Bad weather alert!

It was all over the TV last night that north Georgia was in for a big storm. This was going to happen in the late morning and continue into the afternoon. I had PT at 9AM, so I was a bit worried, but it was just starting to sprinkle when I left the PT place. Once home, I took Molly out for a quick potty break, then settled in to the studio and some serious sewing and quilting!

Uh oh! Flurries have started!

Pretty soon the driveway was white.

Molly and I were warm and toasty in the studio.
One top ready for pressing and adding a border.

The other, waiting to be finished.

I finished both comfort quilt tops by adding a nice border to each. The first one is quilted, and I just finished hand sewing the binding. Here is a picture of it before I left the studio.

Panto: Modern twist

I forgot to show you what Mr Wazoo has been up to when he's not poking around in the garage. He quilted this sweet baby quilt yesterday.

Panto: Bubbles

Well, it is supposed to rain all day tomorrow. I have an appointment at 11:30, so I hope the temperature is above freezing. When you live down a very winding road on the side of a mountain, you have to think before you drive.  Fingers crossed for a warmer day.

Charity sew in and another customer finish

Today started out icy cold, and didn't get any better as the day went on. Fortunately, Stephanie and I were either in a warm car or the warm room where we sewed up some charity projects for our Blue Ridge guild.
Stephanie made several cute pillow cases for the homeless shelter, and I put together two quilts for members who have had life altering circumstances and need the hug of a quilt made by their friends. The guild makes signature blocks for these, and they needed to be finished. I will get them quilted and bound soon and return them to the guild.

In the foreground are dog beds made today to be donated to the animal shelter

Stephanie is hard at work making pillow cases.
The first signature quilt top is done and folded on my table.

I got home mid-afternoon and had enough time to trim, quilt and get the binding on a vintage customer quilt. The same Granny who made the Sunbonnet Sue blocks, (that I made into a quilt), also made this Grandmother's flower garden. I forgot to take the 'before' picture, with the bright yellow and orange hexes all around the edge. The customer gave me permission to cut them off. Thank goodness! I gave the corners a curve, and the quilt turned out very nice.

Here is the finished quilt.My assistant missed me today.
She pooped on the floor for Mr Wazoo just after I left for the sew-in.

I used a very simple panto because the quilt was not at all flat.
I chose the same color solid yellow as the flower centers for the binding.

A peek at the back and the binding.

Now, it's time to go to bed because I have to be at PT by 8:30 tomorrow morning!! It seems like it is taking forever for this knee to get back to normal...at least I can sew and quilt! Yippee!

Good night, Molly

Lone Star Finished!

The quilting on the lone star quilt was finished yesterday, the binding made and applied, and today, finished! It turned out quite nice, with a scalloped edge. The customer should be pleased.
She had a quilt from home that was store-bought many years ago and wanted a quilt made like it, but in blue for her daughter. The original quilt was all solids, 104"x104". I made the daughter's quilt using reproduction fabrics to go with her decor. It finished 106"x106".

The original quilt from the customer. Only stitch in the ditch quilting. Really, a comforter.

My finished quilt

She requested custom quilting that included daisies, her daughter's favorite flower.

I thought scalloped edges were a sweet touch

A peek at the back, before binding

Binding finished. I put a daisy in each corner.

Just a small look at the finished binding. Quilt folded and ready to go!

                                   

My stupid mistake

Yesterday, I worked on the lone star in the morning and now  the quilting in the star is done. The background is next, so I took a break to sew the Sunbonnet Sue quilt.

It is hard to see the quilting, but there is a leaf shape in each diamond.

The Sunbonnet Sue quilt moved right along, and I had it finished in an hour or so. I decided to use the extra blocks for a pieced back. Okay...I admit that I did what so many of my customers do; I made the back too small!!! How did that happen?! I did the math, measured twice, and still managed to make it too small. Back to the drawing board!  Today starts with picking out and sewing in. Oy!

The finished top. I decided it was big enough, so I left off borders.

Adding a 3" strip to each side of the smaller blocks made them fit right in!

I trimmed the big blocks to 11.5 inches.

Here is the back, after I fiddled with the blocks and spacers. I still can't believe it is wrong!

While all this was going on, there were two deer nibbling on Tim's shrubs in the front garden! I went upstairs to get the camera and take pictures from the deck. Molly finally saw them and sent them running with a stream of yips and yaps.

Oh yes, I just have to share how big and happy my grandson is getting. Mommy started back to work, and Daddy begins his paternity leave on Monday. That should be an experience! He will be working from home while he is off for the month.

Customer commissions

I delivered the three charity quilts today, and it was nice to see my fellow quilters.
Mr Wazoo is still rearranging the garage and plaguing me with "Do you want this" ...or "where do you want this"...with every box he opens. I have to admit, he did find some quilts I had been looking for, as well as the Christmas stockings. (better late than never...put away with the Christmas decorations for next year) and the immersion blender I got for Christmas three years ago and is still in the box! Yippee!
Meanwhile, I did get one half of the stitch in the ditch done on the lone star customer commission quilt.

After I got the quilting started, I switched gears and began constructing a quilt from blocks made by a customer's Grandma. She gave me some Sunbonnet Sue blocks and some 9 patch blocks from her Grandma, and wanted a quilt made of them. The 9 patches were small and the Sue blocks, large, so I added a blue surround to them  to make them all play nicely together. I used EQ7 to come up with this plan. Rows are done, sashing rows are in progress and not sewn.

If I have time tomorrow between the cardiologist and my PT, I will get the top finished and ready to quilt. If I change my mind...I will finish the stitch in the ditch on the Lone Star.

Don't you love quilting? If I didn't have three or four things going at once, I would be bored!

Stay tuned!!

Late start, strong finish

We got up early enough...8AM, but spent some quality time having a nice French toast breakfast while watching CBS Sunday morning.I extended my leisure time watching Meet the Press, too. Finally, after showering and dressing, I got started in the studio at noon!
Tim had already started his quilting on a customer project, so I didn't bother him. I went to work finding and cutting border fabrics for the three panels I pulled out yesterday. They had such nice colors in them, it made my job easy. I fussy cut borders for the two alphabet panels and a floral for Mother Goose. I had all three sewn and was choosing backings by 2:30. No grass growing under this girl!

Number one, Alphabet panel with fussy cut borders

Swirly quilting

Great circus backing in bright colors

Tim took a lunch break for an hour or so, but I pressed on and had all three quilts quilted by 3:30. There was a huge quantity of yellow striped binding already made that was left over from another project, so I didn't have to make new bindings! Yippee!

Number 2 is also an alphabet panel! Yup...I bought two of these.
But they were so cute (and so on sale) I couldn't resist!

'Potato masher' quilting, and the yellow alphabet print border I had in my stash

30's reproduction backing

It is 4PM now and all three quilts are ready for the hand sewing. There are ice packs on my back and knee, but I'm ready for some Packer football followed by the Golden Globes. I will have to stop to make supper, but we're having a stir fry so it's not complicated. I would say it has been a productive afternoon! My first three finishes for 2016.

Number three is Mother Goose! I love this panel.
I added a soft yellow floral border.

Meander quilting...I was getting really tired and sore.

Fun blue floral backing, too.

A blustery day, perfect for quilting

When its gray and the wind is howling, it is a perfect day to stay inside and have a therapy session with the Gammill. That was today! The studio was buzzing with activity all day. Miss Molly took up her 'look-out' position in the big brown chair, and the two Wazoo quilted the day away.

I finished this quilt  that is to be given to a man who is color blind. Oh my goodness!! It is so scrappy wonderful and bursting with colors...I wish it was mine. I'm sure he will love it, too, but I feel so bad that he will miss out on the mixed bag of patchwork hues that make the quilt sing.

Mr Wazoo did this modern twist quilt. I love the cranberry-teal-lime green combination.

Panto: Springtime

He also quilted this underwater fantasy quilt. The buttonhole stitched appliqués were adorable.

Panto: Ebb and Flow

Next up, this vintage top. I thought it was the Hummingbird pattern, but it isn't exactly. Whatever it is, I'm glad the owner decided to have it quilted to give  to her daughter. A family member made it, although I can't recall if it was a grandma or a great aunt. Anyway, it turned out better than I thought it would because it had some pretty baggy areas in it.

Panto: Baptist fan

I plan to take a pass on quilting tomorrow. I went through my bin of panels and found three cute ones that are begging to be quilts for kids. It should be fairly easy to add borders and get them ready to quilt. 

Tonight we will be snuggling down while the wind howls and the rain patters on the window. Perfect for sleeping! Good night!