binding, tabs and ties

On Friday I had completed the pieced center of the paint chip challenge with some half square triangle unit trimmings to go.

On Saturday, I trimmed the units and got the borders on it and began the button hole applique that it required.

On Sunday I finished the applique, pieced the batting, marked it and pinned the piece---it is there on top.

This morning I am pressing binding in preparation to quilt those three pieces----the challenge piece, the tree skirt and a donation quilt that I would like to go to Gene Black's Angel Quilt projects along with another I have been holding till I get this one finished.  You can read about the effort on his blog HERE.  I discovered that I had NOT pieced the binding for that particular quilt or another one that is sitting atop my dresser.  I also forgot that the paint chip challenge needed some tabs made, it being a Button Up version and that is how they hang.  I'll do that before I start quilting today.

I follow my dear friend Joy's example of cutting the binding right along with cutting out the quilt top, seaming it when the top is done and then rolling it on section of cardboard like you do embroidery floss.  I pull and prep the backing as well and then pin it when it is convenient (read: corresponds to a meeting date if possible).  Joy often left "the spool" in the folds of the quilt.  I sometimes do that as well but mostly I file it in a couple of containers that I have set aside for this.  I check there first.  Occasionally I slip up or change my mind about what I want to use but I do try to make a habit of it.  Then there are no deterrents to quilting if the quilts are pinned.  If there is no deadline to worry about, I can pick whichever quilt I am in the mood to deal with.

All three of these have a deadline----the tree skirt I want done ASAP, the Angel Quilt before the 12th and the paint chip challenge on December 14th.  I best get cracking!  I'll see how far I get.  Guess that means I am quilting or working on binding at Belles tomorrow.

And sew it goes------

Day two: binding

Okay, I did NOT get much of this done yesterday but I tend to procrastinate with the more tedious aspects of quilting.  It is well documented here, LOL.  I am maybe 3/4 of the way across the first bottom edge but the label is sewn down and about 9 inches on the adjacent long edge at this point?    Also my mind tends to wander to other matters---dreaming of the next quilt projects or solving the world's problems (not!)

December is here tomorrow.  I want this on my bed!!!  I guess I have to get with the program???  Norma, have you finished quilting your lovely quilt so  you can join me in the endeavor this weekend?

I may have gotten a little further on binding but my hands were cramping up a bit by last evening.  I guess between lots of mouse work on the computer lately and knitting the right hand especially was squawking at me by 9 p.m.

A couple of notes on binding.  I do a blind, applique like stitch and I always keep the bulk of the quilt away from me, working left to right with the stitches.  I do it very close together to bury the stitches so you can only see the effect of the stitching, not the stitch itself.   I call it binding, not hemming.

Why do I make that distinction??  You would be surprised how many people think binding a quilt IS hemming.  Like you hem a skirt hemming----with a tack stitch and then a long thread length to the next tacked stitch and sometimes with double thickness of thread.  Of course, they work right to left and in their laps and every blessed stinkin' stitch shows.  Little fingers and toes will get caught in there plus it looks bad.   When you make every effort to use the best fabrics, pick a lovely pattern, execute that pattern to the best of your abilities I do not see why you don't try to do better on your finishing.   Fast is not always better.  If you have good light while you watch TV and "love" to do binding, go for it.  I don't so I have to set up a situation where it is not on my lap and light sources from two directions.   Done is good but try to do your best in that area too, okay?

Normally too, I match the thread to the binding, not the backing but how do you match the stripe?  I tried it with a darker green and I was still seeing stitches so switched to a color that matched the backing.  So far the only spot where I have remotely seen any thread is the bits of red stripe concentration.

Off my high horse----and back to Christmas

The  little town Christmas parade is tomorrow.  Fa-la-la-la Lifetime Christmas movies (DJ watches that cr**, I don't)  or those sappy Hallmark Channel movies are probably playing incessantly from now until the end of the year.  Christmas Carols are playing in every shopping venue.  Ready or not!  It is coming.

I'll switch out the seasonal wall hangings tomorrow but I don't know how much other decorating will happen.   We got rid of another of my surface areas for putting anything out---hall way book shelf---earlier in the year.  DJ has started painting the lower part of the kitchen cabinets and the boxes will just be in the way.  He won't want to put the tree up for another couple weeks anyway.  The Nativity set always goes up even if the rest of it stays packed up.  I still don't have Christmas stockings made though I plan to every year.  The ones I currently have were some I picked up at a church bazaar.  (Unfortunately one of them is cut the reverse of what it should be so the stocking points backwards but I knew the maker) I have plans to do some from the Nancy Halvorsen's  book The Night Before Christmas.   I have no wreath either since the two bedraggled looking ones from years past were finally tossed BUT I have a neat one on one of the tree skirt patterns I just got recently, a quilty looking one.

See my bloggy friend alefthanded quilters recent post and comments about giving quilty gifts  HERE.   Basically know your audience before preceding in my opinion there!  I offered to make a tree skirt for my niece/godchild because she let me know she was looking for one.  I asked her opinion about the style and have a second email out about the fabric choices----traditional or is a more contemporary look okay?  I can go either way since I ordered some stuff from Connecting Threads.

Well, still in my jammies and Aline just dropped off the quilt I am going to quilt for her and her sister that will be a guess what, Christmas gift.  Guess who better get cracking if all that is ever to get done.

And sew it goes-----

WIP Thursday

Yesterday's project----get the twister wreath to flimsy.  I had asked DJ to hold it up so I could get a picture but he and Skyler were entrenched in the recliner at the time.  He didn't want to crawl out of the recliner and disturb the cat.  I just temporarily pinned it to the wall hanging on the sewing room door and snapped it that way.

Marilyn had called me last night to see if she could possibly work out a swap with me for some "green" fabric.  She is doing  that Sentimental Journey 2010 BOM from Block Central with the JOY group.  Lovely quilt, huh?   But her version will use a lovely pink floral as the focus piece and I think greens, burgundies rather than reds and browns.    What would I want in exchange? she asked.  I knew she had a bolt of backing fabric at the meeting on Tuesday and said a yard of that would be fine provided I had something that would work.  She and her mom would be over across the lane getting their hair cut at our mutual hair dresser's shop.  I was not planning on going anywhere as I ran my errands yesterday.

In advance of her trip over here, I pulled all the possible bins of greens out---some of was stuck away in the Christmas tote so I separated out the prints that screamed  "Holiday".  I knew there was a little bit in the fall basket----pulled it.  Then there was a 20 qt snap lid container in the sewing room closet and that huge combo tote under the sewing table.  We pulled some possibles or some that would add some texture to the subsequent blocks and some with a lighter shade that might work.

When you are pressed for storage space, you have to stack things and maybe move two or three things to get at what you want.  Look what was on top of my pizza box of completed BOM blocks!  I made this originally for someone's fall row robin and then didn't use it after all for some reason that I do not recall at the moment.   I have to stick this in my row quilt somewhere----or make another, just a bit smaller  I know I don't have anymore of that purple fabric if I have to blend it in.

The pattern is from Amy Bradley's "Seasoned Quilter".  Looks like she still has it on the website thought in the last chance section. As you can see, the figure is holding small themed blocks that you velcro on.  Actually I almost started on this pattern as my yearly calendar type project but then decided to do the Button Ups instead.   I'm still not "done" and will be starting into year 3 with those, come January.  I know there are 4 more I want to do and two of them are from a Joined at the Hip book.  I just need to bump up the width and they will work perfectly on my Button Up base.  One of these days I am going to do that "Seasoned Quilter" as I think it is just too, too cute!

But this is what I am really doing today.  Binding.  On Tuesday morning I was up and pressing the binding back at about 0645.  I rarely am working on quilty stuff THAT early so DJ commented on it.  Then because it was "ironing" he wanted to know why it was that I would get right on binding detail but I get all mad when he asks me to press a collar or mend something.  Well, darlin' timing is everything!   I once kept two of his cotton shirts in here to iron for months so he should know better.  He knows how to use the iron.  My big ironing board is at the meeting placed because I don't need it with my current set up.  He can get out the short table top board.   I also told him that what he wanted me to do was drudgery and this was creativity.  Which do you honestly think I would pick, hands down, any day?   That might have been stretching it a bit too---as I think binding is just a  means to an end.  My true motivation is that guild meets Saturday and I wanted to show them a finished pro bono quilt.  Good enough for me!    I know that I have been far busier piecing lately and nothing but this close to done including that wreath that won't get quilted till after the meeting.

And sew it goes--------

How did this happen?

In a blink of an eye, it would seem I went from this---------

Age 2, maybe 3??

Age 6 in my paternal grandparents kitchen  

And this past October 2011 about to enter round number territory.  Hair is a bit longer but just as gray.  

My brother who will be passing this same threshhold in 16 months  asked me if I was going to celebrate this one or just let it go by.   I think maybe I am coming to terms with the fact that I am getting older----key word is maybe.  I didn't used to feel old---these days Mother Nature is making it abundantly clear that I am getting there, LOL, in spite of my wanting to will away the inevitable.  Happens to all of us, right?  

I don't want to hear any of that stuff about "any day above ground is a good day" or "better than the alternative" or "age is mind over matter---if you don't mind, it doesn't matter".  Just quit, okay?  Let me wallow in it a bit.  I'll give myself a talking to/pep talk later.  When I turned 30 I was almost despondent.  I wasn't married, had no children and I was sure it would have happened before then.   Double that number now and I am resigned to it.  I married too late to have kids---my life may or may not have turned out as I planned but it is the hand I was dealt.

I just received word last week that my old 7th grade crush was killed in as a result of injuries suffered in a motorcycle crash.  Mike was a good guy --- maybe he got to 60 and maybe he didn't.  Other friends have wrestled with serious illness and come out on the other side.  I have been fortunate not to have had near those problems.  What could I possibly be bellyaching about?   That is what I told my mom a few days ago.

Here is what else I decided is okay about birthdays.  I like birthday cake as long as I don't have to make it.  I like dinner out at a more upscale restaurant with my husband.  I like having a bit more spending money to support my quilting habit.  So yeah, I'll be the queen for a day because that is the only time I get away with being so self centered.   Happy Birthday to me!

_______________

So how am I spending my day so far?  About like any other so far.

I finished the long side of binding that remained from yesterday's binding binge.  I still want to hand quilt around the watermelon seeds but I need to get some black quilting thread and WM had everything but.

I baked another sheet cake----this time my old TNT Tex-Mex version.  (Yesterday was Peanut Butter Sheet Cake---new to me recipe).  Aline, Jane and I are the refreshment girls at Friendship Quilter's Guild tomorrow.  I baked the two cakes and prepped a veggie tray as my part of the deal.

This afternoon---more binding on the other wall hanging but DJ is taking me out to Outback Steakhouse.  I want some coconut shrimp though I think he will probably go for steak.  

I am going to go see if this "not a birthday" cake has cooled enough for me to put it up and er. test for quaility control purposes.    THX for stopping by

WIP Weds

 

Sounds good anyway, LOL.  Posted by a Facebook and Guild friend

Last night, and into today, I had some things on the mental list that needed tending.  This was the contents of a box Mom and I had packed up when I was back home.  My sister had offered to UPS it to me since she often visits the mailing spot to help her husband in his job.  DJ had to haul it back to the sewing room and said "I wish you would tell your friends and family not to be mailing such heavy boxes!"  14 lbs worth, LOL.

The fact that it had not come so soon after my arrival back from Illinois gave me time to find some room for this shipment. The pile on the left is abandoned blocks.  I pulled out the blue-y pastels one thinking they might work in with the stuff on my design wall---the abandoned project pro bono quilt I spoke of yesterday.  There is another stack of more fall toned blocks that I set aside for now.  And then, there are some that I will pull apart for the fabric as I like the fabrics but not what they were used for.

The basket fabric was put with the other basket fabrics that Maggie, Sheila and Mom had sent me.  I love basket blocks so I would like to use that for a  basket sampler project.  I will use some of it in the Farmer's Wife Sampler (FWS) though since there are several basket blocks included in it.  I had even located that missing piece of my own in one of the fabric bins the other day.  Since I had emptied out the temporary project box for the August button returning all the greens, etc to their starting off point, that freed up a spot.

The 30's charm pack---I've got bits of that in four different places along with a larger snap tote of feed sack fabric.  I found a spot, LOL.  I may work some of it into my Two of Kind/Cheap Trick shown HERE.  I have not worked on that one for a while and forgot what size things needed to be cut. 

The blacks and grays?  I had made room recently switching a couple bins etc around where I could get at the basket a bit more easily.  That was easy enough.  I love that pink with tan dots---kids quilt or it may work into the Popsicle Sticks project, FWS blocks, if I ever get around to replicating the Indiana Puzzle I made for my niece Beth shown HERE.

Also last night I was on the hunt for something to use for iron caddy pad that I will be making at the Christmas in July sew-in this weekend.   I knew I had several pieces of sewing themed fabric but where were they?  I was digging in all the appropriate totes on the sewing room shelves in that hunt.  Finally I found this pink and blue button print-----oh, is this piece old!  But then so is the red and green spool print that I dug out at the same time, LOL.  Then my eye went to this pink and white stripe that I will cut on the bias for the binding pieces.  It calls for one inch buttons, preferably shank type.  I found these in my button box and think I WILL try to use them rather than make a store run for others.  Look like a wad of chewing gum, don't they?  The caddy pattern looks cute enough to be a purse! In fact, Jane thought she might want hers to BE a purse.  The fabric she had gotten would have looked cute if she lined it with her alternating piece.   I still need to cut out the section I need and the binding, obviously.

Since I was already deep into head sweating with ironing fabric, I decided I better get this pile of binding pressed and rolled.   (The a/c was not on at the time and the two fans I had on were not keeping up with the humidity outside)

BEFORE--------

AFTER--------

Now the table is cleared off and I can cut the caddy sections.

The a/c is on now and I believe that I will sew the two on the left onto the appropriate donation quilts.   Jane has dibs on two of the quilts in the stack that I have quilted but one of the Belles that lives near me has volunteered to take a couple more off my hand.  I had set aside one of the pro bono quilts when I went on vacation and never got back to it.  I should finish it up.  I don't think that will be happening today but you never know!

Tomorrow I will need to do the grocery run, pack up my stuff for the sew-in and I am signed up to bring a dessert.   I'm thinking Tex-Mex sheet cake might be just the ticket.   DJ said to just get something from Wal-mart's bakery but I won't do that.  A lot of the girls do but I like to bake and store bought stuff does not cut it for me.  That sheet cake does not have to be in the oven long since you bake it on a jelly roll pan plus it satisfies that taste for chocolate and it is GOOD!  Yep, got a plan.

Now I best get back to it----- 

EDIT---I was asked about a recipe link for my Tex-Mex Cake.  Try this one  

catch up post

Well, it has been a few days since I posted. The first holiday of "summer" has passed. I tell you, it may not be summer by the calendar but here in Alabama it feels more like July 4th! A glance at the weather map shows a good part of the US is having a hot time of it as well. There are no effects for us this far inland from the first two named hurricanes but I sure hope that Florida got some rain and drought relief.

DJ and I basically stayed home though we did make a run down to Kohl's to find a pair of walking shoes. You may recall that I was trying to get started back with a walking program a few posts back. On Day 2 my shoes started chafing so badly that I barely made it back on the last half lap. (Huge blister on my left heel and irritation on the right.) That pair of shoes had never fit right! I had tried to pad the heel counter plus two pair of socks with some success. (If someone wants a pair of 9 Nike walking shoes these have barely been worn and I don't want to just toss them) Anyway, when DJ asked how walking went, my response was "how would you like to make an investment in me or give me my birthday money early? I need new walking shoes." We had to wait a few days till I could get a pair of shoes on first but found a pair of  New Balance 606  that felt comfortable as soon as I put them on---a little lower profile on the foot and should breathe better.   I wore them around the house over the weekend and gave them a spin this morning.  Should be okay on that gravel track I walk on.   My heel is still a bit tender so I am going to go look for new socks, NuSkin and/or large bandaids to pad it for a bit but no further breakdown.

I did manage to get the row quilt quilting completed after I marked some "piano-key like" lines on the borders.  After talking with Norma, I used 45 degree angled parallel lines 2 inch apart but they change direction and slant the other way once you reach the middle of the 4 sides.  I doubt you can see them on the picture.  Yesterday I got the binding applied but I still need to hand finish it----that is today's task.

LOL, you can see Skyler's rump over on his perch.  When I threw the quilt on the bed to take the pictures, I half expected him to jump on it.  It already was graced on the back side with some black kitty fur but I am going to wash it before I turn it in anyway.  I wrote May 31 for completion on the label so I best get to it.

And sew it goes--------

standstill

Once again I have come to a screeching halt for sewing, quilting, piecing, whatever but that is not to say that it has not been on my mind.   Just the execution has stopped, LOL.

I can show you what I was piddling with the other day. I finally laid hands on the misplaced pieces of binding corners that one of the Belles had lent to me but I had not had time to explore yet. I thought I would make my OWN set so I could return hers plus try out the technique. This method eliminates the need to slip stitch the miter closed---turn it over and it is already mitered by machine and supposedly a nicer finish. I can bind fairly well but my corners always look a little sloppy to me so why not try it, was my thought.

First off let me say that this idea has probably been around since at least 1993. Linda Goodman Emery designed a mini-miter thing called "Corner Mark-It" way back when as it says so in the insert of the one I bought and stuck in my "carry to sewing events" basket. Never used it, never tried the technique. Must have considered it at some point or why buy the tool?  I had some problems mostly because I cut my strips 2 1/4 and not 2 or 2 1/2 inch like the ruler suggests but had hoped I could make some adjustments.

Also Rosa's examples some doing a variation of a mitered corner that I am used to doing but you don't start the seam at the folded edge as you normally do. I took some pictures that might explain it better than my words.

Goodman Emery and Deborah Manlove both use straight strips for binding---folded back out the way to add into the quilt sides and then a pointy seam thing. Manlove uses her own tool called "The binding Thingy" but it looks very similar to the Corner Mark-it but narrower and few more lines on it but it looks similar.  Yep, I bought another tool only to find it I had something very much like it.  And it doesn't work any better than the other one because my strips are a tad too narrow.   Manlove has a video on you tube if you want to check it out---maybe it will work better for you but as for me, till the cut binding is used up it is the old way for me!  I need more practice, LOL.

Here I am trying to make my set like Rosa's------up to that point business as usual but I hope you can see that the stitching did not start where it normally does.

Below shows the angle marked with the tool.   My problem was the extra wide seams on the machine to attach it in her example set and the wider binding to accommodate it.

But it did work if you look at the example below----I got mine to work but poked a hole in it trying to get the corner to lay down right. I also may have trimmed it incorrectly.

Then I switched over to doing it the Tangled Threads "Binding Thing" way.  I think I get it.

It did work but I see a few stray threads on the front and the binding folds over a bit more than it should.  She suggests adding a bit of batting to fill the corner and mine would need it especially since I probably trimmed away more than I should  have.

Again, I need practice and properly cut width strips before I try it again.  Operator error, LOL not the fault of the designer at this point.

~~~~~~~~~~~
I had switched out machines after Bama Belles met last week thinking I would start quilting.  As I said that did not happen and may not happen today either.   I did not feel well on Thursday and spent most of the day down in bed.  Friday was feeling better but it still didn't happen.  I was uploading music to I-tunes so I could donate the CDs and DVDs----less is more after all.   Saturday Friendship Quilters guild in Pell City.  Yesterday, grocery errands and typing up minutes for both the guild meeting and the executive board meeting plus dealing with some of my own home matters paperwork.  I have the usual Monday errands to run---post office, bank and another run to Walmart for my own purchases plus get my hair trimmed in an hour across the lane, two meals to fix and husband who needs HIS hair cut too.  Always something!   I promise I will be back, Eric the Red,  just not today. (I quilt with my Viking).  I may try to cut out the "Fight Like a Quilter" heart block I need to have turned in to a quilt shop in Maine by mid June though.  Sewing it would be "gravy" on a day like today.

Also under consideration---------
Shelia has issued a paint chip challenge for Friendship Quilters with a small project of any type in time for the Christmas meeting.  Here is the one I pulled---she had them fan folded like an upside down deck of cards and we drew one.   Mine ranges from "Clear Spearmint Frost through Fine Pesto and ends with Raw Winter Spinach"   Who thinks up these wacky names???  But suffice it to say, it is a nice shade of green, fairly clear toned and not overly grayed to the sage end of things.  I think the Moda Marbles card matches at least three of them fairly closely but I need to take it out in the sunlight, if that ever comes around again, to be sure.  We are to use two colors minimum of the 7 on the card.  So far my existing stash does not show any matches.  Maybe I should mail one of these paint chip things to my mom and see how her stash matches up?  I won't need much!!

 Participation is voluntary but it might be fun especially since the field is so wide open as to what to make.  It could be anything from a mug rug, purse or wall hanging and any points in between.  If I am really clever I could kill two birds with one stone too---combine challenges. Or come to think of it,  these tones may work in the August button up when I need to come up with greens and pinks for summer watermelons.      Hey, I am liking that idea!!!    HMMMMMM  Image is from the Joined at the Hip button up website and this is BU#8 for the month of August.

I also like the Monica Solorio-Snow from Happy Zombie blog's "Bubble Runner" shown in the October 2011 American Patchwork and Quilting magazine----fun brights that might work for this idea.  Picture of it seen HERE.  Inspired by that cake plate shown next to it, says in the article.  HMMMM again.

I can keep up the surfing all day.  Googling "paint chip challenge" and see what pops up might be dangerous when I have other stuff to do.  Got go get this day rolling starting with getting dressed and making my bed!

Hope you have a good day and thx for stopping by---------

Binding----and quilt pics

Since my last post, I quilted up the FAB bday present and yesterday, completed the binding. Of course, I cannot show you it yet. SHHHHHH TSP.  My Thanksgiving button up, while pinned and ready, will wait till the next quilting binge.  You have to strike when the mood to bind hits, as it is rare, LOL.

Today, I am all set up to work on binding my large bed sized "Pioneer Sampler Plus". The forward table is ahead of the sewing table but pointed a different direction in the room so I can spread out the weight of the quilt. Of course, this is just all too tempting to Skyler. At the time he was looking for an opening either UNDER the quilt or the softest spot on TOP of it.   Or he may have spotted a loose string to go chew on.  I'm guessing the hiding spot though.  I have yet to put the first stitch in it but I'm ready.

I also promised you quilt pictures from the Belles Party the other day.   I went off without my camera so Quilt Holder had to do the honors so I'm afraid you will spot the Christmas tree, the coffee table and probably Skyler in addition to the normal hands and feet.  Here goes!

Aline's " Cow Jumped over the Moon" panel

Lois' Stack and Whack Fan.  Made from the cutest turtle fabric.  She quilted in some shellfish at the bottom.

 Lois Butterfly quilt---she embroidered the most gorgeous butterflies over mylar so it glitters.

                             

Lois Fire Escape--Terry Atkinson pattern

Lois Pineapple Blossom---Belles Scrappy Challenge

My Habitat Leftovers BQ2--THX Jane for binding it

Shawnee tied this and Nancy bound it---double knit top  (big and heavy!)

And there they are----waiting on a few numbers to assign to them for bookkeeping purposes.  With the stack Lois has at her house I should have close to 30 to deliver to an organization here in Calhoun County.

Onwards and upwards working on a long awaited finish-------

WIP Thursday

In a word----more binding, LOL. 3rd side, the top with the sleeve so some progress is being made.

Look who made himself right at home though I must admit, I almost expected him to be rooting around for a spot UNDER the quilt rather than on top.

Who knows? I might be sleeping under this tomorrow night!

spring has sprung

Every where you look these days, there is a flowering shrub or tree beginning to leaf out. Good bye shades of brown and tan! Hello, yellow pollen. Paper says juniper, maple and elm are the main culprits for the medium to high pollen counts.

I really enjoyed my trip to town this past Tuesday through the old established neighborhoods. Dogwood trees and their white canopy of blossoms are everywhere along with wisteria dripping down in other spots. I saw quite a few flowering cheery trees too with just the lightest hint of pink.


Some had irises in bloom but it might be a little early for most of the azaleas---including ours above. If you look closely you will spot a hint of red. Our lupines are up as well but I forgot to snap a shot of them.


The neighbor's dogwood tree is at right. I happen to know that this is a native dogwood that "came from Cheeha Mountain" He told DJ that when we were struggling to grow a succession of dogwoods of our own. I didn't think you were supposed to take things like plants from state parks but maybe it was okay then?? We lost two pink ones and a white and gave up. The last one was the hardiest but it was no match for three drought years..





The camellia, our state flower, is out though maybe not as loaded with blossoms as it sometimes is. I took these pics on Tuesday and we can only hope that the light frost we had yesterday did not do a lot of damage to the bush.








And the lilac bush---not native to Alabama so DJ has to take care to augment the soil and fertilize it. We were not sure it was going to make it for a while this past winter but it looks like it is doing better than we thought. One azalea bush really DOES need to be replaced.

DJ was just out planting some cosmos seeds that came in the mail. We will see what happens with those, LOL.

Today there is rain in the forecast and possibly bad weather---hail and such. We under a tornado watch currently and DJ said that was predicted till Tuesday. So far it is just cooler, overcast and some sprinkles.

Me personally? I quilted three wall hangings of various sizes (2-22 x 43's giftie and welcome, 1-18 x 22 Spring) on Thursday. Friday while I was still in the mood to quilt I did one more a 42 inch square medallion quilt that my mom had made and gifted to me. I will have to do a little research to remember the correct name but it was a pattern she had gotten from Connecting Threads a few years back.

Now the binding blitz begins---first the giftie since the recipient has an early April date coming up. My plans are to do the four pieces I just quilted and the Daisy Chain queen sized quilt that has been waiting atop the armoire. Mom's wall hanging was also one that WAS in the stack but I have dealt with it. That just leaves one full sized quilt left that just needs 7 or 8 more blocks quilted and something done with the borders. I am gaining on it. Woohoo!

WIP Weds.

Well, to be honest it is NOT quite in progress yet but it IS what I will be stitching on as soon as I am done cleaning the bathroom, LOL. Nosy kitty climbed into the folds of the quilt last night to check it out.

I was busy with kitchen chores this morning. A pot of pinto beans are simmering in the crockpot. I also made some cranberry sauce and a no-bake pumpkin pie for our turkey meal tomorrow. After making a store run and a few other errands, it was time for lunch. Where has the morning gone?


Pictured at right, DJ and Skyler testing out the new to them recliner "throne". DJ's beloved recliner that he had for 25 yrs and babied thru dropped hardware, etc finally gave up the ghost Monday night. He called someone in a classified ad about on they had listed. They had a used burgundy Lane recliner in stock and he had just knocked it down half price to 75 bucks. DJ insisted that I go look at with him or risk me complaining about a "monstrosity" in my living room till the end of time, LOL. We did look at some new ones as well but the delivery rate was as much as the used chair! If it doesn't work out for him, we are not out much money and have an idea of what a new one would cost.

Skyler gave it, and the new kitchen throw rug I had gotten, the old sniff and circle test. New stuff to scout out that wasn't here before, you know. DJ thought that Skyler would not get in the chair with him that readily but it only took a hour or so. It looks like these two will be sitting there in their customary positions come TV viewing time tonight.

That bathroom is not going to clean itself. DJ received confirmation that the golfing friend will not be here till late Thursday night-early Friday morning. The forecast is not good for getting a round so I doubt he is here long. We'll see. Meanwhile, I have a clean house to enjoy and some hand work to keep me busy.

binding

As I was pressing the miles of binding I had piled up on the table and winding it on the cardboards it made me wonder how others might store theirs.

I picked this habit of rolling it up over cardboard flats from my friend Joy. She had to have been one of the most organized people I know/knew. It will tuck right into the folds of a top or pinned top making it easy to find it when you are ready for it. Many times she would ask "where is the binding for this one?" if she was going to quilt it for you. Eventually I got over my phobia about machine quilting and could do my own relieving her of a lot of extra work on behalf of Wrap Them In Love.

Most of the binding you see in the box is from times when I over-cut. Sometimes I cut it out, sewed it up or not and then changed my mind about the colors. Often there is enough in there for a donation quilt and definitely plenty for scrappy binding on scrappy quilts. This bag holds the "binding bows". The little bits and bobs that is not enough wind up. Mostly these get shared with my pals that do scrappy binding but I have been known to dig back in there myself on occasion.

A few errands to run and basting after lunch or I may not have anything to share for WIP Weds, LOL.

done, done, done

Last bit of binding finished a few minutes ago. I had left off last evening with just one long side to go with the hand finishing.

The top was pieced by my friend Judy, quilted by Becky in Oxford (AL). It is intended to be a fund raiser for a group that Judy supports as an auxiliary member. Judy favors the blended quilt look. I happened to be with her at Tiny Stitches in Marietta when she bough the fabric she used around the outside edges----a Jackie Robinson print, as I recall.

Try as I might to keep him off of a quilt that does not belong to me, Skyler insisted on giving it a kitty stamp of approval.

So what do I do tomorrow? Maybe back to the super secret project or borders on my two little calendar quilt-lets. I'll decide once I get done with errands which trips my fancy more.

I finished just in time to go make some pizza dough for our supper---------thx for stopping by and I hope you have had a wonderful weekend.

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.

Checking in

First of all, Happy Birthday to my Dad and my pal Helen--love to you both.

It is a cool windy blustery day that is more like March than April. Some of that cold wind is pushing down from Canada and we haven't even gotten out of the 40's today with dark clouds overhead. There is a chance of a freeze tonight which makes us wonder how badly the azaleas and lilac bush are going to get zapped tonight. Too bad as they are more in bloom then the picture I posted recently.

So what's been going on around here? In a word, binding, LOL. I took that last stitches in Judy's quilt that I was binding for her last night about 8. I had been stitching on it for three days off and on. Judy tends to neutrals and loves the blended quilt style, as you can see. Looks pretty good on my bed, I have to say but this will be be donated to the Salvation Army fund raiser for auction. The fabrics in it are more decorator weight than quilting weight though some of the prints at center are more typical quilting cottons. I am not sure what was used for backing but it was a very tight weave and hard to needle. My thumb, index and middle finger are all a little needle bruised at this point so I think the binding on my bargello quilt will wait a few days.

I took this picture to show Norma the panto that Becky used on it. Not sure what it is called but it has a kind of fleur de lis feel to it. The local quilt shop in Oxford has a long arm machine and the owner does most of the quilting from what I understand. I have not had occasion to use her services yet but my pals sort of rotate between three area quilters and seem satisfied with the results. I was on the last edge when I could not convince Skyler to stay off of it. He really was not wanting to have his napping disturbed at that point either. To accomodate the size and weight of the quilt I had taken my sewing machine out of the table and put the table I use when I quilt in front of it but facing the opposite direction in the room. I'll do the same when I get to my own quilt.

I had a few errands to run this morning and one of them was to get something to replace the skirt on my sewing/pressing table. Between the iron cord and my waist rubbing on it, I had worn through a good bit of the fabric at the mid section of the skirting on the long side of the table. The short side was fine as I rarely have to cut from that end but it all needed to match. I was sick of that pink, burgundy and plaid stuff anyway.

I found a plain 200 count flat sheet for 3 bucks at Wal-mart figuring that I couldn't find yardage that cheap. They don't match the curtains but you know how they change decorator colors anyway. The curtains were bought 11 years ago so what do you expect? Since the sheets have some polyester in there, maybe it would hold up to wear better?? I was able to cut it in 4 sections to get the width and lengths I wanted so that worked out well. A little hemming on the cut edge and some stitch witchery to hold the folded edge under was all that was needed. The velcro is stitched down so that is enough to hold things together at the top edge. I was even able to re-use some but not all of the loop tape from the old panels so I got the job done for about 9 bucks once you got tax added in. Woohoo!! Nice fresh look in here. Of course, Skyler is quite interested in these and has been hiding and playing underneath the panels. DJ, bless him, vacuumed both the sewing room and bedroom for me while I was gone. That vacuum kills my lower back so he has told me NOT to even use it----I hate to vacuum in the first place so you don't have to tell me twice!

Before I had started on the hand finishing on Judy's binding, I had stitched it on both of my projects---"Be Kind" and the almost queen sized bargello. I will get the little bit of stitching done on this tonight after supper so decided to take the picture of it to post now. I won't bore you with the shot of it on the wall on its hanger. Easter will be here soon enough but I figure we can enjoy it for the rest of April anyway.

Other sewing plans for the week? Norma and I are planning on another "move it forward" day this weekend. I have h0pes of getting my 4 patch posie assembly finished up this time. May get a jump start on that before Friday but I hope to cut out a "Cheap Trick/Two of a Kind" top from the 30's scraps sometime this week. Sheila was kind enough to share the pattern with me but I may still use the sizes from the similar Two of a Kind I found in the APQ magazine a few months back. I drew it up in EQ mainly to get a feel of the color tracking and of course to visualize how many rows etc were needed for full bed sized. My sketch is HERE in a previous post.

Well, enough goofing around for me. Time to head out to the kitchen and get things rolling in there for supper. I had hoped to grill the pork tenderloin but it is looking even worse than it was a few hours ago so oven it is. The rest of the meal needs to be cooked inside anyway.

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

goofing off

A lazy day here so far but that's okay with me. I took today off from walking since I go 5 days out of 7 and slept in a whole whoppin' half an hour, LOL. Miss Pippi seemed to think I needed to be up. I've been goofing off weeding out my music files and ran a couple of errands. Also been shopping online a bit.

The Bama Belles gave me some spending money for my birthday with the instructions, more or less, to use for me rather than for the donation quilts. That sort of eliminated buying fabric---did enough of that lately anyway!--since I only buy stuff for me when I have a special project in mind---which I don't at this point. So I found some used books at a good price to add to my quilting reference library.

I have been busy quilting since last Friday afternoon and have 6 of the 9 quilts in my stack done. Not quite one a day--some span two days and one day I did two small ones. This is the only one that I can show you as the binding will need to be done before those are ready for their official photo. I showed you this top and told you the story behind it HERE. It seemed easiest to just do an all over grid than go around the star points in the ditch.

Joy sent the binding for her two quilts with me but the only thing is, she cuts hers a lot narrower than I do. The only way I could think to use it was as a single fold binding and press the quarter inch back on one side of it. I got the quilting done rather handily but applying the binding stymied me. No matter which way I turned it, the fold was on the wrong side and seemed backwards to the way I sew. I ended up trimming off the backing and batting and sewing it back to front and then stitching it down with a blanket stitch so this one is done except for sewing down the label.

BUT I am not so happy with the results--the corner miters are not as neat as they usually are and there are spots on the back where the stitching shows up way to much. Still, it is DONE even if not quite up to my standards for my work. Is there some trick to getting it lined up so it doesn't show???? I am thinking about substituting something else for the 2nd quilt she sent--the binding for it would leave me in the same boat.

Look what came in the mail today! Ellen, the founder of Wrap Them In Love sent this on to me. I love this gold on gold veined fabric which was donated by a fabric company to her for our donation quilts. I had told her that I could use some more if there was any to be had expecting it would be in a box like she did last time. I have no idea hoe much is possibly on the roll but it measures about 2 inches out from the center of the cardboard core.

Long time "wrappers" will recognize it as one of the long ago kit fabric companions---the other was a cobblestone looking piece in two color ways of red and blue. There was also a tone on tone vein in red and blue and a variation with a black vein on red and blue background. A decent shade of red actually--the blue not bad either. The hardest to work with was the gold with a red or blue vein though we certainly gave it the good old "college try". HERE are three quilts that I did in series from the blue version of the fabrics--The first one being Vogie's "Millennium Mystery" and the 2nd and 3rd quilts were done with the leftovers from the first one as I over cut, big time.

My friend in Kentucky also sent another box of backing fabrics that arrived a couple days ago---all different colors including a nice pink check. That's already out in the car. I am almost packed up and the meeting isn't till Tuesday, LOL. I already warned the quilt group that we may have to have a binding party so come prepared with needles.

Well, if I am going to get any quilting done on the basketweave top today, I better quit playing around. The cook is serving leftovers so that gains a little more machine time.