thirty years in the making

I finally finished it! A quilt that I started about 30 years ago. I don't know the exact date, but I do know that it was started sometime in late 1978 or early 1979. I started it shortly after I quit working after my second son was born and I decided to become a full time mom. I had no teacher, no classes, no Internet, only an article in a magazine and inspiration from my grandmothers' quilts I had around the house.

So much has happened since then so the quilt brings history with it.

I have raised two sons, seen them through college, and celebrated their marriages

I have three wonderful grandchildren

We built a house - did the plumbing, electric, sheetrock, hanging cabinets, etc. on our own

I dabbled in many crafts then decided that quilting was really for me

I earned a master's then a doctorate

I was a teacher and school administrator

I was a college profesor

I wrote and published two books

I bought lots of quilting books and took a couple of classes

I made 10+ twin, full, or queen sized quilts

I made lots of wall hangings, baby quilts, and table toppers

We bought, fixed up, and sold a second house while keeping the first

We retired and moved to Delaware

I gained lots of quilting friends

I often wonder why I never finished it...all it needed was a few quilting stitches and the binding...maybe some psychological reason???

It was hand pieced and hand quilted. There are lots of mistakes.
I have learned so much about quilting since I started this quilt!

HAPPY NEW YEAR

My tired eyes

It's my fault! I stayed up till 2:30 this morning reading The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society that is on the best seller list. I'm not one to run out and buy a book because it's on such a list. At first I wasn't sure I was going to like it but since a wonderful friend recommended it, I figured I'd give it a try. After I got into it, I couldn't put it down. The author has a unique way to tell a story.


Today is a beautiful, sunny day here in Delaware so we were up and out early...we did a little model home viewing. We have done this for years even though we are not in the market for a new home. I love to see what's new and how the homes are decorated and it was an excuse to get out! On the way home, we did a little grocery shopping. I bought an acorn squash and am going to try a new recipe that uses canned apple pie filling when baking the squash....maybe, I said maybe, I can even get hubby to eat squash!




I have been working on the Sunbonnet Sue. I have the block and some of a border around it done. Check out the picture. I'm not sure what I will do after adding this border. I may add more. I'll wait and see and do some experimenting with the fabric since I am only using vintage "attic treasure' fabrics for the front. I would like to make the hanging bigger - If left as is, it will be about 18x18. Will have to see.

new project and helpful hint

Well, I decided on my new - or shoud I say old - project. I figured I'd better work on my UFO contract because January will be here before I know it. I took an orphan block that I made about five years ago and decided to make a table topper with it. Since I didn't have scraps that matched two of the fabrics, I decided to try some applique because that is a technique where I am trying to improve my skills. I'll post before and after pictures of that later.

I do want to share a tip that I learned from my good friend and quilting buddy, Pat. I was complaining that my bobbin thread was always dangling and tangling. She suggested using little elastic pony tail holders. They work great....thanks PAT!!! I bought a package of 42 of them for $1.59 at Wal-mart....much cheaper than the fancy things I found in a catalogue.

That is one of the things that I enjoy about sharing quilting with my friends. We learn from each other and get so many ideas. Friends share in your joys and frustrations and seem to make things right!

What was I thinking?

Yesterday morning I took a good look at the photo of the orphan square (churn dash) wallhanging that I posted on Tuesday...the binding looks terrible! Did you ever have that feeling all along that the project wasn't going right? The plaid fabric design didn't match the grain lines so I couldn't get the binding to cut right. Then when I was putting it on it wasn't sewing well. But I just kept going. I knew better but I kept dreaming that it would magically look ok.

So yesterday, I took the hanging from the wall and ripped off the old binding. I searched through my stash to try to find a green that would go just right and still with the other fabrics...I was lucky...or maybe it is just that I have so many fat quarters of green. Anway, I replaced the binding. It still isn't the best - I think ripping the old off may have stretched some of the border fabric out of shape but I think it looks better.

Stashbuster update

I have my second stashbuster ready to quilt. It is approximaterly 30x40 inches. I am going to hand quilt it. It will hang on the wall in the "kids room" - the bedroom I have for the grandchildren when they visit.

I also had a chance to hang the first UFO I did for my guild contract. All of the materials are from my stash...buttons, trim, etc. It is a far cry from the lonely orphan block I pulled from the pile.

Now just 4 more UFOs to do before January. I committed to another orphan block and two vintage orphan blocks in addition to finishing the quilt that I started 30 years ago! It was my first attempt at quilting and I am going to call it "Groan" - a play on words...it will show how much my skills have grown and how I groan over it!

Rescued Orphan

I finally finished the Wizard Quilt and it is ready for the longarm quilter.

Then I decided I should get busy on one of my orphan blocks...for two reasons 1) in my guild UFO contract I said that I would finish two and I haven't done any yet and 2) in a couple of weeks I am going to be a garden quilter in the Lewes garden show and I need something small to work on. This was a sample square I did several years ago before I did a big quilt. Here it is before

I decided to add some borders...glad I saved scraps! I will hand quilt it and make it into a wall hanging. Maybe get fancy and do some embellishments.

We are in the middle of a heat advisory...high 90s today so I think I shall just stay in and quilt. I do need to run to pick up a quilt from the long arm quilter when she calls today but other than that the AC and I will be good friends. I did my daily walk this a.m. at 7:30 and by the time I got back I was very sweaty!