This and That

Fall is finally here (although the temperatures are still above normal) and another grandson has discovered how beautiful my mums are.

Here's a close up of the yarn my daugher spun for the Sweepstakes Prize at the Tulsa State Fair.  She told me that the "stuff" she started with was quite ugly and greasy. (I know "stuff" is not the correct word but I'm not a spinner so I don't remember the right terminology).  She used her spinning wheel to spin it into something beautiful.  She added metalic threads and tiny, shiny beads.

This is another piece she won a prize on.  It's a collar, shawl type of thing.  The next picture shows it opened up.

And here are the latest of my applique blocks.  Right now I'm working on the last two and then it's on to the border.

Three handsome boys.

Our oldest grandson Gabe started 6th grade at a new school this year.  One day a week he has to wear a tie for Chapel.  I think he looks extremely handsome.  He thinks I'm extremely weird.

Second grandson Timothy caught his first fish Sunday.  Here he is at his new home in the country.  (The pond is right down the hill from his room).  Very handsome (and pretty cute, too).

Third grandson Wesley started preschool this year.  He's the youngest in his class but by far the most handsome (at least that's what I think).  He's so stinkin' cute I can hardly stand it!

Fair update

Last night my BFF Leslie, my older daughter Calista and I all went to the Tulsa State Fair to see if we (Calista and I) had won any prizes.  Calista is a knitter and spinner and this year she even entered a quilt.  She didn't win a prize on her quilt but she won the SWEEPSTAKES prize on her homespun art yarn.  It was her first entry in the catagory.  She won the blue ribbon AND the big purple ribbon.  We were all excited.  She also won one other ribbon for one of her knitted items.

My quilts:  I entered 3.  I posted pics of two of those a while back and the third was the one I made for Calista's birthday and posted back in June.  I won a blue ribbon on my red and turqouis wall hanging and a red ribbon on Calista's birthday quilt.  Nothing on the one with rick rack.  All in all, we were very pleased.  We wandered around a bit until our feet and legs hurt and ate a bit of junky fair food (the most important reason to go!)

Applique blocks

I'm working on the 20th block of my applique quilt.  After that one, just 4 more to go.  Then....the border.  The border could take the rest of my life.  But right now I'm just happy to be so close to getting the blocks done.  Here are the ones I've made in the last month.

Purse

I almost have an obsession with purse patterns.  I buy them and put them in a drawer and wish that I would make myself one of them.  Well, this week I did.  Here is is.  And I love it.  It's "Grids and Grommets" by Indigo Junction.  It's pretty big, but I need a big purse.  Now I'm inspired to make another one of my cute patterns.  Wish I had time to do that.

Fair quilts

The Tulsa State Fair is quickly approaching and I just put the finishing touches on this quilt in time for the entry deadline on Saturday.  I started this quilt back in February when there was 3 feet of snow blocking our front door.  I finished it as we had our 44th day of above 100 degree weather this summer.

My wonderful quilter friend, Donna T. worked wonders (as usual) with her longarm quilting machine.

Donna quilted this one, too.  It's a pattern from "Piece O Cake" designs.  I started it in a hand applique class by Jane Green at the Cotton Patch last September.  I finished the applique in June.  (Don't you just LOVE a quilt with feet?)

Here's a close-up of Donna's quilting.

She did all the quilting free-hand with the exception of the four corner squares.  They're computer generated.

Another close up of the quilting.

And I just had to finish with the head that belongs to the feet in a previous picture.  He has a wide wingspan so I always ask him to hold my quilts for me.  Isn't he cute?!

More applique blocks

Three more of my applique blocks completed.  That makes 15!