Now, A Moment For Something Completely Different

I'm taking a pause in my travelogue to post about Christmas in July Blog --it begins Friday!  I'm saving each step so I can sew upon my return to my machine.

Just think 12 days of Christmas NOW!

And it's possible we can make this quilt--I've always fancied this

Trip Around the World--didn't like to think of all those little tiny squares!

Sarah promises a tutorial makes it relatively fast and easy - no individual piecing of tiny squares.

Here is what you need:

Fabric Requirements:

10” x WOF of 16 different fabrics - you can choose to use 16 different fabrics, or repeat certain fabrics as desired.  NOTE:  You'll need a clean 10" of yardage - you'll be cutting four 2.5" strips from each piece.  Be sure that you'll be able to get that from your cut after it's pressed and squared up!

One 2.5” square for center of quilt; fussy cut if desired.

1/2 yard for binding; scrappy binding looks great with this quilt and can help eat up some of your Christmas scraps!

3 5/8 yards for backing - can be scraps. 

This is going to be fun--happy stitching!

Santa Fe--Absolutely!

• Another day in SouthWest--Santa Fe--brings us to our breakfast visit to Chocolate Maven!  We found this place on a visit years ago--so we make a point to return to sit near the kitchen
  
  and watch as the meals are prepared!  Where else can you get Green eggs and ham or Tofu scramble-- onto another museum visit--or that walk through the Plaza!

The sights off the beaten path

The colorful art pieces that dot the landscape

And the adobe!  I love the adobe structures!

• Of course, for us, we must visit the local wineries and taste the fruit of New Mexico--one of the first wineries in America.   Our first stop is into Gruet Winery--where bubbly is king! We happen upon friendly folks visiting from Dallas and Rhode Island--we talk and talk for hours over a glass of chardonnay bubbly wine--it can not be called champagne but it's made in the style of the finest French wines.

• Chocolate tasting is right at the top of the list!  Great chocolate can be found right here.  The rich chocolate you can just pour from your cup at Kakawa chocolates.  Just look at those lovely cups filled with chocolate!

• Eat, Eat, Eat some of that delicious New Mexico red and green chili!  It seems we can never get our fill of New Mexican food--"do you want red, green or Christmas chili?"  I'll take Christmas anytime!

Ahh, Santa Fe!

There is just something about Santa Fe--.  Is it the landscape with the wonderful evening sunsets or the marvelous food or culture or maybe, it's just the people--native Americans who hold a special place in the heart of Santa Fe?

We make our list of things to do while here:

• walk around the plaza--the heart of the ancient town:  Santa Fe, New Mexico’s capital, sits in the Sangre de Cristo foothills. It’s renowned for its Pueblo-style architecture and as a creative arts hotbed. Founded as a Spanish colony in 1610, it has at its heart the traditional Plaza. The surrounding historic district’s crooked streets wind past adobe landmarks including the Palace of the Governors, now home to the New Mexico History Museum.  Elevation:  7, 198'  It's hard to believe that this desert town sits at this elevation--be sure to drink plenty of water!! 

• Visit Museum of International Folk Art--always a special exhibit.  Last time I viewed "RED--the story of Cochineal".  This time there is an exhibit of "Tramp Art" and "Quilts of Southwest China"  
  

• A Walk along Canyon Road to pop in and out of the art galleries--Always exciting art to view and enjoy.
• A visit to the Museum of Indian Arts And Culture, a stroll along the Governor's Palace to view and purchase Indian Arts and Crafts.
• Of course, it wouldn't be Santa Fe, if you didn't stop into view Georgia O'Keeffe's Museum of work.  
  

Tomorrow is another day in Santa Fe--how will I Stand it?!

Lost Draw Vineyards

Today we drove a short distance (in west Texas, it's all relative--little, a lot, who cares!) to Brownfield and High Plains Vineyard--

this is the vineyard that many wineries in Texas receive their grapes--

acres and acres of grapes.  AT one time it was cotton; now, grapes are the 

King!

You can understand why this is great for Vines--climate, location, soil, etc.

We came to visit vineyard owner Andy Timmons and to see his new Texas Wine Company in Meadow, Texas.  This is full Scale custom crushing facility.  The facility has three coolers on site, as well as two presses. And tanks. Bright stainless steel tanks line the room as there are three different sizes of tanks : 6,600 gallons, 3,300 gallons, and 1,650 gallons. The tanks are designed to perfectly do their job. The diameter of the larger tanks is the same as the height. This has proven to be the best dimension for fermenting red wine.

What a great opportunity to see this operation first hand!  Harvest will begin soon--grapes

straight to the crushers to the bottle to make some super duper wine! 

We're A-Trippin'!

Come along on our journey--

we're heading west from Houston-- first stop--Buffalo Gap, Texas!  Just south of Abilene, the place where buffalo roamed .  It's a quaint 'little' town!  Along the path you find one of the best Texas restaurants you ever did visit--it's a drive to get there, be so worth it!  and if you're vegetarian, you will find some of the best sides dishes to warm your taste buds.

We've got reservations for Perini's Steakhouse!  Tom Perini, Fess Parker (Davy Crockett fame) and Richard Becker (Becker Winery) grew up together--now, that's an awesome combination!  We can enjoy one of Tom's delicious steaks while drinking a glass of Fess Parker or Becker Wines--not a bad way to spend part of the day.





We journey to Lubbock to rest our heads on soft comfort--but first, we stop in Buddy Holly Center to see illuminance, a national competitive biennial competitive photography show, featuring work in response to a theme. The exhibition will be on display in the Fine Arts Gallery from June 2 through July 22, 2017.  The theme explores the long-standing relationship between music and photography, and invited photographers to explore the intercourse of tone, color and image, in all its powerful permutations.

Sapphire Stars Mystery

Oh I love a mystery!  and here is another opportunity to sew up a mystery and use my stash-- and it says STARS!  Love STARS!

Kevin The Quilter is hosting his very first mystery!!  Hurray! for Kevin!

and of course, I'm in and of course, I'm late to the party!

I can catch up quickly--one clue a month!  So, I'm not too far behind!

here is the first clue:  then head over to Kevin's website to sign up

to receive the rest of the clues!

Happy stitching!

Clue #1

Cut 48 3.5" x 3.5" squares from your brilliant royal blues (as many different as possible)

Cut 48 2"x2" squares from your light baby blues (as many different as possible)

Cut 48 2"x2" squares from your navy blues (as many different as possible)

Using a small ruler and marking tool (I used a mechanical pencil) on the wrong side of the fabric, mark a line diagonally down each light blue 2" square, AND each navy blue 2" square.

Placing right sides together, put one 2" light blue square on top corner of a 3.5" bright blue square. Sew on drawn line.

Repeat this step with navy 2" square on top of 3.5" bright blue square on opposite corner of the light blue 2" square just sewn.  Sew on drawn line.

Lightly finger press seams toward the corner ensuring the light and navy corners have been sewn correctly.  If light blue, and navy do not match the edge of the brilliant blue.....re-sew seam.

Cut 1/4" away from seam with rotary cutter or scissors.

Press 24 units with seams going toward corners, and press 24 units with seams going toward center.

Make 48 units measuring 3.5" unfinished.

Do You Dishcloth?

I hadn't looked at Ravelry for a few days so missed this BUT there is still time

to jump on the dishcloth knitting campaign.  There will be four different patterns

throughout the month of July--great knitting easy knitting--

I love hand knitted dishcloths!  I use my handspun cotton to make mine--

great feel while I'm wiping down those counter tops or swishing a dish--

Check it out on Yarn Adventurer!

if not a member of Ravelry--join!  It's free and there is something for

every fiber person--be it quilting, knitting, weaving, crocheting, stitching, etc.