Farm Life and Sequoia Quilts

Life …

I kept Talya and Georgi one day this week so their mother could help shampoo rugs at the school.

Ashton looks higher than he really is.

We took a walk out the lane to get the mail.

The water has been leaking from the pond. Usually this is no place for the grandchildren to play; but since I was with them they had great fun throwing rocks.

Paul & Ashton took me on a 4-wheeler ride across the road to look for deer. Instead, we saw lots of egrets roosting.

My nephew Andy and his brother’s daughter, Emorie came last evening and spent the night on their way to Texas.

There’s a red tint to some of the roofs at the shop.

Notice how the kernels of corn have little bits of red at the tip.

It’s kind of like chaff and the farmers call it “bee’s wings.”

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… as a Quilter

The two sequoias I started earlier are now finished. These measure 5”X7”.

The backs with the labels.

Wheat Harvest and Baking Cookies

Quinten is cutting wheat while Bronson hauls it to the truck.

Paul and Gabriel discuss what needs to be done.

These are mini bulk bags of soybeans that need to be planted yet after wheat. One mini bulk bags holds about 45 regular 50# sacks.

Paul is ready to go to the field to pick up another load of wheat.

I was intrigued with this little vehicle that belongs to Roy Oswalt, the baseball pitcher that we farm for. And there is a 2nd one over there. 

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I invited the 4 oldest grands to come for this morning to play and have a tea party lunch. I decided they could help me make cookies. After the dough was mixed I started on the right with Kirby and said they could all dip their finger into the dough for a taste. Kirby very politely got about 1/4 teaspoon on his finger to taste. Georgi was next and her taste was just a little bigger. Then it was Stacy’s turn! … Georgi can hardly believe what she is seeing!

And the cookies were good after they were baked too.

Instead of the tea party lunch we just had a picnic out in the carport. That was much easier for me and it suited them just fine.

Wheat and Lilies

Life …

The men started cutting wheat today.

Ashton found this little critter yesterday on the weather boarding of the house. Later he hopped over to the front door and looked as if he wanted in. Today I saw his tiny fingers curled around the ledge of the dumpster. His beady popped eyes were peering at me over the ledge.

… as a Quilter

Remember the art quilt I started on Memorial Day? I decided to put some kind of a lily on it.

I quilted the background with a serpentine stitch from side to side.

Then using the Carolina Lily block pattern for inspiration I designed a bouquet, sitting in grass, framed with lily petals.

After I had fused the grass down and looked at it a while, I decided I didn’t like the grass. So, I heated it up again and pulled it off.

Then I cut out some more lily parts like the top and sides …

… and added them to the bottom and I liked that much better.

Then I stitched all the silhouette down.

I couldn’t think of a good name so I just call it plain “Lily.”

And then I thought, well, why not get a picture of ‘Lily’ with real lilies!

Here I can visualize the real lilies making the shadows on the quilt.

And Emily was with me for a day. She started this quilt around lunch and finished it up just after supper. I’m anxious to show you her finished project, but I must wait.

See other inspiration at Off the Wall Friday and Amanda's Finish it up Friday.

Memorial Day

Life …

I rode with Paul and Ashton to the field to get the pickup truck and fuel trailer.

I brought it back to the farm and pumped fuel from the big tank into the little tank.

I pulled my load back out to the field for Perry. I was glad he could hook up the jumper cables to pump the fuel into his tractor.

Way out in the distance I saw Quinten planting beans.

… as a Quilter

Somehow I think this would look good in a quilt. It is inspiration for me!

Since Emily started a quilt here, I wanted to make something similar. So I pulled out one fabric for both the background and the little squares. It’s more subdued than Emily’s and doesn’t have the zing that I like. I think I’ll go ahead and add a silhouette and quilt it up anyway!

Quilts and Farming

The photo challenge word for this week is, BIG. Here is a quilt I made back in 2009 that depicts big that I named, "From New York to California."

I decided to make some changes on my new project "Jacob's Ladder." I'm changing out some of the blocks for paper pieced four-patch blocks.

 

Here you can see the sections of the SLM charity quilt done so far.

 

I kept Georgi one day this week.

 

Yesterday I took some parts to the field for Quinten.

 

He changed out the parts in a hurry and was soon back to cutting corn.

 

And what is Austin and Quinten looking at?

 

Oh dear, the grain cart needs some work done to it.

 

I dropped Paul off to bring the grain cart back to the shop for repairs.

 

Paul was still working hard when evening came around.

"Lunch," Farming, and Fabric

This week's photo challenge word is "lunch." So here is my little 10 3/4" X 9 1/2" quilt. And you might wonder just what does this have to do with lunch? Well, it's like this. When I went to Bridgewater Elementary School ...

... I had a lunch box like this.

I had seen a plaid quilt made by Elizabeth Hartman called Metropolis. I really liked her quilt and studied and studied it to see if I could make the block, but I just couldn't figure it out. So, I ended up buying her book "Modern Patch Work." She has some more cool easy quilts in there that I'd just love to make.

And then I still couldn't make my quilt just like the plaid pattern. I think I'll chalk up this piece as a learning experience. And why would I quilt "flames" across it? There are no flames in my lunch. It was fun trying out the Sulky Holoshimmer thread although I had issues with it. Maybe it was my needle!

Corn harvest is in full swing for us.

And now Ashton gets to ride with Grampa in the combine.

Today I went to Starkville where a lady was trying to sell her late mother's fabric, lace, ribbon, linens, and a few antiques.

The walls of her large storage room or stuido were lined with cabinets and more cabinets and tables in the center of the room.

You can tell we had a lovely time pulling fabric and digging for treasures.

Even the refrigerator was full of fabric.

I found quite a few pieces for dresses and them some for quilts and comforters.

And you know, I really don't need any more fabric, but when Paul found out about it he said "You better go!" =)