Getting Closer to Half Way

As time goes, I'm still working on applique and quilting the quilt.

One morning I decided to wash my quilt. I'm one of those that uses the quilts I make. The nice thing is I got my mother's front loader washing machine when she moved. (Traded my old one for her new one). I love the washing machine!! It's wonderful! Now, back to the quilt. I pulled the quilt off the bed to noticed the binding is coming apart.

This is my scrape quilt that is called the Inner City. I made it over 5 years ago. I started it over 10 years ago. I'm betting it's closer to 20 years old then 10, but not sure. I remember working on it in Pullman, and we have been here for 15 years. So, maybe it is at least 15 years old.

So as I was picking up the quilt, I found it coming apart in several areas at the top of the quilt. (this is a photo of the back).

At least that's the least of my problems. I need to cut the binding off and put another one on. I had originally pulled the binding from the front to the back. Cutting off the binding won't be too hard. - Plus it will straighten up the quilt (smiling). I need to sew some strips together to use on the binding. Just not ready to go back down on the sewing machine but will do that before Winter hits.

In the last week I have gotten a lot done on the Hawaiian quilt. I still seem to do a lot of playing on the computer, but oh, well.

Since the last time I wrote on here, this is where I was at the time of writing on the blog.

Each step got me that much closer to getting it done.

Decided to take a photo of where I as at the time. Wanted to know the "overall" view of where I was to getting done.

Then got back to quilting in the "V" area.

Got closer each time I pulled the quilt up to work on it.

Then last night, I finished the 'V' area. Remember, I'm not doing the echo stitches according to the Hawaiian way of measuring. I did all the work by my eye sight, and if you look really close you will see I have some smaller or bigger areas of measuring. I'm not worried about it. I like the effect of closer echo stitches. You get more of a "sea" wave to it.

So, today, I started working on the area below the one I just finished.  If I can get this part done, I SHOULD be closer if not, at half way.

They tell you, you should write done what your thinking and how you put the quilt together, in a book. I didn't think about that when I was working on this quilt. I may do it on some of my future quilts. But this quilt, seems to be written more on here than anywhere else. So, I guess you can say, this is my journal on this quilt. I have started a journal for another quilt that I have plans to start. I put when I purchased the BOM and where I am on getting it started. Now I just have to get it away from my mother so I can get started on it.

First things first. I am needing to go downstairs and piece a quilt top together for a friend who is in our bowling league. Guess I have all year to get done but hope I won't take that long to do it.

Speaking of bowling - I started bowling last week! I was excited about using my new bowling ball. It was everything I expected! I bowled so good and wasn't even trying!! My Weds. night game has me at 172 average, and my Friday bowling was a 611 series which makes my average 203! Best I've done yet for starting out, just hope it keeps up.

Well, I need to get back to quilting, so you'll know I'm Happy Quilting.......

Enjoying quilting

The last 4 days, I've really enjoyed being able to quilt. Not only on my Hawaiian, but also being able to work on my Affairs of the Heart blocks.

Love Charlie's attitude!

Anyway, over the last week I was able to finish the following blocks. I used an 8 count thread on the embroidery, because I wanted the "weavers" look. It's coming along nicely, but I think I should have stayed with the floss and used all 6 strands. Even though I like the affect of the 8 count thread, I found it easy to make it too loose when working with it, and at times it was hard to pull the thread through.

This block was one of the hardest for me to do. It turned out a little different from the pattern because when I cut the pieces, I found they didn't fit right in the places they were to go. So, I did what any applique r would do - compromised to get it where I needed it and make it fit. Easier than taking it out over and over. One of the things I love about applique, no one knows but me what I did differently unless someone put the pattern over the block and compared - and if your that "perfect" then don't come to my house.

This one was fun. It was easy and quick, the embroidery was a little harder in getting it to look even, but then I decided I wasn't going to mess with taking out embroidery - even with an 8 count thread.

This one was just as much fun with the embroidery. Love the effect on the block.

The embroidery on this was hard to decide on. Since I'm using 4 different variegated threads, I didn't want to loose the darker green in the background as I'd done before. The darker green didn't look right in the middle, so stayed with what I had.

This block I marked. I started the embroidery on this at our Thursday TAS meeting. On Friday I had 2 1/2 hearts completed. This is the last of the block that needed embroidery. My next step is to cut out 5 more black backgrounds and start working on the last 5 blocks in this quilt. Once that is done, I can start on the borders. I'm getting excited about doing the borders.

While I worked on the block at the two TAS meetings I had this week, I also quilted at night. I'm spending less time playing games on the computer and getting back to my quilting. So, the good news is the quilting on both quilts is slowly getting done.

I was able to get the two "areas" to meet with the echo stitches. Remember, I am doing this by eye sight and not marking the quilt. I find I like to do it that way rather than marking every step of the way.

So, over the last week, I have gotten the quilting to a point where I can go around in a circle. That makes it easier and faster. Once I have the circle finished I can go back and work on the lower part of the quilt that is close to the border. Once that is done, I will be about half way finished with the quilt. Not bad, since I started it in February and took a good 3 months off so one reason or another.

Today I'm not sure what will get done. Hubby is cleaning out his garage (kids stuff in there), and rearranging it so he can do what he needs to in there. He's the clean "freak" in this family, and over the last 30 years, I've learned to get rid of a lot of stuff. When I think I might need it, he looks at me and say, "You'll never use it, get rid of it." Then before I can think about it, he's got it and it's either in the trash or in a box for Good Will. Oh, well. Truth be known, he's right, I wouldn't use it....  So, it's cleaning day for him - yet again. He's been pretty good about my crafts, and it's not very often he will get near my stuff. lol Only when I ask for help.

I'm working on laundry, going to probably clean out the refrigerator because is looking pretty bad. I have a thing about my kitchen being clean. Lived in the South and overseas where bugs "creep" me out, so I make sure my kitchen won't collect them. OH! Like last week! I went to get some noodles in a box. When I opened a brand new box, there were bug the size of a pen point. Got so creeped out that I throw it out. THEN I took everything out of the cupboard and cleaned all three storage places we keep food. Hoping that worked, but I'll be checking every day for the next month! I'm awful about it. Yet my house can grow dust and I won't touch it till someone runs a finger over the area! All because I HATE dusting and hope hubby will do it for me. :-)

Okay, enough about dirt, and back to today. Too much going on.

My daughter's ex-fiance showed up. My hubby was sweet to him. We'll really miss him, but my daughter made her choice.

I better get off, need to clean and try to find time to be Happy Quilting.....

Back to Quilting

Thought I would share some photos from our trip to Pullman WA to see our daughter over the Labor Day weekend. We took a hike up Kamiak Butte, which we used to do when our two children were young. It was like going down memory lane, but this time my children were grown.

The Palouse valley is a pretty view. Shame we got there just after they harvested the wheat. When the wheat fields are green or even a golden yellow, that's the time to be there.

This is the trail we took. Let me tell you! - when you are recovering from surgery - you can feel the hike in your body! But it was worth the 3.5 mile hike we took. Coming back down, my legs were like jello. LOL I had to hang onto my family members coming down, so I wouldn't fall. It was too funny.

View from the trail.

Okay, now for what I've been up to for the last two days. Not only picking apples and plums from our tree yesterday, I actually got some quilting in.

I decided to put the computer down and get some work done. At about noon yesterday, I pulled my quilt out from behind the couch.

Took photos of my starting point. I have these photos on my computer to remind me to work on my quilt. The more I see it on my computer, the more I want to quilt. - Works pretty good.

Decided I needed to work on the side border area, so that I can get the side done.

I started out working around the flowers o outline it.

This way I could work in the purple quilting thread and hopefully get more done with the outlining. he outlining took longer than I thought, but I was able to get most of the flower done.

Once this part was done, I could work in the areas that needed to be "filled" in.

Now I can go back to where the two flowers "meet" and I can do the quilting to fill in the larger area of the "quarter" of the quilt I'm working on.

Over the last two days, I have gotten a lot more quilting done the I expected, because I have a tendency to check my games or do other things like laundry, (potty breaks), cooking and what ever else comes up - like phone calls from friends a family.

At least today, I'm Happy Quilting......

3 Weeks after Surgery

I'm getting close to my 4th week after surgery. Good news is I have the green light from the doctor and was told to be careful till my 6th week has passed. I'm healthy and healing great. My scar is showing but not near what I thought it would be.

So, for the last week I have been doing embroidery on the blocks I completed for the Affairs of the Heart book. I am almost caught up with the embroidery. I have 5 more blocks to do and then I can work on the border. I need to cut my fabric for the last 5 blocks.

Yesterday our neighbor had a garage sale, so I took some things down to sell. I was surprised I did so well, since I only had about an hours notice. I didn't sell 2 baskets, so will take them to our quarterly meeting and have the group "bid" on them.

It feels good to be able to get back into my crafts. I'm looking forward to pulling my quilt out from behind the couch and start quilting on it tonight or tomorrow.

My sewing room is looking awful! I'm hoping to go down there and clean it up. Plus I have the quilt I told a friend I would finish for her, that seriously needs to be done and out of my house. I seem to keep feeling of "too much to do." Then I turn around and walk out of my room.

I'm sitting here playing games and watching football. I seriously need to get off my toosh and do something.

May you all have a great day and in the meantime, I hope to be Happy Quilting this evening.