Lots of quilting and a big finish

Over the weekend, I finished the big custom job I have been working on for a week. It really is lovely. I may have too many pictures for you, but I just think it is so pretty!!

Done! The quilt maker will be here tomorrow to pick it up. I'm happy with the way it looks.

It is a symmetrical pattern with four of these flower motifs

Some of the border details.

Block details

The label was already applied to the backing, so now, it is really sewn down!

Here is another view of the quilt.

And another of the flowers.

There were other quilts being quilted on the Millie, after yet another cable replacement. Fingers crossed, the machine is working well for now.

I love these fabrics. The quilt maker says she has had them for years and doesn't think they are available anymore. Rats.

Panto: Stacked Snailz

The backing is equally wonderful!!

This cheerful quilt is right down my alley! I like blue and yellow quilts. 

Panto: Chantilly

She used the leftover strips for the pieced back.

I also finished two repair jobs. One I have worked on for what seems like forever, and the other, that took one evening of hand sewing to complete. I still have to hand quilt the squares I replaced on the never ending repair, but I prefer to think it is finished since I don't have any more squares to replace!!

This quilt only had three holes and some open seams. One night's work, and it was done!

The biggest patch went over this stenciled block. I patched the torn part, but left the stencil to be enjoyed. After a washing, it was good as new.

When the owner brought me this quilt, I told her it would be less expensive to have an entirely new quilt made to resemble this rather than repair all the torn and disintegrated blocks. She insisted she wanted the quilt her Gran made fixed. I never should have taken it on, but I am proud of how good it looks now. I replaced around three quarters of the squares, removed the binding and rebound it, patched several holes in the backing and gave it a good washing.

Good as new? Well...it almost is new.

I have a small penny rug on the Gammill today. I should have it done tomorrow because it is a small, but pretty, project. All wool hand appliqué.

I also slid in one of my UFOs into the queue to be quilted. I made it a month or so ago but didn't have backing. The sale in Hayesville solved that problem. I got the Tula Pink backing fabric from the sale room at $6 a yard! Score!!

I'm pebbling along after finishing the outlining of all the elements.

Here is my bright citron quilt. I'll be doing the hand sewing of the binding tonight.

This is a new panto called Malachite

The backing is called Tabby Road and is from the Tula Pink cat  collection.

Well, I'd better stop rattling on and get to hand sewing. Maybe I'll finish both projects tonight...

Say...What kind of skink is this? He could play a tiny piano very well with those long fingers!

Quilting, Covid and gardens

Our days have boiled down to three things...quilting, Covid-19 and gardening. I'm quilting, Mr Wazoo is gardening and we re both watching the news on the Covid pandemic. Our state has opened and the people went crazy. I suspect we will have a huge spike in cases in a couple of weeks. Our small county went from 29 to 44 cases in a week, and I am sure it has to do with people either returning from Florida, or weekend people from the Atlanta area renting cabins and mingling with the locals. We stay home for the most part, venturing out with a mask on to get prescriptions, grocery items and plants. That's it.
I'm happy to be quilting!

This beauty was a one and a half day project. Midway through, the computer on the machine acted up again and Mr W had to spend some time nursing it back to health. He taped up the cable end so it didn't have any stress from the weight of the cable on the jack, and I called APQS for another replacement. Its on the way.

Panto: Splat
The applique on this is perfect. No stitches are visible and the edges are all smooth and even. A real work of art.

Soft lavender on the back.

Just, WOW!

Another appliqué quilt to be used as a wall hanging. The customer wanted it done with a denser pattern.

Panto: Butterfly Swirl

A peek at the back.

This customer quilt is lively and scrappy!

Panto: Borneo
I'm a sucker for chevron patterns and I especially like this one.

Bright pink back.

Meanwhile, I worked along on the custom quilt and am making good progress.

The stitch in the ditch is done and I have begun the quilting in earnest.

The applique pieces are large, so there is a bit of stitching on them to keep them from bagging.

The borders are done on all four sides. I have a lot of background stitching to do, but then, I will be on to the blocks. So far, so good!

Of course, I have to show you some things from Mr Wazoo's garden. The peonies are huge this year! This one is about 7 inches across. The rain we've had has played havoc on the flowers as a whole, but these are so pretty, I just had to share.

Stella d'oro lilies are blooming, and this one with the rain drops still on the petals shows why I love them so much! That cheddar yellow is so cheerful and bright.

My friend in Texas made this bag for me after I had admired hers at the silent auction there. I tried to win it, but failed on that count. It was so nice of her to make another one for me. She did say that she won't be making any more. I guess they Are a pain to make...must be why I don't care to try making one. Thanks, Nancy!

Memorial Day in the USA

Today we remember the brave men and women who gave their lives for our freedom. These past three years, I felt like our freedoms have been  eroded away by partisan politics and angry verbal assaults. Take a few minutes to think what Memorial Day is about. They are not just numbers of dead or rows and rows of white graves in a military cemetery, they were sons, fathers, brothers, sisters, mothers and daughters. People who had family left to grieve and try to fill the hole left in their homes and hearts. Take some time to ponder peace and what it would mean to have peace both in our nation and in the world. My grandchildren are in their late teens and early twenties and have never known a time when America hasn't been at war. Remember the families of the fallen, and stop to honor the memory of the lives lost.

Because it is Sunday, I got to do my own thing in the studio. I did get a customer quilt done, but mostly, sewed and trimmed and sewed some more.

My blocks, all pressed and ready to trim

Squared up to 9 1/2 inches. Now, I have to cut and do a little magic trick to them again!!

After cutting the blocks and re-sewing them, I get this! New blocks with a secondary design of stars.

Rearranged a bit, and sewn together. I think I'll look at possible borders tomorrow. This could turn into a Quilt of Valor!

It may have been a pain to do, but I am so glad I took the time to fix this customer's quilt! It is beautiful.

Panto: Ruffled paisley

The back.

I quilted this pretty Spring quilt today

Panto: Alpine

A Peek at the back

That's all the quilting that got accomplished today. I quit early to make coleslaw and baked beans to go with the ribs Mr Wazoo has been preparing all day. It will be a nice indoor picnic!
The yard was especially lovely today (once I shooed the deer away from Mr W's gardens!) so I took a few pictures for posterity. I hope you have a fun family time today and tomorrow. I plan to be in my studio, doing what I love.