Quilting in July

Greetings from the Vacation Zone. I'm loving not having to be any place special at any special time. I am enjoying doing what I want when I want. Is this what retirement is like? The best part of this is there is no loss of things to do. I've been swimming every day. I have also budgeted time every day to read. I'm reading Tami Hoag's Lucky's Lady. It's a fast fun read. I took my refrigerator apart and cleaned it. It looks like new. I also cleaned and rearranged some shelves in the laundry room. I just spent two hours reading quilter's blogs. There are some amazing people out there quilting.

This is a picture of a quilt I'm working on today. Actually, I've been working on this quilt for about six months. I get pulled in other directions and it gets set aside. This weekend I was inspired to applique and this quilt has appliqued blocks in it. The reds and blues give it a happy playful feeling about it. The picture doesn't do it justice. It's called Prairie Pot Pie, designed by Rose Wojnar, and will be 92"x 92"when finished.

Here is a picture of eight of the blocks I have completed. They are kind of close together but you can get a better idea of the true color. I want to start the applique blocks so I can sit with my hubby while he watches TV and work on my blocks.

This is a picture of a quilt that was hanging up at Bear Paws and Hollyhocks in Sacramento. It's the inspiration that got me thinking about applique. There are pieced blocks around the appliqued center and appliqued flowers around the boarder. As usual, the picture doesn't do it justice.

This quilt top was at J R Flamingo in Sacramento, the unique part of this quilt is the cranes in the upper left corner are appliqued on along with the large flower along the bottom. This would be beautiful as a wall hanging.

Now, how cute is this. These little guys greet you at the door of Bear Paws and Hollyhocks. That quilt store is so inviting. I had a great time looking around. I was with other guild members Saturday shopping for fabric for next years opportunity quilt. We visited four different shops and every shop had something different. I found fabric for a quilt I'm making for a friend and some fabric I will use in my Paper Doll quilt I'm making for Brooke. I had a great day Saturday.

I am sewing the blocks for my brother's quilt tomorrow. I need to set up a larger design wall too. I have some blocks I want to sew together and I need to audition them on a design wall so I can stand back to get the right colors together. So much to do and so little time. I better get busy. It's not work when you love what you're doing.

I pray your days are as blessed as mine.