procrastinating, to be sure

Like Judy L, I admit that I am procrastinating today. First because I dread working on that awful round robin and second, because I am having such fun working on my little Santa wallhanging. I had forgotten just how fun it is to hand quilt with all the rush to get other quilts done. I am just about done with the entire Santa figure lacking just the arm/shoulder area by the gold star wand thing he has going on. As I was working, however, I realized that his hat is not exactly square on his head---oh, well! Too late now and I will prefer to think that his hat is just sitting at a "rakish" angle---yeah, that's the ticket!

Of course every quilter has to have her quilting toys for each job she does. I am no exception. My little tri-fold bag over there is a cosmetic bag. Where the pencil products or brushes go, I have markers and a mechanical pencil. The elastic band area is perfect for holding my spools of thread. The zip pocket, all manner of needles, needle cases, thread heaven, applique scissors, etc.

Then the hoop--this one is my favorite size and shape though of course, I have others. I use a flat headed thimble and have two sizes as sometimes my hands swell a bit and in colder weather the one size bigger doesn't fit properly.

From left to right on the hoop, the thing on the red ribbon is supposed to help give the needle something to hit instead of your left index finger but I am like the person trying to use a clutch pedal in a manual transmission at the moment and do not seem to be able to coordinate the movements. My fingernail is already scuffed up. I DO use the paddle thimble though, sometimes to start off the first stitch and other times to help push through the seamed areas. The balloon, to help pull the needle if I get it loaded with too many stitches. That doesn't take long when you use a #12 as those things are short. I like Piecemaker brand.

You may be able to tell too that I sewed the batting together. I had originally bought a queen sized bat of Quilter's Dream Poly for my 30's sampler but kept the trimmings which came in handy for the wallhanging. So far I like it, needles nicely without the pilling of quilter's cotton but has some of the density of warm and natural but far easier to needle than that. This is mid loft and supposedly "excellent" for machine quilting and " very good" for hand quilting. It did handle nicely on the bits I have done on the big quilt, I will admit.

I have been trying to think just how long it might have been since I have done any hand quilting. Allison's high school graduation quilt, yes. But she just graduated from Illinois State University with a BSN in nursing--4 to 5 years then. A Jackie Robinson pattern for Arrow point Stars but I did not follow the directions. This was supposed to be 3-D (a folded technique) and flannel to boot.

And then there is the other one below that Joy and I were quilting for a woman in the town north of us. A family quilt, Arkansas Snowflake or Job's Troubles are a couple of the names for the pattern. Joy probably did most of it but we split the money we earned to quilt this. The woman gave it to her daughter or that was the plan anyway. The thing was that Joy's and my quilting stitch was so similiar in size etc that I don't think you can tell where either of us stopped or started. Probably worked on this about 4 yrs ago??

Okay, several friends out there in bloggerland are supposed to hold my feet to the fire and make sure that I get busy on the round robin. You've seen it in previous posts. I know it needs trimmed and/ or eased in possibly with a gathering stitch or some seams taken to try to get it lay down. Coping strip fabric is purchases and hopefully I can rise to the challenge and get it back to even measurements for attaching them.

It irritates me that we are still working on this
to begin with so I am already starting off with a bad attitude. You see, the person who my present round belongs to moved about 3 months into this. Someone is filling in for her locally and finishing up this person's obligations. She is not working on anyone else's but that might be a blessing considering she is the one that though it a wonderful idea to use acrylic paint. The one who is finishing up will only get a couple of 12 inch blocks from each of the 6 in the group for her troubles. Several of us thought we might start her own medallion instead--she said not to.

Bitching and moaning is not going to get anything done, I know that....................