Practice Star Quilt Block. 5.5.2022

 I used scraps to practice sew a star shaped quilt block.  The patter is from "Today's Quilter" magazine and the quilt designer is Lynn Goldsworthy in UK.  Each block will be a different star shaped pattern, with some different fabrics harvested from thrift store or estate sale men's shirts.  The designer's pattern uses new quilting cottons, in mixed colors.  Mine will be more blues and greys, like the nine-patch quilt I made.

This practice block helps me see how the pieces will fit together.  I need to fine tune matching up the pieces.  Part of that is, I didn't starch to stiffen and didn't have an iron with me.  Starch and ironing help a lot with precision.  Still, before making a practice block, I could not picture how the points would work out, and now I can.

Now I need to starch and iron the fabric that will be in the actual quilt, and start cutting them out.   It's a challenge converting from the magazine instructions, which start with virgin fabric, to what I'm doing with fabric sourced from shirts, but I'm starting to figure it out.

Planting Slicing and Cherry Tomatoes. 5.5.22

 I cleared out the winter crop of snap peas, mixed in some steer manure compost, and planted the tomatoes for fresh eating.

The peas were an experiment.  They were no where near blooming yet.  I don't have room to let them continue, plus grow the tomatoes, so I fed the pea vines to the chickens, who ate them voraciously.

Arranging the tomato plants.

Then I planted them, each with about 1/4 cup "Grow More" organic plant food for tomatoes and vegetables, and arranged brown paper mulch.  The paper is held down by the raised bed capstones, and by rebar I found in the shed.

This needed two days.  I had rudbeckia seedlings temporarily planted in the bed, so I transplanted them to their final destinations to make room.  I want this bed devoted entirely to tomatoes this year.

There are two remaining dwarf tomato plants.  I need to figure out a place for them.  

I realized I can write the variety names on the paper mulch.  For the moment, I just stuck the labels on the nearest capstones.

Various Seedlings. 4.29.22

 These are the sweetpeas that I set out about March 25.  They don't look great but it is still early.

These are seedlings outside that still need to be planted. Among them are oregano, thyme, four o'clocks, coreopsis, the last of the carnations.  I have some planting to do LOL.  There is oregano and cilantro in the ground here, too.

Container Potatoes, First to Emerge. 4.29.22

 These were sprouted grocery red potatoes that I planted April 6.  So now is 23 days later, about three weeks.

Three of the six have emerged so far.  

Seedling Travel Cart. 4.29.22

 Most of the seedlings are still too tender, and the nights too unpredictable, to leave them outside or plant them.The sunroom gets too hot during the day, to leave them there, plus they need the outdoor conditions and sun, when it happens, to grow healthy.

So, I bring them in at night, and back out during the day.

Those are mostly tomatoes, chilis, eggplants, basil, and a few others.  The geraniums on the bench, to the right of the rack, have stayed outside for a week or two.  They are ready to plant in the ground or permanent containers, now.

I think the statice, four o'clocks, and remaining carnations can stay outside permanently.  Unless we get a frost.  I want to plant them in their long -term locations within the next week.  Also some Chinese cabbages, celery, and kale.