Free Patterns, Blue Courthouse Steps, Rosy Garden

 The rose bushes are all in bloom. This year the first blooms opening up were tinged by pink because of the cooler temperatures we had had when they were buds...low single digits overnight and staying cooler during the day. 

These hardy bushes will bloom all summer and into October as I noted last fall. The bees love them too. I must look where I could purchase more of them. 

Sitting waiting for grandson one day, I watched the chinstrap Canada Geese stand about in parking lot puddles. It was very hot that day and they just stood there looking a little sad. By the end of the day, all the puddles had dried up and the geese were gone too. More of them are not trekking further north like they normally would do. 

That day was such a busy and sweltering one we opted to visit the neighbourhood drive in, the Crispy Spud, to pick up supper. Family run and so friendly. They make great hamburgers with fresh meat not frozen and poutine as well. 

The measuring, cutting and stitching sashings for the house project is once again top priority this week. 

Below are a few more blue courthouse steps blocks which is like fun stitching in comparison to the houses.

. No overly exact measuring required and just have to follow the straight lines on the foundation papers. I like the look of them together; much brighter than I had thought they would be. Seeing them together like this is helpful as perhaps I need more darks now in the next blocks. I didn't want this quilt to be too dark. 

I keep coming across great free patterns that I must share with you.

First up is  Avlea Embroidery where Krista shares sweet little cross stitch and embroidery designs and some that are free as well. She offers many of her designs as kits and they are beautiful. I have my eye on the beginners embroidered Peloponnesian Pomegranate kit that comes with its own beechwood hoop. Here is a sample of her work which would make a sweet edging. 

Krista also provides several lovely How To Videos. 

And I couldn't resist sharing this one...Fruity Grapes from Fave Quilts. Some of us have been trying our hand at paper pieced hexagons. This placemat is a fun idea for using them. 

That reminded me of strawberries which will be ripening soon in July here in Ontario. There are numerous strawberry patterns to be found online. Here is just one from My Patchwork World where  Hatun Comak leads us through how to sew this strawberry mini quilt. 

There are loads of interesting patterns from many designers to be found at that link.

My week is off to a good start and keeping very busy both inside and outside will be part of it. Thursday we have appointments and will be dropping several bags of clothes and goods at the thrift store along the way. It will feel good just to have that stuff gone. I'm including in that lot a number of quilting and cross stitch books that I bought at thrift stores over the years. I'm finally realizing I can't make all the the things! 

          Hope everything is rosy in your garden!

Sharing with these happy creative folks...Songbird Designs, Wendy's Quilts and More,  So Scrappy and Alycia Quilts.