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The Queen of Finishing

 I was the Queen of finishing yesterday.
I will admit to tossing and turning in bed a couple of times because I was worried about the colors being so un baby like.  I also worried about the weight of the quilt.  But I’m all in now.    
I did add a couple of lines of purple stitching.
 In my “so into this project I’m going a little nuts” brain, I imagined them as two friends who’s lives intersect and then separate over and over, but they still care for each other.  
Does anyone else do that or am I just a little goofy?
Probably both.  
 
Here’s a spot that looked a little weak.
 
The edge of the denim was  little frayed where I sewed them together so I reinforced it a bit.  It was also just fun to stitch. 
 Here’s a patch I added where I didn’t like the way the intersection of blocks looked so I just covered it up.  I could have kept adding and changing details into the wee hours.  As it is, I was up till midnight.
And here’s the ultimate test.  The quilt is in the wash, regular cycle, as I type!  Even though the colors aren’t typically babyish, it is a baby quilt and will need to be able to withstand a lot!  I may have to do some repairs after the wash but I prefer to be the one to do them, along with whatever reinforcing it will need.  
I’ll post pictures of the aftermath. 
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Randomly Diagonal

Almost done stitching.  I picked off white thread to quilt the layers together.  I know, kinda boring.  I did stop by Ben Franklin today to pick up some purples that match the purples in the quilt.  I plan on just stitching a line or two in purple.
I didn’t want to stitch it horizontally and vertically because I thought it would look stupid with the strong verticals on the backing so I went -surprise! surprise!- randomly diagonal.
Sorry these pictures kinda stink.  It’s the lighting in the basement, I think.  
 I’ve made some pretty good progress.  After a couple more lines of stitching across the quilt, I’ll have just the edging to go.
I hope to deliver it on Thursday.  I will post pictures of it when it’s completed. 
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One Quilt, Three Scandals

 I’ve made some progress on the baby quilt.  Finally…
 Quilt sandwich pre-pinning
And post pinning.  Compared to my last quilt, which was king sized, 
this was  piece o’ cake.
 Here’s the fabric for the other side.  It’s not soft.  Isn’t that somewhat scandalous for a baby blanket?  I really tried to talk myself into other fabrics but the second I saw this in the store, I knew this fabric had to be the backing of this quilt.  It can always end up as a “throw it on the yard or floor” quilt.  With all that denim, it’s not really destined to be a baby covering quilt anyway. 
 Look at those cute birdies.
I hope it’ll soften up when I wash it.  That’s right.  Scandal number two is that I didn’t wash it first.  I’m hoping that when I wash it the first time, once it’s all sewn up, it will take on a nice, vintage look and feel.
Scandal number three:  It’s dry clean only.  Obviously, that ain’t gonna happen.  My only worry is that frequent washing will wear it out faster than I would hope. 
Knock wood that it ends up being sturdy.
 
Next step is to pick the quilting thread color, which is always so much fun!
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Try It! You Will Dig It!

Yesterday I experimented with my new birthday present.  
I followed the excellent advice:
that I found in this book:  
I used an ink stick
 Grinding stone
Cool brushes 
and a menu that I found in my mailbox.
 PS – Water and a paper towel, too.
 I added some water to the grinding stone… 
 and ground the ink sort of into the water for about 10 minutes …
 
…while my tea cooled…
Check out my mason jar cozy.  It’s a left over from this project
I only did the grinding for 10 minutes, probably shoulda gone with 15.
What do I choose to doodle while neglecting a quilting project with a looming deadline?
Running stitches; I was doodling them when I should be sewing them.
I don’t know what is it about running stitch, it’s so simple and primal.
I’m in love.
I tried some different paper.
 
 As I suspected all along, the expensive paper that is made for this type of ink was my least favorite.  I didn’t even take that many pictures of it.
 I like the paper bag the best. 
There, rolled up on the floor to the left, that was the rice paper experiment. 
I really enjoyed making birds – I’ve never actually drawn any before so I think it’s kinda interesting.
All in all, it was fun and felt flowy and relaxed and I did dig it!
Why don’t you try something different?  It’s good for you!
Please let me know in the comments what you try if you do try something.
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The Macro Setting And A Sun Spot

I have so much left to do on this baby quilt that I decided to mess around and just take a million pictures instead BECAUSE my camera is up and working again!!!  Woohoo!!!!
So I thought I should take this opportunity to abuse 
the macro setting and a sun spot.  
Gratuitous close ups in bizarre lighting ahead:

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All That’s Left To Do…

We had 93 degree heat yesterday and ended up just staying in.  I’m glad, though because I was able to make some serious headway on this baby quilt.
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Again, please forgive the cruddy iphone pictures.  
You know I would totally use my macro setting if I could.  
All that’s left to do is make a border, quilt sammy, pin and quilt together and then make an edging.  
Crap, that’s alot.  
Baby is due June 21st so I had better get hopping.  
Let’s hope for a heat wave – or rain, lots of rain. 
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Junk in my trunk

9 bowling balls and 2 old irons.
Why, you ask? For my Fearless Crafters Workshop at the Monona Library. 
It should be totally fun and messy and chaotic. My favorite kinda thang,
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For Some Reason I Can’t Logically Explain

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Just a quick post to say I think I’ve finished this patch.  I might add some yellow, I might not.  It’s the kind of thing you can just add to any time because you’re sitting on the couch anyway, ya know?
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Here it is “in context”.  I’m looking forward to more spots wearing out. 
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Remember that square I was compelled to work on for no good reason at all?  
Well, it’s moving slowly.  Good thing I’m not in a rush to finish for any reason.
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I got a little bored with the same old stitching but more, I’m really  inspired by the beautiful work of Christine Mauersberger and so tried a different orientation of the stitches.  I like it.  I was trying to decide whether this was enough or if I should add more areas of this kind of stitching when I remembered that I will probably cut it up and mail it out as postcards so I guess it doesn’t really matter.  
It’s too bad that I picked a piece of denim with lots of stretch in it.  I just don’t like them for a bigger project so whatever this ends up as, it’s destined to be small. 
For some reason I can’t logically explain, I’ve started a Doctor Who scarf (My second).
 
Here’s my first one; it’s only about 10 feet long but way too wide. It was one of my very first knits and I didn’t really understand gauge. The second one will be longer and thinner.  …sigh… I’ll try not to post process pictures of that one, it won’t be very exciting.

I guess that wasn’t a quick post after all, sorry.  🙂

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Baby Quilt Out Of Old, Used Pants






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If you’ll excuse the sad camera phone pictures, I can post way more often.  Here’s my new, clean set up.  Sewing machine against the wall, cutting table on it’s left (Yes, I’m a lefty), ironing board behind me.  I’m lucky that I have such a sunny basement.  Those big windows open up right at ground level.   Way in the back, you can barely see there sort of beyond the ironing board,  is the fabric I’m probably going to be using for the backing.  Pretty.

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The bummer of it is that there are no outlets along the outside wall so I have to get creative with the power cords. The iron and sewing machine cords meet in the middle of the room right under the chair.  
And here’s what the new clean room allowed me to work on.  I have two baby quilts to make – genders unknown – the first baby is due in June.  I think only one of those people will appreciate a baby quilt out of old, used pants so the other will have to wait because I’m having too much fun piecing this one.   

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Still here Update

I know.  No posts for a month and then two in a day.  What could I be thinking?  
Look at all that floor.  And, look! A table top that hasn’t been seen for months and months. 
I’m just so proud of myself.  It’s not done by a long shot but it’s so much better.  Now I know that I have way too much linen and have to make something out of it really soon.  Also I have lots of awesome IKEA print fabrics that I completely forget about.
We got the giant cork board up and hubs is busy hanging art still; check out what he did with my denim quilt back there is the guest/game/workout/storage room.
I got rid of lots of wool and some pretty linen clothing that I was going to cut up but then I decided against it.  So…whaddaya all say to a crap craft swap? 
The going away pile.
I think I’ll ask if Sector67 is willing to host one. Would you (local folks) come?
I might even give away some of my baskets – I haven’t used them in forever.  I do love me some baskets.