I Like Thursday # 61 ~ The Light After The Storm

This is the photo I took of the sun burning through the clouds
at the end of the storm here on Tuesday .

The light was so clear and the colors so sharp.

The wind was still gusting softly and the rain was still blowing out of the clouds and trees.

For a few moments I could feel the earth breathe.

Here is a short video I took from my open back porch.

I found myself holding my breath when I took this.

It brought to mind one of my favorite quotes:

"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, 
but by the moments that take our breath away."

by Dr. Bob Morehead from "Words Aptly Spoken," 1995

This quote is there always at the bottom of my right sidebar.

I reminds me of one of my favorite songs ...

"You'll Never Walk Alone"
 (Gerry & The Pacemakers Version, 1963)

No one ever really walks alone through the storm.

<3

Please visit my friends today at

I Like Thursday @ Not Afraid of Color

 <3 

Frosty Fun on a Hot Summer Day

Four Blocks Done!

My Jelly Snowflake blocks are looking cool and frosty.

For this new project, I am using 

Fairy Frost by Michael Miller

It is a hot and sunny day here, so I started my day enjoying the sunshine and flowers

 in my windowboxes though the glass of my sewing corner window.

When I turned on the iron, my sewing corner really got warm,

so I moved my pattern board over by my machine 

and turned on the air conditioner.

Jelly Snowflake ~ All Instructions Here @ FQS

Download Block 1 Here

The four blocks for Step 1 are done.

Time to move on to Step 2.

What are you sewing today?

Hope your day is happy and safe.

<3 

New Blog Hop Announcement ~ Sign Up Now

I am always sewing gifts from the heart so I signed right up.

All You Need To Know To Sign Up Here

This heartfelt blog hop is being organized and hosted by the lovely

Carol @ Just Let Me Quilt

Hope to see you hopping along ... <3 

A New Start ~ Jelly Snowflake QAL

This is my fabric choices for the

Jelly Snowflake Mystery Quilt Along @ Fat Quarter Shop

This link will take you to the fabric requirements and the kick-off post.

As this was a "Christmas in July" sew-along, it is now complete,

but if you have not seen it and want to keep it a mystery 

I do not want to spoil the reveal for you.

I have seen the finished quilts and have printed all the steps.

I did choose my fabrics when it was still a mystery.
I stayed on task, for once, though and completed my planned
Christmas in July Quiltings

For this new project, I am using 

Fairy Frost by Michael Miller

in dark blue and zirconium for my quilt

and am doing a reverse color placement.

The blue is my background fabric.

I could not have picked fabrics I would have liked more if I had waited 

to choose after the final step was released.

Mr Scrapatch loves these fabrics.

I am planning this to be a cuddle quilt for frosty winter nights

so I have chosen this ...

Shannon Fabrics Sparkle Cuddle

in navy and silver for my backing fabric.

This fabric is very soft and you cannot feel the glitter

and it does not rub off.

I have never used glitter minky for a quilt backing so quilting it 

and washing this type of mixed fabric quilt will be new to me.

If any of you have any experience 

with this cuddle fabric for a quilt backing,

I would be very interested to hear your tips and tricks.

 It is raining and blustery here as the bands from 

Tropical Storm Isaias are passing through our neighborhood.

The air has a very warm tropical scent to it,

like flowers that only grow near the equator and warm island beaches.

The air is so humid it feels like a warm hug.

I actually love this type of day which is so rare 

in our cool northern clime.

May everyone be well and safe in the storm's path.

 #JellySnowflakeQAL

Christmas Quiltings ~ Summer 2020

Christmas in July has spilled into Christmas in August.

I is hot and humid outside again and I am staying cool inside

in my happy sewing place. 

The hurricane off the east coast may meander this way in a few days

but it is already feeling tropical here.

It has been a long, hot and sometimes stormy summer.

Here are the backs of my Christmas Cushion Covers.

I like to make seasonal covers for my favorite sofa toss cushions

so I only have to store the flat covers and use the pillows I have.

If you are interested in how to make this type of cushion closure,

click below for my complete tutorial:

Snap Back Cushion Cover How-To Here

This is the front of the new Christmas cover for my favorite lumbar support cushion

for my reading chair.

I added a bit of ric-rac to the top of this pillow for fun.

These covers were made with scrap bits and pieces

from my Christmas in July Projects.

With the smallest scraps I made a coaster and a book mark.

Machine binding made quick work with the coaster and
I added a ric-rac loop so I could even use it as an ornament.

I added bits of the ric-rac to the bookmark, too.
It looks like a Christmas Candle to me now ... :)

I never used to do so, but I am finding this is a great way to 

complete some of those seasonal projects that never seem to get done
 in the busy weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

I am cleaning up my sewing are today
 and trying to decide if I am want to sew more
Christmas projects or move on to fall or sew summer ...
or move on to fall.
I will see what my Quilty Muse says as I neaten up and put away.

Do you like to make Christmas Quilts in summer?

Happy Christmas Quiltings!