1/21/12

Saturday's Sewing

Today I worked on projects that I didn't want to work on.  I suppose that's why I'm knocking off early in the afternoon rather than continuing on until dinner time.  It feels good to have these things finished, however, so I'm glad I stuck with it.

I sewed the pieced sashing onto the latest of the Mr. Bear blocks.  This isn't difficult, but it isn't interesting either.  That's why I didn't want to do it.


But now it's finished, and I can add it to the blocks I have finished so far.  Also, I decided to forge ahead and trace out the next stitchery--another task I dislike immensely.  Again, it isn't difficult, but it isn't interesting either.


Can you see what it is?  She's dressed up like a nurse with a bottle of Rx in her hand.  The bear has bandages on his tummy and on his left ear.  This one is my favorite of the blocks in this quilt.  Maybe because my mother was a nurse . . . I don't know.  I just think it's cute.

Finally, I completed the back for the Checkerboard Flowers quilt that I finished months ago.


This quilt has so many colors in it that I had a hard time deciding what to do for the back.  There was no way I was going to make any more of those checkerboard squares, and so I decided on a solid back.  Then I decided that the one color common to all the blocks was an olive green.  I found this nice Andover fabric for $2.99 per yard.  I needed 8.5 yards, so that was a good buy.


My quilter, Tammi, broke my heart by selling her business and re-entering the work force.  She did leave me a couple of names of quilters, however, and one of them has the Sunshine on my Shoulders quilt right now.  She had some of her work hanging in her studio, and she did a nice job on everything I saw.  I'm confident that she'll do a good job on my quilts.  Just the same, I'm hanging onto this one until I see how she does with the one she has.  Fortunately, she lives close by, and absolutely nothing is close to me.  It's a treat not to have to drive a long ways into town to get to her studio.  Hopefully, it'll be the start of a long relationship and many quilts quilted. 

For some reason the Twelve Days of Christmas just popped into my head as I wrote that . . . Eleven quilts a' quilting.  Don't pay any attention to me.  I have music in my head from the time I get up in the morning until the time I go to bed.  Sometimes it drives me crazy when it's a song I really dislike . . . like today it's been "It Never Rains in California," that terrible song from the 14th Century.  I happen to know that it does rain in California, but I would hate the song anyway.

Okay, so now I've told you about the sewing I didn't like doing, and about the songs in my head that I don't like hearing.  What good is coming out of today?  Well, right now I'm going to lie down and take a nap.  It seems a luxury.  It's a good thing.

14 comments:

WoolenSails said...

Love that stitchery, so fun and I am strange, I love drawing them out and stitching them.

Debbie

JJ said...

It always feels good to knock out a few things that you have been putting off. I was able to get a quilt done today and it feels so good. I too laid down for a little nap after finishing. A reward for work well done.

Vickie said...

That quilt is just beautiful, all of those blocks...wow! I like the backing you chose too. Good luck with your new quilter I bet she will do great. I worked on a project today that made me want to swear! It took all day and is only 12 inches square.

Sallie said...

What a great find for the backing for your beautiful quilt!

rubyslipperz1052 said...

What a wonderful checker board quilt. It's really pretty.

and, hey...napping is not just a luxury. It's an investment...in your health and well-being.

You have more fortitude than me...I don't know if I could do even a half day of "things I didn't want to do"! You get lots of kudos for that!
hugZ,
annie
anniesrubyslipperz.com

make.share.give said...

Now that you've done all the tedious jobs, you deserve something fun.
Your Checkerboard Flowers quilt is BEAUTIFUL. I love all colors used together like that. My favorite blocks are the sunflower and the top left corner.
Thanks for visiting my little blog!
Susanne

Denise :) said...

Transferring embroidery designs to fabric isn't my favorite task, either. But I'm so glad to have my lightbox to make it *less* of a chore! I love your pretty, colorful Checkerboard Flowers! :)

Teresa in Music City said...

Congrats on finishing up one of your Bear blocks! It is really wonderful! I don't really mind the tracing part, I'm just really nervous about doing it correctly so it's not something I enjoy exactly.

Good choice on your backing. It will look nice quilted too - the solid fabric will really show off the quilting design. I can't wait to see that quilt completed. It is amazing!

Kate said...

Now that you've done all the "have to dos" hopefully you can have fun tomorrow.

Both bear blocks are cute. That quilt is going to be so cute.

Hope you had a good nap and that your back is feeling better.

Teresa said...

The checker board quilt is "OH my gosh" beautiful. I also love the backing you chose not to mention the great deal you got.

Naps are energizing.

Lynette said...

I love that backing - and what a great price! I would just sit down and cry if my quilter stopped her business! I've got such a backlog of flimsies, I need every slot on her calendar I can get to try to catch up - way too many for me to do myself! And I'm not willing to push those queens around my tabletop for FMQ.

KatieQ said...

The green is a great choice for the backing. At 2.99, it becomes a magnificent choice. Your stitching on the Mr. Bear blocks is lovely. I love that you are working them on the White on white.
It never rains in California, but it pours. Yesterday, I had "A Horse With No Name," stuck in my head. Talk about ancient. After all these years, I still have no idea what that song is about or why I would want to remember it.

txquilter said...

I love that quilt! Did it come as a kit or just a pattern? Where did you get it?

Sandi P said...

I love this quilt. It is one of the reasons I keep thinking I need to work on my applique skills. I have silently oooed and ahhhhed over it everytime you have shown us a peek for as long as I have been reading your blog. I even did a search for the pattern one time, but either didn't find it or decided it was beyond me, can't remember which.