Summertime Happenings

Towards the end of June, we left on a 12 day trip. Before leaving, there was {of course} a mad rush to get the quilting sorted out so it would be easier to dive back in later. You know how us quilters think! 

Ready to the last little bit of handwork!

The funny thing was, I totally forgot about some of the prep work that had happened and so had to spend some time spinning my wheels anyway. These two little baby quilts had all the hand quilting finished up and just needed some binding attached. Thankfully I found the cut out and sewn binding in their neat little rolls just before I started cutting out a second batch. Seriously, where is my brain these days? Will have to find a good day to do the last little bit of hand sewing the binding down, but these are getting closer and closer to a true-blue finish!

When an idea starts on the floor

Two is not enough though. There is one more needed before the end of Julyd! I had a really great improv. idea all figured out and then when I got back from the trip, my brain was on severe overwhelm. Then one day I decided to dig through the orphan bits and pieces that had been set aside up a couple of months ago. Maybe one would be a good start for a baby quilt? 

Starting to take shape

This large applique block and the four churn dash blocks were given to me years and years and years ago in a larger box of cast aside fabrics. I have always liked them and thought to make a throw pillow out of the applique especially. Hmm... This baby quilt is a much better idea!

Did you notice how I put the hst on the corners of the border?

Even the blue fabric squares were abandoned from some late project or other so really, all that was needed was the in-between bits. At first I had zero intention of adding in the tan homespun fabric around the middle section, but something seemed to be missing. And then after that jumped into the quilt, well.... of course the yellow-gold cornerstones had to go too. At that point I was shutting out the lights in my quilting room to go to bed. 

Latest in the hoop!

And then something niggling in the back corner of my brain kind of spoke up and insisted that the cornerstones had to be a much brighter, happier blue than the one that I had chosen.*sigh  All the seam ripping just kinda gets exhausting sometimes! haha  I cut out mock-ups for the evening and went ahead and shut things down for the night. Next morning, I went ahead and made the changes for real, adding the same brighter blue over the top of the center circle in the applique too. Yep! That sealed the deal perfectly. Now it's all sewn together and in the hoop. Hope you can see how sweet and cozy this little baby quilt looks already!

A little bit of applique

Thankfully I took a bag of hand work with me on the trip, though I only managed to squeeze in time for nine blocks! Always soothes the soul to have some pretty fabric in my hands for those moments when there's nothing much else to do. I can't seem to hand stitch in the car like before I got my bifocal glasses. Just gives me a headache and doesn't seem worthwhile!

We love seeing the ocean

We went to my nieces wedding, which was absolutely beautiful. Love seeing the happiness of a young couple starting their new life together! After a long weekend there, my husband returned home and my youngest daughter and I started off on 'her' adventure. 

I drove these winding roads some my daughter could gawk
to her hearts content

She had it all mapped out and asked me to come along for the ride and a chance to see my 80 year old aunts. So sweet of her! We left Oregon and headed to California, taking a scenic side-trip along a little of the coast road HWY 101 and through the northern California redwoods. 

We loved getting a chance to hug these beauties

We managed to find time to hug one of these ancient trees and stand in awe of how totally magnificent they all are. I have been trying to go light on the pictures, but the mass of tree roots just from the trees lying down were larger than the car we were driving! And these trees!! They are so tall it practically gave us a neck ache simply trying to see the tops of these things. Wowsers, are they tall...

This was an incredible day

After a wonderful two and a half days with my aunties, we made our way back north again, touring through the redwoods once again even though that took extra time. Somehow my daughter also persuaded me to take a short hike through one of the forests, which is something my entire family could not believe. Me? Taking a hike? Very, very worthwhile though as we got to see more details of the beautiful redwood trees than we would have from the highway. Wish we could have had more days there!

A misty morning when we left

Totally surprising me {because I hadn't been paying enough attention to the itinerary}, we stayed for the night in Eureka, California at a landmark, historical inn. It was a fabulous experience and felt very surreal staying where a few presidents and a prime minister stayed once upon a time. 

Pro tip: Never leave home without the handwork bag!

Somewhere we picked up a nail in our car tire and ended up at a tire shop for almost three hours. Bah humbug. Look at me all relaxed and happy doing my applique regardless of the inconvenience! haha

Beautiful rocky beach here too

After the tire fix, we were in a time crunch. That meant we kept making short little stops along the coast line to gaze in rapture at the ocean instead of more leisurely visits like we originally supposed. One time we had made a hurried dash down the path to the ocean and a couple on their way to the beach started to turn around when right when we headed back. They thought it wasn't worth the hike down as we had returned so quickly! No, totally worthwhile, we just needed to jet!

An hour or two out from our camping spot

That was the day we were supposed to make our way to Winchester Bay, Oregon to meet up with some of my siblings who camp there every Fourth of July. My daughter still goes every year though my husband and I haven't made it there for over ten years! Anyway, long story short, she convinced me to end our adventure there with the fam and actually sleep in a tent for two nights. Uh huh. I told myself over twenty years ago that I was never, ever sleeping in a tent again, but yah. There I was. Thankfully she brought cots for the both of us and one of my sisters did the sweetest thing, she loaned me a skinny piece of memory foam for more padding. Yay! Two nights was about my max for these older hips of mine, but the worst part was probably having to get up in the wee hours of the morning and trek to the public bathrooms. Uggh. So not my thing. Much fun to hang out with four of my sisters and their families though! Loved, loved that part. Don't tell anyone, but I would probably do it all again in a heartbeat just for the good times!

Okay, that's it. A short recap of my incredible summer adventure! Wish my husband could have come along with us, but it was truly delightful, getting to spend this wonderful time with my amazing daughter.