Yielding to Process

So yesterday I found a box for shipping "Live, Laugh, Dream" to New York. But there was a significant amount of room in the top of the box. I could cut the box down or fill it up with packing peanuts or something. But couldn't I just as easily squeeze another quilt into the box? Surely it won't cost more to ship two quilts in one box than to ship them in two separate boxes?


What's left in my stash of orphan blocks? Among other things, a couple of crazy patch and house blocks that didn't quite make it to 12.5"... How can I set them so their oddly small size won't matter?

If I squish them up against each other they should finish at 23 inches. That only lacks an inch of being 24", a size I can easily match up with six inch or eight inch blocks.


I have those two rows of Bow Ties I took off "Live, Laugh, Dream" too... Maybe this will become a horizontal row-by-row quilt!

With a few compensating strips these Broken Dishes, Basket, and the crazy patch and house blocks became a row 24" high by 60" wide. My two Bow Tie rows are already 60" wide. I'm well on my way to a second quilt for the BASICS Quilt Gather!

Live, Laugh, Dream

My quilt for the BASICS Quilt Gather is done:

All I need to do now is find a box the right size to ship it in. I'm pretty happy with it. I have to say it looks a lot better to me now, in its' finished state, than it did back when it had the Bow Tie borders. It looks cleaner to me somehow. Maybe that's just because this time it was photographed outside, against a lighter background! You should be able to click on the picture to get a larger image.

A couple of my readers suggested names for this quilt, and they were good suggestions. In the end, however, I decided to call it "Live, Laugh, Dream" after these three blocks:

My scap quilt is coming right along too. Yesterday I not only basted it, I got it quilted as well. I can hardly move today but it sure feels good to have done so much in one day. More about that in another post.

The question I'm playing with now is, what do I want to tackle next? I don't feel ready to go back to my ornaments for the Bead Journal Project. I kind of want to make more blocks and assemble another quilt top. The Churn Dash blocks are still out but I think I need something with more color and whimsy. Being a Gemini I like a lot of options. You never know how I'm going to be feeling on any given day!

Full Speed Ahead!

It didn't take long to get the Bow Tie blocks off the BASICS quilt (see previous post). By the end of the day I had not only pin basted the layers together but had it half quilted as well. At the time I thought I was done with the quilting and rejoiced when I saw how much thread was left on the spool:


But upon closer inspection I decided it needed more quilting so I went out yesterday morning and bought another spool of the same color to finish the job.

Not only did I finish the quilting but I also trimmed away the excess batting and backing.

The deck chair was recently rediscovered in the garage. I brought it in to use as an alternate place to sit while I read. I have short legs and it sits low enough to the ground to be very comfortable for me. Turns out is also works well to support the extra bulk of a quilt while it's being trimmed!

I was thrilled to be able to cut binding strips from the leftover backing fabric. I've got the binding sewn onto the quilt and am about half way around the back, sewing it down by hand. This puppy should be done later today - hurray! I'd still like to give it an official name before it leaves the nest though.

My white peonies are done for the season. Meanwhile, the pink ones are in full bloom:

Those petals just take my breath away!

Apparently I Can't Count

I got out the backing, batting, and the quilt top I'd made for the BASICS Quilt Gather to pin baste the layers together. I had to move furniture out of the living room to make room for this process. The back is made of these two prints:

The darker "stained glass" print runs up either side of the daisy stripe. When I trim everything down to size it will be a daisy stipe back with a border of the stained glass print.

Next I smoothed the batting on top. Whew, it's getting warm in here!

Unfolded the quilt top and lined up the top edge with the upper edges of the backing and batting. Pulled the sides into place, then pulled out the bottom edge of the quilt.

Wait a minute.

The bottom of the quilt is hanging over the lower edge of the backing/batting by a good three inches! What???

I sat down on the couch to consider the problem. I was sure I'd measured everything correctly.

Let's see, how many 12" blocks are there?

Seven. Hmm. Seven? I thought there were only six.

7 x 12 = 84. But I thought I needed the 6" Bow Tie blocks in order to get to 84" in length! That's why I put them on there! sheesh

The Bow Tie blocks are coming off. Then we'll try this pin basting process again.

grumph

Another Year Older

Yes, since my last post my birthday has come and gone. It wasn't partying that kept me from checking in sooner, at least not in the traditional sense of the word. I lost a couple of days this week to physical issues. But on my birthday this area was blessed with the first day that truly felt like summer. (And now we're back to gray and chilly with the threat of wet. {sigh}) I decided to take that gift and go to the coast. I laid in the grass, listened to the waves coming ashore, and finished up Magic Bleeds by Ilona Andrews. It was almost like being at the lake when I was a teenager. I don't think I could have asked for a better way to spend my birthday. :- )

One of the things my sister gave me this year was this lovely glass rooster.



I'm not sure where she found it but he's spectacular.


Here's his other side. The card that came with him says the rooster "is an auspicious symbol of honesty, luck and protection, as well as physical and moral strength." I'll take it!

I have a little collection of chickens and roosters in my dining room. He'll fit right in. Or maybe I should keep this one closer to my bed?

My friend C~ also gifted me with birds this year. She found this patch in a bundle of blocks she bought on eBay and thought I should have it.

I think she's absolutely right!

Actually, now that I think about it, my SIL gave me a couple of bluebird beads a few weeks ago too. In honor of my birthday she took apart two more of my quilt books and put the pages in sleeves for me. When I got the binders back the beads were tucked in with them. I nearly forgot! I may have to get them out and play with them soon. It's time to do an ornament for June for the BJP afterall. Which reminds me... I've done April but I don't think I've posted it yet. I have a foundation set up for May but haven't stitched it yet. Like I said, I lost a couple of days this past week. Maybe I can get my engines revved up and get back to work tomorrow. We still have Father's Day to celebrate around here today...