Finished!

This is what a week's work looks like! The monkey wrench quilt is finished, and looks great; just what the customer ordered. I finished it at 6:00 last night, just before turning out the lights in the studio and shifting gears to my other job, chief cook and bottle washer for the household.

All 265 blocks done! Yippee!

I spent the entire day outlining the monkey wrenches

This is a lovely backing. The camera made it lighter than it actually is

Looks great!

After work, I walked around the yard before going in and cooking. Tim has done a wonderful job making our little piece of Georgia into a colorful oasis. The canna are just starting, and the color is deep and velvety. The camera, once again, doesn't do them justice. The other flower is something I don't know the name of, but it sure is pretty!

Sheets and other fun topics

Hi everybody! I was reading the blogs I follow, and saw where Cheryl over at Meadow Mist Designs uses sheets for quilt backs. I have been a longtime proponent of sheets as backings and always marvel at the faces of quilters at my trunk shows when I reveal the backs as sheets! I have used old flat sheets from thrift shops and yard sales as well as brand new ones (I wash them before using) from Walmart, Target, and Bed Bath and Beyond. All work fine. I don't hand quilt, so I have no information on how that works out, but in the comments on Cheryl's post, someone did talk about hand quilting through a sheet worked fine. Jump over to her post at < https://meadowmistdesigns.blogspot.com> and check it out.

My latest finish for my grandson has a sheet for backing!

Here is how it looks quilted

This class sample also has a sheet from Walmart for the back

Looks great and washes like a dream.

This quilt has a sheet from a thrift store for the back. Cost? $6!!

This back is also from Walmart and is on the back of a gift quilt for my Mother-in Law

Yesterday, Mr Wazoo quilted for a while, and finished this pretty pinwheel quilt.

Very lively and modern looking

Panto: Swirl and Twirl

Meanwhile, I spent the hours doing stitch in the ditch on this lovely monkey wrench reproduction quilt. After finishing that, I set out to pounce the first row of quilting. This will be a slow process, with 121 blocks to mark and quilt! Than, I have to go back and quilt all the monkey wrench blocks...144 of those!

One row marked

The customer supplied the stencil she wanted used for the alternate blocks

My marking tools for a stencil; Pounce powder, foam paintbrush and a tee shirt scrap to get the residue powder off. I haven't had good luck using the actual pouncer. It makes a blurry image.

After stitching, the blocks look like this.

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Monday in the studio

Both Mr Wazoo and I worked all day in the studio quilting to our favorite tunes. I finished the custom hand embroidered quilt, and it is really nice. The quilt is perfectly made, no points cut off or thick block intersections. A joy to work on. I know I went a bit nuts taking pictures, but there are so many little scenes to look at!

The camera doesn't do this justice. The colors are rich and warm.

I love the kid on the inner tube

Quilting the blocks was fun, too.

See the kid throwing the snowball? Cool!

Looks like a Wisconsin farm.

The back is really a dark brown. The camera color is wrong.

Mr Wazoo quilted a large bed quilt, and I think it turned out to be very pretty. I'd put it on my bed, for sure!

Panto: Alfresco

The quilt is quiet and elegant.

Next, he quilted this sweet kitchen wall hanging that is going to be a house warming present from the customer. So the writing wouldn't be obscured, it was quilted with invisible thread. This also makes it hard to take a decent photo of the quilting.

It has quilting, but it is hard to see.

When I finished up for the day, I made the label for the commissioned baby quilt. I will do the hand sewing tonight and it will be mailed to the new baby tomorrow. This is one of my favorite Michael Miller fabrics. At the time, I bought all there was on the bolt and have made many quilts using it. I think I could get one more baby quilt out of what I have left. I bought it years ago at Ben Franklin! A blast from the past!!

The label turned out pretty cute!

I used my favorite pattern for the quilt.

I love the kid on the potty pointing at his belly button.

The panto is Angel wings.

The backing fabric has wash hanging on the line.
I  think its perfect!

A pretty fun-day Sun-day!

Somebody was a bit grumbly over the weather this morning, but cheered up in the afternoon when the sun made an appearance. He did get a quilt done and another loaded, so I let it slide when he went out to play in the yard.

Mr Wazoo quilted this bright and funky project for his customer.

Panto: Jungle fever

What a difference some rain makes!
This garden is really booming and blooming!

Don't you love Stella d'Oro lilies? I do!

I spent the day doing what I love...sewing! I sewed the blocks from yesterday into a quilt top, and now its waiting for quilting. My guild in Blue Ridge has a challenge going on to make as many of these cute dragonfly blocks as possible. You get points for each block made, and there will be a prize for whoever makes the most blocks, or an entire quilt. I don't know if I'll have time to make a quilt, but I can sure make some blocks. Here are the ones I made today. Tomorrow, back to work! (and hopefully, the eye doctor!)

They all have striped bodies and polka dot wings!

I made six blocks. They are like potato chips...
you can't stop after just one!

I made the eyes from a black with white dots fabric. I just fussy cut the dots!

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A day on my own

Tim took a trip to South Carolina to visit his mom, who took a tumble in the shower last week, breaking her pelvis and six ribs. It has been a tough week for his sister, who lives near his mom, and for him, because he isn't near his mom. When you're 94 years old, a fall is tantamount to your imminent demise, so both grown children are understandably worried and upset. When he got home yesterday, he said she was happy to see him, but noticeably more frail than just a week before. We're all hoping for the best. It will be a hard recovery.

Still smiling through the pain

Because I had the day to myself, I decided to do the dreaded chore of cleaning. I finished the kitchen and moved to the living area when a customer called and said she was coming right over to get her quilt. Cleaning stopped and sewing began. I figured I would sew some of the blocks I cut out last week while I waited for her and then go back to my cleaning...yeah, right.

A few hours later, the customer came, and the blocks were finished!

The pattern is from the book Happy Hour.

I also worked on the quilt I prepped the day before. I have about half the blocks quilted. I'll get back to it soon. Meanwhile, I am nursing a sore eye (how do I get these ailments?!) and will do a bit of sewing later today. Mr Wazoo is paddling around the house, wishing it wasn't going to rain so he could play outside. Too bad, so sad! I think he will have to find something else to do today. I'm going to sew!

Ow!