one down, two to go

Wooohoo! The hand finishing is done on one of the three large bed quilts that I have to bind. Betsy came by the quilt meeting with entry forms for the Gadsden quilt show scheduled for Sept. 24-25. I said that I would have two entries but would have to get those fingers flying to get them done in time. Lois, bless her, offered to help if I need her to. Now that is a friend! Counting the sleeve stitching I tallied up 400 inches of hand stitching. By the time I am done with all 3 quilts my fingers and wrists will be calling "uncle!"

Fortunately, the raffle quilt Judy asked me to bind is not needed till the end of the month. I had done most of the top edge of it at the meeting but realized that I needed to set it aside to concentrate on the two for the show. DJ is shaking his head and wondering how I get into these deadline projects---"you are treating it like a job" and "isn't this your hobby?" Sometimes a deadline is what it takes to make me finish this part of the process. A couple years back, it was binding on my Cheese and Crackers, shown in this post (along with the scrappy bargello that I also entered at that time.)

Did you see who had to pose on the quilt as soon as I laid out on my bed? Skyler had been hiding UNDER the quilt while I finished the last 36 inches or so and sure wanted to stay on there. Judging from his attack behavior, I know he thought it was time for a round of "where's the kitty?"

Here is how much he was helping me when I was attempting to fold the quilt. Plop, right back in the middle of the quilt. By that time he was getting a little more feisty about my making him move. You can also see the leftover block which I made with Allison's initials. I pieced it the middle of the quilt backing where it will serve as the label once I mark the information on it.

I DO have some quilt pictures to share with you from the meeting but that will wait a few days.
Meanwhile I will happy dance a bit that I have one finish, anyway!

Tomorrow, the strip twist, 88x 95 on that one.

finished to flimsy

Woohoo! I took the last stitches in Allison's t-shirt quilt top at about 4:30 last night.

Today, Marilyn went along with me to deliver it to Susan, our long arm pal at Out of the Box in Boaz (AL)

When I snapped these two pictures, I still had to put on a top and bottom border. I had it laid out on the floor of DJ's room to snap the measurements. Of course, the little black and white quilt inspector had to weigh in. I am not sure if he is looking for a loose string to chew on or thinking about crawling under it to play "where's the kitty?" Top sheet, blanket, quilt top........all the same to him, LOL.

Not the best picture in the world but you get the idea of how it turned out. The only thing I had done a week ago Thursday is the initial shirt whacking. Not bad to get a quilt this size done in a week, I think.

Marilyn and I did the Hobby Lobby and Wilson's stop. Susan had a piece of yardage that will work for a special project I have coming up too. My Wilson's purchase was more of this same white on white---boring but needed. Marilyn SAID all she needed was some John Deere fabric for her business BUT those lovely 30's fabrics were making their siren call, LOL. Lunch at Mill Street Deli and a run into Little Lots for a household item I needed.

We came back to find that it had been raining while we were away. We hit it about the time we hit the Calhoun-Etowah County line. Marilyn's husband said he had 0.9 inches in his gauge, our house is just a hair under 2 inches. I think it has quit now though. DJ said that there was thunder and lightning accompanying it too plus the power went off for about 5 minutes. Glad that is was not a factor for much of the drive back.

So I can sew on whatever I want tomorrow---what will it be? Might be good to have another day free from bending over the machine and put some stitches in my Santa red-work. HMMMMMM See how I feel in the morning.

WIP Weds, wk #33

Well, I sewed from 10 to about 4 with time out for lunch preparation, phone calls and other short breaks to stretch the legs. Half of the t-shirt quilt is done. My goal was to have this in the hands of the quilter by Friday or Saturday of this week---and I WILL make that goal.

As I showed you in my last post on Monday evening, all the blocks were done by then. I tried to work on the design in EQ but all but one of the FABS was on IM and I was too busy chatting to get the math right, LOL. Also I wanted to make an adjustment in the width of the first column---it is easier to just start over with custom set, I have found than try to make adjustments to each and every piece of an existing quilt. The picture might look "right" but I need to know exactly what size to cut those sections and verify it on my printouts.

By mid morning Tuesday I had my cutting map all figured out and went to work on cutting the background spacers and pinning them to each individual block for easy sewing today. The sashing bits, borders and binding are also prepped. I was worried that I would not have enough fabric. Knowing that I had bought it up in Boaz, I sure didn't want to make an additional about 100 mile round trip to get more! Since I decided to only have a top and bottom background colored border, that was a good decision. I could squeeze them out if I had to but just barely.

I ended up piecing Allison's initial block (the extra one) into the backing so it is all set. I even prepped the backing for my Daisy Chain in case Susan will let me drop that quilt off as well. There are some space storage concerns so maybe not but then I won't have to get in a giant rush when she tells me she is about ready for me.

By the time I got done pressing, sewing and wrestling about 18 total yards of fabric around I had enough for one day. It is amazing how sweaty you can get just ironing when the a/c just won't keep up with the muggy, hot weather we have been having. UGH

That is about it for me----mostly focused on that quilt. DJ has been lucky to get a meal around here, LOL.

some progress

Well, the blocks are all done for Allison's (my niece and godchild) sorority t-shirt quilt. The blocks will be floated on some white on white but I used my bed for the design surface.

The blue was her sorority color so we wanted to incorporate it into the quilt but I did not like the way it looked against the purple or the green block that is about falling off the bed so I framed it in white first. Also there is a blue shirt that is very close in color. Now looking at the picture, I should have done that with the black block as well. It is not too late to fix it though.

I foundation pieced her initials in a block "just in case" I needed it for filler. I might stick it on the back. The blue fabric in the letters is what I have picked out for the backing.

Well, next up some calculations so I can draw up my cutting/piecing map in EQ----after I fix that block, LOL. I only THOUGHT I was done!

Happy Dancin'

Woohoo! I am done with the 2nd t-shirt quilt. Happy, happy dancing --appropriate since Snoopy shows up in two blocks. I am done two days ahead of the "schedule" I had set for myself. Even better!

The replacement fabric arrived on Thursday around noon. I had to have something to keep me busy that morning so I cut out another Tag Along Tote and a matching Wonder Wallet out of neat pink print (actually it will match my hot iron cover, LOL.) I got that project moved a long a little further but then set it aside to cut out the sashing bits for the quilt. I pieced the three blocks that combined smaller sections into one larger block on Thursday evening but the plan was to hit the ground running on the piecing on Friday.

So here it is Saturday--- all I had left to do is join the two halves of the quilt and apply the top and bottom borders. The top border proved to be a little problematic but you make them fit by hook or by crook, right? All my snapped horizontal measurements were right on the money and so was the size of the border so it had to work---and it is fine. Huge sigh of relief there.

The red gingham you see around two blocks is part of a dress top while the blue around the block in between is part of a little pair of pants that might have gone with the cheerleader outfit with the big R. The embroidered bits are from two pillow cases while the third piece says "Be My Valentine" was the pinafore section of the dress with the gingham. There is also a pocket of a scrub top by the R. Two shirts were duplicates of her sister's though one is a different colorway. Her picture is printed (as was her sister's too) on a sweatshirt though I cropped one a little closer than the other. No other frames and shadows on this one either and a darker background than what I would normally have used but it works. Susan didn't have the blocks in front of her when she pulled the fabric off her shelves so I think she did well.

Well, timer going off in the kitchen so that means lunch is ready-----I'm going to finish up the tote after lunch. Just needs the zipper placket, straps attached and edge binding. Piece of cake!

WIP Weds

Wednesday finds me working on the 2nd of the two commissioned t-shirt quilts. Monday evening I started sorting through the large container that had been dropped off at the quilt shop. I don't know how long the things had been in there but it was musty smelling and needed to be laundered, big time. Some of the things are stained but I have to use them, regardless. Just obviously used and well loved, I guess. Since they were not removed from the container, then that must be okay with the one who requested the quilts be made. I have worked around it the best I can.

There was also a pile of non-usable materials in there---scraps of shirts with no printing on them that filled a plastic grocery sack. Weirder still to me was the other things that the container held---old receiving blankets, booties, a sweater vest, little night caps, pillow cases, etc. What was I supposed to do with that stuff??? Is the mother wanting something way different from what I am making? I thought mixing pieced blocks with t-shirts would look pretty schizoid. It all just struck me as a typical case of a non-quilter wanting a quilt made but from all non-traditional items. I did not want to proceed with the 2nd one till I knew that the first one was going to be okay. If I had to attach booties or little baby pants to a square of fabric, then you don't want my services.

Anyway, I found a way to use some of the materials in an inventive way but called Susan at the shop yesterday. The blue background fabric we had initially picked out for this actually looks more periwinkle to lavender. Since she had set aside the bolt, I asked them to take a look and see what they thought. She and Joan made another selection that is on its way in the mail. In the meantime I spent my Tuesday whacking up shirts, applying the interfacing and then cutting to size. By bedtime last night I had the sections spread out in my preliminary design.

I guess the true pictures of my WIP is what you see in the shot with the computer screen, LOL. My notepad scribbles are there to verify the cut sizes of each vertical row. I know the width and the length of the column but need to evenly space the sashing around the block and between them so that's where the calculator comes in handy. I have 3 of the 4 rows entered into EQ6 already. Naturally, things have been moved around since I laid them out last night. My design wall is the computer screen and the desk top at the moment. Once I am done I will tally up what sizes of sashing I need to cut so I can make more efficient use of my time once the fabric arrives.

If it doesn't come today, then I am thinking about cutting out another Take Along Tote and matching Wonder Wallet. Yeah, number 4 but I keep looking at two different pieces of yardages on the shelf and just might use the pink stuff. Make that a PIM (project in mind) rather than a WIP! I have friendship blocks to do for the FAB retreat but that would involve dragging out more varied fabrics, swapping out machines, etc---it can wait till I have all the guidelines in.

I'll close with a picture I took yesterday of that silly Skyler. DJ was doing the laundry and I think that this is his handkerchief drawer. He stayed in there and napped for almost 2 hours.

Today's silliness was brought on by a bleach bottle. DJ was filling a spray bottle with bleach water and some spilled on the kitchen counter in the process. Bleach smell to Skyler is like catnip to most cats. He goes bonkers and even will start attacking his own body. Catnip barely effects him. The towel that DJ had wiped his hands on? He attacked it. Sillier still? He was rolling around in the sink basin like a pig in mud. I don't get what there might be about bleach fumes that make him so whacky!

Well, back to the design process for me--------

Monday meeting

I cannot get used to the quilt group meeting on Monday! This is only a temporary thing for the months of June and July while the church allows the Fellowship Hall to be used by the ARC camp Tuesday through Friday. I will be messed up all week on what day it is, LOL. There were just a few of us there as well so no doubt I am not the only one with the Tuesday mind set.

I brought my machine along today and got the 1st of two commissioned quilts finished up. I had left off yesterday with the center seam to join the two vertical halves and the top and bottom borders to apply. After lunch I got the binding put on my Cheese and Cracker top so it will be ready for hand finishing at my leisure. It can be seen HERE

Lois had a few quilt tops to pin---two cool scrappy ones and a planned Square within Square that she pronounced as being "boring to make" and one that took little thought. We suggested that sometimes that is exactly what you might need! I was busy working on the t-shirt quilt so pics of her work will wait till she is ready to turn them in.

Jane has been busy doing some binding finishing as well on 3 donation quilts. This quilt is one that she did the "honors" on. Aline pieced it using the Habitat challenge fabric that the Belles used last year. She quilted it as well. The pattern is Ami Simms' Twisted Sister. DJ got pressed into quilt holder duties when I got home as I was bound and determined to get my quilt stuff finished before I went home.

I had a couple of errands to run while I was on my way home. The bank time and temp marquees read 91-92 degrees at about 3-3:30 p.m.--- I believe it! Scorching hot out there when the heat index is factored in.

And here is Skyler. Actually he is about in the same spot where he was when I left this morning, LOL. DJ said that he was pretty much sacked out while I was gone though in a different locale(s). He reported that Skyler would raise up his head when he heard something, apparently thinking I might be home. When I didn't materialize he was right back to cat napping. Since he was playing under the sheet this morning, I didn't get the bed made. The game resumed when I got home, running and wanting to play.

What's next? Tomorrow I will be moving onto the 2nd commissioned quilt as I have a goal to have it complete by mid or late next week if possible. I have not really even looked in the container of clothing to see what I have to work with though I had DJ haul it out of the bedroom and into the sewing room once I cleaned up my sewing mess from her sister's top. I will deliver both tops to the long arm gal and probably take my Viking in for servicing when I make the trip. The people who do that are about 8 miles north of the quilt shop. Both are a good 50-60 miles north of here---definitely combine the errands!

That's about it for this note---hope you have had a good day and thanks for stopping by!

WIP Weds

I'm at it again, prepping t-shirt sections for a commission quilt, one of two for two sisters. Some of the shirts in the container were already whacked up as if someone has started to make the quilt though I had to trim them down and cut interfacing sections too. I'm at the fusing stage.

Unlike some of the others I have done in the past year or so, this will not have frames and shadows added. I considered doing the shadow part but there are too many black or dark shirts in the mix to have that contrast show up. The mother who requested the finished quilt wants pink sashing on this batch so I'll float the designs on the background.

And, here is what I just finished last evening, another of the Nancy Halvorsen's "Be Attitudes" monthly quilt-lets. Just in time for Father's Day. (Not sure why that won't click bigger but oh well!)

Nothing much else to report. It is hot than hot outside and humid too but what do you expect for summer in the South? I have been getting up earlier than usual to try to beat the heat and get my walking in. 67 degrees at 5:30 in the morning is not exactly what I would call cool, LOL.

Thanks for stopping by--------

WIP Wednesday?

Ah, not so much piecing going on today though I just finished piecing the latest commissioned t-shirt quilt yesterday. Does that count LOL? We had the possibility of storms in the afternoon so I started piecing early in the day on the 3rd and 4th vertical rows. By afternoon we had it spread out on DJ's bedroom floor to snap a horizontal measurement for the top and bottom borders. I took a picture of it at that point though I had yet to apply said borders. Horrid picture since I cut off a few blocks and it is not laying down straight either. Maybe Susan & Joan can get a decent shot of it when it is delivered to the owner? This is a surprise gift for him, they said, but may be hard to keep since he works right next door to the shop.

Today we had a break in the weather and a gorgeous spring day though the week's forecast includes more rain and possible thunderstorms. I got my walking in and was able to run a few errands with DJ but I figured this would be the best day to make a run up to Boaz to deliver the t-shirt quilt.

In exchange for making the t-shirt quilt, Susan is going to quilt my Cheese and Cracker top shown HERE plus reimburse me for any fabric and interfacing that I use to make the t-shirt top. I hurried up and washed up the 3 plus yards of 108 inch backing last night in preparation for the trip up there, though at that point I didn't know which day I would be going. A service for a service so that worked out well for both of us. They both sew but just don't have time to do the piecing plus they like the way I set the shirt pieces, too. Susan said that someone in the area sets them all cattywampus which would be an interesting look.

While I was there, another client came in with a completed top. As it turns out, she is a 30's nut like me. Susan had to haul CNC out again. LOL, the customer and Joan were looking at the fabrics closely---"I've never seen that one" "I have that one in another color" LOL. Joan had two gorgeous quilts to show me as well, one with 30's that I had seen as a top on my last run up there. Both were in the Geraldine Quilt show over the weekend. I didn't go this year though and was happy to see them completed. We had a nice visit before I headed back.

It was such a nice day for a drive! I didn't call anyone to see if they wanted to go along for the ride since it was so short notice. I didn't actually decide I was going until 11. Maybe on the return trip when CNC is ready for pickup. The route up there is basically 4 lane divided highway but I cut off of US 431 in a couple of spots through the residential sections of three towns along the way. There are lots of dogwoods both wild and cultivated in bloom. I spotted azalea bushes in all shades of red, pink and white. There is wisteria hanging everywhere and lots of redbud too. I love spring!

Our bushes are starting to come out too. The azalea shown is one that was originally in a planter when we first moved in here 11 years ago. The leaves look a little washed out--not green and glossy so we may need to refer to the gardening books. The other bush we have is much smaller with a little larger bloom. The yard (weed patch really) looks really shaggy but DJ is out on the mower now taking care of that.


DJ's pampered lilac bush is starting to come out as well. Lots and lots of small buds yet to open. We also have a few jonquils and lupines in bloom but I didn't take a picture of those.

Earlier today DJ and I picked up some marigolds to put where we have our Pippi buried. It was a year ago this past Saturday that we lost her. That still makes me sad. BUT by the same token, that means that this coming Friday will mark the day that Skyler came home to live with us. I made a good choice there.

SO what's next in the sewing department? I whole heartedly believe in the "reward" system. If you finish up one task, then get to work on something you want to. In my case that would be the machine applique and quilting of the "Be Kind" block. I switched out machines last night so I am sort of ready once I change machine feet and wind a bobbin or two.

I had binding to press for the t-shirt quilt and the two donation quilts I pinned last week. I also cut some binding strips for Judy's quilt. By the time I got done with all that tasks and cleaning up the mess in the room, I was ready to call it quits in the creative department.

I may just do a little redwork on the Santa block tonight and get a fresh start on "Be Kind" tomorrow---see how I feel after supper. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it------------

WIP Wednesday

I can tell that this is going to be one of those weeks where I am not going to have a lot to show for my efforts, LOL.

I just started another Birdbrain Designs Santa last night and didn't get very far with it. I will pick it up when I need a sit down job today. Ordinarily any piecing or quilting takes place in the afternoons so it is nice to have something to grab for handwork in the morning hours. Even a couple inches at a time will add up.

Monday I whacked the 20 t-shirts apart for the commissioned t-shirt quilt. I cut out the interfacing while I was at it so I'll work on the fusing and secondary cutting after lunch. The sashing fabrics and black for the shadows are all wash and pressed. I expect the background fabric to arrive in a day or two. This project is started but won't look like anything till some sewing can really commence. Some drawing in EQ will be needed as well.

Yesterday was the quilt meeting but I was "it" till about the time I was ready to pack things up and go get lunch. Some are out of town, another recuperating from surgery, other plans and obligations obviously.

I pinned my two Twisted Sister tops and because it needed done, joined the cut away batting strips into a piece large enough for another quilt top. Sarah used to take that on as her "job" and now it kind of falls to me or let it pile up.

Nancy arrived about 1130 and about 15 minutes later a lady from the Monday evening quilt guild who Nancy had just told me was interested in coming to our group. LOL, of all days to have NO group. (Actually I had met Jackie before at the Collinsville quilt shop as her MIL who also quilts lives there) We just suggested she join us down the street at a local deli/bakery--she had already eaten but she could get a cup of coffee and dessert or something and we could continue our visit.

I didn't feel like standing up at the cutting/pressing table working on those t-shirts once I got home. I had spent almost 4 hours standing on that hard flooring at the Fellowship Hall and my back and knees were telling me to sit down. I listened!

Shown above, Skyler looking fairly docile. Lately about 8, 9 o'clock at night he takes to tearing up to the top of the kitchen pass through at 90 m.p.h. Cats like to be up as high as they can get, I understand that but this little goofball has taken to STANDING up on it. I have not actually seen him do it but DJ sure has. He has the lightbulb shape and a lot of bulk in his hind quarters so I am guessing that his center of gravity is such that he can sit/stand fairly easily. He does it often enough on terra firma. But enough with this appearance of being a tightrope walker already, Little Boy! Normally he gets down if I go in the living room but later I'll hear DJ saying something like "Skyler, settle down" and he has run up there again meowing like crazy to let you know he is there.

As I was driving to the meeting place yesterday I could see that the dogwood is out. Not a lot of the azaleas yet though it won't be long. DJ said ours have budded but just aren't open yet. It is raining today and the weather guy says we might be due for stormy weather by Friday and possible rainful totals from 5-8 inches. I guess the fronts that are passing through the Midwest that are creating flooding there are just moving on down. We are behind a few inches on the rainfall totals but it would be better not to get it all at once!

That's it from here---need to go start re-heating our lunch anyway.

this and that

Obviously something outside, possibly the neighbor across the lane's dog or a bird flitting by, has attracted Skyler attention. He has developed quite a fascination for the bathroom sink when you run water or brush your teeth but no way can I get a picture of him doing that. Moves too quickly. If not for his rapt attention to whatever it was outside, I would not have gotten this shot, LOL.

A little of this and that going on since my last post. Mostly spent finishing up the binding on the commissioned T-shirt quilt. I know--boring! I took the last stitch in it Saturday evening--big woo hoo there. Still trying to make connections with the owner for delivery or pickup.

When I got my haircut the other day, my neighbor/hairdresser said to come on over and get some apples from one of the trees that was bearing. They are small and the skins are blemished but I didn't find any worms in them at all. I must have peeled and chopped those things for over a hour and half yesterday morning but boy, did we get some good applesauce that I cooked up in the crockpot.

This morning I got to walk for the first time in two weeks. I only went 2 miles rather than my customary 3.3 but I didn't know how I would do wearing my walking shoes and the uneven terrain of the park. They had just spread some new gravel to fill in the rain washed out areas and not too evenly at that. I managed fine though the foot was squawking a bit by the time I was done. I plan to keep adding a lap a day to get back up to where I was provided I don't have any increase in pain. I was at the MD's on Friday on an unrelated manner and he offered to x-ray the banged up tow but I didn't think that would be necessary. Yeah, it is a bit sore with shoes on but I know from my 12 years in a podiatry practice what little bit would be done if it WAS fractured. I'll live and don't think I need a surgical shoe.

Which brings me up to the next subject, a frozen banana fell out of the freezer last night and almost hit the same sad little toe. Since I had about 7 of them in there, I decided to use up the last of the buttermilk and half of those bananas make a banana oatmeal cake this morning. It smells wonderful at my house though I did warm up the kitchen a bit making it. (Air won't go on till at least 1030 or 11---the annual summer gripe from me). Caramel frosting will be made once it cools but I will use the tried and true one recipe from the Cake Mix Doctor for that. I love to cook and bake when I have time. Don't need to be eating much of it but it will freeze---just like the surplus applesauce.

At right (and above) the next t-shirt quilt. It will be one of those 3-D appearing ones like the last one. The polka dot stuff is what the family wanted used but it will be tempered down as the frames around the shirt sections. Maybe someone can make some pillowcases of the leftovers for the owner-to-be. Won't be me though, LOL. Fabric content is indeterminate but I am guessing that there is some synthetic in it as it feels and looks a little slick. I'll deal with it as I did with the gingham from last round. Susan sent 4 yds of WOW -- washed and pressed that up on Sunday. I already have the black fabric for the shadows on hand ready to use.

Just for grins and giggles, I am keeping track of the time it takes to make one of these since essentially that is what I am getting paid for on this one. 19 shirts--small to medium sized so less interfacing needed. FYI: I have found that it can range from 10 to 13 yards of the stuff. Took 45 minutes to rough cut them apart with the rotary cutter. Took 4 hours and 40 minutes to cut the interfacing out to rough cut size and fuse them. Next up: square the sections up so I can start the sashing process. Then I will follow the process I outlined in this post for the design process so the shirts float on the background. It all takes time and as for size, it is what it is.

Here is the last one quilted. I am afraid that I cannot get a full out shot of it as it is too big and too heavy to hold up. I won't be at the meeting place for another week to spread it out on the fellowship hall floor so DJ's bed will have to do. Susan did a wonderful job of quilting it. She used little swirls in the picture frames and all over meander between but not through the main figures of the shirts.

This is what I would like to do next after the t-shirt top is done though. I have had this pattern for years---best guess, 97 when we moved in here. I had big plans to make matching kitchen accessories but only got as far as making the curtains. Chair cushions were cut out too so if I really want to be a glutton for punishment I could make them. I still have the fabrics on hand plus others to add to it though I need greens for the job, not blues. Mainly we need a new toaster cover but I had always hoped to make the blender and food processor cover as well. The wallhanging, while cute, is nice but there is no blank wall in my kitchen to hang one anymore.

I still have a list as long as my arm of things I would like to work on for ME. I'll get to them in due time--waited this long, after all so what is a bit longer going to hurt? Norma and I have been talking about doing an Atkinson Design Cheese and Crackers with some of our 30's stash so that probably tops MY list. My mom and some of her quilting friends in Lexington (IL) made one for the Taste of Country Fair quilt raffle and she was given the leftover scraps including some that she had donated to the cause. She is going to box them up and pass them on to me. A head start, I guess.

Guess that cake has had time to cool so unload the dishwasher and make some frosting.

Monday, Monday

So far this has been a fairly uneventful day that followed a basically lazy Sunday. No sewing or hand work but I did consider it however briefly. Pam and Norma are issuing a challenge to we 5 FAB members and the result is a pass along gift to a fellow FAB. After a run through my pattern files yesterday, I totally know what I am doing on this super secret project. SSSSSSSH

I took the picture of the tshirt quilt before I had added the top and bottom borders. I sewed the side ones on as part of the row itself which made that far easier but needed the master bedroom floor to deal with the rest. I was done with the top by Wednesday afternoon. The backing fabric arrived on Friday so a quick pre-wash, ironing and piecing job happened. Now to deliver it to the long arm quilter.

There is a new quilt shop that opened near the longarmer's place in Boaz (AL). We met them at the Geraldine Quilt show in late March but one of the partners was the guest speaker at the quilt guild in Jacksonville recently. Some of the girls in my group were talking about going up there. I said I would be headed that way soon and they could ride along with me if they wanted but the date was undetermined til I got that top done. Saturday morning the phone wires were burning up between our homes so it looks like we take our little field trip on Weds. afternoon. It works out well as Beverly has one to pick up from the same longarm gal. Woo hoo--always a fun time with friends.

So what have I been doing between Wednesday and that lazy Sunday? I spent a good chunk of three days quilting Sarah's heart memorial quilt
shown HERE. Fairly wide crosshatching around the center medallion and stitch in the ditch around all the heart block components--a little time consuming but it looks good on front and back. I knew that the side borders and the sashing bit needed some fill work done there. I stink at free motion and asked Aline if she would do the honors there--she had done such a lovely job on her Red Velvet Cake quilt. Then I found out that she had HAND done that but she was still going to take care of it. What a pal! I didn't get a picture of it before I passed it off yesterday afternoon other than the one of Skyler giving it the kitty stamp of approval. You probably won't believe this but that was the first time he seemed even remotely interested in sitting on one.

The heart quilt was the first one I had quilted in months in some time. I know I had not tried to do any since my machine had gotten back from the shop or Skyler had come to live with us in early April. No quilting in almost two months? That has got to be a record for me. Pat has a long arm and offered to quilt a few of the tops that will be going to Pam's M2M project so that lessened the stack a bit though I needed to un-pin them before I packed them up. (Thanks again, Pat!!) I still have a couple here that I will tend to and will start that after lunch today--Pippi's Memorial quilt and a Grandma's Scrap bag that my mom sent most notably. The rest stay here for WTIL donation.

So how is Skyler doing after the declawing procedure? The front paws look pretty good--no bandages with the laser procedure. No bleeding, swelling, drainage but the whole thing took the wind out of his sails. They shaved his pretty white fur on the front paws and a patch off one of the hind legs too. I suppose that was for the IV meds he received. Much less active since he came home on Friday though he shows signs of wanting to play today. Naturally his gait is affected a bit and he is apt to lift one paw off the floor when he is sitting. All in all, recovering nicely, I would say. The little booger hates the antibiotic though. I'm a nurse so I can get it in his mouth but this morning I found out that I can't necessarily make him swallow it, LOL. Still being a mean kitty mama.

Other than that, DJ's and my trip back to IL has been changed around a bit. Saturday he mentioned an idea he had---how about I fly back to IL a few days ahead of him? He would leave in the time frame we usually would, taking Skyler to be boarded for a few days on the way out of town. He suggested that I check into the airfare online. If it was reasonable and our families were amenable to pushing it back a week, then we would book it. So I'm flying up to Bloomington one way and then riding/sharing driving chores on the way home. We usually stop overnight on the way up so even though the first day is long, he feels he can handle it. I won't feel like he just drug me in and out in three days and barely got to see anyone. Maybe we can get a few more of those quilts pinned, Mom. Woo hoo and thanks, DJ!!

That's it for me---time to make some sandwiches for our lunch----till next time and thanks for stopping by.

A sort of tutorial for a tshirt quilt--EDITED

I should be sewing on that tshirt quilt but...........at left you see what I have to work with minus the first vertical row. I switched some blocks around after I took the picture though. Later I drew it all up in the computer-- and even that got revised. Actually I do have the 1st vertical row completed as of this writing and 60% of the 2nd row is done--does that count, LOL?

The woman who commissioned it is a Jacksonville State University (AL) graduate. I think she said she worked in the athletic department while in school so there are no sorority shirts but a lot of sports programs at JSU are represented. She wanted that black and white gingham but I didn't think I could use it for plain sashing with cornerstones and have it look even. I suggested this "Picture Frame" set and have used it before for other tops. It does look striking with all the red in the shirts and the white that will go between the blocks to sort of float them.

ED. NOTE: A lack of a clear design had held this up for longer than it should have. I guess you can consider this a sort of tutorial on how I approach this kind of design. Not that I am an expert or anything but this is the third one I have made. Links to the other two are HERE and HERE if you want to go look.

Other sites or books will tell you how to interface and all that so I'll assume you don't need more than the following: roughly cut out the part of the design larger than you need. Leave a margin of shirt at first--at least 3 inches or more around the design if you can. Many designs are on the back of the shirt now so you can basically cut that from the neck on down and whack off the sleeves and then trim a good bit off the bottom. Use fusible interfacing to the back of the shirts--about 10-13 yards of it as that stuff is only about 22 inches wide if that. Trim them down to a workable size with enough shirt to frame them but not have a lot of varying widths if you can avoid it. Makes for more math and too easy to mess up which strip goes where. You may have to do a little more judicious trimming again to make the uniform sized blocks. ***Uniform blocks are important!*** Ordinarily you don't want to have a lot of width variances in one row as that just makes the rows and ultimately the quilt, wider in the end. I also like to use the little designs (from the "pocket" area of the shirt ) to make a 4 patch if I can. This quilt as two of them to make 2- 12 inch blocks. Kind of a fun element.

Then how much sashing and fillers?? When I do these t-shirt quilts, think linearly. I like to go with a vertical measurement and work in rows as it is easier for assembly than something set in. I figure out what the longest row will measure by totalling up the length of the blocks at this point. In this case it was various sizes 80, 81 etc. I figured that the smallest the sashing between the blocks could go was 2 inch so that made my longest row 91 inches. Since all the rows have 5 blocks and I need 4 sashing strips between the block, I subtracted 80 from 91 for the difference in the two lengths and divided that resultant 11 inches by 4 to equal 2.75 inch width finished. My sashing strips finish at 2.75, 2.5 and 2 inch on this quilt. That set the length of the row. This gets all the blocks evenly spaced at the top and bottom of the quilt. Even better, you can go ahead and attach the left hand border to the row after you sew it. T-shirts quilts are heavy and trust me, it is easier to "pre-border" than lug the thing around to do it later. On your last row it would go on the right hand edge for the side border. Apply the top and bottom ones by standard methodology.

For the width of the each vertical rows I calculated the widest measurement of the blocks as I had them laid out. If it was an interior row, I added two inches to that for floating the block purposes . The 4th row will get an outside border over the whole length of the quilt so no worries on that one. SO to center the block I subtract the width of the block from the width I am shooting for ( in this case 20, 21, 22, 23 inches) and then divide that number by two for both vertical sides of the block adding in the seam allowance. I didn't color the blocks when I drew it up in EQ but this is sort of how it will look but with black and white gingham and much smaller shadowing.

What about the shadow thing, you might ask? I usually cut the frames 2 inches wide--apply it top, bottom and then side, side. No biggie there. You can strip piece that shadow stuff and sew whatever width you want the background color drop to be by the longest section you need the shadow fabric. Then subcut the whole deal into however wide you need it to be--2.5, 3?? Then sew it to the right side of the block first and then the bottom of the block.

One word on background---something tone on tone is probably best as you are going to be floating the blocks and want to hide the seams a bit. The quilting will help with that too. A loose stipple works well. These quilts are very heavy and I doubt anyone will actually want to sleep under it. It is more for a spread and of course to preserve those memories for the shirt owner.



I don't really know which is worse though in sewing this thing. The gingham is slippery and ravel-y fabric--ugh. I was constantly clipping strings on the back of the quilt and the front too for that matter. Second, the interfaced shirts don't want to slide on the machine sewing table all that well. (ed. note: 5/28 I tried something this morning that seems to be working. Works for free motioning too I am told. Put a garbage bag on the machine table under the piece I am sewing and then stitch as usual. It is moving more easily and I don't have to sew from the wrong side)

I will have this done by week's end. A change in the original plan for the backing will mean a delay in dealing with that part. She wanted solid black and not only did I not have enough on hand but I nixed that in favor of a print with white background and black swirly stuff all over it. My reasoning was that you would not want to see little black dots from the thread in back to be all over the white background in the front. I hope to run it up to the longarmer some time next week. When I go, a couple of the Belles wanted to ride along so we can go to a new quilt shop along the way though my stop is a few miles north of our destination---close enough!


We spent a quiet Memorial Day as I knew we would. I got my walking in, sewed and chatted with the FABS who were in and out during the day. I changed my mind about supper plans when it hit 82 in the house and no a/c on. We had cloud cover but it was still a bit sticky. UGH!

Here was the view of Skyler yesterday afternoon. What you don't see is DJ stretched out in his recliner right next to him. Below you see my two guys earlier in the week watching TV. Nice of Skyler to let DJ have a seat on "HIS" loveseat, huh? Today, his favored spot is by the front door hiding behind the plant stand---Pippi liked that spot too actually.

DJ wanted me to call to set up a time to get those front claws dealt with. We have been back and forth on this for the last few weeks. I am a little ambivalent about this but the vet said they do it with a laser now which sounds more humane than incisions. Skyler is not scratching the furniture though an occasional claw does get dug in if he is chasing a toy. He knows what his scratching box is for and wore out the cardboard in a month's time. The replacement one is not looking too hot either. lately he has discovered that digging a claw into the rug and then dragging his body on the carpeting is great fun. DJ is mainly concerned about his snagging up the carpet though I didn't think he was hurting anything. I have gotten my feet attacked under the sheets a couple of times, once drawing blood. DJ is on blood thinners and we cannot have that.

We either had to wait till we return from our short trip to IL next month or do it tomorrow. Yikes, tomorrow it is then. Poor kitty baby with a mean kitty mama--or kitty daddy. He will have to stay over night for two nights, I was told. I assume antibiotics for a few days after---oh, he loves that! NOT.

What has distracted me from sewing this afternoon other than posting this "check in" note is two boxes of quilty stuff from my pal Pam. She had six quilt tops that she knows I will re-size stuffed in a small flat rate box. The other larger box had some challenge fabric she and Norma are planning for we FABS to do something with--"rules" not stated yet but cool purples. It even sorta goes with a piece that Cher sent recently! The old challenge fabric she sent that I need for binding was in there along with a Charm pack--we are doing a tote with those. A pile of homespuns and plaids too---I know two quilts that those can be used in along with some my mom sent back with me last year. A row quilt UFO and a few other items I am probably forgetting as I write this. What fun! Judging from my history, it is amazing how much better I do at completing someone else's work but not my own, LOL.

Well, just talking about sewing is NOT getting any of it done. All too soon it will be time to start supper so best get cracking at at least get that 2nd row done before then. Hope you all had a good and safe weekend.

checking in

Checking in now that things have settled down at my house. Our guests left yesterday morning, early, on their way up to NC to visit their son. A little excitement was had on Wednesday morning. DJ and I were just getting up when the tornado warning sirens went off as well as our indoor warning device. That thing is enough to wake the dead and only sounds for a chemical emergency at the incinerator and tornadoes. Or so I thought--- I think Phyllis must have sleeping very soundly at that point as it didn't even rouse her. By 11 the weather system had completely moved out and they were all able to head over to the golf course. I stayed home to walk and tend a pile of Home Extension paperwork that needed to be done prior to a meeting with the "prez" yesterday. We went out to Lonestar Steakhouse for supper but I had made Shipwreck Casserole earlier in the day in case anyone was around to eat it. It turned out that I dined alone for lunch but Herb and Phyllis had a bit when they got back from the golf course while Herb had some automotive work done.

No sewing or house messing up while the guests were here. I got a bit more of my cardigan done---at 12 1/2 inches from the armholes at this point so it is growing and actually looking much more sweater-like. I also finished up the lower half of the October snowman block--just two more to go as I did them in sequence.

I loved the redwork Santa blocks that I saw on one of the blogs---Carol at Brown Quilts maybe? I'm sorry that I am not pulling that out of my brain cells--one of the girls who had been to Road to California, for sure. I wanted some too and ordered them from Birdbrain Designs as a kit with the red perle cotton and fabrics. I told myself I cannot get started on these until the snowmen are stitched though. I can't hardly wait!

I am supposed to be stitching on that t-shirt quilt as Cher is holding my feet to the fire but so far today, anything but. Got my walking in right before lunch and laundry chores before that. I almost forgot that I needed to put a turkey breast in the crockpot for supper and was late doing so. Then I decided to make DJ a pecan pie for dinner. I had some homemade cranberry sauce and some of the stuffing in the freezer and thawed them out so that just leaves making mashed potatoes and a veggie this evening. Hurray for leftovers.

I believe that I have run out of excuses not to be sewing. After all, I want to play with my bargello again on Sunday so best get to work.