done at last

Not the best picture in the world but quilt holder was already complaining about how big it had gotten with the borders added. So I was not about to tell him to lift it up further and hold the top straighter. You get the idea. It is square and lays flat, trust me.

Just finished seaming the back, binding strips are joined but piled up with 3 other quilts worth.

Yahoo!

Borders or Bust!

Here is another glimpse into my sewing room since I don't have anything finished to show you. Look who found a new hiding place! She squeezed in this little spot even after I put her little quilt atop the serger case so she would quit furring up my quilt tote. She did not stay long once I flipped the table skirting up and took this picture. She is back to sunning on DJ's desk.

Borders for the Christmas quilt are all ready for sewing as I found a wonderful forest green with some metallic overlay for the middle border. In retrospect, I probably did not get enough fabric for the back lengthwise. I'll either have to make a trip BACK to Hancocks or better yet, use more of the green and paisley and add some bands of those to make it longer if that is needed. Of course, this is NOT the time of year to be shopping for Christmas fabric but I found a nice almost Jacobean looking print on a neutral background that has all the colors that are in the quilt--hints of blue, green and reds. It will be fine for this.

I could have (should have?) started on the borders last night but just didn't feel like it. It is NOT my fav part of the process, after all. I wanted to sew but not THAT--I am sure that you all know what I am talking about there. Instead I pulled out the Pioneer Braid bands that I had started at the spring sew-in late last month and sewed those to the sashing bits. That top would be done except some goof ball (read: me) forgot to cut the top and bottom bands. The binding is cut but minus two wider strips needed--fortunately, I know there is more at the meeting place.

That Pioneer Braid top is a stashbuster or "something from nothing" quilt---2 inch strips from my stash boxes, a lot of which came from Ellen of WTIL fame--a whole Xerox paper box crammed full of cut strips. I add a bunch of my own by cutting through the scrap bag, 3 day marathon early this year. I don't know how many quilts I have already made with those baskets of strips. They are gradually diminishing. I still have enough strips pulled to make another of these, easy. The sashing bits I used were left from the church making tablecloths for their new shorter tables--choice of burgundy or forest green. One of our members helped make the tablecloths and would not let the ladies toss the leftover yardage because she thought we might find a use for them. And we did. The backing will be a piece that my mom sent home with me earlier in the week along with an add-on of WTIL kit red. Cher, Pam and my mom will know EXACTLY what I am talking about there! Lots of neat novelties for the quilt's eventual owner to pick out. There are little Christmas trees, Santas cats, fish, etc--like playing "I Spy".

So a errand or two to run and then you'll know where to find me.................

making progress

Some sewing progress happening around my house yesterday as I joined the bottom blocks/sections of Betsy's Christmas quilt yesterday in a few hours time. All those seams to contend with on the pieced spacer units--oh my! The top is done minus the borders.

I have decided to go with a nice red paisley that I have miles of--probably from my mom since I don't remember buying it. Those borders are cut and so is the binding from the same fabric. I just got the white inner border ready a bit ago but will need a run to the fabric store for a nice green to go between those two. I have greens but not enough of any of them---read: no yardage to speak of, just fats or thereabouts. I know Judy L hates phalanges on the long arm but that is about what this thing needs--a narrow bit of color. I am supposed to walk when DJ gets back from getting his oil changed so I'll make my run after lunch or better yet, when I pick up lunch. (My philosophy: if there are no leftovers to be had, this homemaker doesn't "do" lunch if she can help it--coming up with supper/supper ideas is enough! It's that or grilled cheese which I love more than him.)

So what are these pictures you are looking at, you might ask? Here I am thinking of the next project before the other one is completely done! What else is new, LOL? Well, it is the fabrics Lauren used in her round robin flower garden block-- wherever this lands on the page. Pat used a similiar orange color and a black with an olive-y green swirl for her pieced round. I know that really did not show up well in the picture---bear with me as I learn how to use this new camera.

The multiple fabric shot shows the five fabrics on the right that I might be able to use. The two shades of blue next to the two of Lauren's on the left were some that I purchased a few months back thinking I could use them for her round. I bought the green and gold as well on that trip. There is some yardage of a similiar green that I used on the sunflower round that I could use instead for more texture.

The orange was bought specifically for Pat's sunflowers but I dipped into the gold for that too. I'm thinking that the orange could possibly be used for background for my round if I go with something pieced for my squares and/or rectangles. I don't want this thing looking like Halloween though. The medium ranged blue might work and use the orange for accents? All that black needs some major toning down is my thought and apparently your thoughts as well from the comments yesterday's post received. Piano keys would be easy to do but I want to mull this over a bit more. I guess I am seeing more like four patches on point in my mind. I have not measured the center yet to see if a coping strip will be needed to get this thing up to something remotely divisible by 2 or 4 (4 inch finished is the requirement).

The girls don't even know my email addy let alone the blog addy so its okay to put the pics up, just in case you are wondering. When I get Aline's, I'll have to be more secretive!

Guess that's it for today-----

two, two....... two posts in one

Last night Jane brought over the round robin I do next having stood in for me at the hand off meeting on Saturday. I am to apply 4 finished inches of squares and/or rectangles. That might not be what the quilt needs but that is what is required. It is sooooooo dark because the last two people used black backgrounds that it has to be brightened up. The owner has the center section fabrics included for possible use though it is not a requirement. I was warned that Mildred loves a black and red combo and so far the two pass off's from her have been black. I hung it up to live with it a few days to see if inspiration may hit but y'all might need to give me some suggestions for it.

Even Hello did not want to load a picture properly for the blog page but clicking on the dreaded red X did open it up. I may have messed up the settings? Try this and see, I guess.

(See the other post for the day below.......danged computer!)

Silly kitty

Pippi has been hanging out with me here in the sewing/computer room this morning. Silly girl insists on drinking in here rather than by her food bowl but I have heard of other kitties doing that. She has stayed curled up at the bowl long after she was done drinking but that is not unusual for her.

What cracked me up was that I think she was about to fall asleep and her head was resting on the edge of the bowl! You know they don't like getting wet! Plus she looked like someone hugging the toilet after an all night "toot"--maybe just because it is a porcelain bowl? I moved her to up her perch where she remains looking out the window without the possibility of wet fur.

Yesterday she was all over the house checking things out as if she had not expected to come back home. Her scratching box, under the bed, under the cutting table, up atop the kitchen cabinet and a lot of time on top of the microwave looking out the window. Our little "family" is complete.

No sewing, stitching, or even much thinking about stitching either but that will change today as I would like to at least get the rest of the Christmas quilt together. I still cannot quite figure out what fabric I want to use for the borders as I am not wild about the plaid I had purchased initially. It looks too olive to me and would go well for another project. I have a nice Christmas looking paisley but is there enough and would have to get some of the green for the inner border. What to do, what to do?

Blogger is not cooperating with loading the picture of the round robin I was going to share though the danged thing SAYS is loaded. Who hasn't been there and done that? I'll try a different route in a minute. Between that the keyboard keys that are sticking, I don't know which is more of an aggravation at the moment.

Home again

My brother's four kiddos that I got to see while on my trip--the youngest of the nieces and nephews from their Christmas card photo taken last fall. Quite a whirlwind of activity at their house which gives me an inkling of what it may have been like for my parents with 6 kids. I believe my mom said she went home and took a nap after we visited, LOL.

DJ and I got home about 6:30 last night having left IL at 6 a.m. It rained intermittently the whole way back but thankfully, we got home in one piece. DJ drove most of the way but I took over once we hit the Alabama rest stop on I-59. There is much less truck traffic and winding steep grade hills than on the approach in towards Chattanooga on I-24. I am a bit of a white knuckle driver, I admit when it comes to that sort of thing. Kentucky, Alabama or Southern IL, I would help drive---TN, not so much. I am, after all, a child of the corn and bean field flat lands.

Had we not stopped to eat supper in 30 miles north of us, we would have had time to get Pippi from the pet store boarding area. Dang, you think one of us would have checked for sure what time they closed! I was just sure it was 5 and didn't verify that fact. I'll go spring her as soon as the shop opens at 10. See? that part I knew for a fact, LOL.

Today will be spent getting groceries, doing the trip laundry and just general catching up. I finished up all the applique pieces for Betsy's quilt--a long car trip will do that for you. I'll be ready to get the top assembled tomorrow. At some point this week I expect to make a trip to pick up a quilt from the long arm quilter so that might make a little dent in my plans. Gotta make a trip through the blog ring to see what the rest of you have been up to.

There is nothing like sleeping in your own bed, is there? Good to see our family especially since DJ had not been back for two years but good to be home. Maybe the poor man will finally get warmed up, LOL. Not like the 90's Pam and Cher have been dealing with but some low 70's would be nice. AND no rain, please, as long as I am putting in an order.

Happy Mother's Day!

While I am not a mother marrying late in life as I did, I have a mother and a lot of friends who are mothers so I'll pass along the greeting. I remembered what my blogger password was so could sign in on my step-son's computer. Whad'ya know about that?

My parents will be coming soon to pick me up so we can head to Champaign for Blake's graduation. We'll be blasting out of here tomorrow morning bright and early and DJ would like to drive straight back--about 675 mile drive or about 12 hours to get home.

Got Allison graduated on Friday from my old alma mater in its present incarnation. I was not only pleased to have Allison honored but one of my classmates graduated from the masters in nursing program and another friend has achieved doctoral status and tenured position with the university. Wendy was one of Allison's clinical instructors this past year. Her mom, dad, brother, both sets of grandparents and I had dinner out at a restaurant called Flat Top where you grab a bowl of the ingredients and sauces (like you would at salad bar) and another one for your meat. Then you get a separate bowl for your meat choice and leave it for the cooks to stir fry on a huge griddle looking thing. YUMMY!

I stayed over at my folks Friday night, helped Mom fixed lunch and got a some stitching done on one of the applique blocks. She and I ran over to my brother's who lives about 15 miles from them for a short visit---the kids all look like they have grown a foot! (I'll have to post a picture of them once I get home. Can't quite figure out my new digital camera or else it is not working properly)

Last night DJ, his son, DIL and grandson along with one of Josh's friends went to an arena football game (Bloomington Extreme) at the new US Cellular Coliseum. The place is right in downtown Bloomington and not far from DJ and I lived and drove by on a daily basis. Weird to see how different that all looks in that area. Lot of fun and the Extreme won over Peoria in a really convincing manner. Even better, we are all huge St. Louis Cardinal fans and they won too! Luann was keeping up with the score on her cell phone for us because we couldn't listen to the game on the radio.

We are going to have to get home just to warm up--never thought you would hear me say that did you? Cold, rainy and windy almost the entire time we have been in IL. No golf for DJ and Tracy though Tracy has some hopes of getting in a few holes this afternoon. That might be a bit optimistic. This seems more like their usual March or April weather.

I left my stitching bag at my folks so did some un-sewing on an extension to baseball jersey for Josh. He had dug out an old sewing kit of his mom's and started on it last night. Knew exactly what to do with a seam ripper but he said he had taken sewing at school (8th grade)--probably part of that life skills stuff! Somewhere in his endeavors the tip of the ripper broke off but the knife part was still intact though dull. No crafters around here either to substitute a pair of sharp scissors. I got the job done before I came in here to the computer. I almost called my mom to ask her to bring a spare ripper---oh come on! y'all know we have more than one!!

Guess that is about it-- have a great day, women everywhere. I'll catch you all late tomorrow.