Labor Day & the End of Summer

 

Labor Day has always had such a melancholy feel to it for me.
It is the official end of the summer, although certainly not the summer heat!
We're to be in the 90's today!

I'm *Laboring* for a good cause this weekend, by making Christmas stockings for our military men & women.



A member of my KISS quilt guild, Valerie Liambeis spearheads this project every year.
She solicits donations of fabric then cuts the stocking shapes as well as the cuffs & tucks several sets into little baggies.
The KISS members take the packets home & sew the stockings together & once they are all completed,
a Yo-Yo gets tucked down into the toe of the stocking & they are then filled with candy for the troops.
I think we made over 400 last year & will probably do as many this year, too.

As Valerie says “Wouldn't it be nice if they weren't needed at all?”

Another melancholy note….I've gathered the last of my roses & a few hydrangea blooms for an impromptu bouquet.













































I'm sad to see the flowers end, although some yellow mums are now opening.

My sewing buddies have kept me quite busy this summer, taking me to several different quilt shows & events.
I truly do not know how I would manage without my sewing friends!


These GORGEOUS quilts are from a trunk show by Pat Knoechel, the sister of Eleanor Burns. (Quilt In A Day fame)
What a delightful presentation...she is a sweetheart!!
I was enthralled...both by the delicious quilts she shared but also by the spectacular quilting done on each one.






Such wonderful variety!!




That is Pat, taking the time to explain how each one was made. 





Every color of the rainbow!!






Some modern....



Some traditional...


Doesn't that quilting around the leaves look just like wind, tossing them about?



Some were very little, like the wall hanging below..



with embellishments of sparkles & pearls.  (look closely at the white pine trees to see the pearls)



Some really BIG ones...note that pretty scalloped edge...



I adore the following color combination!!! 
Purple, green & cream or white is going to be my next quilt, for sure.












Actually, this black, tan & creamy-white one, below, was my 2nd most favorite of them all!



I just love this classy combination & frequently find myself wearing it, too.
The quilting on this one was really special.



Time to put away the flip flops & hang up the beach wear....looking forward to some cooler weather & all the lovely colors of Autumn.

Thanks for visiting The Gazebo House!  You're always welcome here.

fondly,