breakfast at Sally's, stash report

Monday morning (7/31) was another cool morning when we got up…how lovely….61 degrees outside!  I did a few things in the morning before heading over to Sally’s for breakfast at 9 AM.  It was all of the regular gang, 

Sally, Ginny, Ann Mary

plus Gale brought her daughter Sandy.  

Sandy & Gale

Sandy & John (son-in-law) are briefly living with Gale & Phil while waiting to close on their house.  Most of us knew Sandy from her wedding and she was a delightful addition to our group.  The food was great: 

all kinds of yummy muffins

an excellent fruit salad

2 kinds of quiche

yum!!

and again, the company sat around talking until after NOON!!  They also totally surprised me with a birthday treat:

I espeically love the sign!

When I got home, I just couldn’t face my long arm again, so I read my library book until 4 PM, when I finally told myself I HAD to get moving.  I started the 3^rd to the last row at 4 PM, and at 5:45 PM I finally finished that row  :~(.  This quilt has been agonizing all along (between the 15 inch borders that were not measured for length before being added and the screw-ups from my machine itself), and by now I will tell you the truth…I think I am ready to pay someone to come and take away this long arm  :~(…I don’t need this stress.  I’m sorry to sound so down….but I am discouraged.  

Michael had an emergency Fort Mill board meeting in the evening and I really wanted to feel like I had accomplished something, so I got my binding all ironed and began to add it to one of the latest Valor quilts.  I also started a label for the first quilt.  To make my evening complete, my embroidery machine was on the LAST WORD of the label, 45 minutes later, when it screwed up for the second time on the same letter:  

But, the good news is, I got the binding put on the back side of both quilts, except for the corners where the labels will go….so at least that was something.  I sewed until 10 PM and then headed upstairs to sit out on the lanair and watch our candles and listen to the night with my honey.

Stash Report for July = well my pets, the news is not good in this quarter.    First up was that sale on fleece….and I bought 16 yards….8 of navy blue (I’ve already used 4 yards) and 8 of cream for Clinton quilts (on which I am woefully behind).  And then, a friend and fellow quilter Mary Ann gave me 2 quilts to quilt, with this gorgeous teal/blue/ocean colored fabric on them.  When she picked them up, I casually asked where she got the fabric and I was THRILLED when she told me she bought a bolt of it at FOUST.  I was opening my mouth to ask if I might buy a bit of it when she mentioned that she was almost out of it….at which point I closed my mouth without even asking.  Well, she must have seen the absolute longing in my eyes and the very next week at quilting she brought the rest of the bolt in and GAVE IT TO ME!!!!!  

OMgosh…so very beautiful….how could I possibly say no?????  This is the same woman that just recently gave me a totally-matching-my-décor pin cushion/scrap catcher….what a sweetie  :~)!!  AND, I’m looking straight into the gaping maw of August……August….you know…the Foust sale?!!?  Where everything you buy is yards and yards and yards on the bolt?????  I think I need to give up sleep and just piece – piece – piece!!!  Anyway, bought/given for the month of July….19 yards….used during the month of July…a pitiful 5-1/2 yards….I’m still 22-1/2 to the good since I started this April 23…..but that margin is getting narrower and narrower  :~(.