Union Jack

 Once I had three panels ready, I was able to stitch them together. But they are quite large and a little difficult to handle without tweaking the bias.

The entire quilt is about 70"x 55" and looks quite bright and lively in the living room.

The above is hanging outside in the sunshine and below in the Camano Island Quilter's Show. Note that the binding is not white. There is no possible way to keep such a white binding clean.

Posts from Katie

Katie sends the most delightful letters from her mission to England. She is such a wonderful writer and always attaches pictures of her companions. I am so glad she was able to spend time in London before her mission on study abroad. She reports learning lots from these wonderful sisters and about sharing stories and movie plots as they walk the cobblestone streets.

Check on the Garden

 When I'm busy, I prefer to go out into the garden. I love getting into the soil and pull weeds. I remember when I was little and wanted to earn money, my mom sent me outside to pull weeds, promising that she'd pay me a penny per weed. I earned $8. 

Lamb's Ears

Globe Thistle (Echinops)

Teddy Bear Sunflowers

Hellebore

Clematis

Peony

Rosa unidentified

Dahlia

Opal Quilts

 I was excited to hear that Opal's quilts were being shown at the Snowgoose bookstore downtown, so we went to see them in person. We also had a chance to look at books and I picked up "Wicked."

Slideshow Quilts

I love switching from difficult to easy patterns. It's fun to have many quilts in different stages of completion. Some days I walk downstairs and am in the mood to finish something. Other days I want to hand-stitch a binding or applique a bird.

Really best for large prints and complete fabric lines, Slide Show is quick to whip up. And all your extras can go into the border and the back.

My idea on the quilting was raindrops.

I picked up these batiks in Alaska on our inside passage cruise. I love the whales and indigenous designs. Skagway has a population of 1,200 and three amazing quilt/yarn shops.

These two quilts are from the very same pattern. Very different quilts.

Shopping at the Nursery

 I love wandering around Skagit Valley Gardens and looking at everything I could be planting in my yard. I lack outdoor covered space, so it is difficult to create garden rooms. Everything seems so exposed.

Marnie is trying out the nice Adirondack chair in front. If I every created a garden room, this would be too big. 

McKay Family Reunion

 We hosted this year's family reunion in Sequim. It is quite a distance for my family in San Diego and Provo. But the location was a wonderful wooded sanctuary. Washington State has a collection of Environmental Learning Centers that are great for family reunions. Some are large enough to hold summer football programs for high schools. This one had a lodge and a few outbuildings, 3-sided buildings with bunks.

Some of the family hiked around Hurricane Ridge.

We brought our little boat to wander around Sequim Bay.

The commercial sized kitchen had a pass-through for Marnie.

We played volleyball in the afternoon.

We had to take a ferry to get to the peninsula. When the captain came over the intercom to tell these three to cease their horseplay, I loudly asked, "What would your mother say?"

As close as it seems, we have to drive up Camano Island, across to Whidbey Island, ferry from Fort Casey to Port Townsend, and then drive to Sequim. 

Each family was in charge of a meal during the week. And we have plenty of good cooks.

Jackson got to play on someone's motorbike.

We enjoyed outdoor cooking and the smell of good wood smoke.

Hurray for family reunions!

Carefully handling crab.

Tad taught me how to play ping pong years ago. Now she's trying to beat the master.

Adam and Jack looking to go out on Sequim Bay.

Marnie looking good at Hurricane Ridge.

Rachel and Liz enjoying some quality family time.