The quilt is beautiful! We have not been stuck inside and I’ve enjoyed working in my flowers, etc. Weve also been cleaning out my dads house and my sister and her husband have started painting the bedrooms. There is a little repair work to be done later on. We’ve done long drives and picnics, actually went to a small, distanced cookout last week. Things started opening up here but we are still being cautious. Done the usual power washing of patio/porch, etc. Nothing really exciting, but we are happy at home and enjoying outdoor time.

I can completely relate to the 'lack of focus' others remarked on. This is really pretty brainless, and probably the only reason I'm persevering. I can't tell you how many books I've downloaded since this whole crazy thing started and later abandoned. And I'm pretty selective, so these are good books by most people's estimate, but I just can't stick with them. Love everyone's pictures!

Best, love your dedication, your quilt is wonderful.

Sueb, I like how your yarn and scarf is artfully displayed in the bowl!

I get being unfocused. Haven’t read a boo since this whole mess started.

Wow! A long time ago I hand stitched and quilted a baby quilt for my son. His now five year old daughter claims it is hers. Machine stitched a hexagon (much larger hexagons) for my daughter. Did not enjoy working with my hexagons. Here is my granddaughter almost five years ago. She always calmed being wrapped in it.

Bestyears, that quilt is so gorgeous. What an heirloom for your daughter!

My bench came in, finally! So my bedroom re-do is still plugging along at its snail’s pace.😂 I was impressed that it was only a couple of weeks past the 12 weeks I was told when I ordered it back in March...the factory was closed for a bit and my designer at Mrs Howard told me to expect it may be quite late. I guess they didn’t have as many orders as usual.

Now I need to get the two bolster pillows made, so a trip to the fab store is in order...before I tackle the BIG task of choosing the fabric for the bed curtains. I think I’m going to do those first, before deciding on window curtains bc I don’t want to overwhelm the room. I’m working with the designer for those aspects so hopefully she won’t steer me wrong!

I may just use that same big check silk that’s on the pillow on the chaise for my bolster pillows...I like it and it looks good with the rug.

My AeroGarden is producing so much basil I’m making pesto every week! Last night I made the basic Florence Fabricant recipe from the Times, then added lemon juice and zest and salt and cracked pepper. My mini cuisinart processor is the perfect size for a batch.

In the second photo it is shown on those little Ile de France toasts about an inch square. Those things have staying power... my mother used them in canapés for their bridge and poker nights and cocktail parties in the sixties and seventies.

KSWL, that looks delicious and adorable. I'm growing basil from seed in pots on my deck but it is a very slow process. Should have followed my first instinct to buy an AeroGarden.

omg, Nini, your bedroom is gorgeous. So peaceful. I love Phoebe Howard's design style.

I now have two Aerogardens Teeda, they are that great. One is just for cherry tomatoes, you have to close up four of the available growing spots on a six pod garden if you’re doing tomatoes because they use so much water and need a lot of space. I am very tempted to get one for lettuces but then it might take over the laundry room. The basil is so fresh juicy it’s ridiculous. I love hydroponically grown anything.

Nini your bedroom is already beautiful and soothing and I have no doubt that with each additional textile or feature it will only become more so!

I finished the cabana jacket I was making. This morning I made the buttonholes and sewed on the buttons, which did not take long, but I did have to make a few samples on scrap cloth first. It's not as easy making buttonholes with terry cloth lining, and I had to make them white, even though I have black top stitching on the pockets, shoulders, and armholes. I also used white thread on the black buttons so that black thread would not come through onto the white terry cloth.

I made this for my brother, and I plan to make another one for myself.

P.S. I should have washed my hair before taking this photo, and I considered cropping my head out of it, but I thought I would just explain why my hair looks like this. I also have an odd expression on my face, mainly because I am taking a photo in the mirror.

Very nice, Lars! Your brother is a lucky guy. I like the print and the terry cloth lapels and sleeve cuff. Perfect for almost any solid color of swim trunks!

Wow, that is really sharp Lars. Looks super comfortable as well. And it will coordinate very well with your new patio pillows!

Bestyears, your work is so beautiful and intricate. Amazing.

You are quite a clever man, I love to see men who can sew. You look great!!!

Bestyears, I have sewn since I was a teenager long ago, and have always loved to sew and do various crafts. But I know that your quilt would drive me right out of my mind, to do the incredible work that you are. I salute you!

Lars, I'm very impressed with the cabana jacket and the perfection in the way you carried the print from side to side on the front.

Wow, Lars, that cabana jacket is something! I've done a lot of garment sewing but cannot imagine tackling buttonholes in terrycloth!

I would have been tempted to do bound buttonholes on the terrycloth. Hmmmmmm.....? They look very nice, LARS!

Bound buttonholes are great for more formal wear (which is the only place I have used them), and they would be very difficult on terry cloth, since it is bad about raveling.

Here's a view of the lapel showing the terry cloth side of the buttonholes:

They tend to disappear into the terry cloth, and on the other side, they are mostly covered by the buttons when buttoned.

This jacket is about as casual as it can get!

I have a fun project to share. I had a white linen blouse I got in France years ago that no longer fit but I really liked it so just kept it. Then I realized I could remake it for my granddaughter, but white linen on a baby, while adorable, isn't the best choice. With the lock down, I browsed natural dying to see if I could avoid shopping and came up with the idea of using cherries. (Interesting dying sites out there on the web!) I had a too-old bag of about 15 cherries so I didn't know if that was adequate for coloring, so I threw in a few blueberries for added insurance. It came out a lovely lavender! It's still a bit big on her, but will work great once she starts walking, with capri leggings. Buttons can be worn in front or back.

How clever, talaveran!

That is darling @talaveran

Talaveran, I love that! I hope it is cherished and handed down along with the story "...and so during the pandemic, Grandmother decided to learn how to dye fabric with cherries..."

Bestyears - my sister said the exact same thing!

Lars - I do love that cabana jacket and it looks so comfortable. I actually got curious about the history of that garment but didn't find a good site, but it certainly taps into a retro leisure vibe (which is one we all need night now). Have you seen Gentleman's Gazette? I assume you have with your couture skills - such a great resource but nothing specific to the jacket - the search took me to a fascinating page on stripes though!

Just so I don’t seem completely lazy: I put new knobs on our nightstands yesterday.

(please hold your applause)

A little late to this thread, but I thought I"d show two projects I finished this week.

Krydda Lace Cardigan (pattern from Knitty.com)

900 Pieces (pattern from 11/2002 Quilters Newsletter Magazine). It's 28" square.

Donna

msmeow -gorgeous on both counts!!!!

What a talented bunch of people! Donna, that 900 piece quilt is mind boggling. I have done some quilting but cannot imagine the fine motor skills and precision sewing skills that you must have to have completed that!

900 pieces in 28” square. Wow. Lovely job.

I am late to this party due to being sick for a while with who knows what--bad allergies, sinus, food poisoning. But not covid, I got tested for that. Also busy doing the projects. So here are pictures of my two big pandemic projects--a vegetable garden with the "before" photo showing where we had a big, messy dying blue spruce, and then the after . . . after hubs dug a trench, installed a trenched fence and we built raised beds, devised a soil combination for them, put in our baby tomatoes that we were growing in an unused shower that we had turned into a greenhouse, and installed the gate. Now just trying to keep it watered and weeded. Many more things going on around the house and yard, but nothing that photogenic yet. Also attaching photo of one of my best sourdough loaves. I am still working at mastering that. Am tackling rye right now.

mtnredux, I'm with you.

I'm right behind the two of you. Thinking of all the dangers between now and Election Day and beyond.

Talk about a coincidence, I am working on the exact same project as mtnredux!

Yes, I am trying to do a thorough house cleaning. It has been four years so it is really needed. The current occupants are really inconsiderate, irresponsible slobs. I wish I could get the old tenants back, but as long as I can get someone like them I will at least be able to sleep at night without worrying they are burning the place down!

Unfortunately, the rips and tears the occupants are leaving behind will take a long time to fix. Not to mention the mold and mildew they caused. Hopefully the new tenants will have abundant assistance in making the place right again.

Almost as upsetting as the damage, HCBM, is the fact that you can't really protect yourself from bad tenants once they've moved in. You'd figure with background checks, security deposits, etc., you can protect yourself but it turns out, at the end of the day, you just have to choose good, solid, trustworthy tenants. Even small claims court is a disappointment for redress. I just hope we can get in there soon, clean up, and redecorate to today's tastes. God forbid we need law enforcement to evict them, that'd be nasty.

Yes, I agree. Even with all the safeguards to protect us and our property a truly bad, self centered tenant can cause lasting and systemic damage to our property and our mental health. I can't imagine the results of having to resort to law enforcement. However, this tenants ex-friend has warned us that this is a likely probability. I hope he is wrong. Well, I keep working on this project daily and hope others decide to assist.

I totally agree re our national project. And we got one home project almost done-finally painted our front door about 8 months after our remodel “finished”

I love the colors, Sara! It feels California-y.

Sara, what an absolutely charming porch. I love everything about it. Especially your door and your blue pot. And your rain chain! Would love to see more pics.

Sara, I know front door colors are often debated forever. You made a great choice!

Thank you all. My husband isn’t thrilled but says it’s growing on him. The before and after of our exterior with our basic 40’s ranch was pretty amazing.

And after

Wow, what a HUGE difference in curbside!

Man, you really wanted a porch! Love the double roof line. Brilliant.

What pink said, Literally brilliant!

Thank you guys! Our architect definitely came up with stuff we had never thought of-we love it and use it all the time (and the California comment was close-we are in oregon). Part of a bigger model-kitchen move and master bedroom addition. Expensive but so glad we did it before Covid and as I tell my husband-you’re bringing me out of this house feet first so who cares if we spent a lot.

My aerogardens are growing! I’m harvesting enough basil to make pesto every week. Had to get rid of the mint because it was taking over. The yellow flowers on the near garden will be cherry tomatoes in a month or so. Those two plants are loaded with blooms!

Left, cherry Tomato plants and right, basil, parsley and thyme.

Close up of my tomato plants. I ❤️ these hydroponic gardens.

....adding, Sara the house remodel is fantastic—-what a charming home!

I knit for charity mostly in the evening while watching TV - have finished 6 blankets (baby to toddler size) several baby hats and scarfs that are for a woman's abuse shelter. Hit a fabulous yarn sale, just before AC Moore closed it's doors, and may have enough yarn for the rest of the year. Other than that I have no ongoing projects and ones that I was going to do around the house are undone. Have read a lot of books tho - some good, some bad and some just plain uninteresting.

Wow, Sara, your house was cute before but it is gorgeous now! Your architect did a super job! I love the knotty pine (is it pine?) facing under the porch and the natural wood ceiling.