Sunday 19 July 2020

One Deep Thought, Auction Wins, Applique Stitching

No matter how slow our hours are, it seems the days have sprouted wings. July is flying by.
I came across these words by Dryden and thought how true.
                            "Love and time with reverence use-
                                   For each year their price is more..."
Yes understood more deeply as we age I think, the value of our time that is. Maybe we have to have that fear of it running out before we get all the things done that we want to- built, stitched, sown, baked, read, etc. to really appreciate it all. That's my deep thought for today.

Yesterday we did something completely different.
 Hubby won a couple of lots in an online auction and we drove to a nearby town to pick them up. It was well managed, safety wise, and his things were in the garage waiting for us with the organizers masked and keeping their distance. He won a gardening bundle and a storage lot. I was quite interested in the gardening things and pleased with the slew of items we got ranging from seeds to rakes, shovels, tomato growing kits, etc. Some of them good quality and unused.  It seems folks have the desire to grow things but don't always get the chance or muster the energy, I suppose.

 Also yesterday, littler grandson and family and three little friends with their parents came for a swim.  I could hear the squealing and shouts all the way up here inside the house. Such happy summertime sounds made just a little bit poignant because of these strange times. 

I've been enjoying the patterns offered by designers from all over the world in the Quiltmania QAL.
Some of the blocks have been easy to make especially the ones with the larger applique pieces.
This is the Els Feteris block. Love how fun this was to stitch and how it used some scraps as well.
And the Cosabeth Parriaud block all ready to be stitched down. Hopefully, today I'll get it finished.
And here is a selection of my summer dreamy hearts on the overfill design wall in the den. Darkish in there so difficult to light properly.
Folks, I have tried needle turn applique any number of times; I just prefer the freezer paper and keep returning to that method for my applique.  

Another wild flower in bloom- Viper's Blugloss or Blueweed. I'm fascinated with how it features violet shades with the blue. And the blue is such a vibrant electric blue. 
Along the fenced in back yard, a few surprises. This is one of the dianthus, Arctic Fire, in a pretty white with deep pink that has spread well beyond the corner flower bed. Do you like dianthus? At home there was a wild version we called Pinks that cropped up annually.
They are coexisting with the equally runaway Moneywort (Creeping Jenny) trailing vines. They line the very back fence and the little yellow flowers make a surprisingly pretty display. Both these plants are hardy because they survived the three week drought we had with very little watering. 
So how are you surviving...making sure you are watering yourself, I hope, especially those of you down south in the states. But here in what on a world map is north-ish, we've had heat warnings all week and high humidity as well. Soul sapping that last is. A high of 34 C (around 94 F) for today though I think it will be higher as it is 30 degrees now at 9 am.
I'll leave you with a photo of what I think is a very young Pileated Woodpecker cooling off in the front water bucket. Snapped from my kitchen window so hard to identify.


31 comments :

LA Paylor said...

how am I surviving... not great but soldiering on. What else?
I felt like a fake doing I Like posts when I felt so down, but then remembered that's exactly why we do them, to remember all the small but good things that happen to balance the other things. I love your applique J. Sorry I don't leave enough comments to say those things.
LeeAnna

Brian's Home Blog said...

That sounds like a good auction win. Ah, the sounds of summer, I'll bet the little ones had a good time. That woodpecker is way too cute!

Hootin Anni said...

You are the 3rd person this week that has had pileated woodpecker photos on their blog and, I am so jealous!! The area closest to us that have seen them is about a 2 hour drive. I've gone a few times and came home without seeing (or even hearing) them.

Love your handiwork & congrats on the winnings.

Thanks for linking in at I'd Rather B Birdin this week.

~Anni @ IRBB

The Joyful Quilter said...

Your flower blocks are SEW sweet!!

David M. Gascoigne, said...

Hello Jocelyn: I am sure that the sound of the children playing in the pool was music to your ears. Perhaps one of the saddest consequences of Covid-19 is the fact that kids have been unable to get together and play. The two girls next door to us seem to have gotten along remarkably well, but the fact of only seeing each other has exacerbated normal sibling squabbles from the time to time. The bird in the bucket, by the way, is a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker.

Karen - Quilts...etc. said...

the humidity isn't bad here today and although 88 I was outside all morning - first cutting grass until I ran out of gas and then reading on the porch - hubby got gas but now it is too hot with the sun beating down to cut - I will get back to it tomorrow morning - I'm sure it was nice hearing the kids play - I do hope here though that they will not go back to school right now I'm afraid with so many in one place that teachers, other employees and students will get sick

LIttle Penguin Quilts said...

Jocelyn, I love your first sentence - so very true for us, too! The applique block of the little round pot with flowers is lovely and does look like it was fun to stitch. I love the view of your hearts, too - they look very serene there on your wall! Although we don't have grandkids, we do love the sounds of kids playing in our neighborhood, definitely a sound of summer!

Karrin Hurd said...

I love your quote! I love that electric blue flower! We are 79 at 10:00 but we have been in the 90's to 100's for weeks. I have to get out first thing and water. We have daughter and grandkids coming over shortly. You have some great projects going on! Happy stitching!

eileeninmd said...

Hello,
Yes, it is nice to hear the sounds of the children playing. Congrats on winning the auction. Your quilt block are all beautiful, I especially love the hearts. I see David id your woodpecker, it is a cute shot. Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Have a great day and a happy new week ahead. PS, thanks for the comment and visit.

Quilter Kathy said...

So many methods of applique to chose from :)
Lovely blocks you are stitching! Stay cool!
Thanks for linking up to Slow Sunday Stitching!

Nancy J said...

Down here I read the news of so many more Covid cases, deaths,HUGE crowds gathering, and know we are so fortunate to have weathered our 4 week lockdown, to have all returning people go into compulsory isolation, or if a positive test, quarantine, for 14 days. Life is different, and I am not sure if I will feel safe, as I once knew it, for some time. Love your hearts, and a bird in a bucket, maybe there was a little water and he had a cool bath in private!!

Karen said...

I like the flower in the pot block. The one with thenavy dot flowers. At least I think it is navy as I have that fabric in stash.

Sarah said...

Those blocks are lovely, you have some really nice fabric! I've tried needle turn appliqué but I'm not very good at it and consequently not that keen! It sounds like the children had fun in the pool and always nice to win something! That bird is enjoying cooling down too.

Libby in TN said...

I share your deep thought. So much to do, so little time (in my mind) and yet the sun rises the next day whether I've dusted or not. So I don't dust ...

Needled Mom said...

Your flower blocks look so pretty. Freezer paper appliqué is my choice too. Like you, the sound of children’s voices is music to my heart. This has been the strangest year in my memory.

Frédérique - Quilting Patchwork Appliqué said...

Your blocks are lovely, thess cute black flowers are so fun, and the large one is very pretty too!

kiwikid said...

Beautiful blocks. Well done on the auction win, enjoy the gardening. Lovely to hear the sounds of summer. We are in winter here, but today looks like a sunny but windy day. Nice to see the flowers growing in your yard, we had pinks in the garden but the seem to have disappeared. Great photo of the bird in the bucket.

Ruth Hiebert said...

I love that deep blue of those flowers.

Magpie Sue said...

I so appreciate those who are able to put names on the flowers and/or weeds that bloom around us. It gives me the opportunity to sound a little more intelligent when family members ask about them if and when we see them! We're in for a warm week here apparently. Can't say I'm looking forward to it. Time to crank up the portable AC unit (and the electric bill). Great shot of the bird in the bucket, whatever species he is!

Powell River Books said...

I have a beautiful applique vest my mom made and wore. Unfortunately it is too small for me, but I keep it to remember her wonderful talent. - Margy

Bonnie said...

Your two appliqué blocks look lovely. Thanks for sharing the source. I hope to save several of the patterns over the next few days. So nice of the bird to take a bath in your bucket. Do you see pileated wood peckers often? We used to live in PA and saw them all the time. Not so much in Virginia though.

Lin said...

I love Vipers Bugloss - the colour variations can be magical, all that purple and blue especially if there is a field of it. Some of the best I have seen is in Spain. We too have pinks/dianthus but I dont have any creeping Jenyy. I do love your applique and your hearts are looking very pretty. We too are having a hot spell with 34 degrees this week - but at least not at 9am!! xx

Pip said...

I love both of those applique blocks, there are many different ways of doing applique and I think the best way is the one that YOU find easiest. I enjoy reading about your different plants, I do love dianthus, such beautiful flowers and gorgeous scent.

Linda said...

What cute appliques, and I really love your hearts. I've never gotten on the applique bandwagon, but I'd like to try it. Needleturn is not in my future, so I've been looking at freezer paper videos on YouTube. Do you use one of those tiny irons to turn the fabric?
That blueweed is gorgeous! Blue is such an exceptional color in nature, and it is very hard to find blue flowering plants at our local nurseries.

Deanna W said...

Your blocks are so cute...love those hearts too, the colours are so soft looking!

MissPat said...

I'm a day behind as usual. A lovely post with a wide variety of topics. I've never seen the the blueweed. One patch of creeping jenny has shriveled up in the drought, but I'm sure there's enough roots left that it will roar back. It's cooled back to the mid-80's today, so hopefully you will get the cool down ,too.
Pat

Jenny said...

Hearts, flowers and a little bird, all so pretty. Keep cool there in heat, sit on the deck with a cold drink and a little stitching to hand. Is this hot humid weather a little out of the usual in Canada at this time of the year? Seems there is lots of heat and humidity over much of the USA as well.

Magpie's Mumblings said...

I'm with you in using freezer paper for applique - and for a lot more besides. I buy mine by the case! Your new quilt blocks are both very pretty - fitting that they're floral for this time of year. Stay cool if you can! (btw - the comment from 'Professional Hacker' is spam - just a head's up).

BillieBee (billiemick) said...

Really love that first block. So unique.

audrey said...

Oooh, that Cosabeth block looks amazing! Love it!

Angie said...

Jocelyn - I echo your thoughts about time. I was just chatting with someone who had considered a cross-country train trip before the pandemic started, but didn't execute, thinking "I have lots of time to do that." Now he regrets it. No time like the present, I say! I have never seen Blueweed before - that is spectacular! As usual, it has been very dry here for the last month, so I finally got the sprinkler out last night to give the landscaping a drink! (I just might have run under a time or two myself!)