Fig Tree TLC. 6.28.22

 So far, this looks like a good fig year.  I counted forming figs on Lattarula and stopped at 50 figs.  There must be at least 30 on Desert King, and at least "several" in Brunswick (a special treat) and even Petite Aubique (heavenly but a poor producer).  I think buds are forming for a fall crop on Celeste and Louisiana Tiger.  The fig trees that bear summer crop have branches drooping to the ground.  The wood is willowy, new growth and figs are heavy.  That would be great, except it places the ripening figs at salad bar height for deer.

I tie the branches upright, using the trunk or other branches for support.  I was cleaning the garden shed and found more yellow jacket traps, so cleaned those and added new bait.

For fig trees that make a fall crop, removing the tips from vigorous new growth stimulates new figs to form.  It's simple.  The growth tips are brittle.  I just bend them and they snap off.  Before.

After

I Made A Quilted, Reversible, Sewing Machine Cover. 6.27.22

 The old Kenmore sewing machine has a cover, but it's gigantic, clunky, and takes up a lot of room.  I thought it would be good to make a quilted dust cover for it.  A clean sewing machine is a happy sewing machine.

This is the result. It's reversible.  In "Sunflower Mode", each end has a pocket and a handle.  

I don't know what the pockets are for.  They are there if needed.  The handles aren't necessary buy are kind  of handy.  Handy handles LOL.

Turn it inside out, and it's in sort of antique'y quilty mode.  No pockets on this side, just handles.  The handles on this side are sewn between the pockets and handles on the sunflower side, so the quilt isn't too thick to sew together.

This started by cutting pattern paper to fit the sewing machine.  I gave it a couple extra inches in every direction because quilts shrink when first washed.

I sewed together a quilt sandwich, big enough to fit the patterns.  One side was the sunflower cotton fabric.  (there was an extra block in the pattern for a front pocket.  I didn't use that).

The other side was from a roll of "vintage look" strips that I bought mail order during the worst of the pandemic.  They were on close-out and I wanted something to learn on.  I just sewed them together to make a sheet.

Between the fabrics, I used 1/4" cotton batting, left over from a quilt.  I had to join together two pieces.  I used the three-step zigzag setting for that.

I'm not sure I knew the Kenmore could fit a walking foot, but it did.  I used that to quilt the fabric in diagonal 2" squares.  I used the guide on the walking foot instead of marking lines with tape.  That went much faster. 

Then I cut it all put.  I lined the patterns on the striped side so they would be even.

I cut binding ribbon from the fabrics for the seams, handles, and pocket tops.  For the ends, I cut it on the bias.  After sewing it all together, and adding the binding, I machine washed and dried the cover.  It's a good thing I made it about an inch too big all around, because that is how much shrinkage there was.

I'll save the patterns.  If I make another, I might leave off the pockets, but make a pouch for the pedal and cord.  The cover is tall enough, I don't have to remove the spool of thread to put on the cover.  I like the reversibility.  

It looks a bit like a big pillow ate a toaster LOL.

(Source - heavily modified from a pattern on the blog Sewcanshe.com).

 Tropical Lightening climbing rose.

It's not climbing yet but the flowers have a sweet tea rose perfume.  Each flower is different from the next.

More Drip Irrigation. 6.24.22.

 I put in a drip irrigation line for the rest of the squashes, as well as so mini dwarf apples and potted lilies.

 

Last year, the squashes were  my biggest watering burden, so I'm glad they are on an irrigation line now.  They are really taking off and growing.  I do need to stake the hoses down.  They are somewhat of a tripping hazard.

Ugly Pie. 6.24.22

 I still had some cherry pie filling in the freezer, so made a pie.  The crust was very difficult to work with, brittle and kept falling apart. My guess is the flour, which was the last of a big bag of institutional bleached white  flour bought by internet during the early part of the pandemic.  The crust was too brittle to top the pie so I tried a lattice topping but that fell apart too.

Still, the flavor was good.  Even the crust was good, despite the difficulty in working with it.  

I think there is some rhubarb on the plant, calling my name now.  Maybe that's next.