Back in the Saddle...

And so glad! After unpacking, picking up clutter, washing kitchen floor, etc., etc., I sat down at the sewing machine and pieced this top, using the inspiration I blogged about last time. The center Birds in the Air blocks are leftovers from a quilt I made six or seven years ago, and several months ago I put them together to be a center medallion for a guild service lap quilt. But then I was stuck as to the next step. I somehow didn't want to just add borders, and I was also stymied by the bold graphic look of the center. It seemed to need to be square, but lap quilts have a size limitation. This solution seems so simple to me now; I just needed a push I guess. Stunning, I say--sort of Amish in Outer Space. But will a nursing home patient want this on his/her lap? We'll hope so. I'll do some grid quilting later this month when I go to a retreat.



While staying with Mom, I sewed the binding on the French fabric/friendship block quilt, so that's done too. It will probably stay on this chair to be used as a lap quilt this winter. I did not quilt it myself; I decided I didn't like it well enough to make the effort, so a quilter from my guild did a simple edge to edge which looks fine.



Kathy of Finishing Lines posted some beautiful photos she called Mother Nature's Coloring Book. That reminded me of this photo I took last wek. I can't remember what this weed is (poke, I think), but it's everywhere around the farm where I grew up. The colors are beautiful, although the whole scene makes me sad.