As you probably have noticed, I took a few weeks off of writing my blog to spend some time with visiting family. I always intended to get back to my computer at the end of each day to get back in touch with you, but after cleaning up from the days activities, getting food ready for a crowd the next day, not to mention…garden duty, I would head off to bed and another day would go by without a blog post.
We are in the middle of an extreme heat and humidity event here in MN this week so after I go outside at sunrise to water my flower pots and do the daily maintenance the yard requires, I go back inside for the day. I treat this kind of a day as “summer blizzard”. Yesterday, I spent the remainder of the day in my sewing room which is on the lower level of the house and even cooler. It was a wonderful day. I didn’t get one thing completed but did lots of sorting, organizing and cleaning and started to accumulate fabrics for 3 projects. I can’t wait to go down today and get started by sewing the binding on two quilts so I have hand work for tonight. It sounds like a “blizzard” is forecast for the remainder of the week.
I am in the middle of working on a new book for Landauer Publishing. I have published many books with them over the years, many of which had a lifestyle bent to them as well as quilting projects. This one is going to be a little different. It will feature traditional quilt designs udsing traditional quilt blocks with my fabrics and the same quilt blocks made from the modern fabrics from Cotton+Steel, a division of RJR Fabrics. I am convinced a good quilt design works for both and the most important thing for any quilter, new or experienced, is that the instructions be clear and well written. Thimbleberries has always set the standard for excellent instructions, and this book will be no exception. It has been a lot of fun reworking my designs to showcase a new look. My home is still firmly planted in the traditional “lane”, but the quilt world is big and there is room for all color and fabric preferences. The modern ones are so different that in some cases it it had to believe the basic quilt block is the same. I am on my way this morning to pick up two of them. I can’t wait to see them quilted and bound. I always consider binding like whipped cream and a cherry on a dessert. Here is a glimpse of a few I have completed with traditional fabrics.
Here’s what is blooming in my garden this month. Some of the perennial blooms come and go quite quickly. Mid July often has the most color in my garden and it is the toughest to keep looking good….lot of dead heading and trimming to do as well as the ever present weed management. That does drop off a bit though as the plants get larger. However, daily watering is required when it is this hot the plants get big. I plant a few pots of Coleus that I can move around the garden areas to add color where needed. The add a lot of color and do not need deadheading except for the rare tiny blossom now and then. It helps bridge the gap between blooming times of various perennials and bushes.
Here is a view from my sewing room last winter when a real blizzard was in the forecast. I guess my sewing room is where I head to on those days that I should just stay inside. Stay cool.
