Saturday, July 29, 2017

Where did June and July Go???

I really suck at blogging lately, huh?  I don't mean to, but I hate booting up my old laptop... which doesn't hold a charge well anymore...so it's usually dead...it's just such an ordeal!! UGH!!  If I could post to my blog with photos on my iPad or iPhone, I'd post a whole lot more often...but Blogger doesn't play nice that way!! I therefore really understand why so many blogs have been closed as folks can easily post on Facebook or Instagram.  Anyhoo, life goes on, right? Thanks for sticking around!!


Ok, so I'll try to catch you up on stuff now!  First off, my whole family, hubby, both sons, wife, grandson and fiancee, we all went on a two week cruise. 

(The steps from the Game of Thrones "Walk of Shame" episode in Dubrovnik.)

that started in Venice, then went down around Italy, Croatia, Montenegro, Malta, Sicily, and back up the other side ending in Rome. 


The best part by far, was having the family all together for that long!!  The fact that the ship caught the Noro virus was not so fun... but the worst part was Italy in the summer with NO AC in Venice or Rome in the two airBNB's we rented that both advertised being air conditioned.  


Younger folk can handle the heat and sun, but I can't.  I was miserable.  Soooo very happy to be home with my wonderfully air conditioned home. 


Now, on to summer sewing, right?  I had in mind to spend the summer going through my stash of scraps and cutting them into usable shapes... like Bonnie Hunter does...have I done this?  NOPE!  Sigh... cutting is by far my LEAST favorite part of the quilting process...  what's yours?
   Well, I am happy to tell you that I did WIN the first prize for our guild UFO contest!  Woo hoo!!  Here are some of those completed UFO's!!


I finished my Lori Holt Cozy Christmas Sewalong quilt!  It was fun to do, for sure!  But, AFTER piecing the top, AFTER having it professionally quilted, AFTER binding and labeling it, a friend pointed out that there was a big mistake in it! See the bottom right block- the star points are flipped!  Grrrr!


Too bad!!  I wasn't gonna rip it out to fix it!!  Sigh!


Next, I finished this flannel quilt kit I bought from Keepsake over a year ago!  The pattern is called "Over and Under"


It is super warm and heavy, being all made from the Woolies flannel collection!


I really love it!  It will be wonderful for those cold November nights!


I finished this rail fence quilt made from jelly rolls. 


I really love making traditional blocks with modern fabrics, don't you?


The fabric collection used is called Type, and is several years old by now!


I also finished a quilt for my dear Mother.  My maiden name is Bond, and I have three sisters, so when I saw this pattern, called BFF Forever,  at our  local quilt show a few years ago, I knew it would be a perfect gift for my Mother!!


I named it "The Bond Girls", and selected the fabrics and colors according to us girls!!


I'm the one with the black and white saddle oxfords, my sister Sally is wearing the red cowboy boots, my sister Cyndy is the girly girl with the white tights and black Maryjane shoes, and my sister Patty is the garden girl with the flowers on her dress, tan legs and brown shoes.


My 94 year old Mother loves it and has it on the wall in her bedroom!!  I am so happy I could finish it and gift it to her!


I finished my two year stint as the president of our local quilt guild and the lovely ladies presented me with a gorgeous President quilt at our June meeting.


Made of all color drenched batiks, it is simply stunning!!


And instead of having the members sign on their blocks, they signed on another piece of light fabric, and a dear friend sewed them into a little book for me!


How clever, right?  I was so very humbled by their generosity and hard work!!


Well, I just finished another quilt two days ago, but I want to save it for next time!!  I'm participating in my local quilt shop's, Oh Sew Persnickety, first sewalong, and doing the blocks from my Halloween stash!  I am SOOOOOO tired of summer and ready for AUTUMN!!  Aren't you????


Well, Yogi is still with us!  He doesnt like the heat of summer either, and spends most of his days inside where the AC is nice and cool!!  We both want to know how you spent the summer, so far?  Did you make something super fun?  


17 comments:

  1. No fun trips for me this summer, but I have done quite a bit of sewing. Your family vacation looked like it was wonderful in spite of the norovirus and lack or AC. The designer of BFF Forever did a trunk show at our local guild. She lives in western SD. I have that pattern along with her round snowman pattern, but haven't made either of them yet. Yours turned out beautiful.

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  2. Missed your blogging but looks like you still been sewing. Such great finishes. It has been hot here too and I like to stay in. Keep on quilting.

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  3. Love your Over and Under quilt. The colors are more vibrant than in the catalog. I went to quilt retreat last week and got a lot accomplished. Otherwise, not so much this summer. Going to quilt Monday with a group from guild for the president's quilt; love yours.

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  4. How refreshing to read your blog post. Your quilts are so beautiful and I especially love the batik quilt and the corresponding booklet idea, such a keepsake. I can sympathise with you wishing summer to be over, as I too hate the summer heat, but here in Tasmania, Aus it is winter time and we are barely reaching 10degC most days even if the sun does shine. So while you are wishing for Autumn, I am wishing for Spring.

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  5. Looks like you and your family had a great time in Italy. You finihsed quite a bit in your sewing room I must confess I'm way better at starting things then at finishing them. Tell Yogi HI from me and hope you have a great summer!

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  6. Missed your posts Polly.
    What a wonderful holiday with your WHOLE family. Such cute photos of little Noel...
    Lots of lovely finishes and I would not have noticed the mistake if you hadn't pointed it out...LOL.
    The process I dislike most when making a quilt is the quilting....
    Been a very mild/ dry winter here. Need more rain.
    Nice to stay inside and enjoy the AC Yogi....

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  7. Hi Polly, Happy to see you back in action. I missed you. Nice trip to Italy. Maybe there are better months to be there when it isn't as hot or uncomfortable? I don't do heat well either. I love your BFF Forever quit. I love applique. Nice you are back.

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  8. Such an adorable little guy!
    Lovely trip and lovely quilts.
    I am GLAD that you have not given up on your blog. Thank you for dealing with that ol' laptop and coming our way when you can.

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  9. Please keep firing up your old laptop, I love to see your colourful posts and photos of Yogi of course. So many lovely quilts you have completed, I especially like the one of you and your three sisters, it is a cute design and you've personalised it so well with the prints you have chosen.
    I love making quilts but my least favourite part is hand-sewing the binding which takes me AGES!

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  10. I'm one of many that am happy you keep firing up the laptop! I do think that grandson is the cutest ever. And that "squinchy" face in the high chair has me wanting to reach out and hug him. I'm glad Yogi is still here-hugs to him as well. Good job with UFO's. Mine are still holding their shelf down. Anticipation for the crisp days of Autumn also.

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  11. So good to hear from you! I can't imagine going on vacation and having to stay in places that were not air conditioned!!!!! Every passing year gets worse as far as tolerating the heat is concerned, and now that I'm over 80, I only work outside early in the morning, or if it's around 70 with a breeze.
    I'm in love with your flannel quilt, as well a the colorful batik from your guild. They are both so beautiful. All of your quilts are pretty, but those 2 really stand out for me.
    Hugs to you and Yogie!

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  12. Big smooch for Yogi. He is a good old fella, and so loved.
    The summer was hot here, whilst you were sweating in Italy and other places.
    Those people do not know what A/C is over there.... hahahaha I know it.
    I love air conditioning so much. I love A/C more that anything else.
    Your finished projects are beautiful. Polly you are such an inspiration

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  13. Congrats! on getting all of those UFOs done and winning the guild prize. Your Presidential Quilt is WONDERFUL, so lucky to get a quilt for your service rather than fabric or blocks like one of my guilds gave. Enjoy!!

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  14. I always love your posts, whenever they arrive - great inspiration in each one! And you are a brave soul to embark on that cruise (give me a 30' sail boat, please) although the memories are surely worth any headaches. Your grandson is such a total cutie - has been fun watching him grow and seeing the personality come out. My fav on this post is certainly the BFF Forever - know it must bring your mom such joy. I do have a question about that great rail fence quilt, please - the size of your blocks and the name of that great non-Type fabric on the backing?! Having just finished a rather involved and tricky pieced quilt, the simplicity of "rail fence" calls my name. Hugs to you and Yogi. Hoping to get to Haymarket soon for your great "row by row" row - it's, hands down, the best of the rows this year so congrats!

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  15. Happy to see your blog post. I always enjoy whatever you post! I am cleaning up and re-arranging a few things in my sewing room today. I have been working on UFO's so far this summer. Going to quilt retreat next week....in the mnts, will be sooooo much cooler than Charlotte.

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  16. Happy to see your post. I know what you mean about blogger... and my laptop is on it's last leg. I have fallen WAY behind in my blog too.. I hope to get it going again.. and I hope I get more followers. Enjoy the rest of summer !!! Good to see you again !

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  17. Love your Presidents quilt! Do you know the pattern name? Enjoy!

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Thank you sooooooo very much for taking the time to leave a comment! I am always happy to know that someone is reading my ramblings!! Polly :-)