Lazy Days of Summer

Deep summer is when laziness finds respectability.
~ Sam Keen

Well, the lazy days of summer will soon come to an end. My summer was very humid and rainy, so I didn't spend much time outdoors. I must say I didn't mind the rain. That was good for the garden and saved me many hours of watering. Even though I was late planting the veggie patch this year, the picking was good. So big and juicy, tomatoes are the last to arrive.

Berries are appearing on trees and shrubs, telling me Autumn is just around the corner.

This was one of those perfect New England days in late summer where the spirit of autumn takes a first stealing flight, like a spy, through the ripening country-side, and, with feigned sympathy for those who droop with August heat, puts her cool cloak of bracing air about leaf and flower and human shoulders.
~Sarah Orne Jewett

Books I Read this Summer

I purchased Eleanor Burns book, Egg Money Quilts in December 2005. One pattern in the book I really like is the Dresden Plate. The funny thing is, at the time, 1930's fabric didn't do anything for me. Then one day (November 2007) I came across a display of 1930's fabric at a quilt show and just had to have them. It was the yellow and green fabrics that caught my eye. Anyway, I am now hooked on 1930's fabric.

So, I went home, washed my new fabrics and got out my Eleanor Burns Egg Money Quilts and started cutting out my Dresden Plates. Over the winter, I hand appliqued the Dresden's and in the Spring, I pieced the top together. It is now ready for hand quilting. Once quilted, I will show you the full quilt. But, you can see the fabrics I used in the photo below. I see Betsy is working on some Dresden's from Eleanor's book also. Looking good Betsy!

On Saturday, I started hand appliqueing the first block of the Butterfly Garden. Also, decided to make more Dresden's. This time, some baby ones. I attempted to make a sample one of the smallest size (1 inch) on the Darlene Zimmerman Easy Dresden template, but once the little piece of fabric was folded in half, my machine wanted to eat it. Quilting is suppose to be fun, so I decided to move on up to the next size. Much easier to work with and still a baby. As I was cutting out the pieces, I thought of Baby Ralphie, and so my quilt was named.

Until next week.....happy quilting!

Karen