Not much quilting going on!

I seem to be a little groggy in the quilting department. Actually I don't feel like I'm getting much done at all right now. So I'm going to go through some of the snapshots on my phone. Hopefully, I'll find out that I'm not lagging as much as I feel like I am.
First thing I did after getting home from our summer holiday in CO was check out a new fabric shop! Sugar Bend Sewing had their Grand opening and I wasn't going to miss it!!  Look at their brand new street sign!! Beautiful isn't it 😉

Oh my gosh, I'm sure I'm going to love this store. Look at my loot!! I got 5 yards of fabric, a charm packet, a baby jelly roll, a varigated spool of quilting thread, a grab bag of scraps (as if I need more), and a reusable bag that folds up into a strawberry... All for $58!! What a deal!

However, I haven't been very motivated to step into my sewing room. Instead, I am crocheting scarfs for charity while spending time with my family. My Sweetling and I like to watch Audry Hepburn movies. I'm working on the third scarf now.

Really, it's the same ol' story going on here... I'm trying really hard to complete projects and not to start new ones until some of the old ones have been checked off...
... Then I'm persuaded to take a class with quilting friends 🤣.
I resisted all the way up to the day before. Wednesday is charity quilting at Maple Street.  Three of these ladies, Lawana, C.C., and Brenda, were all talking about taking the class and I learned several more PTQ friends were going too.  Combined with knowing there was only one spot left in class, I couldn't resist any more. I took the Cookie Cutter Star class with quiltmaker/author Barbara Cline.  You can find her at her blog Quiltingal or at her website Delightful Piecing by Barbara Cline. I was very happy to have went. Spending time with my friends and I learned several new things!!

So..... Remember those adorable twin girls I made little purses for?

 

Well, I found out they have an older brother and I haven't sent him a little surprise yet. As soon as I saw this Dragon Scarf by Morehouse Designs I knew it'd be perfect.  (Also the fact that my son showed me a picture the mom texted him was a huge help knowing it's perfect too!)

Bonus was my son cooked dinner so I could continue knitting 😄...

It's a really great pattern, well written. The three-needle bind off technique used for shaping the spikes is keeping it interesting for me. I don't want to put the work down because I want to see "just one more spike!"

I'm guessing I may know two or three more little ones that would love a dragon scarf too!

Ok, so let's see... A recap of last week...
Monday drove 2 1/2 hours to take my Heartbeat to the Birmingham airport then spent the rest of the day shopping at the mall for school clothes with my Sweetling.
Tuesday I took a day for myself and went Row by Row quilt shop hopping. I hit 7 stores in one day. Craziness!!
Wednesday is charity quilting at Maple Street.
Thursday was the Cookie Cutter class.
Friday was back to Birmingham to pick up my Heart. (I went a little early and checked out a little yarn shop In the Making. It's a bit too upscale for me to shop regularly, but I did get a scarf pattern and a gorgeous skein of Merino yarn.)
Saturday was total family time.
Sunday I got yarn at Michael's and started the dragon scarf!

Well!! When I lay it all out I see I've been BUSY!!

Home is where your heart is...

I gladly follow my Heartbeat where ever he leads. 

The first 5 years of our life together started in Colorado. Then we enjoyed 14 wonderful years in Washington state. Now, it's been 3 fantastic years in Mississippi.  I've called each place "home."

But if I am completely honest "home" is where I find unconditional love. Where I feel bathed in love.  Where I am infused with so much that I can't help but radiate it from my being.

Home is wherever my Heartbeat is, but it's also in Colorado where my mom and dad live, surrounded by my sister and brothers...

Starting our holiday.  My Sweetling with a driver's permit is driving us to the airport... so I'm in the backseat.🤣

My Heartbeat spoiled me with a surprise trip to Colorado for a summer holiday this year! 

We enjoyed the sunrise at the Maroon Bells near Snowmass, CO on the 4th of July.

This is one of my favorite photos taken the previous evening.

And my favorite photo taken at sunrise... I love our long 4th of July morning shadows, lol.

A few more favorites.. Colorado is beautiful!!

Driving down the CO highways

Looking at the sunrise over the mountain.

Colorado Green Chili is yummy!!

Columbine is the CO state flower

I just love dandelions.

Due to traveling, quilting has been set aside for a bit. If you follow my blog you know a new (to me) lace technique has captured my interest, Romanian Point Lace (RPL).

  You've probably already seen these two ornament doilies I made as I began learning the Romanian Point Lace technique.

My interest started with a Pinterest pin...

Which lead me to a Romanian Point Lace Ravelry Group...

Which lead me to this fantastic  Thread Head blog tutorial!

No.1 attempt - I used #10 crotchet cotton for the cording and filler stitches. And am pretty proud of myself.

No.2 attempt - I used the same #10 crochet cotton for the cording and #20 Lizbeth tatting thread for the filler stitches.

And I'm loving this lacemaking technique even more. I must continue!!

So I purchased a book recommended in the RPL Ravelry group:

No.3 attempt - mostly made with #10 variegated crochet cotton, the loop filler stitches is a solid color #20 tatting thread (I forget what brand).

This was definitely more difficult. I tried a wider cord for the outside border. I felt that maybe I gathered it too much when I basted it to the foundation because the final product seemed a bit ruffly. 

I'd like to move on to project #2 in the book but feel maybe I should practice another of #1 using the recommended size #30 thread. Lol, it's finer thread than I care to crochet with. But RPL technique creates a chunky product and the finer thread would produce a beautifully delicate looking lace! I strongly believe I should give it a try 😄.

Oops, I jumped ahead of myself a little bit. Here's some progress pics.

I thought this project would be perfect to work on while traveling.

I actually only got a few bars stitched during the 2 hour flight to CO.  I was too confined in the middle seat to pull the long threads.

I did progress quite nicely while watching the sunrise at Maroon Bells, CO on Independence Day.

I finished the piece later in my trip while visiting with my Mom so I gifted it to her.  

I just gotta say I am so grateful for the mother she is,

For the talks we have.

She is beauty and grace. 

She is strength and tenderness.

Aren't they adorable! After 60+years together!! They are quite the inspiration!

I witness the ever constant unconditional love and pride she shows for each of her family,

 each child, grandchild, and great-grandchild!

I am grateful to know that unconditional love...

given to me, my Heartbeat and my children.

Although I haven't mention it, it's the same with my brothers and sisters.  To be showered in that much family love amazes me every single visit!!

I love them all right back, and hope they know it!!

Home is where the heart is...