Saturday, August 8, 2026

Under the air conditioner

 I haven't been inclined to post for months.  I've stayed busy - just too hot to organize myself.  It's only 99 degrees today - sigh


Just want to wish you a Happy Sesquicentinnel (I probably spelled that wrong) this summer.  It was kind of anti-climatic around here because we are in a severe drought and fireworks were completely banned in the state for the month of July.  The good news is 100s of fires were prevented.  Our air quality is pretty poor because of various fires south of us.  



There was even a fire in my hometown of Logan called the Canyon Road fire.  In the picture about you can see the fire down below right on Canyon Road that is climbing up the hill and heading for the Utah State University campus.  My cousin, who still lives in Logan, said the firefighters were able to get it under control and out fairly quickly because they could fight it from above.  It's still scary though.



I'm still plugging along on my denim jacket.  I've attached the cuffs since this picture was taken.



And this is part of the back before it was sewn together.  I have hemmed it and I need to do the buttonholes on the front and cuffs and then embellish a little more.  It is so comfortable, old denim is just so soft.


I got this little quilt all quilted and bound.  I use it on my kitchen table as a table cloth for fall and now it won't have raw edges anymore.


This is the backing for the current quilt in the frames.  I know it's a bit unusual but I wanted to use the panel and I didn't want to have to go buy anything new to surround it.  I have about 20 bolts around my sewing table with 3-6 yds on each for backings.  I buy it when I find it on sale.  This worked out the best and because I had so much I still have 6 yds. leftover for another quilt.  It's an old Kay England fabric line and it was $5 a yard.



I wanted some pretty pink geraniums and couldn't find anything new this spring.  Just the same old. . . same old.  So I ordered these seeds in June and planted them in numerous pots.


These are the ones that are still alive after this scorching summer weather.  They are my babies.  I have an alarm on my phone that goes off at 3:45 every afternoon to remind to go check on the sprouts.  They are a long way from blooming but I'll bring them in for the winter and feed them well.




These are some photos of my lovely hollyhocks who seem to thrive in the heat.  I just love the fluffly center of the white one.

And finally the real reason I haven't been blogging.  I did a lot of cross stitch in the 80's and 90's but when I discovered quilting the cross stitch all went into a box in the closet downstairs.  In May I fould a pattern I couldn't pass up.

So I'm working Hannah Whitaker Thorne Sampler


And this is how much I have done after two months of sitting under the air conditioner.


I am enjoying myself so much.  I think my husband thinks I've turned into a slug because everytime he comes in from outside working in the yard I am sitting in my rocking loveseat under my OTT-LITE.

As I was going through my cross stitch box I found this cookie cannister filled with floss.  


So now I need to wind some more cards.  

I am a little over halfway on the sampler


Hope you're having a wonderful summer doing the things you enjoy most.

Robin


4 comments:

Michele McLaughlin said...

Robin I am so glad you are safe from the wildfires. You are wise to stay near the a/c!!! I love your projects, especially the Quaker Sampler and your denin coat is so charming! I remember your backing fabric :D The top is very pretty and perfect for autumn. Stay safe!

Denice Barker said...

Oh, Robin, I do understand the lack of gumption because of the heat. It really just melts my insides. We've had some of it but not to the degree you have and we haven't had the fires (knock on wood) though we did have a week of cancellations and confinement because of the smoke from Canada. Our issue is coupling the heat with humidity. That combination is the killer.
Your jacket is gorgeous! A showstopper!!
I'd be afraid to pick up cross stitch again. I did that over 50 years ago and just DON'T need another hobby! Samplers were my thing, too. But I don't have the eyesight for it anymore.
Hang in there

Katie said...

The jacket looks great! Lots of stitches in there, but it seems you're no stranger to that with the cross stitching. And if that's what you're doing and you want to share, please do! My mom did a lot of that before she found quilting in the 80s, preferring old-looking samplers and then learning how to professionally frame them herself. (We had walls covered with those, ceiling beams hung with her handmade baskets and then quilts added in - quite the country home!) And I hope the fires all die out soon. Though I'm far from them, it's scary to think of all that is being lost.

cityquilter grace said...

first i love your hollyhocks...my grandmother had them in her garden and they always remind me of her....lovely lovely stitchery....i'm pretty much a hermit in summer here...90s again but the worst is that it does not cool down at night...i like a cool sleeping room but not here in summer...even with no posts you've not been a slug at all...quite busy i'd say!

Under the air conditioner

 I haven't been inclined to post for months.  I've stayed busy - just too hot to organize myself.  It's only 99 degrees today - ...