And just like that we are near the end of July!

Wow - the month of July passed really fast! I don't have much to show for my time but I've really kept busy. Physical Therapy takes up a lot of my time. My body is stronger but the pain isn't much better. I think that I'm adapting better though. We've also enjoyed some of our grandsons' baseball games and soccer matches. I've put up a lot of produce - both freezing and dehydrating. The sewing room hasn't seen much action but I do have two quilts ready for binding.

The husband of the dear friend I lost in May called me a while ago. Colleen had purchased a Baby Lock Evolution last year. It was brand new and still in the box. Her husband offered it to me for an extremely reasonable price. The machine is discontinued and I'm thinking Colleen purchased it at a good price so I didn't feel like I was taking advantage. Anyway we went to pick up the machine and her husband also had lots of fabric for me to go through. He said he was just beginning to clean out her sewing room and he would be calling me as he worked his way through more fabric. 

I came home with the following:

I love this panel.

And I loved this one too!

These 5 two-yard pieces came with a pattern - it was a mystery quilt.

These little Moda kits were each in a cute tin.

The quilts I make with this fabric, will be donated in Colleen's name.

As for the new serger, it is fantastic!

I spent a little time each day for about a week getting to know it. It is an amazing machine and I love it!

My old serger (which is encroaching on the left side of the  picture above) is on its way to our oldest granddaughter and we are transporting it! We are on our way to see our oldest son and his family - we'll meet them in Virginia again and spend a week together. Ray and I enjoy traveling and seldom go directly to destinations anymore. We are taking our time and seeing some new things and enjoying some of our old favorites along the way. 

We are stopping at fabric stores but I am trying to control my purchases - I don't have much room for more fabric!

Keeping busy and a finish

Life has been a rather busy around here. We've had a few appointments, many ballgames, LOTS of strawberries and zucchini to put up for some good eating this winter, and a little quilting.

I bought the Patriotic Door Banner kit in Kalona, Iowa, earlier this summer. It was quick and easy to put together. The pattern has instructions to make the pattern as a pillow turn with no quilting. I chose to quilt the banner and to use a binding (blue on the blue/white part and red on the striped part). The banner is 15 by 46 inches. 

 

I used 40-wt Glide thread - #70001 Cardinal for the red stripes, #10WG1 Linen for the blue/white area, the white stripes, and the entire back. I stippled the blue/white area.

The stripes are horizontally stippled (vertically). 

The backing from my stash, is a fabric similar to the blue stars on the front.

The banner is in use - hanging on the porch by our back door.

Here is a current picture of my design wall. Kite Flight is together and needs to be quilted.

I've recently made strawberry shortcake, strawberry cobbler,   strawberry pie, strawberry sauce, strawberry jam, and strawberry muffins. We ate all of the shortcake and I froze most everything else (we did have to sample a few things). The muffins are a new recipe and taste a lot like scones.

This past week, I also froze zucchini and zucchini cobbler. I'm making zucchini pie today (it's in the oven). It's a lot like sugar cream pie. Some will be frozen but we will eat some too - it's a favorite! Zucchini bread/muffins are coming.

I also froze some shell peas and we enjoyed eating pea pods, cabbage, cauliflower and baby red potatoes. The Amish farmers who supply most of our produce told us there should be beans this next week and more. I do love the fresh produce of summer!

To my Canadian friends, Happy Canada Day!

And to my US friends, Happy 4th of July!