Staying in a Groove?

August has been such a "come and go" month for me that it's been a challenge to stay in my typical productive stitching groove.  Thank goodness for the portability and short seams of working with hexies and having an engaging knitting project going!!

I've been continuing to strive for making a weekly hexie flower as part of Naomi Clarke's (@naomialicec) #fussycuttingsewalong on Instagram.  This month's theme has been "travel" and it's been a tough one for me since I'm working with traditional reproduction prints for this project.

Upper left is a favorite travel destination -- formal gardens of any sort represented by the centered floral motifs.

Upper right is a "fail" as we were supposed to be plucking out a section of a travel motif and reassembling it in such a way to create a design -- after over a week of going through that (large) box of fabric, I caved and settled for "travel" -- it's the hare riding on the tortoise's back!

The lower one is cut from a map of Paris that I picked up several years ago and the center motif is Notre Dame -- my gosh, it's upside down in this picture?!?  It's another of those hexie flowers that recreates the fabric as printed.  When I visited Paris in 1968,  we stayed near Notre Dame so perhaps the street is on this map?

There is a master plan for all these motifs which is keeping me motivated!!

I am adding 1" diamonds to make each into 3" hexagons and after much searching (first in my stash and then via shopping), I found this soft green toile style print for the alternating setting triangles.

Back in July, I shared a glimpse of a large motif that will be the center of this plan!

I chose one of my favorite hexie motifs for the center and have been building up the large star gradually.  

Since I'm machine-piecing this quilt top using the "Set-In Piecing Simplified" technique which I teach, I made the six point sections as "leaders and enders" while working on other projects or just when I need to unwind with some repetitive stitching.

(You can purchase my PDF teaching guide for chain piecing through y-seams in my ETSY shop, Mary Huey Quilts.)

The sections are all labeled and I'm almost done attaching them to the center.  

Once that is done, I'll be able to figure out (for sure) how much background to add so that the finished star fits into my setting plan.  I've worked it out on paper, but am doubting my theory a bit . . . . . 

@sewfoxymama began her 2018 edition of #100hexies100days on Instagram three weeks ago.

She sets a weekly theme and everyone makes one hexie a day to reflect that theme.

This set is from the "about you" week.

I bird (a lot), my favorite color is yellow, and I use more green in my piecing than any other color.

The week two theme was "summer" -- growing flowers and berries, enjoying insects, and feeding the hummingbirds!

The week three theme was "fantasy" and it stumped me at first.  Most are using unicorns and fairies and gnomes but since I'm stash-focused in my projects, I chose frogs in jaunty hats and cats that wear monocles and water the garden.

When the sew-along wraps up in early December, I should have enough 1 1/4" hexies to make another Nundle Dilly-bag, one of Brigitte Giblin's patterns that I've made before.

This week's theme is "cute critters" -- I hope I have a few more in my stash!

My  #crownwoolsmkal wrap is almost finished!!  I'm using up sock yarn leftovers -- think there are 9 different skeins.  It's almost 6 feet long at this point and I've enjoyed exploring new-to-me stitch combinations.  As I said last week when I posted this picture to my Instagram feed, I might look like I'm wrapped up in a lot of socks, but it's pretty and unique!

And the goal of reducing that stash has been reached -- now the remaining sock yarn fits in the (smallish) box with the lid closed!!

The neighbor children went back to school last week and I'm striving to hold onto the last days of summer.  There's a fresh basket of peaches on the kitchen shelf which hopefully will yield another pie this week.  Since I won't have the help of #tidysister on the left (she made the crust) and #funsister on the right (she helped peel), it will only be one pie and perhaps not home made crust?!?

Time to stitch!!

Mary

Winding down the Summer

Summers pass along so quickly.

I've released most of the Monarch butterfly horde that have been eating my milkweed patch!

There are still a few left and I'll take on a few more during August and September to hopefully boost the migratory generation of these amazing creatures.  Seems like it should be a good year for the Monarchs -- I've released close to 70 and a friend has released over twice that many.

Hopefully, we are having a good impact! 

There was a big family gathering for 3 days at the beginning of August of my crew and my three siblings with their families.

We are spread out all over the US so it's rare for us to be all together at the same time and it was a happy weekend -- nice to gather for something other than a funeral! 

Upon returning home, I got back to work on my version of the Bernina ZenChic Triangle Sew Along quilt.  Earlier this week, it was ready to trim and bind.

Do you save these trimmings?

Typically, I do . . . . but not this time -- too often they just sit in that basket in the corner of the studio taunting me.

I spread the trimmed quilt out on the grass -- not sure I should admit that my only empty flat surface is the back lawn?!?  My quilting has left the edges a bit wobbly, so I decided to block it before adding the binding. 

That meant the patio needed to be swept -- hard empty flat surface. 

Then I spread out a clean sheet and put the quilt face down on it. 

I covered it with wet beach towels. 

And then stomped the moisture from the towels into the quilt.

At the end of the afternoon, I lifted off the towels and let the quilt lay for a few more hours to be sure it was completely dry. 

Yesterday morning, I bound it!! 

And here it is!!

I participated in this sew along to gain a better understanding of "modern" quilt design. 

Now it will be interesting to see how the experience impacts my quiltmaking going forward. 

Will my fabric selections get simpler?

It was also good to move completely through a finished quilt in less than a year!!

So that makes one goal for the third quarter of the 2018 Finish Along crossed off the list!

On to the next one!!

It's an ancient UFO!!

Enjoy!!

Mary

Linking up with the Third Quarter of the Finish A-Long 2018!!

That does it for July!

And here comes August!

I'm just back from a teaching trip to the Baltimore, Maryland area.  

I delivered my favorite lecture -- UFQ Assault Tactics on Thursday morning and then taught an all-day workshop Saturday with 12 participants who worked their way through a large scrappy string pieced 8-pointed star.

It's always fun to see these blocks -- this rainbow one is unique

And Maria, the workshop organizer, banged out a total of 48 diamonds for a 6 block quilt!  She wouldn't quit string piecing until her pile of strips was exhausted!!

I spent Friday exploring the Eastern Shore of Maryland along the Chesapeake Bay -- okay, I went birding.  No new birds, but there were lots of butterflies to distract me including this teasing red-spotted purple.  It stayed in the brush so I just keep clicking the camera hoping for at least one good shot!

I had a nice walk in the shade of a "tunnel" of Osage Orange trees down an old lane to a deserted ferry landing.  I was interested to see the color of the wood of a freshly cut fallen tree. A unique yellow-orange.

The path led out to the edge of the bay and I puttered around at the water's edge for a while watching osprey and eagles fish and enjoying the peace and quiet.

It was a hot day but the light at the end of the tunnel kept me moving back towards my car where a cold tea was waiting!!

I finished knitting my #beekeepercardigan on the trip.  Since it was a stash of yarn I inherited from my mother, I ran out so did a search for more yarn only to discover not only is the yarn discontinued, but the company that made it is gone, too.  Even a search for re-sellers failed.

So I punted with a very, very close substitute and did all the ribbed bands using it.  It's a slightly darker shade of ecru but it's looks okay to me since it's consistently used throughout the sweater.

I did the scary "first time ever" blocking by myself last evening!!!  It looks yellow because the tub is in the basement -- poor lighting. 

Fortunately, Marie, the designer has a good tutorial on her blog and after reading it several times, I forged ahead.  

Currently its spread out on the front porch drying -- seems okay, but I won't relax until it's completely dry and I can lift it up.

Marie Greene of Olive Knits is the designer and I love her approach to knitting a sweater -- no seams!!  You can find her patterns and blog HERE!

No sooner had I finished the sweater knitting than I cast on for a mystery scarf knit along -- it's on Ravelry -- the Crown Wools MKAL and the designer is Casapinka.  Since I'm using an assortment of sock yarn leftovers, it isn't really like starting a new project -- it's more like cleaning up the yarn box!?!

It's a six week project and I'm a little behind but I'll catch up by the end of this week! 

Most of the Monarch caterpillars we have became chrysalis while I was away.

I counted 54 -- next week should be fun releasing all of them!!

One more short trip for a family reunion this weekend and I can get back into the studio!!

I miss working at my machine every day!!

Hope your August gets off on the right foot!!

Mary

Summer Distractions!!

High summer is upon us here in Northeast Ohio!

It's a season of color, happy little discoveries, and comfortable memories.

These little blue flowers (I'm told it's a weed) grew alongside the back porch of my first childhood home and ever since I discovered them in my current home's garden, I allow them to grow where ever they appear just because they make me smile.

Suddenly on the 5th of July, I discovered Monarch butterflies were leaving eggs all over my backyard plot of milkweed so the new rearing enclosure that was a Christmas gift had to be quickly assembled!

Now my mornings begin with cleaning the enclosure, reviewing everyone's progress, and bringing in fresh food.  With close to 70 caterpillars at various stages and a few new finds almost everyday, it's a good hour or more of pleasant work.   I can't determine if all these eggs are the work of one female or several, but for about 5 days, every time I was outside, there was a Monarch in my yard -- such constant presence is new for me.  The females can lay 400 eggs and I'm pretty sure she did!!

Now at the 15 day point, I'm seeing a few new chrysalis every day and should be releasing butterflies by the end of July.   

These likely won't be the generation that makes the big migration to Mexico, but they will parent that generation so I'm excited to be able to release so many!  If you live in the area and would like to stop by and see all this in person, let me know!

Then there was the big "we got married" picnic that my son and his wife threw!!  Both families worked together to set up tents, mow the pasture, organize tables and coolers and lights.  My son (in the hat) and his "dude buds" smoked a whole hog, a local farm-to-table caterer did the sides . . . . 

. . . . . and I rounded up a load of flowers and a bevy of nieces to make the table bouquets!

In between all this enjoyment of summer outside, I got caught up in a knitting project!?! 

I discovered Marie Greene of Olive Knits this past winter -- her sweater designs are primarily knit top down and seamless -- my kind of knitting!!  She challenged anyone who was game to a 4 day sweater knit-along beginning July 1 with a new pattern, The Beekeeper's Cardigan.  During a tidy-up of my knitting supplies in mid-June, I re-discovered a bag of my mother's yarn -- enough for a sweater?  

I swatched to test my gauge and get a feel for the design.

You know where I'm going with this, don't you?

I did not finish in 4 days (but some gals did!?!) but if you follow my Instagam feed (@hueymary), you've seen progress photos.   This was the end of the two week knit-along -- I was at 44 hours at this point.  Today, I'm finishing the second sleeve and then will start the final ribbing bands. 

 It's been a delightful knit and I'm so pleased with the results.

I'll share a bit more about when I finish later this month!

I'm staying on my machine quilting schedule for the most part -- make steady progress every day -- though keeping tabs on this pot of "bush" cucumbers (they are now embracing the huge tomato plant in the adjacent pot) has been distracting.  It's behaving like a zucchini, hiding the fruit just under a leaf so that in spite of twice a day inspections, suddenly there's an almost too big fruit down there??

Then something has to be done with them -- refrigerator pickles this afternoon!

The black currants HAD to be harvested today -- I just have one bush so never enough to do anything significant.  This year, I'm going to try drying them like raisins -- should be either enough for a batch of scones (yum) or I'll use them for flavoring tea!

The drive to eliminate the invasive bindweed from this flower bed demands daily policing and on the morning tour four days ago, two cardinals flew out of the honeysuckle vine!  I looked more closely to see what bugs they have found on the vine -- they like big juicy bugs and can crack a beetle in a flash but no bugs!!  

They have built a nest!!

It's hard to see -- just a sloppy looking clump of grass and sticks right in the center of the picture that hopefully will last long enough to fledge their brood!

When I was out there working this morning, I was being watched!

The female has started to lay her eggs!!

According to Nests, Eggs, and Nestlings of North American Birds by Baicich and Harrison, she will lay from 2 to 5 eggs and begin incubating once the 3rd egg is laid (birds generally lay one egg a day).

Incubation takes 11 to 13 days!  

Can you see her?

So the next few weeks will be filled with lots of cardinal watching -- I've always wanted to discover a cardinal nest!!

FUN!!

While it's hard to be inside on the nice days, I am working on my "birth year" temperature quilt! 

 It just took an interesting turn, too . . . . . . all will be revealed soon!

 I'm keeping up with the #fussycuttingsewalong hexie project on Instagram.  I am currently piecing this large motif as the center of my masterplan for the 52 hexie flowers that will result from the group by the end of the year.  I've done some preliminary auditioning and feel (pretty) confident about the plan.

As soon as the center is finished, I'll share it here. 

If you don't see it, you know it didn't work after all!

I'm still waiting for ripe tomatoes and I hope this current season is providing you with lots of enjoyable moments, too!

Mary

NOTE:  I still am not getting comments e-mailed to me so I can't e-mail you a response but I do appreciate your comments and am reading them just the same!!  (Yes, I tried the fix several times and will keep trying.)

2018 Finish Along -- Third Quarter Goals

Are you saying where did the first half of the year go?

I am!!

Time to share a few new goals for the third quarter of 2018 and see if I can get some more quilts finished!!

I'm rolling over my Bernina ZenChic Triangle quiltalong piece -- it's a leftover from last quarter and just past the halfway mark of quilting.  I don't want it to slip through the cracks!!

I'm never at a loss for UFO's -- this is the "finished top with backing" shelf.  May look overwhelming to some of you, but there are only 18 on it now.  

It was full, to the top, falling off the edge . . . . 

So generally making good progress!!

I decided to pull a rather old one -- dates to 2000.  The pattern was laid out and shared with me by a fellow "It's Okay" teacher from Milwaukee, WI -- Jan Kreuger.

I've hung it on the design wall across from my machine so that my subconscious can start working on the quilting plan!

I'll likely use it as a gift or sell it when it's finished.

My third project will be to quilt my daughter's version of my pattern, Mississippi Mud. It's a full size quilt and I'll be quilting it in four sections.  I've finished several of these over the years and so I already know how to quilt it!!

I also want to share that I've donated my Minimal mini wall quilt (it's 13 1/2" square) that was included in the Curated Quilt's third issue Gallery to a fund raising auction on Instagram that begins Monday, July 9.  Bids will be accepted through Friday, July 14 and all proceeds will go to aid immigrant and refugee families in crisis.  80 items are being auctioned!  

 Click HERE and visit  @stitchersforunitedfamilies on Instragram for all the details!