Mail Call!

Three things to be happy about:
(1) a stubborn mule (you get to feel superior!)
(2) children running
(3) eating breakfast for dinner

I got a very welcome package in the mail yesterday!

Remember my Scrap Crystals quilt, taught by Bonnie Hunter on her August 2013 Alaskan quilters' cruise?

(In case I haven't mentioned it, my approach to a quilters' cruise is this ... I work diligently during class time, perhaps I might drop in during the evening extra sewing time, but the bulk of the at-sea time?  I'm enjoying the ship's pools, shops, clubs, casino, eateries and just plain people-watching  - if I go home with only one block pieced, that's perfectly fine with me!)

I finished the top last April, I showed the finished top in this post.  In mid-September I sent it off to Missouri Star for quilting.

I'm quite satisfied with the results!  They estimated a 7 week turnaround - it was about 8 weeks but I wasn't in a hurry.

Can you see the quilting pattern?

(This iPad shot came out really dark)

I wasn't particular about the pattern, it's such a busy quilt!   But I picked a snowflake meander just because the quilt is called Scrap Crystals.    

I chose a backing fabric, they threw in the batting for free and trimmed it - and I had the audacity to ask for the scraps!

Well shoot, I paid for em...

Lots of scrappiness in this quilt!

The sashing treatment is different from Bonnie's.  I pieced blues and greens to make the strips, used neutral diamonds as cornerstones.

I blogged about making the pieced sashings here and here.

Just have to make the binding and a label and this UFO is officially finished!

Now to tackle that Texas Tumbleweeds... sew forth and sew on...

Well begun is half done

Three things to be happy about:
(1) holidays
(2) Burt's bees lotion
(3) Skinny Pop popcorn

I have a new favorite snack - Skinny Pop popcorn!

I've been hooked on it ever since someone gave me a bag of it on a bus trip, and I liked it.  So now I get it by the carton from Costco, sometimes I can catch it on sale.

100 calories and 9 carbs per bag - pure popped perfection!

Here's part of my progress on the granny square quilt so far.  I didn't even contemplate trying to "balance" the colors, nuh-uh!

Three rows put together with sashing, I think I'm going to like how this turns out!

Five blocks across and six down should make a nice sized throw, especially with the wide borders...

All the blocks are sewn, I just need to add sashing and hook em up!



That's it for now, just wanted to show my progress.  Is it Saturday already??  Enjoy it!

Sew forth and sew on til later...

Sashing with Words

Three things to be happy about:
(1) good memories
(2) inventing a better word
(3) getting on with it

I've had two no-sew days, now I'm back in the saddle!

I thought I'd take some of the granny square blocks and add sashing just to see what I could see...

I already know I'm using white sashing to make the blocks pop!, and I found a piece of white-on-white in my stash that I've had awhile.

Can you read the words?  

Probably not, but they're the words to A Visit from St. Nicholas, by Clement C. Moore.

As I chose this fabric I was wondering if it would "clash" with the other white I've been using for the background fabric...

Well, it sorta does, but after thinking about it for about 10 seconds I figured if I use it only in the sashing it shouldn't matter.  Not to me anyway!

Six blocks are sashed and laid out, I really could see the difference, even from the distance I took the photo from.

But as I said earlier, that not a problem - onward and upward!

On another front, part of my "no-sew" time was spent exploring the Horseshoe casino in Baltimore with my friend Felicia (also known as the Slow Quilter).

We both agreed it was a monumental waste of time!  We only went because they gave me free money to play with, but I can honestly say I've gotten the Horseshoe casino out of my system and won't have to go back.  Too many people lounging around in there, if you know what I mean.

That's it for now, sew forth and sew on til later...