Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Post #76 - I finished my first quilt!

Today was the day. 
Today I was determined to conquer my fear of binding a quilt. 

I took a quilting class at the library several years ago. I learned how to applique and hand-stitch a small wall-hanging quilt. I learned how to hand quilt it.  During the last class I was quickly showed how to bind it and told to go home and do it. 

I never did.

And thus began the dread of binding a quilt. I'd had an instructor to critique every other step of the quilt, but no accountability to finish it.  So I didn't.

But today I was determined to finish a quilt.

And I did!

I laid everything out and cut the binding strips and trimmed the quilt.

I stitched the binding to the back and turned it to the front to finish off with a decorative stitch.  Just a little something I saw in a YouTube video that I watched to psych myself up for the task.

And, TADA! Just like that it was done.

I really like the decorative stitching in the variegated thread.

The mitered corners came out perfectly.

I even included a pocket to put a rod through so I can hang it.

It's there. See?

I am so excited and relieved that it is finally finished.   I won't be so afraid to tackle the next quilt's binding.  Nope, nope, nope.

Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Post #75 - What I done been doin'

Well, I did not go to the produce auction yesterday. 
We both had other things to do so we decided to do that another day.

So I stayed home and canned the (FINALLY ripe) Roma Tomatoes that I had bought last week.  Out of a bushel I got 15 quarts of chopped tomatoes and 7 pints of tomatoes and green chilies (think Rotel). Not a bad day's work. 

The kittens "helped" of course. 
And by "help" I mean they slept on the kitchen floor while I worked. 
Then they moved to the living room and slept on the floor there.

Remember a month ago we were naming them and I posted these pics?

Well, they've grown a good bit, but they still wrestle a lot.




I was pretty tired by the end of the day, but it was Tuesday and I'd gotten a new pattern for the #50StatesStitching quilt so of course I stitched it up.
I really need to get the rest of these squares done. 

With all the crafting I've been doing lately the garden has been utterly neglected and has become overgrown with weeds. I had decided to swallow my pride and take before and after pictures to post on the blog. 
Ugh. This will not be pretty.
So I went outside at 7:00 this morning to weed the garden, but the boys had taken care of it for me last night. 
Without me asking.
I'm so thankful that is done.
I have no pics. But hang around, it will probably happen again.

Now I need find something else to do. 
Maybe I'll write a blog post.

√check!

 

Monday, September 1, 2014

Post #74 - WIP Monday

I plan on visiting the local Amish Produce Auction tomorrow so there probably won't be a WIP Wednesday post.  I know, I'm disappointed, too.  haha   So I will update you today.  Yay!

The last time I posted a pic of the fall wall-hanging it was just a panel with the batting and backing beside it:
 Since then it has been assembled/sandwiched and hand-basted.  Then I put it in a frame and played around with adding (and removing) beads until I was happy with the way it looked.
Then I began to hand quilt it. It's just a basic running stitch. Nothing fancy.
Once half of the pumpkin had been stitched I removed the basting threads to see how it looked.
The left side of the pumpkin is quilted along with the yellow border on that side and along the bottom.  I think it makes it "pop" and gives it some depth.
So far so good.

Now we take a break from the crafting update to see a cute kitty picture. Brutus had no worries at the Vet's office last week. He's relaxed on the scales and watching Lizzie, who was a little upset because she had blood drawn moments before. He weighed 5 pounds 5 ounces. Our petite Lizzie weighed 4 pounds 4 ounces.  He really is a brute.

Okay, back on track:
Yesterday a friend from church handed me a bag with patriotic material in it.  There is a panel and a couple bandanas along with some scraps of a white background star material and this complimentary blue material:
There is enough of the blue to use for the quilt backing of my #50StatesStitching project.  

Isn't it absolutely perfect for the States quilt I'm working on?
 And no, I haven't gotten any more stars assembled. That's why you keep seeing the same three when I write about that quilt.  
But I do have the embroidery caught up for those stars:
 Virginia (I finally remembered to put a penny in the picture)
& New York

One day I'll sit down and work on those stars assembly-line-style.

But probably not this week.  It's canning week.
Of course, I could easily be persuaded to go camping this weekend.
Off to do my chores.
TTFN
(Ta Ta For Now)