switching it up with some sewing

Quilting has taken a back seat this week while I try to get some of my sewing projects a bit farther along. Yesterday, I cut the old edges off the trip around the world repair quilt and removed the lumps of shifted batting along the edges. I need to cut new batting for this 2 inch area and secure it before applying a wide binding like the one I removed.

What a chore! The batting was full of fine dirt particles that got all over the table. Just ewwww.

When I cleaned up after the binding removal, I noticed again how messy and cluttered my cutting table was. Piles of fabric from projects needed to be sorted and put away, patterns, bits of paper with quilt dimensions on them, scissors, pencils, rulers...you name it, it was there! So I stopped what I was doing and spent three hours (really! Three hours...) clearing the space, putting stuff away and cleaning the surface. It made me feel so good, I am going to make an effort to clean one area a day until the room is back to its tidy state.

Clean and ready for some work!

Next, I loaded the retreat quilt and started the quilting on it. The pattern is a real thread eater, but looks pretty, so I'm glad I chose it. I have one row to go. It will be finished today, and I'll get the binding made and put on. Yippee!

The final row. It was too late to do it, as each row takes about 20 minutes and it was already after 6:00 when I quit for the day.

I also made the binding for the big white embroidered quilt. The customer wanted it like the pattern picture, so I picked a blue solid for the job. Tonight, I'll do the hand sewing.

Ready to go!

And last, but not least, I made the borders for the Wisconsin quilt I put together at the retreat last month. Hopefully, I will get it quilted today and ready for binding. Go Badgers!!

Looking snappy! In the background is the trip around the world repair. I'm auditioning binding fabrics and also cut another 25 replacement squares for the repair. I swear, the entire quilt will be new fabrics at the rate it's going! I have been sewing on this on and off for almost a year and still have a long way to go. Yikes!
I better get moving and get into the studio for another fun day at work!