Crumby Finish

Yay! 

91" x 70" Construction story at this link

Another finish . . . ish

Last month the CF!Quilters were asked that we not wash our quilts before donating them, as it created some question as to whether they were new or used.

I like to wash everything before it leaves my house, because not only does it get rid of markings, chalk dust, cat dander, and general griminess (that looks like it should really be spelled "grimyness", but the red squiggles under the second spelling suggest otherwise), but it also sends the message that 'Yes! This can be washed just like your sheets and towels.'

Apparently, that message wasn't being received.

So, when I put the last stitch into this . . .

. . . I threw it into my new dryer and put it on Air Dry. Remembering my research into dealing with a down comforter (2021, helping out my parents), I threw in 4 tennis balls to keep things agitated (and, I hoped, knock some of the chalk markings out of the top). It also gave me an opportunity to learn what the dryer thought was long enough for Air Dry (30 minutes--now written on the control panel with a black marker). After an hour there was a satisfactory amount of lint in the trap, and no discernible chalk lines.

Final Two

Two shopping days before Christmas, not that that's relevant to my life other than peripherally. Ninety-seven days ago someone on the Heartstrings group noted there were 99 days left until Christmas Eve, and wouldn't it be fun to challenge ourselves to complete a task a day? I chose to interpret that as 'make daily progress on something sewing-related and stay accountable by reporting it to the group'. In that time I've completed the Twin Hugs, my Mom's wall-hanging from my Dad's shirt, and my brother Steve's quilt started by my Mom. I've made progress on other WIPs and started a new top as well. But while I'm encouraged by and happy about all the forward motion this challenge produced, I'll be so glad to end the challenge and stop holding myself publicly accountable every day!

One of the Big 2 under the needles lately is my latest idea of what to do with my rolls of scraps. This is how that unnamed one stands right now:

It's 86.5" by 36.5" currently, seen here at right angles to my original idea in which this would be a middle panel with large sections above and below to be filled with something later, when I determine what that 'something' will be.

There's every possibility that I'll decide 86" is a nice length (instead of width) and will end up doing something completely different from my original idea.

Hubris revisited

Back in June 2020 I started in on the Hubris quilt, working steadily on its construction until I was called away in August of that year.

After all the quilts I'd recently finished for others had been delivered, this was what 'floated' to the top when I cast about for my "what's next?" project.

Throwback Thursday

Long ago in another century far, far away, the social media platforms were things called "newsgroups". They could be as broadly- or as narrowly-defined as you'd wish. The one I enjoyed the most (and got the best friends from as a result of my participation) drilled down the categories

Recreation>

    Crafts>

        Textiles>

            Quilting

and was known as RCTQ.

One day a lass on RCTQ sent out a distress signal. "Help!", she cried, "I've created volcanoes where quilt blocks should be! I hate, Hate, HATE this project now and wish someone would take it off my hands and out of my life."

So I did.

Countdown to Completion

Sweltering through another day indoors, where at least the temperatures don't get above 86ºF. The A/C repairman is due tomorrow around noon. Fingers crossed it's a quick fix!

10 June edit: It was (new capacitor installed). In addition, the day has been relatively cool and breezy--all the windows in the house are open so we can enjoy this unexpected nice weather.
 

Today I'm working on the borders of Jesse's quilt, free-motioning this Feather Chain pattern. It might turn out to be my new favorite! The yellow AURifil thread blends well on this fabric, but the pattern itself is easy enough to eyeball and doesn't really need the extra 'help' of a busy pattern to hide my ham-handed efforts. Feather patterns tend to break my brain, but this one is so simple that I can execute it smoothly and consistently.

An empty bobbin called the end of today's quilting. Just 2 sides of the yellow border to quilt, then the final black&white border. I just remembered, however, that I've got to create a label and get it sewn to one of the unquilted corners! Then I can finish the quilting on this and get it bound, washed, and delivered.

Is it me, or do 'they' lie?

I really don't believe understand statements I read that go something like, 'There's a game on tonight. I'll get the binding sewn down while I watch.' Unless the games go on for 3 to 4 weeks, I can't quite wrap my head around how anything can be bound that quickly!

Or is it me? This is an example of my binding stitch. Is it so much smaller than the rest of the world's? Is that why it took me weeks to finish the binding on this one?