Monday, September 07, 2015

Labor Day & the End of Summer

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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.


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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.


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


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Such wonderful variety!!

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

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Every color of the rainbow!!

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Some modern....

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

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

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

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

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I adore the following color combination!!! 
Purple, green & cream or white is going to be my next quilt, for sure.
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Actually, this black, tan & creamy-white one, below, was my 2nd most favorite of them all!

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


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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,

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