Time to go to work

Just a short post to keep you up to date. Yesterday, Mr W's sister came over from South Carolina to visit before returning to her home in Germany. We hadn't seen her for two years and had a nice (if very short) visit. She loved the studio and described it as "insane!". Oh dear...I guess it does look over the top to a non-quilter.

With only half a day to quilt, I managed to finish the quilting on another of my quilts. This will be a comfort quilt for a member of my evening guild. Members sign their names in the white block parts.

I made this quilt with the idea it would be given away.

Panto: Daisy chain

I chose the design because it is delicate and cheerful

Nice cherry backing, too.

I sewed the backing, pressed it and loaded up the crazy quilt while doing the quilting on the comfort quilt. I have decided it needs more stability, so I am following the edges of the block pieces as well as stitching the ditches between the blocks. It will take longer but look and age much better.

Loaded up and one row quilted. It may take more than one day to finish.

Mr Wazoo refilled the hummingbird feeder outside the back porch. I sit out there every day and have my morning coffee watching the deer, squirrels and birds start their day. We had three hummers fighting it out for a position on the feeder. Everyone took turns feeding, but the others would come chase the lucky bird away It is fun to watch their antics!

It was pouring rain when I took this picture. Today, the sun is out and everything is drippy.

Another warm day here in the mountains!

 

Rainy day quilting is the best!

You never have to feel bad about being inside quilting when it rains. I love the rain. When you see how great Mr Wazoo's yard looks, you'll know even the grumpy old man likes the rain. He just doesn't like to be out in it.

Lush, green and cool.

This came up in our wildflower bed

So did this!

I have a lot of work (play?) to do, so I have been spending time with the stash and the machines. It was wonderful to start up Big Bernina and do some sewing. I have a customer repair/finishing project I'm working on, and it is a delicate challenge. The customer's granny made several crazy quilts, and died before she could finish his. He wants it finished and a backing added. We discussed how people displayed crazy quilts without backs, but he wants it to be stabilized for display in his home. I will be replacing one silk that has split, joining the last five blocks into a row, and adding light batting and a muslin backing. The quilt will be stitched in the block ditches. I told him it would be baggy, but he is okay with that.

Today, I squared up and sewed the last five blocks into a row and attached it to the rest of the quilt.

The blocks are a whopping 16 1/2" square! Granny had skill with her needlework, and a nice collection of silks from old family dresses and scarves. The customer said she made this quilt (her last one) in the 1940s, but all the other quilts have the same fabrics.

One red piece has split. I have a stash of silks and will appliqué one here.

I like looking at her stitchwork. Lovely!!

I also started on a customer tee shirt quilt. I had the shirts prepped, so I squared them down and started arranging them on the design wall. This quilt will be two sided because there are 36 shirts and a bunch of small logos to use. I'll be working on this for a while!

Here are the shirts rough cut, waiting for their press on stabilizer.

Once I had the stabilizer pressed to the shirts (it took all day Sunday!) I was able to cut them down to size and get planning. There are lots of circle logos for this quilt. I hope to appliqué those on by machine tomorrow or Wednesday.

The other 12 shirts will be on the back.

Meanwhile, I quilted. I finished this Tilda-fabric-line quilt yesterday. The customer wanted wool batting, so the texture is wonderful.

I didn't have time to trim it before leaving the studio for the day, but it is all trimmed now and ready to go home.

Here's another look at the whole quilt.

Panto: Amethyst

The backing is pieced from more Tilda fabrics!

I also got a few charity quilts done, too. The binding and labels are ready. Things are piling up here.

This is a nursing home quilt. I figure it is for a man.

I used up leftover fabrics from my Wisconsin quilt and from other manly quilts.

This backing was in my stash. 

Here is a kid quilt with robots.

I got the fabrics in the Hayesville, NC shop. The panto is Geometric path.

I also had this backing in my stash.

This is another of the Texas projects I didn't get made while I was there last Summer.

The pattern is in the same little book from Wisconsin as the Minoquah Stars quilts.

I used a panto with pumpkins and leafy vines.

Another backing from my dandy stash.

I meant to post a picture of our Saturday supper. I have been making homemade pizza on Saturday nights ever since I got married way back in 1973. Two husbands, four kids and a few grands later, I am still making pizzas. Mr Wazoo isn't as fond of it as I am, so sometimes I have to make him something different. Not this week. He wanted to eat pizza, so I made him my favorite; sausage, spinach, mushroom, onion and olives. We ate the whole thing and finished the week happy. What have you been up to? I hope Summer is being good to you, too.

I wish there was "blog-smell". This was divine.

Yes, there is a fork on the tray, but I didn't need it.

I'm still here!

Time got away from me and I missed posting here. I am so sorry. I'm not sick or on vacation...just having a life of routine that is kind of boring. I have been sewing and quilting, as well as doing other things I have wanted to do but couldn't because I was always working. I am sure not used to my new free time yet!

First, I quilted the last QOV I had from the guild group. 

It's a pretty 9 patch, scrappy quilt.

My go-to panto: Simply Stars

Wild swirly backing.

I have been busy finishing the big yellow Jacob's ladder, and here it is!

I finished it late in the day, so I didn't trim it right away.

Panto: Arabesque

The backing was from the local shop. They had a big sale recently and I got backings for all my quilts in progress.

Binding on and ready for the bed!! Isn't that border fabric the bomb?!

After that big project, I needed to have some quick gratification, so  I made a quilt from a layer cake of Ruby Star homespuns and I am very pleased with it.

I love these fabrics!! So bright, soft and exciting!

Panto: Woven Wind

I used a Kaffe Fassett fabric for the binding. See the strip of backing fabric in the lower right side of the picture? That's where I made a truly stupid mistake!! When I loaded the backing (a woven plaid) I didn't realize I had the seam on the outside. Rats! Well, it was already quilted, so I appliquéd a strip over the mangled seam allowances and called it a day.

I have only made one more block for the neutral quilt. I got sidetracked on another project and put it aside.

I'm making progress...slowly.

As for the other project, here it is.

I saw this pattern at one of the recent quilt shows and thought I could use my collection of yukata fabrics for it. I have the blocks fused and need to do the sewing down part before adding the sashing and cornerstones. So far, so good! It is called Yusagi, which is Japanese for rabbit.

Wisconsin! is also done. I'll be surprising a friend with it this week.

Panto: Fork in the Road

I had enough of this backing left from another quilt, so I used it.

Binding on...

Label sewn!

I'm trying to finish the kits I made to take to Texas last summer. They have been stored in a cabinet in the garage, and I have been working on them one at a time. Only three left!

This pattern was made from a layer cake. The sashing and background fabrics are from my stash. I had enough bits left to make a small piano key border. There weren't any leftovers from this project!

Panto: Many Baptist Fans

I love this backing. I used it for the binding, too.

I think that sums it up. Tomorrow I am off to Franklin, NC for the Handi Quilter Club at my dealer's shop. I'm anxious to see what it's all about and hope I learn something. It's a long drive, but I think it is worth seeing what they have to offer. I picked up Big Bernina today in Chattanooga and I am happy to have her home.

Our guild had the yearly jumble sale, and I had a table of sewing aids, books and a few panels and small fabric kits. I made $116, which I quickly spent at the shop in Ooltewah, TN after picking up my machine. I can't help it...I love fabric.