New Project

 

What are you working on these days?

I was inspired by Kris O'Neill at Sew the Distance and decided to tackle a Christmas style project.  She is doing a quilt along project that is potato chip Christmas quilt (here).  She also has a worksheet and instruction sheet for the project.  

I was thinking about doing that quilt but I went back to doing the one project I hoped to tackle this year:  Twinkle by Allison of Cluck Cluck Sew.  I've cut all the fabric now.

Next task is to mark 256 squares for the triangles.  Once that is done, the blocks become easier to make.

It's a slow process.  I've been battling a kidney infection and am fatigued most of the time.  I'm hoping the antibiotic I'm taking will clear it up.

What have you been up to?  

Have a safe and happy day!

Flower Friday: July 17, 2026

 

Hello and welcome to another edition of Flower Friday!

This week I'm featuring some of my brother's flowers.  These are ones he put in my mother's garden.  I water them every morning so I thought I would photograph them.

Hibiscus:

 

Jim and mom are very fond of Mandevilla and he has them scattered around the yard.

Rose of Sharon:

My brother can find potential in anything.  He was helping a friend remove a pond fountain thingy.  The friend wanted to trash it,  Jim saw potential.

Hope you are all staying cool!

Have a safe and happy weekend!

Flower Friday: July 10, 2026

 

Happy Flower Friday!

Nann sent two wonderful photos she took at Beach State Park.

Prickly Pear:

Turk's Cap Lilies:

In my garden, the phlox is beginning to bloom:

And the gladiola!

How is your garden doing?

Have a safe and happy weekend!

Happy World Chocolate Day!

 

Happy World Chocolate Day!

Years ago when the kids in our family were little, I had a special day for the children before the Christmas holiday.  I set up the attic as a little store for them.  The kids were the only ones allowed in the attic and they could prepare gifts for parents and grandparents.  The could make a picture for their family with the art supplies I left.  Additionally, I had sewed tote bags, mug rugs, and little wall hangings.  I purchased mugs and different kinds of wrapped teas and hot chocolate mixes and of course lots of candy.  The kids thought this was the greatest thing and were so excited to prepare a gift without adult assistance.  

The apparently liked the chocolate upstairs as well.  Little Lily came down and one point and declared "chocolate is medicine for women."

Lily and Gracie playing after their shopping spree.  Lily is on the right.  

Anyway, all this to say, Happy World Chocolate Day!  

Ladies, be sure to take your medicine today!

Monday Check-In

 

Happy Monday! 

 

I'm writing this on Sunday because Monday will be visit and I thought I would check-in.  

My guild is having a challenge that will be held in January.  The challenge is to make a quilt in honor of the 250th anniversary of the independence or to upcycle fabric and make a quilt.  I've been working on the 250th anniversary challenge and have the top ready.  It's packed up and ready to go to Lizzie for quilting.  

I had some fabric left from it and made my Mom and Kathy each a tablerunner...or in my mother's case a hearth runner 😁.

Just very simple with some scraps I had left but wanted to use up before the end of the celebration.  I also had to do it quickly as the attic (sewing room) was an oven last week.

***

Life has sent our family another curve ball.  Hughie was in a serious accident last week and ended in the ICU with 7 broken ribs and some other injuries.  The ribs are the reason he is in ICU.  My husband and I have already offered to chauffer him, help him, etc.  Hughie's kids all work.  Kathy is still recovering from cancer and the hip replacement.  We are happy to do what we can for him.  I'm just letting you know in case I am MIA from the blog for a while.

***

Hoping you are all doing well despite this crazy summer weather!

Have a safe and happy day!

Flower Friday: July 3, 2026

 

Happy Flower Friday!

Libby sent a photo of her rhododendron!  It is huge!

Sue sent a photo of her lovely Rudbeckia!

Sue sent this other photo with this comment:  "A bloom of phlox growing up thru a huge azalea. To me it's symbolic of how living things will struggle to be seen and exist. Life can be a struggle."

Here is a Sweet Pea from Joann's garden:

My red coneflower:

Wishing you a safe and happy weekend!

And here comes another heat wave.  A big portion of North America is going to be dealing with the heat dome that extends through the U.S. and Canada.  

Lucky and I walked at 6 a.m. for an hour.  It's really the only long walk he will get today.  But that's okay because he often sleeps when it's this hot.

How do you cope with the heat?  What do you do to occupy yourself.  I have some hand sewing I can do--binding tablerunners and embroidery.  I have two books to read.  I have youtube sewing videos I've saved up.  As long as we don't lose electricity, we are okay.

I'm just not posting much these days because I don't have much to share.  Of course I will be doing Flower Friday this week and you can email me any photos you want to share at allentownquilter@gmail.com

I now have to go out to water the garden before the sun comes up any higher.  

Stay safe and cool!

Flower Friday: June 26, 2026

 

Hello and welcome to another edition of Flower Friday!

Most of the flowers are blooming right now.  It's that weird transition between spring and summer; the spring flowers haven't finished blooming and the summer flowers have entered.

As wonderful as this all is, a lot of the spring flowers will burn out next week as we many of us in North America are expecting another heat wave.

For now the larkspur are making a fine show!

Coneflowers and Black-Eyed Susans are back!

Canterbury Bells!

Boltonia

We had earlier in the week and again this morning.  Since we are still in drought, any rain (even small amounts like this) makes us happy!

Wishing you a safe and happy weekend!

 

Thursday This and That: June 25, 2026

 

Leon Day is a new day to me.  It marks six months until Christmas and the term "Leon" is "Noel" spelled backwards.  I sure am seeing a lot of people getting ready for Christmas in July but I'm still not sure if I will participate or not.

***

I've been wondering about digital prints.  I have a few panels that are digitally printed.  I'm not sure I want to invest in digital printed yardage.  Most of us know of at least one time (probably more) when we didn't have the right color fabric and turned a piece of calico over and found the right tone on the fabric back.  That's not going to happen with digital prints.  At this point, I enjoy using my stash of older fabrics or purchase fabric at deadstock store.  What are your thoughts?

***

I know a lot of people think that the quarter log cabin pattern is a new and "modern" approach.  Check out the antique Berks County quilt that is advertised on GB Best's facebook page (here).  The quarter log cabin is the first picture on the 7th row.

***

Finally, Amy Smart has a free tutorial for a patriotic pillow and runner here.  It's just in time for the Fourth of July!

***

Have a safe and happy day!

Flower Friday: Happy Juneteenth!

 

Happy Juneteenth dear friends!

Sue sent this great photo of her Butterfly Weed!

Isn't it pretty?  I had just put two of these plants in my garden this past week.  According to the National Wildlife Federation, Monarch butterflies eat only one kind of plant:  Milkweed.  My neighbor used to grow the Milkweed I knew as a kid:

This was too big for my little garden.  Butterfly weed is a smaller more compact flower that fits in better in my gardenscape.

Also blooming this week are some of my hydrangeas!  I was convinced that I wouldn't have many blooms because of the rollercoaster of temperatures we experienced in Spring.  So it's a real pleasure to have flowers on so many bushes!

Have a safe and happy weekend!

Tuesday's This and That: June 16, 2026

 

You might enjoy this story about the seamstresses of Manzanar.  I knew a lot about Japanese internment camps and even saw George Takei's play, Allegiance.  Still I found some interesting insights here.

***

I still receive emails about upcoming auctions although I don't buy anything anymore.  It's fun to look at the photos but there was a lot of 19th century fabric scraps that really caught my eye.  There are strips of fabric and it appears that many of them have sewn on name labels.

I wondered if this was meant for a signature quilt or scraps just donated for a purpose like fund-raising.  You can study the lot here.  What do you think?

***

I love this WPA Poster!  Seems appropriate for us quilters!

Have a safe and happy day!

Flower Friday: June 12, 2026

 

Sue sent two lovely photos this week and some important advice.  After reading the Wednesday post, she commented that she wished she had her phone with her when she fell in the garden and had to scream for help.  😢 I will always keep the phone now.  You can read her comment here.

Also, I'm glad she emailed me about her comment.  It used to be that comments were always emailed to me.  That is not happening so I'm reading old comments now.  Anyway, let's get on with the good stuff...

Sue's lovely Evening Primroses aka Sundrops!

Gorgeous!

Sue's Peaches and Cream Honeysuckle! 

Wow!  What a statement in the garden!

Thank you Sue and thank you to Lorraine who also shared these photos:

Ground orchids from Lorraine's garden!

Lorraine also shared False Indigo, Yellow Baptisia!

The Lambs' Ears are blooming in my garden!

My Evening Primrose self-sowed in the Lavender. 

Shasta Daisies and Spiderwort:

Andy mulched on Wednesday and the front garden looks wonderful!

Wishing you a safe and happy weekend!