Opps

I seem to have gotten lost on my way to the studio.  I wasn’t in there for 5 days.  Some of my time was spent either on the hammock or the deck swing, reading.  Other parts were spent on the road with DH.  He had to drive 80 miles to buy a Nook HD one day and another 35 miles the next day to get a Mellow Mushroom pizza.  It’s funny but it is really hard to sew anything when you are on the road a lot.

I thought all the driving was over when this happened.



He had taken my car in for an oil change and came home with a new car for himself.  And, of course, we immediately had to take it for a spin, 50 miles for a taco pizza.










However, I finally made it into the studio today.







And this is what I accomplished.


















It was lots of fun doing different quilting on different parts of the owl and background.















And I used 5 different threads.  The funnest part of this little quilt is how much he looks like me, well his eyes do.










See those eyes?  They are my mother’s eyes and I have always called them “tired eyes” because they seem half closed.  I remember when my eyes opened wide but now it is just not happening.  And it is even worse when I am tired.  So now you can see why I was so excited when Denise previewed this owl.



Tomorrow I will work on getting him bound and up on the bedroom door.  Whoopee!!  Another finish for May.

On and Off the Wall

On the Design Wall was Henrietta Whiskers, a Bunny Hill BOM.  The center was completed over a year ago and then put on my “completed” rack.  Every time I saw it I thought it was ready for quilting so on Saturday I took it off to measure so I could prepare the backing.  Was I ever surprised to find that it only had two borders sewn on.  So up on the design wall it went.  And, then I said “what was I thinking?”  I love orange but it just didn’t look good with this top.  So off they came and I started thinking up a new plan.




I found these two fabrics to join with the orange.  The plan: small darker border, orange border and then the wood like border.













However after putting the first little (1”) border on I decided the quilt was finished.  It is the perfect size for a wall hanging and I have the perfect wall for it.














I already had the backing fabric so before I could overthink it, off to the frame it all went.  I didn’t start the quilting but will this week.















I did spend some time at the sewing machine and got all the applique sewn down on the Owl wall hanging.  It will probably be the next thing on the frame.










I found some time to enjoy my  quilter’s hammock.













And even time for Abby who, every morning, pokes her head out of a quilt to ask if it is time to get up.





Hope everyone has a great week.  Gari

Linking with Patchwork Times.

Small Projects

When I went to bed Saturday night this was what was sitting on my “design ironing board.”  Even then you could see what it was to become.














But how much better is this?  And it is on the real Design Wall.  It still needs applique stitching but I am very pleased with how he looks.  He is currently a free design at Justquiltin with Denise Russart.  Mine is going to be smaller because he is destined to fit on my bedroom door: he kind of looks like I do when I am on my way to bed each night.  He is made with batiks (sound familiar?). 







Earlier this week I finished the binding on my Carol Doak tabletopper and have put it to work.  It is a little small for our table but it does brighten up the room.









Next up on the HQ are my batik scraps placemats.  Here they are, hanging on the frame so that I can’t forget to get them going.










I found this fabric in my stash (leftover from someone else) and the colors are very similar to what is on the placemats so it is to be the backing for them. 








I had a very hard time getting into the studio on Saturday.  It was such a beautiful day I put the hammock out and then got on it.  What a wonderful way to spend an afternoon.  Every so often I would put my book down and think “I really should get in there and get something done.”  Then I would swing a little, pick up the book and stay where I was.







However Sunday was very different.  This was what our weather looked like.  As of 4pm we had had 3” of rain and I had had a good day in the studio. 












One of the interesting things I found on the deck this week was this red leaf.  This is a 4 year old poinsettia plant and for some reason it is putting out a red leaf (actually 2).  I thought one had to hide the plant in the dark for a long time in order for this to happen but I guess not.  Anyway, I guess this means that the plant is happy, and so am I.

I am linking up with Patchwork Times. 

Have a great week,  Gari