Tulips in July?

Aren't they just beautiful?  These are not tulips, but lily pad flowers pulled from Echo Lake.  Yes, it's legal.  Why am I writing about this and not quilts? 

OK, I'll write about my quilt adventures of late. I've been a little stalled getting started on a new quilt;  I have 2 waiting on deck.  But I have been working on my "Essence of Self" project for my applique group.  I can't share a photo as the rules are:  no one sees them before the grand unveiling in September. We will have to guess who is who!  I am machine quilting this small wall hanging and after adding some detail stitching to the applique, I did not like the thread color contrast at all, and so I ripped all those stitches out yesterday.  I sat on the deck and it wasn't so bad - kind of mindless.  Once finished ripping, I took a pedal boat ride down the river, and there were so many wonderful water lilies.  Not tulips.  

My bug quilt (still unnamed) is off to my machine quilter Lisa Arndt - I am attempting to machine quilt small items, but I have sooooo far to go, that one had to go to the pro.

More bugs

But There's a Bug in my Bouquet!

I designed and made this quilt a few years ago.  It measures 89" x 89" and is based on the traditional quilt block "Friendship Bouquet" -hence the title.  I designed the beetles and drangonflies after studying some real insect specimens (dead of course). 

Who really likes insects anyway?  Right now in the Northwoods of Wisconsin, deer flies and mosquitoes are rampant and especially annoying.  But if you look at an insect in detail, it can be beautiful with amazing detail and symmetry, some with beautiful colors.  They all have a purpose of some sort.  Now don't get me wrong here; I'll swat and squash the buggers when they bug me!

Right now this quilt is on display with several of my other quilts at the Fabric Patch in Ironwood, Michigan - one of my all time favorite quilt shops. 

And you may recognize these bug designs. I liked them so much I used them again in a recently finished quilt.

Wings or petals?

Summer time and it's hot here in quilt world.  This old house does not have air conditioning, but there is always a lake breeze blowing to keep things tolerable - and it really cools off at night.  It seems I have been away from my quilts for months!  I am outside most of the time now. My bug quilt top though is finished (still have to name it) and I added the borders.  The final detail, 3 petals --or are they wings ---was added.  Now it's ready for quilting.

Leo and Lily cool off