Scrappy Summer Projects and Slow Stitching Progress

How are you all? I'm keeping very busy in the house and in the garden. Here is a view of the wooden house from the right side. I let that Birch tree grow from a tiny sapling and now I wonder if I should have done that. I love Birches and they don't have the longevity that other kinds of trees have so it won't be there forever. I thought it provides a little shade and privacy too. Anyway, it is now as tall as the roof!

The pattern of later afternoon and night time thunder storms has continued. They are ferocious storms and we can't believe how long they last. They bring huge downpours of rain. But it seems that nature loves it because everything is blooming beautifully. Each day, I spend a little time pulling weeds. I'm having a lot of Manitoba Maple vine this year and another tall unnamed fern like weed that has somehow deposited itself in both side beds at the front and along the side you see in that photo. Someone said it might be the bird seed that spreads these unwanted seeds. I have so many critters here...the turkeys, including young ones now, are coming around every day, so maybe they are the culprits. 

Could I win a county fair ribbon with this one below?

This Hydrangea bloom is 12 inches across!

My stitching fingers have been busy...of course!  I found another 10 of the quarter Dresdan blocks already stitched but all without the black corners.  I've not received the black fabric I had to order to finish these and I've not had any luck finding black 100% cotton shirts at any thrift store. 

I've added two more rounds to that sixth hexagon panel for the very scrappy version of the Liberty Liliput Puddle quilt that I'm creating.

Autumn stitchy projects and chatter are already appearing around the net. I love Autumn stitching of any sort. Maybe it is my favourite season to stitch. I've mentioned I want to make a project from each of the books I have in my little library. I've always admired this cover quilt from this book, Friendship Strips & Scraps, by Edyta Sitar of Laundry Basket Quilts.

 I notice she seems to be fond of scrappy quilts and includes lots in both of the early books of hers I've bought at thrift stores. 

So I tried out the pattern and have these two to share. They are not perfect- one door definitely looks taller, but did use up some of my longer scrappy strips. And this made me do a little machine stitching for a change too. I'm going to see if I have enough longer strippy Autumny scraps to make more rainbow houses. 

Edyta alternated the house blocks with a little appliqued pattern. I have a maple leaf template and thought of using it for my appliqued blocks. What do you think?

I've been thoroughly enjoying the videos my favourite stitchers have made of their visits to the massive European Festival of Quilts show held in Birmingham this year. Here is Rachel's video and it must be just overwhelming to see so much quilty beauty in one place.

I finished Summer Feels. I've stitched three pears this summer.

And I've picked up the G. Legere 1898 project to add a few stitches.

 I have that large pear finished and I can't wait to get to stitch that pretty red/rosy house which will brighten up this piece. Very enjoyable stitching.

The giant pear is about three and a half inches tall.

Someone asked about the term I used of one thread over two. DMC embroidery cotton has 6 strands. For cross stitching, you can use two of those strands in your needle at a time or one. That decision can depend on the cloth you are stitching on. If you use Aida cloth, you generally use two strands as the holes are bigger. If using linen, the weave is much tighter, so one strand can be used. Some of us like to be able to see the cross that the threads make so using one strand enables that especially on the thread count of linen I use. But using two threads of embroidery thread on Aida will give a deeper saturation of colour, something I've also noticed I've lost with stiching on linens. And some folks love that and stick with Aida for certain designs for that reason. Any of these choices, like in all stitching, basically comes down to personal preference.

 My constant companions do this. I feed them three times a day and nearing those times, this is where I find them...in the back hallway where their bowls are...you wouldn't know but they were starving.

As I write this, I hear the familiar rumble of thunder; it will be the sound of summer '26. I do hope you all are having a good August with lots to keep you busy and happy.