Sunday, July 11, 2010

Heat Wave

We are just coming out of our first heat wave of the year. To think we needed to wear jackets and long pants only a week ago. I don't do well with the heat and we don't have air conditioning in our house. I did a little stitching because it requires mostly sitting with a tall glass of iced tea. The first 2 blocks I had done prior to the heat wave.
These are the two blocks completed in the last week during the heat wave. The pattern is from Waltzing With Bears, really sweet and quick blocks called Ruby's Garden. The quilt pattern doesn't show the blocks will, in fact in looks like a really boring and dull quilt.
This is block one and I don't like how it turned out. I'm definitely redoing this block. It might be partly the darker background I used but what I don't like the most is the shade of green and the blue stars in the border. All the other blocks are turning out wonderful. The ecru also doesn't show with my background fabric and so I'll change that colour as well.

So tell us what you do when the heat is too much. What do you do in a heat wave?
Happy Stitching.

26 comments:

Lynn said...

Living in FLorida, we know how to deal with the heat. Stay inside an a/c'd room. Keep the blinds closed so the heat doesn't seep thru the windows. Drink cold things (slurpees, sno-cones, etc) Go to the beach (while there is still a beach to go to!)

Carol said...

Here in Arizona our heat wave comes every year starting in May and lasting until the end of September. It's dang hot here, thank goodness for our A/C. When it's hot I stay indoors as much as possible, it's a good time to sew. We have a swimming pool so that's a good place to cool off.

I like your stitchery blocks, even the first one. I also enjoy doing stitchery.

Darlene said...

You know I'm in AZ like Carol so we have constant heat from May till the end of September. And, now we're having humidity, too. (it's our monsoon season). I spend most of my time indoors near an A/C vent.

I love your blocks, Wendy! You're right the pattern on their website does very little justice to these cuties. I like your first block but you have to like it so make your changes! :-)

JoAnn ( Scene Through My Eyes) said...

I too don't do well in the heat - cranky old woman that I am. LOL

I like to be as still as possible and sit in front of a fan - sometimes I'll drape a wet, lightweight piece of fabric over part of the front of the box fan - that sends cooler air - and sometimes I spray myself with water - more cooling. Mostly I whine and wait for the cool NW WA air to return - and it always does. I do handwork too during hot spells - hopefully we won't have many this year.

JoAnn ( Scene Through My Eyes) said...

Oh - love your stitcheries too - forgot that in the last comment. :-)

Karen said...

I sit in the air-conditioning and stitch. I can understand why you don't have much need for air-conditioning where you live but it is a necessity here in Florida. Not everyone has it, though.
I am enjoying seeing your progress on the embroidered blocks.

Susan J Barker said...

I like the simple stitcheries that you are doing. I have been considering a similar project recently and it would be a good one for the heat. Currently though in the heat I tend to sit in the basement bedroom and crochet while watching old movies on TCM... I am working on a granny square afghan right now.

Today, in the fraser valley it is not too hot so am headed over to the park with the dog to watch kids at the water park...

Teresa said...

Cute blocks and nice workmanship. I am so thankful for a/c in heat waves. With that said - I will take hot summers over freezing winters anytime.

Terry said...

What cute blocks! I just stay in the air conditioning and stitch when it's hot out! :0)

Roseanne said...

I like the heat. I don`t like winter. We just head to the beach or the pool. I live just over the road from the Town pool SO that make it easy for use or I stay in side. Your blocks look lovely.

Anonymous said...

love your basket stitcheries...

Quilts And Pieces said...

Oh these are wonderful! Heat wave? I go down to the basement and sew!

Sue-Anne said...

In my little part of Australia, we have some really hot days - over 40c and on those days, if I have to go out, I get it over with as early as possible and then stay inside with the blinds closed and the air conditioning on. I think the Mexicans have got it right with a siesta in the afternoon because it is too hot to do anything else. We live on cold chicken and salad so we don't have to use the oven.

Your stitcheries are gorgeous!

Kaaren said...

Thank goodness for central a/c! The heat and humidity that we've experienced this past week was worse than anything I experienced when living in south Florida for 15 years.

On the positive side, I stayed indoors and designed and completed the next two First Friday Freebies.

Love your stitcheries, Wendy. That's about all that is do-able in the heat and humidity. They're light and portable.

I'm ready for Fall!

Carol said...

Being here in Florida...I stay inside as much as possible...I've been sewing away. I get lots done in summer when I don't want any part of being outside...kind of like everyone in the north gets lots done in the winter winter when it's too cold to be out. Try to stay cool...love your blocks.

Lori said...

What cute stitchery blocks!!

I always remind myself that the heat wave will end....eventually!! LOL

Diane H said...

Your stitcheries are lovely. I've been sittin' and stitchin' in the heat. It turns me into a real monster! I was born in the one of the coldest places in Canada at the end of January - so me and the heat do not get along. Don't know how you girls that live down South do it! Keep cool everyone.

Lynn said...

Almost every day in the summer is a heat wave here in NC. It's the cold I can't handle. Give me a 90 day any day over a 40 degree one. I think the blocks are cute, smart to redo one you aren't happy with though. I have found that if I don't do that, I always focus on the bit that disappointed me.

Chookyblue...... said...

lovely stitcheries.......

what temps do you have when you have a heat wave.......

Jan said...

I like you basket sticheries---they all look great to me!! I live in Texas so we have hot and humid weather from April to October it seems to me!!! I stay in the A/C, but since you don't have that I say to sit in front of a fan and do your small stitcheries! I hope it cools down for you!!!!

Abby and Stephanie said...

Very sweet blocks! Our humidity levels this morning were higher than the actual temperature. Hot and humid. I hide in my sewing basement--barefeet on the cool floor and drink peach ice tea. Wishing us both cooler days very soon.

Carrie P. said...

Oh, your blocks are so sweet.
I don't do well with the heat either but the humidity is what gets to me. That is why we moved from Florida to NC. In Florida you never see a day without humidity. Here in NC just the summer mostly. I just stay in the air conditioning.

Floss said...

These blocks look great, I agree that one doesn't look as good as the others. I think the border on the others show up more and finish the blocks nicely.

Shirley said...

I don't deal well with the heat at all either. I'm not allowed to drink too much tea cause of the caffine so I just go to the sink every hour and have a very large glass of water. we do have a portable air conditioner that we bought a couple of years ago. It goes in the living room and I sit beside it. I don't want icky weather again but I hope that was our July heat wave a couple of weeks early. The weather now is perfect. I read in the heat, I find it even too hot for stitching. I put a fan directly hitting me and play computer games too. This time I was lucky and DH was away so I got to have a Jane Austen marathon. That's what I did with my evenings - watched movies.

Stina Blomgren said...

P R E T T Y..:o)
Have had my eyes on this one... will be fun to see how yours will look like when finished..:o)

Elly D said...

These stithery blocks are looking wonderful.
I love the new look of your kitchen.. very nice. Would you mind if I kept a copy of it in my inspiration folder for when... "one day" I can get to re-do mine?
I can't handle heat either :) and we don't have AC because most the time we don't need it. So when we do have a heat wave... which is not today ... It's unbearable and it doesn't need to be so hot to be unbearable >G<