A Sleepy Slightly Stormy Saturday Sew-In - Swapping Shirt Sections

I finished the applique block from last Sunday, and I'm getting another one ready for tomorrow.

But today is about getting two more backs pieced.  This time, I'm using thrifted shirts.  Goodwill had a 50% off sale on Monday, and I loaded up on some stash.

Now, I had a thought - - would anyone else who is a thrifted shirt quilter be interested in swapping 1 front & 1 sleeve, for the same, in order to mix up the old stash a bit?  If you would - just leave a comment, and I'll email you back privately to make arrangements. Better have rules, eh?  The shirt must be quilting quality, 100% cotton (flat cotton - not woven or flannel), man's size, and long sleeved.

Some thrifty stash

Hubby and I stopped in at the local Goodwill last week - - I found something weird.  Three ziplock bags - each containing 10 two-sided squares of good cotton fabric.  My first thought was napkins???  Each side was a contrasting print, and top stitched on all four sides - about 12" square (more or less).  I have no idea what the maker had in mind.  Most of the pints were polka dots - but there were a few cute prints - elephants, owls, flowers - and some not so cute (into the scrap bag to be donated somewhere else).  I simply cut off all four edges - and I suppose I will cut them down to charm square size.  Total cost: $3.

Some slow Sunday stitching...

I dug this old UFO out.  I can't find the book that the pattern came from - hopefully it will turn up!

I believe there are nine blocks all together - but I had enlarged the pattern by 200%.  The look is very "folk-arty" and I'm using CW repros.

Solved "the cat problem"

Gibson is a "helper".  He likes to be on top of whatever I'm doing - and I mean this quite literally.  He likes to be ON TOP of whatever I'm doing.  I was doing some cutting the other evening with my big 6"x 24" ruler, and accidentally poked Gibby in his fatness with the corner of my ruler.  He immediately bit a rather large furrow into the palm of my hand in retaliation.  

For the record, this isn't unusual behaviour for Gibby-doo.  He's a biter.  And I've often been bit whilst at my cutting or sewing table if I nudge, poke, or otherwise jostle him.

I took up my spray bottle (which I keep on hand to spritz when pressing fabric) and gave him a shot or three of water.  He hasn't been atop-table since.  But he still likes to hang out.  Here he is on Itty Bitty's unmade bed (who returned to university last week) keeping an eye on things.

I have spent much of the week piecing the back of another quilt.  This photo shows a back - folded in half - all in country blues.  I wish I could take a photo of the whole thing, but I don't have enough hands to help me anymore.

The reason I'm working on all of these backings is because I'm on a push to finish a stack of quilts.  You see, I was invited to present at the local quilt guild for the December meeting, the theme being thrifty quilting (which I do consider myself quite an expert, if I do say so myself!). I took three to my long arm quilter on Monday, and have another three to take over to her yet.

Piecing backs

No photos today - just spending the day piecing together backs for quilts that I NEEEEEED to get quilted.

There was a post a while ago on Quiltville, where Bonnie was piecing together all of her old Dusty Rose prints.  I'm doing Hunter Green.  Ah, the 80s/90s!  Lots of Thimbleberries and VIP Cranston and Jinny Beyer  prints.  It's definitely dented a stash drawer.

I could do a couple of Country Blues backs too, I bet.

Pocket Caddy

Inspired by a photo on Quiltville I created this caddy to hold hand sewing tools using a 5"x7" clear plastic picture frame.  Mine is a little different - there's a 'pouchy' pocket in the front to hold my Clover wonder clips and thimbles.  I used a little bit of 1/4" elastic to keep the pouchy part closed.

 

 

I added a little flap at the base on the back to use as a pin cushion.  I was worried that there wouldn't be enough "heft" in the caddy to hold it solidly standing upright, but this is not a problem at all.  It's plenty sturdy.

 



Proud as a Peacock!

I had the opportunity to try out several new techniques in this project: needle-turn applique, applying a zipper to the back of the pillow, making my own piping.  I couldn't be more pleased. And to think I only paid $2 at the thrift store for the complete kit tickles me even more!  I just need to purchase a pillow form, but it's Labour Day today, and nothing is open.

My eyes were nearly burning out of my head by the time I finished the echo quilting last night - - there was no way I was stopping until it was DONE. Hubby took a look at the finished pillow today and asked "is that all hand stitching?"

Yes it is!

Um...you sat next to me for HOURS and HOURS while I quilted this.  I sang the praises of the Clover Desk Needle Threader that you bought me six or seven years ago in Florida, but had never been used before (let alone been out of the package!).  You watched me mark the quilting lines with my Clover Water Erasable Marker, and wanted to know why I was drawing on my fabric....men...