Jamestown Landing - completed [Quilting]

Jamestown Landing is officially checked off the UFO/WIP list! 

Jamestown Landing (84 x 96) - Bonnie K. Hunter design

Loopy Feathers

 

 

And what's a post without SOME kind of gardening aspect???
Yes, folks!  The strawberries are nearing readiness for picking.  Oh Lordy -- are we in for a large harvest this year.  Whose idea was it to expand to three rows last year?  Not to mention the 4th row that was added this year?  I have a feeling our neighbors are going to be thankful for the size of our patch ;)

Even more temptation for a mini-baler

The morning's agenda was simple:  finish up Jamestown Landing by sewing on the binding and making/attaching the label.

Good progress was being made;  the label was underway on the embroidery machine while I was cutting and preparing the binding.

Around 10:30, as the final length of binding was being pressed, Cassie came down saying something about the mower's battery, this-that-r'the other.

The mower had been acting up after taking it out of winter storage this Spring, so it wouldn't have surprised me if it was down for the count.  

However, after getting the girls working on some hand raking, I simply filled up the tank and v'iola.  LOL.  Goofball Cass!  With all hands on deck, we started making quick (?) work of the yard...

raking some rows that I could pick up with the tractor, and Cassie continued 'sweeping' the yard.

At one point, these pics were shared on FB with a request out to a former student of mine to come and bale up my yard! 

It's times like these that a mini-baler is certainly tempting.  LOOK at these adorable lil' bales!  I could see these being perfect for small hobby farms of goats, sheep, horses, ...

But for now, much of the grass was either dumped into a pile for later use or started filling in as mulch between the potato plants.

Five hours logged.  Three rows done, 6 more to go.  But for now, it's hot.  And time to relax.

Jamestown Landing and the property

Summer 2015-16 quilting has finally been kicked off!  With a day of Hans Zimmer movie soundtracks, Jamestown Landing was quilted.  

I can't even remember anymore when I started this or when the top was completed.  Sad, sad, sad that I've become "one of those quilters" who has been around the block long enough to have a pile of UFOs percolating (and dying?) off in the corner.  LOL.

One at a time though.  One at a time.

Jamestown Landing ended up coming to the forefront since it will be a raffle quilt for a friend of the family.  The raffle kickoff will happen during a 4th of July celebration;  therefore, the binding will be completed today and (hopefully) we'll venture up to deliver the quilt to its destination this weekend.

Life around the yard is in full swing...

The ducklings are over a month old now;  only one has been officially named so far.   Meet Afro-Jack!!!! LOL

Only one pig of the six has been named this year;  Smudge.  Candace was out treating them to some Daisy treats;  what a beautiful moment!!!

A new, simple-n-portable, coop is being made for our ever-expanding flocks.  

After all, if you've got 'em, ya hatch 'em, right???  ;)

Our younger tomato plants couldn't wait much longer;  they were itching to be planted!

Although, when this visitor was seen, the planting endeavor was ALMOST halted for the day!

However, hero Paul came to escort this guy (or girl?) to a new location, and we were back to the planting!   

In the end, SEVENTY-THREE tomato plants are happily growing in the upper garden.  SEVENTY-THREE!  LOL.  Way to hold back this year, Amy :D

And TRUUUULY, I'm not one to do much 'gardening' unless vegetables are involved.  Pretty flower/shrub gardens aren't my thing----but.... THIS has become an eye-sore after spending ZERO time on it last year.  Plus... it's in the middle of the front yard!  What must the neighbors think?!?!?  (LOL!)

A few hours and sunburn later, with the assistance of my helpers Caitlyn and Candace, it is all clean and new again.   I had started some perennials (per Paul's request) back in February, so they were moved into this location. 

We have Achillea planted in the southern portion... 

Some Black-Eyed Susans and HolyHocks towards the west...

A plot of McKana Giants Columbine planted from seed on the northern edge.  *shrug* We'll see what they do...

and a section of Lupines towards the east.

Again, I'm not much of a perennial flowery/shrub gardener, so..... *shrug*.  At least the weeds have been tamed :D

On the topic of taming.....

Caitlyn has reached the age (crazy enough!) to learn how to mow with the riding law-mower.  We were in a win-win situation with her the other day.  She had fun learning AND our 'hay-field' was able to be mowed at the slower pace required due to the extra length!

Then sister Cassie took over with the yard-rake.  Right about now, having that mini-baler Paul and I talked about last year would be pretty nice.  I'm sure we'd be able to bale up quite a bit!!!!!  Cass seems to be enjoying her time on the mower, though, singing along with her iPod tunes.

Worried about frost; Jamestown Landing nearing completion

After spending hours planting portions of the garden last weekend, we sent up a simple wish for warmer temperatures and mild rain.

The strawberry patch was beautifully and dutifully weeded and mulched yesterday.

All week long, the temperatures have been typically decent, and the order of rain came through, but....... FROST last night.  Dag-nabbit!  We woke to a light frost this morning;  and the strawberry blossoms are now at-risk since we didn't cover or irrigate.  Drat. Drat. Drat.

Caitlyn and I covered the cucumber plants we had transplanted last weekend, so they should continue growing nicely.

Cassie had taken charge of planting corn.  Clearly, we continue to await for the ground (and air) temperatures to increase and stabilize before hoping for any germination.

The broccoli didn't have to worry about rain OR temperature since SOMEONE couldn't pass up the fresh leaves of the new transplants.  Grrrrrr......  EVERY LEAF -- stripped away!

And since my chickens can NOT pass up these delicious snacks, we need to come up with a simple fencing solution for our strawberry patch.  Otherwise, we'll lose any berries to our chickens that may end up surviving this frost.

In other news.... Mama Rock has successfully hatched out six babies on Thursday/Friday.  We expect to see another seven coming home from Caitlyn's classroom incubator this week (we offered some eggs to the class incubator), and we're hoping Mama will embrace them as her own since they are essentially the same age (3 days apart).  

Additionally, OUR incubator is coming due anytime over the next 3-4 days;  thirty-three eggs, which we do not plan on handing over to Mama.  LOL.  Instead, they will be raised as a new 2015 flock to be complete with a new coop too :)  (YET to be made).  The jury is still out on whether another full set of eggs will be placed in back-to-back incubator hatchings.  The vote in leaning towards, 'ya better start setting some eggs aside when you perform your daily collection.'  ;)

On the quilting front, a few hours have been spent in front of the machine when the weather has been less than garden-worthy.

Rainbow Scrap Challenge updated a little bit;  I'm still shy of a couple of colors, but I'm 'ahead' with the red.  ;)

A new deadline project for a customer has been loaded on the frame;  Bonnie's Jamestown Landing, one of my favorite designs she's come up with!

One more week of 2014-15 school year.  Or as Cassie says..."four and a half days, Mom.  Friday is only a half day."

;)

10 hours in my sewing room - Easy Street and others

6:30 AM, and I was strolling into my quilting room.  I brought NO schoolwork home this weekend seeing that we teachers have 2 days worth of inservice on Monday & Tuesday while the kiddos have the entire week off.  Therefore, I'll plan to get some of my planning done during a couple of hours of worktime on Tuesday afternoon.

Therefore, I could FINALLY devote my undivided attention to my sewing room!  {{almost}}  From time to time, I did need to provide some meals on the table for Candace and Caitlyn.

My main project today:  Lazy Sunday.  Last weekend, I had left off piecing the sashing to the 2nd row before my bobbin thread ran out.  Hence, I wound 6 bobbins worth to start off the day, and then got to work.

I haven't done a "time-lapse" post in quite some time;  it's kind of a neat way to keep track of how fast/slow certain parts of quilting are.

A few hours into the morning, the center of Lazy Sunday was pieced.  I had also been piecing the border units as my leaders-enders, so I was making some good progress.

And then........

I forgot to continue with the time-lapse pictures!!! Whoops....

I simply was in a mode, and it was go-go-go;  and in the background, I was catching up on Bonnie's quiltcams from the past couple of months.

By mid-afternoon:  Lazy Sunday pieced!  77"x97".

Can I get an....ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh  ?

LOL

All the while, I was organizing up the leader-ender section;  failed to take a picture of that though.  "Omigosh" continues to be my main leader-ender project.  Perhaps in 4 years, at this pace, it may actually be completed SOLELY as leader-ender :)

THEN, I wanted to truly have an idea of how many quilt-tops I had hanging around, waiting OH WAITING to eventually be loaded into the quilting frame for some fancy-schmancy quilting.

The newest flimsy from last weekend:  Confetti (48"x48)

Bonnie's 2012-13 mystery:  Easy Street (85"x85")

Bonnie's Jamestown Landing (84"x96")

Bonnie's Smith Mountain Morning (72"x82")

RWB Heartstrings, but after seeing it in pictures.....nopers.  It's not ready for quilting!  I foresee 18 more RWB string blocks for placement on the left-and-right sides.  This layout.....eh.  It doesn't work.  It's unfinished!

Rainbow Scrap (from 2011? I think) (42"x56")

2010 BOM - 18 block RWB (58.5"x72")

HMMM......Alycia, if you happen to catch this post, let me know if you (or anyone you know) would be willing to take the top as-is and get it quilted up as a QOV ???  I'd rather get this into the arms of a recipient sooner-than-later; and at this rate..... in my basement.... it would be MUCH "later" than sooner.

Frost 25 (73"x73")

Freeze Frame (69"x86")

And not to mention a flannel snuggler quilt that was packed away in a different bin.  And I'm sure I have another one around the basement ... somewhere!  So, with ALL of these 100% ready for backings to be pieced or loaded directly into the frame....

I figured I simply needed to put some time on Wafer Cookies!  Which I did.  For a little while.

and then.....

The afternoon sloggies took hold.  And I was ready to be done.

I had a slightly restless night, playing "mommy" to Caitlyn.  She wasn't feeling well at school yesterday, and ALMOST lasted the whole day.  But, at 1:50, the elementary secretary walked her down to my classroom.  Even a "mom-hug" wasn't enough.  So, with some amazing coworkers helping out, I was on the way out the door of the school with Caitlyn next to me by 2:15.  And by 2:50... **sigh** ...  she officially proved to me that she was indeed sick.

By 10:00, THANKFULLY, she dozed off to sleep on the couch.  

Her sister, on the other hand; WIDE AWAKE watching Doc McStuffins.

Therefore, I figured I'd try to pass the time with some crochet.  The Hallmark channel has been the background noise of choice most evenings, and last night wasn't any different (until I allowed Candace to watch some Disney) :)

These blocks, along with probably one more, will be sewn together to make a simple lil' Christmas table runner for our piano.

There ya go, folks.  The list of flimsies is a bit..... overwhelming!  BUT, at least my sewing tables are clean and tidied.  My leader-ender section is freshly organized.  My "big" WIPs have reached an acceptable stage for folding or stashing on a shelf.

I'm READY for Friday's Clue #1.

OH WAIT!  

Crud!  

LOL

No I'm not!!!  

I completely forgot to pull fabrics.

:}

Oh well...tomorrow is another day.  I don't think I have enough energy left in me to spend any more time in the sewing room tonight.  Instead, I'll grab my crochet hook for the evening.

Happy Saturday!