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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.
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,
![RettabugBC_zpswmbddgvr[1]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWMRe7XBGaXPoB8fx03FcFyEvqzgimZ7taOyE6ha-QmoWXUABvIZC8s4rnQdHtXc0jQPpVKdLMkwb4zgRuHq0dhtZ0xsfwvaBZJtUyIC-6Fl8OlnyGTKBAUQWJ8b9wIyR5e3yWXm98HYOp/s1600-h/RettabugBC_zpswmbddgvr%25255B1%25255D%25255B2%25255D.gif "RettabugBC_zpswmbddgvr[1]")
So good to hear you've had a nice summer with friends. I'm looking forward to that little fall nip in the air and all the beautiful leaf colors. Thank you for sharing the lovely quilts!
ReplyDeleteQuilt love Rett! I'm having a hard time picking a favorite! I love that beautifully quilted leaf design and the Lavender Hill Farm quilt with the barn quilts too! The purple and green combinations are stunning. I'm am thoroughly spent and wrung out from our summer heat and humidity just like our flowers. It's been so dry here everything is crispy and I'm trying to keep our shrubs and trees alive with the hose without running our well dry. I'm afraid I'll be wearing flip flops until the end of October. It's overcast and in the high 80s today which is nice for a change. Happy Labor Day to you and bless you for laboring over stockings for our service men & women. ♥
ReplyDeletePS -> Love Keep Calm and Grab the Seam Ripper :)
Rett, you know this post has me smiling for many reasons, and the most important is that it is a post from you. '-)
ReplyDeleteHappy to know that you are busy with your friends. I know the time without your Ernie is difficult, but friends and quilting must help ease the void. Love seeing all the pretty quilts. My favorite is the cream basket quilt. I have long held a fondness for basket quilts. Sending hugs and thoughts of friendship your way.
Rett, what beautiful quilts. I think I like the black, grey and cream one best of all - it's so classy looking. But all of them are wonderful. Good for you for sewing stockings for the armed forces. They are doing a tough job and need encouragement. I'm glad you are keeping busy with friends, although Ernie's place in your life and heart will never be replaced.
ReplyDeleteHugs to you.
Rett, honey, you sound wonderful and that makes my heart smile! All we "all" want for you is peace and happiness and it appears as if you've found a tiny bit of each with your sewing and quilting passion. Much love to you, my friend!
ReplyDeleteRett, sounds like you have had a very busy summer! Beautiful flowers, especially those hydrangeas. This is the 2nd year that I didn't have a blossom on mine, the greenery is lush, just no blossoms.
ReplyDeleteThose quilts are gorgeous...my favorite is the scalloped edged one with the basket of flowers in the center...must be the colors lime and aqua!
Have a great week.
First, thank you for making those wonderful stockings. What happiness they will endow to our military and I am sure they will be well appreciated! The quilts all share such wonderful colors. Such a happy post! So glad you had a summer filled with blessings.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad that your friends are keeping you busy, Rett. The stockings are such a wonderful idea and bless you for helping in making them. The quilts are just works of art! It's hard to pick a favorite, but I loved the log cabin house design, the flower basket one, the Fall leaves, the rainbow one, etc. etc. Thank you for sharing their beauty with us. Happy Labor Day!
ReplyDeleteThose colorful stockings are going to bring such joy to people. From your hands and heart. Rett, thank goodness for your post. In looking at some very pretty fall colors and fabrics, I wanted to make an item or two but had no idea where to begin. My thought was, "What would Rett do?" because I admire so many of your colorful quilt creations. I spend a lot of time in your archives looking for inspiration and ideas. :-) And then this morning, here is a post from you filled with beauty for the eye and love from friends. Those quilts from Pat are marvelous. I'd be happy to make the pumpkin!
ReplyDeleteWow, you are staying busy. Love that you are making stockings. You have a very generous heart. The quilts are beautiful. I am having a difficult time picking a favorite. All different colors and patterns. My mother would love to see these. Your flowers look lovely. They do brighten a home. Thank you for your visit and prayers. xo
ReplyDeleteHi, Rett..I was just thinking of you the other day and wondering how you were doing. So glad to see you are staying busy...those quilts just take my breath away. When my mama was still here, we used to delight in going to Quilt Shows....she loved making quilts and was so good at it.
ReplyDeletexoxo
These quilt are amazing! Just gorgeous!...Christine
ReplyDeletewow, that's a lot of beauty....Quilt Shows are so fun to go to.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for coming by..it's always good to hear from you.