So nice to be quilting again

forgot what a stress reliever it is for me.

Although, having a pile of quilts waiting to be quilted can be stressful...go figure.

One less to do now.  

I'm going to put the binding on it tonight. I will probably have to machine it both front and back as my left thumb is on the verge of splitting again and I know hand stitching the binding down will do it in for sure.

A while back Carol over at Brown Quilts emailed me with a project idea. She wanted to make a quilt top, send it to me to be quilted and then have me donate here in the Pittsburgh area.  

 I thought that was a great idea.  

Carol sent a beautiful top made with soft flannels.

I quilted an all-over wave-y swirl. 

Tomorrow I will be dropping it off at the Community Outreach chair for my quilt guild.  There is a new shelter opening this winter and they've asked the area guilds for quilts.  

This one will keep someone in need very warm indeed!

Thank you, Carol, for reaching out so generously!  

When I drop off our quilt, I'll be picking up some more Quilts for Kids tops that need quilting--yeah I  gripe that I'm so busy, but I'm healthy and have more than I need--shame on me for the gripes whether out loud or in my head.

Today

I work the afternoon shift at Hallmark.  

It's ornament debut weekend.  

Hopefully the hordes of collectors were in first thing this morning.

  

;)

I spent the morning making a simple table runner for my SIL.

18 x 94 -ruffle is about 8"

I used Osenburg fabric for it.  Now I will need to get some more to finish my new living room curtains--I cut it wrong which is why I used it for the runner..he he.

Just doing simple panels for my curtains, won't take long...famous last words.

  I finished the binding on Granny Squares.  It seems like I've been working on the binding for weeks, well I have because it's been mostly sitting on the back of a chair, not being worked on.  I have to do a label for it.  I was shocked that I didn't do one before I quilted it, but I was trying to get all the tops I had done before vacation and HQ went in to the spa. 

Um, yes, that will be my official excuse.  

63 x 84

I do love this quilt. 

and I started the machine blanket stitching on Autumn Gatherings. 

sigh...some days I just don't want to go anywhere. 

It's usually on days I have to.

Fun times, fun times.

Life is good!

a batik pumpkin

I ran out of time yesterday to visit a quilt shop for orange batiks.
I really am trying to be good and use my stash. I find it easier now that the stash is shrinking to say "oh I don't have anything that will work-must go shop." and sometimes that's true.
But what kept going through my head this evening was what if I couldn't just hop in the car and get some fabric; how would I finish this.
And suddenly I thought why couldn't I just use one batik fabric for the pumpkin instead of 4-5 like the pattern suggests.
So I did.

(Edit:  I actually used two batiks----my mind is a sieve-what can I say! :)

but you'd never know probably they are very close-which only shows the stash is more than adequate.

I really like it.  

I really, really like that I don't have to go out tomorrow morning and that I used a bit more of the stash.  

The top still needs it's outer border but I'll wait until after the machine blanket stitching is done before adding it.

HQ has been in spa treatment for a month now.  

Oh please oh please let the backlog of machines dissipate and get my machine CO &A pronto!!! 

4 to 6 weeks is becoming unbearable.  

I may break out in hives.  

I didn't think the separation would be so difficult.

whahh!  

:(

I started a new project

--could you even believe it!?

I have had this pattern for oh a hundred years it seems.

I bought it on my first Shop Hop.  I went downstairs yesterday not to start a new project for sure!  I think it's probably the only pattern I've had this long and still want to make.
I pulled all the fabrics from my stash and except for the crow fabric, which I bought with the pattern and have been saving (unbelievable) all this time, I used all batiks.  I am going to have to go get some orange batiks for the pumpkin, I need 3.  I did use 2 'regular' fabrics for 2 of the pumpkin sections but I just need something different than what I have.  I might be able to squeeze in a quick visit to The Quilting Needle tomorrow, if not it will have to be Saturday.