Catching up

Another month has flown by, super busy.  I'm quilting here and there when I can.  In the sewing room I'm hard at work finishing up the Lovebirds quilt top. 

And, I'm loving the "Scrappy Star Stitch Along" from Repro Quilt Lover (Taryn) on Instagram, info here.   It is not too late to join in!  It is really fun.  I'm not being too fussy about reproducing the blocks super closely - just using what I have.  This reminds me of the "stars in a time warp" project years ago.  Love it so much.  

For the following block I broke out some vintage Japanese indigo: 

And there is also the Susan Smith Mathilde mystery quilt, in Quiltmania magazine.  I'm catching up -  

Again challenging myself to use only stash!   I hope it all fits together nicely in the end.  I guess you never know.  

David went fly fishing for a couple of days in the beautiful Blue Ridge mountains - to catch up in terms of contemplation and renewal. 

Look, he saw a barn quilt - what a beautiful setting! 

I've been enjoying reading, and also listening to books as I quilt.   I finished listening to Tom Lake by Ann Patchett (narrated by Meryl Streep).  I'm a big Ann Patchett fan and this novel was just so delightful, funny, poignant, relatable.  

Before that, I had read Lessons in Chemistry which I also highly recommend.  It sort of felt like a companion novel to the Barbie movie!   

And before that, Abraham Verghese's epic The Covenant of Water.  A masterpiece.  I carried it around ALL summer long.  

Do you have any good book recommendations? 

Meanwhile the twins turned one recently - "young" in their development, having been preemies, but catching up!  

xo

Cynthia 

Quilts at the American Folk Art Museum in NYC

On our way driving up to Maine a couple weeks ago, we stopped off in NYC and packed in a lot of activity in two half days.  

We walked through Washington Square Park where Kaela and Joe got engaged ten years ago!  I have almost no sense of smell but apparently the smell of pot was thick in the air - I had no clue, lol.  So we kept walking and got pizza;).  

The New York City skyline is ever changing - 

At one point David and I dashed to the American Folk Art Museum to see a marvelous exhibit of quilts from their collection entitled "What that Quilt Knows about Me".  

Here are a few - 

1.  A charming 1981 appliqué quilt by Pearlie Posey of Mississippi made in her old age, with help from her daughter: 

I love her quote "... if the Lord take me and I leave you, I say you'll have some covers." 

2.  Strip Quilt by Idabell Bester, Alabama: 

3.  Bird of Paradise quilt top, artist unknown, New York  - displayed under glass - 

So charming, so much to examine! 

Her stitches are invisible! 

Her templates were on display too - 

Meanwhile, yesterday I bought a new laptop (instead of paying for a costly repair).  Yay!  It's a 13 inch MacBook Air and I love it already. 

It is blazing hot here in North Carolina.  After years of window units in New England, I am so grateful for our central A/C here.   It is so quiet, and I like staying indoors when it's hot outside.  However,  I also love a little morning painting time with Charlotte in our screened in patio, so sweet - 

Thank you for reading.  I'm woefully behind in answering comments, but please know I appreciate each one! 

xo

Cynthia 

Seasonal tenugui

We are back from Maine and I've been in "quiet puttering" mode which has included finally getting my collection of Japanese tenugui in order, so that I can swap them out more easily each month.  I clipped them in two batches on hangers, to store in David's office closet near the entryway.   Now I can easily rotate them. 

Seasonality is so important in Japan and I do love this collection!  It was fun to collect these over time, to loosely fit our American seasonal themes.  

Here they all are in batches: 

January - Fuji-san with snow and pine tree

February - plum blossoms

March - cat in doorway 

April - cherry blossoms 

May - Irises 

June - icecream cone 

July - Fuji-san with fireworks 

August - Furin (Japanese wind chimes) 

September - grapes 

October - fish and cat 

November - teacups with maple leaves motif 

December - birdies and snow 

The entryway seems to be a good place for them. 

Reviewing vacation snapshots... 

Trolley in Ogunquit charming and practical - 

Puzzle time! 

Charlotte loved the beach! 

I brought two quilts along including the blue and white tenugui quilt - peekaboo Amelia! 

Multiple ice cream outings - 

Tommy made us beautiful lobster rolls for our last dinner all together - (with hamburger or bean burgers for some of us).  I look forward to Maine lobster rolls each year!   Typically you can choose chilled lobster meat with a little mayo, or warm meat with butter.  

Two minivans, seven adults, three littles, road trip from North Carolina to Maine (with stops along the way) and back, lots of fun.  Sort of chaotic.  Good memories made.  Everyone stayed healthy!  Also, nice to be home again. 

xo

Cynthia