feeling well enough to go out, and I don't have to cook!!  In the back of my mind, I'm thinking It's FNSI, but that's okay, because I usually stay up pretty late, so I can still get a lot done.  On Thursday night, he mentions that he had also invited said friends over to the house after dinner.   I'm thinking, but it's FNSI!  So I got up early and sewed most of the day on Friday.  I did some cutting and stitching, and then took  a break for this.

This is what the highway looked like at approximately 12:40 on Friday afternoon.  Fairly typical.

Here it is again at 1:15:

And for the next 25 minutes:

As soon as they started coming through (they had congregated at a nearby shopping center for lunch and fuel, and were just starting out again), there was a minor three-car accident in the opposing lanes, and traffic started backing up.  I was very glad I was watching from an overhead bridge instead of sitting in traffic.  The ride is in remembrance of 9/11, and was the 10th annual ride.  There are usually a couple hundred participants, but with this being the 10th anniversary, over 2600 motorcycles participated.  From our local newspaper:

HAGERSTOWN, MD - Thousands of motorcycles roared through Western Maryland Friday, honoring the lives lost in the terrorist attacks on September 11th.
The 10th annual America's 9/11 Ride started early Friday morning in Somerset, Pennsylvania, and the riders are expected to reach Arlington Friday evening.
The motorcyclists took a break at Hagerstown's Premium Outlets around noon. They traveled from Shanksville, where United Flight 93 crashed on September 11th. A memorial ceremony was held in Shanksville Thursday night.
The riders will be heading to the Pentagon next. From there, they'll travel to New York and make a final stop at Ground Zero.

It was an awesome sight.

Back home, I got Fiona humming again, and this is what we produced, some before dinner and some after.

The same idea will work for 2 swaps/exchanges, so why not make 2 at one time.  Leftover fabric was already on the sewing table from Spools quilt.

Bee blocks, will be headed to Portugal!

Hmmmm....three little gifties!

And I cannot tell a lie.  I stitched while our guests were here.

A flower for a friend.  And because my computer takes forEVER to upload pics to blogger, I've nearly finished a second flower while writing this post.

So what did YOU get accomplished for FNSI?

Counting my blessings......Sunny