Done, done, done

I finished the quilting on Thursday afternoon and snuck back into the sewing room after I got Oscar in bed to press the pile of binding and sew it on the quilt. Friday I trimmed it, pressed the binding back and started hand finishing the binding getting most of it done that day. Saturday, I finished the remaining 56 inches (yeah, I measured it, LOL) and tada! It is finished! I've got a call in to arrange a drop off time.

Without a quilt holder (and I've got another quilt hanging in the design wall spot) I cannot get a decent picture of it so I just tossed it over the bed in the master over the quilt that is on the bed (Cheese and Crackers designed by Terry Atkinson).  As I said on Facebook to a comment of "do we get to see a picture?" It may not look a whole lot different than the top since I stitch in the ditch mostly. The pieced blocks are quilted and a few others have other quilting lines in there---a few hearts, X's and square in a square deals.   The binding and backing is blue as that is the little girls favorite color.  Well, that and turquoise and there isn't much of that in the quilt while there is a bit of various shades of blue.

There is quite a bit of quilting in it however when you view it from the backside.  The pieced blocks are quilted and a few others have other quilting lines in there---a few hearts, X's and square in a square deals.

Another attempt but closer in

Since there was enough backing fabric left I was able to whip up a pillow/presentation case for it yesterday afternoon.   The blue dot and red tone on tone stripe is from my stash, of course.  Robbed some backing yardage stored in one of the closets and the red, don't need much for an accent piece.

So, I'm done with another commissioned project---woohoo!  Let the happy dance begin.   I should sweep, dust and vacuum my neglected house before I start making more mess by sewing but I believe that will wait till tomorrow.  Rain is on the way in the early part of the week.  Translation:  Oscar will remain in rather than out.   No heading into the sewing room if that is the case.  I do want to get started playing with that lovely Block Party fabric.  I've earned a reward project---in spades!

As I was in the home stretch with the quilting, I felt like getting out of the house for a few hours and went to the JOY Quilt Guild meeting.  Bev had invited me months ago but we could never quite get it to work out.   Marilyn had said they were having a program with a couple of ladies from an East Atlanta quilt shop so it would be a good time to visit.   They were demonstrating the use of several rulers and such.  One of the items was developed by the demonstrator for using two nine or ten inch squares to make HST's and 4 patches by marking it through a stencil type thing.  Really clever!  Jewel Box, Milky Way, Buckeye Beauty, Jacob's Ladder as just a few patterns that require these elements.  I didn't get one but wished I had!  I need to get the contact information from Marilyn.

What I did get was Creative Grids Sweet 'N Sassy Templates developed by Phyllis (PJ) Anderson for doing diamond quilts.  Rhomboids really, in three sizes.  One (Mattie Bea) actually creates two quilts at once, one a mini version.  I want to go sew some 2 inch strips together and play with that a bit.  The demonstrator says you can use larger as you are just going to trim it off anyway so if you have some leftover bits bigger but long enough to accomodate the template, go for it.   You don't have to use strip sets as there were some cool quilts that were not pieced at all.    I've got a bunch of strip leftover from my PopStix quilt so those might be the ones I grab to play with.

 

I SHOULD also get outside ansd trim back/rake back or spray the kudzu but we are headed up to the 90's today.  It is already way more humid than it has been, maybe with the fronts pushing in or up from the Gulf.  Not my idea of a good time ----back breaker or dehydration, here I come!  Honestly, everything I like to do is inside, not out.

DJ's grandson has finished his undergraduate degree at SIU-Edwardsville.  He wants to go into dentistry in some form so more work is ahead.  I cannot help but think how proud DJ would be to see how well Josh is doing.

This being May,we also celebrate Mother's Day.  Have a Happy Day, all my readers who are moms.  To my mom, I love you and appreciate all you have done to make me who I am.  It could not have been easy to raise 6 kids but I think we all turned out pretty well, thanks to you and Dad.  Love you both.