Sunshine and storms

The sun was shining brightly last week so I took the opportunity to try some sun printing. I signed up for a round robin fabric challenge at PAQA in July and the deadline for the first “layer” is September 1st so this gave me time for disaster…

But there were no disasters! I took my pfd cotton outside and wet it thoroughly. Then I took some red and some yellow Setacolor paints I just happened to have and splashed them on all over… adding copious amounts of water to help the blending process.  I set my table up just outside the garage where there is a shrub growing wild. There were plenty of branches waiting to be cut and arranged on top of the damp painted fabric…

and then I sprinkled a little salt down the middle and left everything to dry in the bright light.

Then, as if by magic, a few hours later, this is what I got.

I heat fixed (5 minutes with a hot iron from the back) thoroughly, left it to cure a few days and then washed the fabric in warm water with Synthrapol. No color came out so it’s ready to send to Sydney for her to add the next layer. I have the next one waiting for me already. I have some ideas!

Friday I went to the Weekend of Valor put on by Gazebo Quilters in Huntley. We were assigned teams to work on quilts to be sent to combat veterans through the Quilts of Valor foundation. This is the hard working team stitching on the table opposite us…

Jaki had never made a quilt before but under the tutelage of coach Stephanie they got their whole top finished. Marianne Fons was on hand for a photo shoot.

Kim Stauss and I didn’t get so far. We were working on a Pat Sloan design, aptly entitled Valor and made using the Tribute collection of fabrics donated by P and B textiles. Kim worked on all the hundreds of half square triangles needed for the twelve LeMoyne stars in the border and I got to grips with the center medallion. Seven hours later here’s what we had done…

At least we were both still smiling. Kim took everything home to finish the top ready for quilting and donation.

… and then I drove to Rockford where I proved very good at child minding a sleeping child…

Here are Benjamin and his mother.

Not too long now before Benjamin’s sister will be arriving on the scene. Yesterday I finally finished the log cabin quilt from a kit Sheila and I bought back on our epic shop hop of 2002 to McPherson, Kansas and back.

Those are 3/4″ finished logs. That makes this a special quilt! Steve says it looks very “nana-esque” . Julia calls it “grandma chic”. Could that be a new trend?

And here is a close up of the finished washed quilt. I love the soft Moda fabrics we bought. They feel like well washed handkerchiefs. I put a cozy flannel plaid on  the back.

So, this morning it is raining. I tried to get a picture of the rain on the deck but I didn’t want to go outside and get wet. This is my best effort so far.

The radar shows a big storm on its way through. It’s a great day for catching up.