Cottage Time Stitching

My hubby and I have been very fortunate, now that we’re retired, to spend as much time as we have at my mother-in-law’s cottage over the summer. That definitely doesn’t mean that it’s not been a lot of work, especially at the beginning of the season, getting everything back in shape and cleaned up. Now that the major work has been done we’ve been able to get in a lot of relaxation time…and that means fishing for my hubby, and stitching up some English paper piecing (EPP) for me while lounging on the deck with my pal, Isis.

My MIL’s 11 year old Doberman, Isis, has become a fixture on our trips to the cottage. My MIL is a big Downton Abbey fan and named her after one of the dogs in the series. Isis is an Egyptian goddess and the name translates to “Queen of the Throne”. It’s a perfect name for her as she really does have a very regal look to her when sitting.

But would you think she’d at least allow me to take a decent photo of her actually looking at me? I took at least 10 pics, even luring her with treats, and when I was ready to take the picture she would turn her head as if to say, “not today, peasant.” After boring her with a photo shoot she was off again keeping us safe from the killer chipmunks on the property.

I was able to accomplish quite a bit of sewing during this most recent trip. I completed all the blocks for my in-guild challenge for our quilt show at the end of October, quilted a couple of pillow covers for classes I’ll be teaching soon, and made 4 more Cherish blocks. Not only that, but I managed a trip to a couple of quilt shops in the area. I’ve been very selective with my purchases over the last while and only found a few things to round out my stash at Perth Fabrics & Crafts. The fabric on the top of the pile will be perfect for EPP fussy cutting.

I know a lot of quilters/sewers who put sewing on the back burner over the summer, usually because they love to garden. I do not garden, so I still like to keep busy stitching even during the summer. That’s why EPP has become so important to me lately…it’s portable and fun to do. What about you? Have you shifted away from summer stitching to pursue other hobbies or does it still have you in its grasp?