this weekend

What do you know? I thought I was not getting anything done and instead I finished two small quilts this weekend.

I pieced leftover binding pieces from earlier kids quilts and I really like the effect. My guild donates kids quilts to local law enforcement agencies to give to children that have to be removed from their homes and this one will be going to that cause.

The other finish is for me. It was a mini quilt challenge given by Sandi of Legacy of Stitches through her Seasons yahoo list.

She gave us a mini quilt pattern and those who wanted could do it by a certain date: of course there was a prize, which I didn’t win. However, I love this little quilt and, when I come up with an appropriate hanger, will be putting it on my front door for the month of October. How cool is that?

Judy challenged people to each Monday show what was on their design wall and that way we attempt to keep things moving and getting done. Well, it seems to be working. Here is my design wall, as it looked Sunday afternoon.

And, as you can see, the mini quilt was unfinished when I took this picture then got finished and is off the wall now. The black and tan block is for a block exchange at guild. The Peony block, not yet finished, is part of an Eleanor Burns BOM at my local LQS. All I have yet to do is the appliqué but the machine I like doing appliqué with is the one I took to be fixed and will not be picked up until Tuesday so it will have to wait.

Interestingly, I don’t have another quilt in the making so I guess I better get busy. I am going to be working on quilting design planning for a gift quilt that I hope to get on the frame this week and for a Christmas quilt I made for us but didn’t quilt last year.

But for tonight I think I am going to read blogs, watch TV, and rest. Then tomorrow I will be out in the woods, looking for a hanger for my new mini quilt. lol

Frustration and Success

I have been unable to solve my “machine” problem so I will probably have to take it in for “fixin’.” I am going to call a dealer Monday and see if I can get it in next week. This, however, does not keep me from working on stuff: I have more than one machine, but I was humming right along on my appliqué and really hated to get bogged down.

However, I moved to my straight stitch machine and began working on a fabric bowl. I sewed fabric on lots and lots of clothes line and started the trimming. I had to push pretty hard to get the cord right up to the zipper foot so my right hand really hurts, the old arthritis, you know. I didn’t get all the trimming done but will try to get back to that on Monday. I did take pictures but I must have put them on the other computer. lol

Saturday I started quilting Fish, the charity quilt. And this is how it looks now: I finished it this afternoon. This was free motion: two types of meandering with some fish added in the borders.

I pieced the batting and it worked excellently as I can’t feel the joins.






And these are the strips I plan to use for the binding.

Saturday afternoon I decided to see if I could find the sewing machine needle recommended for the fabric bowls (resting some from the quilting). Neither of the fabric stores in our town had the needles so DH and I took off for NWFL to a LQS that I knew where they have a great selection of needles and sure enough, there was just what I wanted. And, of course, I purchased some fabric (only 1 yard) while I was there. This picture is also on the other computer so my next blog is already looking good. And, as long as we were out of state, we went on to a bigger town where we dropped some coin at Office Depot (ink and various office supplies), Moes (burritos) , and Publics (WW food we can’t get at home). And, lucky me, we got home in time to watch some college football.

This evening we are NOT watching football. DH has taken pity on me and we are watching movies. A nice way to rest from a very productive weekend.

See ya all next week.

Edit: I didn't have anything on my design wall this morning so I jumped up and made this mini quilt so I didn't look like I wasn't doing anything.