Monday, January 15, 2024

I finally had to see the doctor.

 I have been sick since just after Christmas. The cough lasted a week or so, but I have to blow my nose 20 times a day. I developed bad tinnitus (ear ringing) in my left ear that started a pain next to my ear which spread a little every day until it was to the center of my chin today. The pain is so horrible I couldn't manage chewing and had a bowl of soup for supper last night. Turns out, I have a sinus infection, inflammation of the TMJ (the hinge of the jaw next to my ear), and a need to wear my no-clenching devise during the day as well as when I'm sleeping. Rats!! I'm all loaded up with antibiotics and steroids and wearing my cute tooth devise. I thought I would take the downtime to catch up with what I've been doing.

I arranged the tee shirt blocks on the design wall and had to add some narrow sashings to get everything to fit. It was a simple project to do and I got it al sewn together quickly. The quilting went well and I  made the binding and did the hand sewing in the evening.

All arranged and sashing. started

Sewn up and quilted


Rounded diamond quilting

Cozy flannel backing

All done! Binding on and ready to go.
The customer was very happy with it.

The next project was a collage wall quilt. Unfortunately, the customer hadn't sewn any of it down to the background; it was all fused. I spent a couple of hours free motion stitching the piece before loading it onto the Big Gammill and doing the custom quilting. I think it is really pretty, but the fusible made a mess of two needles on the Bernina, and two needles on the Gammill!! Gummy, awful stuff. Oh well, it is done and the customer liked it.

I think it was 28X38", but don't quote me on that...

Lots of color changes for the 'sew-down' and matching variegated thread for the background colors.

A Quick Look at some of the quilting.

Beautiful, bright Kaffe background.

We return to Christmas with this panel wall-quilt. I quilted it with the Holly Berries panto to echo the holly motifs in the quilt. The backing has a bevy of cardinals to pair with the ones on the front.This will be a nice start to Christmas next year!

Cardinal Christmas panel quilt.       

Here is a better look at the quilting

Pretty backing, too

The next quilt was perfectly constructed. Precisely pieced, square and flat and very interesting in its design. I even like the funky color choices. I have a panto that looks just like the piecing, so I used it, and threw the dice on how it would look. It turned out fine, and held up the art deco style well. What do you think?

That mustard gold is a perfect accent for the dark teal.

The panto is called Gatsby.

The backing is this rich yellow gold tone on tone fabric.

The last pantograph quilt is this oriental themed lantern lap quilt. It is for the customer's sister-in-law to be. It is a lovely and thoughtful gift.

The colors are subtly orienntal and the pattern is nifty.

The panto is called Artichoke, but I think it looks like ginkgo leaves. Or fans...

Sweet floral backing.

Here are my efforts, day by day on the row quilt. The name is fun, too. It's called Rows Parade. I used all Kaffe Fassett blue fabrics for the motifs and Kona Snow for the background.

Day one, cutting out all the scrappy pieces and sewing the first three rows.


Day two I sewed five more rows I hated the one with the stripes, so...

Day three, I remade it with some of the background in it and no striped fabric.


Day four.
The last pieced row (plus signs) added, and the sashings sewn in as far as the last two rows. I didn't finish sewing the center part.

Yesterday was day five, and I added the last two horizontal sashes and the side inner border of the same Kona Snow. There were loads of weird small pieces left, so I cut them into 2 1/2x5 1/2 piano keys for an outer border. The two side borders are on, and I quit before I got the top and bottom done. That will be on the next post, so stay tuned! See you soon!

If you lived in Wisconsin, this is what you look like going to work today. My beautiful daughter-in-law in her snowsuit, gloves and ski mask. Armed with her phone and a thermal cup of morning coffee. You go, girl!

If Penny could talk, this is what she would say on the blustery, rainy nights we've been having. Ha ha.