Applique Withdrawal...

Most evenings for the last 19 months, you could find me settled in my living room chair, often by the fire...stitching away on the Cherry Tree quilt blocks. Now that the top is in the hands of the machine quilter for basting, there is time to step back into the real world - and low & behold, that world has moved on without me! Somehow, June has arrived & I have barely had time to stop and smell the roses....

Or admire a new blossom on the clematis...

Or thought about how to use recently acquired cheddars in the stash...

Rest assured though, it has not been an idle time at Taylorsoutback...

Back in May, our group put together this Comfort Quilt for our dear friend, Dee, who has just now returned home after 2 very long, challenging months...we presented her with this Churn Dash quilt while she was finishing up rehab at a local facility. Dee is wearing the denim blue shirt and is seated in the middle...

And two baby quilts have been in the works - I call them Coastal Baby Quilts...both little ones were born only a few days apart around Easter...the babies were pretty much on time - it is just the quilts that overdue!

The first one is going to a little boy who was born to friends of ours in Alaska. Dad is an Alaskan State trooper, recently assigned to Kotzebue for his 2 years of Bush Duty. Mom is an RN. If you look at a map, you will see that this family lives on the coast by the Bering Sea.

FABRIC IS FROM DUCK, DUCK, GOOSE COLLECTION BY JAMIE KALVESTRAN

The second quilt is going to our niece's new baby girl - "Olivia" and the family lives in Rhode Island - near the Atlantic Ocean...what a diversified culture these little ones will grow up in at opposite ends of the continent...wouldn't it be fun if they could meet one day.........

We also had a delayed Birthday celebration for my Dad who turned 94 in May...and unfortunately the week of his birthday, came down with the shingles...so we waited until he felt better and had an appetite again. This was his birthday cake - 

LEMON ICEBOX CHEESECAKE (HTTP://COUNTRYCOOKS.COM)

And finally, I finished appliqueing this eagle block which will go in the center of all those Civil War blocks I made from Barbara Brackman's weekly block patterns. I reduced the original pattern by Karen Witt to fit my own block setting.

This is the last of the applique for a while - which feels very strange and is causing me the withdrawal I mentioned...however, I all ready have another project lined up but it will have to wait a while as other things are calling; much anticipated company is coming  the last two weekends of this month  and we have a major trip coming up soon. Thinking I will be ready for a vacation! If only they made summers last forever...

All for now...wishing each of you a good weekend with family and friends and time to enjoy summer's pleasures.