WIP Wed: Molecule quilt back (and the garden)

This week, I decided to get the back all done on my molecule quilt.  Here's the front again:

Here's the just-finished back:

It's not real pretty, but it's done, and I was able to use all fabric that was used in the front, so I didn't have to buy any additional fabric (yea!).

I was hoping to get some more Kindle covers made for my Etsy store, but ran out of the interfacing I use, and the store in town was out.  The next closest store that carries it is over an hour away, but I finally was able to make it over there (combined with other errands) to buy more.  Maybe this week?

Of course the garden is growing.  Check out this tomato plant!!  Amazing!

Besides okra, onions and garlic are all time vegetable garden favorites of mine.  I like them all, but one of the best things about onions, garlic, (as well as potatoes too) at least here in Oregon, is that they can stay in the ground pretty much until you need them (or until hard freezes start).  They store well, once they're dug up too.  Along with winter squash, I can't think of much else that keeps as well without any refrigeration or preservation.  The flavor they add to dishes is wonderful.  That said, it's not surprising that they're found in so many cuisines from around the world.  And at least here, onions, garlic and squash are incredibly easy to grow, nutritious, and attract few pests!  We tried dried beans one year, and ended up with a bug infestation in the pantry that was quite ugly, not to mention the work and food thrown away :-O. Never store home-grown dried beans in open containers in the pantry!!  We applied that lesson, learned long ago, to even our onions, garlic and squash... they stay out in our garage until we need them!

As usual, I'm linking up to Lee's Freshly Pieced blog's WIP Wed.  Come join us there, and tell us what you're working on!  I'd love to hear how your garden is growing too, or what you'll be growing next year!!

WIP Wed., Organic Chemistry Quilt, and vacation

Over the last 2 weeks, our family drove from Eastern Oregon to Chicago and back, mainly to see family and friends, but we also took in many of our country's natural beauties along the way.  We tried to stay off the interstates, and camped all but 2 nights (or stayed in family or friends' homes).  We covered almost 5000 miles, and were in our truck almost 90 hours!  I'm afraid my pictures weren't that great, especially since we got a lot of rain on our trip, and since many of the pictures were taken from a truck moving 55-70 mph.  Here's our favorite camping spot that we found on our trip... It's just outside the Soldier Creek Wilderness Area, in NW Nebraska.  I joked that we had a million dollar view for only $8.  We had the small campground all to ourselves, if you don't count the multitude of birds.  Some of our favorite spots, other than the homes of our loved ones, were City of Rocks Rec Area in Southern Idaho, NW Wyoming, LaCrosse, WI and surrounding areas, Lake Superior and the NE corner of Minnesota, and the mountains of Western Montana and Northern Idaho.

Another view of our view...

Lake Superior.

 Mountains of Montana.

 We also had the unfortunate opportunity to drive through Minot, ND the day after the town had been evacuated due to flooding.  It was devastating to see so many houses already underwater, and to see the desperation of those trying to save what was left.  We tried to avoid the area, but all US roads to the north were closed.  We saw a tremendous amount of flooding, in North Dakota, but also in Eastern Montana and Southern Minnesota.  So so sad!

Today is also Wednesday, so I though I'd link up with Freshly Pieced Blog's WIL WED and share my progress on my "molecule", or "Organic Chemistry" Quilt.  I was hoping to get it done in time to enter into the Modern Quilt Guild contest, but am not holding my breath.  I've all but come to the conclusion, after trying to enter 3 of these contests, that 3 months just isn't enough time for me to create an original quilt and make it.  This quilt has taken more time than just about any quilt I've made, mostly because I have hand embroidered so much of it.  I did most of it in our truck on the road, and only have 1 or 2 blocks left, so there's still hope, but another problem with it is that it's not going to photograph very well.  But here's a picture of my "Estrogen" molecule, and a detail.  I hope to have a finished quilt, or at least quilt top to show soon!  With the weather getting hot, my time on my sewing machine is becoming limited...

I hope all of you are having a great summer so far!!

My first "Hexie"

I really needed a distraction yesterday, and as I read through just about each and every post on WIP Wed, I decided it was time to do my first hexie!  I've been an admirer of these hexie quilts for ages, but the hand sewing part of it really discouraged me from trying.  My hands are really in bad shape after too many years of uncorking and corking test tubes in the medical lab, so I really try to avoid hand sewing, because it causes my hands to cramp and go numb if I do it for too long. 

So I decided to start small.... really really small, with the tiniest of subjects.  One of tiniest of things is a molecule.  The hexie shape,  recently acquired coffee fabric and my inner science nerd coalesced yesterday, and the "caffeine molecule hexie" was born. I have to admit too, that it really was so nice to have a hand project to work on while I watched the finale of American Idol last night (for the record, James "Durbin was my favorite, with Cassey being a close second).

It was my first ever use of freezer paper, first hexie, and first hand-sewn project in many years (I was an avid cross-stitcher in high school, college and through my 20's though).  Trying to get my new machine to sew the rest was a challenge, and I'm not entirely happy with the outcome, but for such a small project, I learned a heck of a lot in a very short time!!  It also reminded me that I don't need to tackle a whole quilt to learn a new technique.  Sometimes just a sample block and a few hours can teach me a great deal!

Of course one thing led to another and as I worked, I came up with a new quilt idea, and different techniques to try next time!  I don't think I'll be doing very many more of these hand sewn beauties, but I'm very happy to admire others in blog land!!