Category: Low Country Living

A New Quilt Top

Back in Maine, before covid started and before I knew I was going to move to South Carolina, I had acquired rather a lot of Cotton+Steel/Ruby Star Society fabrics. And my stash was seeming to be way too full, laced as it was with the darker more traditional fabrics with which I started my quilting journey. I gave away some fabrics, and I cut up the whole of my C+S/RSS fabrics into useable strips.

I started with quilts made with Churn Dash blocks made with pieced backings–all from the C+S/RSS fabrics. At some point I cut strips into 3-inch squares and made several quilts with those. And then, as I worked on a project, I cut leftovers into 2 and 1 1/2 inch squares. That journey is all on this blog, and there have been so many quilts made from this years-long project–that is apparently still in process.

At one point, after the Maine house had a buyer and when I was all packed up and waiting for the time when the movers would arrive, I set up a small sewing station and started sewing the 2-inch squares into 9 patches and the 1 1/2-inch squares into 4 patches. (Piecing has always been soothing to me.)

Now in South Carolina, I sewed the 4 patches into these larger blocks (16 inches) and surrounded them with this text fabric. This picture does not capture the vibrancy of these tiny blocks.

This picture is better–at least on my screen.

I’ll tackle the 9 patches at some point.

And, yes, there are still some strips of this fabric left! And two bins of the 3-inch squares. I seem to buy more fabric from these designers for backings here and there–to include one for this quilt as I didn’t have a backing that would fit this size quilt and not enough yardage to piece a backing. I do love those designers.

The other day I pulled out a bag of 1920/1930s reproduction fabrics I bought over 16 years ago when a local Maine fabric store closed as the owner retired. The bag had, also, some neutral muslin yardage, so I’m making some blocks that are color oriented. LOL, I had to buy some extra fat quarters of these fabrics to fill out the colors. The secondary patterns will be fun with these blocks.

It never ends…

Anyway, these are very fun blocks happening, which is interesting as I lost my interest in these 1920/1930s reproduction fabrics some years back.

And, there are 2 quilt tops to longarm quilt and a quilt which needs its binding sewn down and…the hand quilting on Traverse and the former “quilt from hell.” And Tara Faughnan’s very fun block of the month project in solids.

So, I remain so engaged with my ongoing passion.

The New Tunic

Good morning on what is another beautiful morning here.

I finished the new tunic–it’s the orange one, mid-thigh on the left.

To make it, I ordered a gorgeous flannel–which will go with my aqua leggings. And the sewing went well.

BUT (there is always a but when I make a pattern for the first time)…

It’s so heavy!!! I am still getting used to the South Carolina winter weather. Right now, temps drop to 50s at night, but go back up to high 70s during the day. So I start out with warm clothes and switch to cooler ones later in the day–especially if I am going to walk.

I am narrow in the front, between the shoulders. Over time I’ve found a great hack to take out the extra yardage at the neck for a pattern that is cut on the fold. I have to lose about 4 inches at the front center neckline for this top. So I’ve made that change on the tissue pattern I traced.

It’s too long. I added an extra inch at the bottom when I drew the tissue pattern, so the top sits just above my knees. (I wanted to make sure the top covered my bum.) So now I need to shorten this top by a lot, which I’ll do next. AND the pockets seem to be a bit high for me, so I’ll lower them.

This top is totally wearable; it’s just big and heavy. I’ll layer it with a turtleneck and call it a day. I very much like the plackets at the hem, and with the excess front fabric removed and the bottom shortened, the whole thing will fit very well.

I’ve ordered an Essex linen in a soft grey, so I’ll make it again in that lighter fabric, with my alterations. And, layered with a turtleneck, it will be warm enough for all but the few weeks of really cold weather here.

Here’s the hack that removes neckline extra fabric without changing the grainline on the front fold:

https://www.threadsmagazine.com/project-guides/fit-and-sew-tops/remove-excess-fabric-neckline-video

Halloween Aftermath

I started out sitting near the front door, but quickly moved down to the driveway edge—as did my front street neighbors.  We talked and visited while children came and went—mostly little ones, accompanied by parents.

The weather turned off cold, so at some point many of us went dashing back into our houses to add warmer layers.  (And this morning I woke up cold and as soon as I had showered and dressed, I got out my Maine comforter to put on my bed.  It’s time!  The heater cranked up this morning too.)

Halloween costumes are clearly a big thing–for children and adults. Over on the Isle of Palms, son Bryan made full use of his viking regalia used in the golf cart parade.  He holds the fort while Corinne takes their three girls around the neighborhood.

Here are the three younger granddaughter’s costumes–the older two have aged out of trick or treating in the neighborhood as they are now in high school:

The older girls are now holding the fort:

I had a TON of candy left over. I bought two big bags at Costco as I had no idea how many children would come around our neighborhood. We have lots of children here, and I didn’t know if children would come from other neighborhoods?

 It’s a “thing” here to send leftover candy to our American troops overseas—so mine went down to a neighbor’s house who, in turn, took all our neighborhood candy to a donation spot.

And now, on to Thanksgiving!

Well, How Fun is This?

Maine friend Roxanne recently wrote that she had connected with an old friend who had moved from Maine and who made really pretty jewelry. Said friend had an Etsy store.

I asked Roxanne for the name of the Etsy store, and here’s what arrived in the mail yesterday.

The earrings are so pretty. They were beautifully wrapped and packaged. And look at those sturdy wires. They also came with plastic protectors, which is good since I lose earrings a lot. Or, did. They’d catch on Maine scarves or coat collars and pop off without my realizing they were even loose.

LOL, I’m really good at giving myself “treats,” which I often justify by saying I don’t drink wine, don’t go to restaurants, don’t go to movies, don’t go to indoor events, yada, yada.

You get the drift of this theoretical move, right?

Anyway, Roxanne got some new earrings too!!

And since I’m mentioning Etsy stores, if you quilt, you might take a curious look at another of my Maine friend’s Etsy fabric store: Sew Me A Song.

I have not in a while done that myself, so…

But I am trying to use up stash fabrics… Which I am now reminding myself.

And tonight is Halloween. I’m going to sit in a chair at the driveway so the kiddos don’t have to ring the bell. For a while, anyway.

I hope the fog we have right now clears away…

Late October 2023

The Holly Berries along the roadside where I often walk are so beautiful now. I hope mine in the front of my home turn this very pretty red.

Some days are cool enough now that dinner on the porch is best when sitting in a sunny spot and wearing a sweater. But not all days; the past two days have seen me finding a pair of shorts and a short-sleeve t-shirt–at least in the middle of the day.

The air fryer does a great job with fish filet coated lightly with a gluten-free panko and sweet peppers. The asparagus got cooked in the microwave. The berries are a treat.

Last week a host of repair men were in and out of the house–at the 11-month occupation “clean up” of things needing fixing. I roasted a chicken last Monday, so had some meat for a few days. The cauliflower and baby bok choy was pan sautéed in a little duck fat–with herbs and garlic, of course.

I decided to go back and add a middle line of quilting to the solid bar strips in Traverse–and I’m so glad I did. They just needed…more. I am nearing the end of this hand-quilting project, but have some wide bars to do before I can say “done.” My stitches, front and back, are so much more steady and reliable now.

Yesterday I had dinner with Bryan, Corinne, and the girls–and Corinne’s mother (Cheryl) who is here for a few days. I have not seen her in over 10 years, so it is delightful to see her again. Cheryl is a very special person.

Two granddaughters went with me for a quick walk on the beach late yesterday afternoon–and they went swimming–though the water is colder now. You can just see their heads out among the waves. They warmed up in the tidal pools left up on the beach.

We used to call these pools “buffalo holes,” and I have idea why–it came from my Georgia mother way back in the day.

I’ve almost finished a quilt top made with 1 1/2-inch squares I cut from the Cotton+Steel/Ruby Star Society fabrics. When I had leftover scraps I cut them into useable pieces–based on quilter Bonnie Hunter’s scrap system. I should have a picture to share in a few days.

More Bowl Dinners: Lamb Chops and Meatloaf

*I wrote this post last week, and this week has been so busy. I’m at the 11-month occupation of my new home, and the builder sends in various subs to fix things that got missed in the first inspection. Sometimes you don’t see things at first, but you do after living in a new home for almost a year. And there are things that range from the simple to the more problematic that need fixing or adjusting.

Grilled lamb chops, baby bok chop with onion and sweet peppers cooked in the air fryer, and rice I froze and defrosted.

Leftovers!

Meatloaf, okra with butter, and roasted butternut squash with fresh garlic and rosemary dressed with olive oil.

Here’s the herb garden these days. The tall plat on the right is lavender, and there is some chive between the sage and the lavender. The oregano is going wild, so I trimmed it back and am drying those stems in the kitchen. When dried, I’ll strip off the stems and save the leaves for winter use.

So…

That butternut squash…

Normally roasted it would have a dense candied sweetness to combine with the garlic, rosemary, and olive oil. I have always looked forward to this dish in the fall.

But this squash was absolutely tasteless. Likely it was picked green and had not had time yet to develop its sugars. It’s hard to tell before one cuts into one of these winter squashes. Maybe if I had held it longer it would have “ripened.” This squash is a good keeper. But I’ll pay more attention next time. An over-ripe one is too mushy. So, I guess it is a bit of a crap shoot.

I Saw a Monarch Butterfly

And it was the second one I’ve seen in my flowering plants in the past week.

I was surprised as I would have thought the Monarchs would have headed west before they get to the South Carolina coast.

But as it turns out that there is a very, very interesting thing going on with the Monarchs in South Carolina: some here on the coast stay here all year, which is a conclusion made after years of study. Here is a quote from the article linked below from the South Carolina Division of Natural Resources:

“The recently published research indicates that monarch butterflies live year-round in South Carolina, relying on swamps in spring, summer and fall and sea islands in the winter. While these monarchs rely heavily on aquatic milkweed (Asclepias perennis) as a host plant for their eggs and caterpillars, they were also found to use swallow-wort (Pattalias palustre) – a viney relative of milkweed that grows near salt marshes and was previously unrecognized as an important host plant for monarchs.

“This research adds another layer of nuance to the fascinating story of the monarch butterfly,” said SCDNR associate marine scientist and first author Dr. Michael Kendrick.”

https://www.dnr.sc.gov/news/2023/Jul/jul11-butterflies.php

The monarchs upstate (to the north and west) in South Carolina are migrating likely to Mexico. Here’s an article from Clemson University:

The Monarch Highway

And, here’s a link to information about Monarch migration in the United States:

https://monarchwatch.org/migration/

Who knew?

But, life happens…

Which is one of the marvels of Mother Earth.

Sewing Bits: Patchwork Gals Mystery Quilt and a New Tunic For Me

The Patchwork Gals met last Wednesday, and as always, the “Show and Tell” was awesome. The turnout for this meeting is strong, about 25-30 very talented women.

This group had been working on a “mystery” quilt for some months, and during this meeting, they started sharing. Each person made the quilt differently, of course. I could not get ALL of the versions, and there will be more next month, but I wanted to share these three. But know that every single quilt shown was so pretty.

I really loved the scrappy nature of this version. Of course, I love green, but even the sashing was scrappy.

This 2-color version in blue and white is dramatic and graphic. This version took the 4-patch into the outside borders, which extended the line of squares, which I very much liked.

This one is made of 1930 reproduction fabrics–and next on my list is to tackle a collection of those fabrics which has been residing in my stash for nearly 20 years. I had thought to make another churn dash quilt, but I am drawn to this type of scrappy “Jacobs Ladder” form. Maybe I’ll do this type of quilt, though it would mean separating the various 1930s prints. Who knows? I may also look to the Modern Quilt Society patterns for ideas for my collection of 1930s fabrics.

After the meeting, one of the women told me about the Charleston Modern Quilt Guild, which will meet next Tuesday night. This group of women is separate from Cobblestone and might belong to the Modern Quilt Guild organization. This group also sews together monthly on a Saturday. I’m going Tuesday night, for sure.

THE TUNIC

I’ve wanted to make this tunic for some time now. I acquired this pattern back in Maine, and some months back I got some cotton fabric to try it out. I wanted a longer tunic that covered my bum to wear over some luscious leggings that Tami gave me for Mother’s Day. They are a soft aqua color.

I had to order tracing paper as I could not find any locally. And last week I traced off the pattern and cut out the tunic.

It’s so, so cute! And it fits! I like the curved hem. I will layer this top with a t-shirt given my old-lady droopy skin arms.

Note that the back is longer than the front–and it curves very nicely over my bum.

Here’s the back.

And here it is with the color of the leggings.

Someone with better legs than I have now could wear this tunic over shorts.

Also, the cotton fabric above works great for the tunic, but I also think a lighter, more “drapey” fabric would work even better, like a lawn or a double gauze. And I’m wondering about an Essex linen, which is thicker but which drapes really well. Note that this pattern was “fiddly” to make, given the construction of the bodice piece and the side pockets. I liked a lot the easy construction of the bias binding armholes, however. It’s perhaps not a good pattern for novice garment makers.

I ordered this fabric in warmer weather, and it now feels too summery for our colder weather. So I ordered a darker color of flannel that I can wear with the leggings maybe. But I’ll be trying out a different pattern–and yesterday I traced it out and am ready to go when the fabric comes on Monday. I can always wear this other flannel top with my jeans or knit pants if I don’t like it with the aqua leggings.

Here’s the tunic I’ll make this next week–it’s the orange one in this picture.

Wish me luck!!!

Beggars’ Lice

Last Sunday we gathered at Mike and Tami’s to celebrate Debbie’s birthday (Tami’s mother). Mike and Tami had been hard at work with various garden projects, which resulted in this kind of “beggar’s lice” sticking to their pants. And, to the dogs, which took some days to rectify once the seeds got wound up with the dogs’ hair.

“Beggar’s Lice” are seeds that a “weed” plant produces. The seeds have POWERFUL gripping power if one brushes up next to the host plant. I grew up with the name “Beggar’s Lice,” but there are other regional names for this seed. And, several plant species that produce this kind of seed.

If you google “beggar’s lice,” a page will appear with lots of pictures and links to information about his seed, like this one: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hackelia_virginiana

While Michael was organizing our dinner, we women gathered to try to get the “lice” off of the various clothing items. Tami had already spent about three hours the night before trying to get the lice off a pair of her pants. (Debbie is on the left and granddaughter Mina, on the right.). We tried the flat edge of knives, spoons, and a carrot peeler to scrape off the seeds. It was easier to get them off the jeans than the knit-type fabric in the above picture.

While we “persevered,” Mike made us a beautiful dinner. Here’s my bowl–which is missing the beautiful sliced heritage tomatoes dressed with minced herbs, avocados, and fresh mozzarella balls. Mike grilled the chicken breasts, zucchini, and sweet peppers. The grain salad is barley and contains more diced veggies. It was dressed with olive oil. (You could add an acid, like lemon juice or vinegar.) Mike’s salads are always fun: this one had radicchio included, which I love. And the hard boiled eggs are a colorful and nice inclusion.

I can say that we were “eating the rainbow” with this meal.

Sunburned Azaleas

The five white azaleas out front have struggled with how the sun hits them all summer. They are badly sunburned–and now you can see them trying to “green up” their leaves as the angle and the intensity of the sun has moved into fall/winter coolness. These plants were a bad choice by the builder’s landscape sub, given the intensity of the summer sun and no shade until about 3 pm.

Today I got help from Andres Hernandez with moving and replacing these plants–which was a great relief as I did not want to dig and augment with sand and compost another five holes in the clay.

The azaleas will be much happier on this shady side of the house–and the Asiatic Jasmine will continue to grow up around them.

We replaced these azaleas with five white Encore azaleas–which are a cross between rhododendrons and azaleas, are much sturdier, and will bloom until it gets too cold.

Here’s one with a bloom intact:

Here’s the front bed now. These new plants will get about 4 feet by 4 feet. We moved two of them in the middle forward to give the Chinese Holly more room, but the Encores will form a kind of understory to the hollies. BUT, I do not want this front bed to get too tall for the windows behind it.

It was a really nice morning–and I watered while Andres rehomed and planted. So now, it is about to RAIN. LOL, of course it is.