Tripping South and a New Dog

 We've been home for over a week, and I'm just now getting a chance to sit down and rest.  Here is a small selection of pictures from our trip. 
First we stopped in Memphis overnight for BBQ and a hotel.  Then Vicksburg on our way to New Orleans.

 Overlooking the battlefield at Vicksburg.  Mr. Riley was quite thrilled to be here.

 A restaurant in New Orleans.  We ran through a down pour to get here, and then had to be sat at separate tables.  Girls vs boys.  We spent two nights in New Orleans, walked around, ate amazing food, visited a cemetery, and managed to spare the kids from anything too scary.

 Finally, the beach! We stayed along the Gulf in Alabama, right between the Gulf and Mobile Bay.  Good thing.  The waves were huge, with warnings the first couple of days.  After the baby got knocked down by the first wave, she had a total fear of the ocean.

 So we went to the bay side where is was calm and warm. 

 We went to Pensacola for a Blue Angels show and to check out the Naval Aviation Museum.  Very cool.

 The kids caught numerous sand crabs, and we even played with them in the bath tub one night.

 We were just down the road from Ft Morgan.  Mr. Riley bought this map.  I think it could make a brilliant mini quilt.

 There was "housewife" at the Ft. Museum.  Looks like silk!

 We also visited the USS Alabama Battleship in Mobile Bay and USS Drum submarine.  My boys were in heaven.  E did an obligatory shot for me.

It was a good trip.  Lots of sun, sand, salt, and car rides.  Vacation always makes you appreciate home!

And the day after we came home?  We got a new dog.  This is Loki.  Maybe 11 months?   We think he's a German Short Hair pointer mixed with lab?  Or shepard?  A good friendly dog, but he certainly needs some training.

Wisteria the Second

 You may remember my first Wisteria Quilt that I made for the Crayon Challenge.  Click on the link to check it out.
I went ahead and finished this one as well.  I used a colored thread for the quilting on this one, which I think softens the whole thing.  It is a thin polyester that I picked up at my LQS.  Unfortunately the name went in the garbage with the plastic wrapping.  It was lovely to sew with, though. 

 The bobbin thread was Bottom Line by Superior Threads.  Also a lovely thread to sew with. 

 Handy dandy hanging pockets.

 This is also a 12" x 12" quilt.

Not the best picture, since I pulled it off instagram, but at least a chance to see them side by side.
 

Modern Tree: A Flimsy

 Its funny how you don't notice the breeze until you try to take a picture of a quilt top.

 This is my Modern Tree.  The name isn't terribly exciting but I don't know what else to call it right now. 

 I drew up the design in EQ7 back in February, but its taken me a while to get all the parts put together.

 These shots are all of the front, but the light makes the seams really noticeable.

 The squares are 6" finished, so right now the top is a little over 60"x60"

 The colors are all Kona Solids and the whites and creams are mostly white on whites or white on creams, with just a few solids thrown in.  I purchased all the colors and the whites are all stash.

  Below is my one back shot.  Doesn't look that much different from the front!

 I collected all my dog eared snippets from this quilt (and another one with purples) in a bowl my dad made.  It was kinda hard to throw them out.  But I did.

Cute Little Thread Catchers

 I made up a batch of thread catchers over a couple weeks of hand sewing time.  The main tutorial for these can be found *here*  And there is apparently a Youtube video to be found *here* (I didn't watch it)  They are made from fabric (obviously), a ring from a Pringles can, some chip board (like a cereal box), and a bit of batting.

 They are designed to twist up and hold all your thread clippings inside and so are portable.  A real life sewing friend was making these a few months ago, so the rest of us in the group decided we needed them, too.  (I know the above picture is blurry, but the simple fact that I'm sitting to blog is amazing, I'm not about to go re-do pictures)

 This is the one I'll be keeping for myself. 

 They measure about 3" across and just over 3" high.

 My one recommendation if you decide to make one yourself, is to cover the Pringles can with some tape.  When I slid the first ring on, I could see the Pringles man looking at me through my light colored fabric.