11/6/14

Tops and Bottoms

Today I finished up two tops and three bottoms. If I can get my housework done this afternoon, I might have time to finish one more of each.

First, I finished putting the border on the Christmas table topper I've been working on.

This is my project for the Let's Book It challenge


Adapted from a pattern in this book:





That completes the top. And would you believe I ran out of bobbin thread


with this much left to sew?


I blame Obama for this.

Once I had my bobbin rewound, I pieced together this back for it. I had in mind to use a different fabric, but then realized I didn't have enough. I'm happy with this peppermint batik. This one came from a quilt shop in Montana, as I recall.


I'm planning to use this peppermint stripe for the binding. And I've decided to call this quilt "Peppermint Star".


Then I finished up the quilt top for the Never Underestimate piece. You guys were pretty much evenly split on helping me choose the right color for the stop border. I resorted to the Eeny Meeny Miny Moe method of choosing, because these things are important enough to be earth-shattering. And after I'd done the Eeny Meeny Miny Moe, I started wondering what that means anyway. It's been a while since I looked up some obscure phraseology, and so I can only suppose I am at the curious phase of the month. Here's what Wikipedia says about it:

[A] children's counting rhyme, used to select a person to be "it" for games (such as tag) and similar purposes such as counting out a child who has to be excluded from a group of children as part of a playground game. It is one of a large group of similar 'counting-out rhymes' where the child pointed-to by the chanter on the last syllable is 'counted out'. The rhyme has existed in various forms since well before 1820, and is common in many languages with similar-sounding nonsense syllables."

So, around since 1820, which explains why I'm so familiar with it. I think I remember using it sometime around 1823. (Only kidding...it was actually sometime during the 14th Century, so Wikipedia clearly has its dates wrong.) Actually, I learned quite a bit about Eeny Meeny Miny Moe. Maybe it was the recent election that got me started on that again since that was how I was able to settle on some of the city commissioners. (Like...who knows anything about those local people beyond reading the voter's pamphlet? And who even knows what they do?) Anyway...You can read all about it right here.

Okay...so, back to the sewing. Here's my piece. Eeny Meeny Miny Moe prompted me to choose the green fabric.


And I am loving that border fabric, even though it was printed cattywampus on the fabric, which made it a pain to cut straight. I could get off on a whole tangent about "cattywampus" here, but I'll save that for another day. For now, I'm going to show you what I have in mind for the binding on this quilt.


When I was still trying to decide on the color, I was digging around in my stripes and polka dots looking for something for the binding, and I happened on that stripe you see on the left side of the image above. It has all the right colors, but I thought it might be too busy next to that border fabric. Then I decided to use the green to put a flange between the quilt and the binding, and I think that is going to look just ducky. I hope you agree.

Also today I made the back for the Gardener's Journal quilt. It's just a plain back using this fabric:


I had in mind to sandwich all three quilts at the same time. I have to clear everything off my ping pong table to make way for sandwiching, and so I might as well do them all at the same time. Then I remembered, I'm just about an hour away from finishing this other Christmas wall hanging too. And I figure, in for a pound, in for a penny. Obviously, this is my day for idioms. And I'll spare you that tangent as well.

Anyway...it was tempting to finish putting the borders on this one too, but I decided I needed a break.



Smitty was totally stressed out by this time. He needed a break too. (A tidier person might take is bed outside and shake off all the catnip, but then a tidier person might ruin the bed for the cat doing that.)


And I really do need to do some housework too. I might get back to it later on, but probably it will have to wait until tomorrow.

Now here's something: Remember when I told you about the Astronomical Quilt Challenge in my post from a few days ago? Well, pictures of all 28 quilts have been posted on Facebook now, and I found the one that has my block! Cool!


I'm not sure if you can see this without having a Facebook account, but the photos appear to be public. Try clicking on this link, and you might be able to see the rest of the quilts.

Also, I think it's safe to post my project from the other day. This is a little mug rug I made for a friend from high school in a pay-it-forward challenge. I haven't heard from her, but she should have it by now.


Cute, huh? This is a free pattern from Jenny of Elefantz. Her stuff is always so pretty and delicate.

Finally, it's the last day to link up to the October NewFO Linky Party and Giveaway. Just a few hours left, so don't miss out!

20 comments:

Brenda said...

My goodness you got a ton done! I was running errands most of the day and even thought I picked up some fabric and planned on working on a project later in the day I ended up plopping myself down in my comfy chair and reading blogs instead. Love your stitcherys!

The Slow Quilter said...

OMG!!! You have done a boat load of work there and everything is just stunning. With all that sewing who has time for house work.

Vicki W said...

I'm tired now and need a rest!

Vroomans' Quilts said...

Well, even with all the idioms you managed to get quite a bit accomplished today. Oh don't shake out the bed - that stuff is like knock out drops - he probably slept the whole time and dreamed of micies and molies.

Jeanie said...

Blame it on Obama...you are too funny! Thanks for the link for the stitchery.... her patterns are really cute. Happy Stitching!

gpc said...

You are becoming my new hero. :)

Dana Gaffney said...

I'm so glad eeny meeny picked the right color, it would have been terrible if you had shown us that isn't the perfect way to decide things.

barbara woods said...

So many people blame Obama, our grandson that never looked for a job blamed him for not finding one

Nita said...

I smiled when I got to the last picture, I printed that pattern out and chose the fabric to use, and then it went into the to-do-someday pile. Maybe I should go retrieve it.

Marlene said...

That was a busy sewing day. Love all your finishes. The flange of green is a great choice to separate the binding which is a great match.

Diane Wild said...

Like, like, like and like. I'm with Smitty.

ipatchandquilt said...

Iene miene mutte
Tien pond grutten
Tien pond kaas
Iene miene mutte is de baas

Eeny meeny miny moe
Ten pounds grits
Ten pounds cheese
Eeny meeny miny mo is the boss

Dutch version of the childrens rhyme! My cat does not respond to catnip, but she does love her bed, especially if it placed next to the central heating. :-)
Hugs,
Esther

Barb H said...

I laughed out loud! Absolutely, you can blame it on Obama--everyone else blames him for everything, so why not? Oh, oh, I have a hangnail--it's Obama's fault. Cripes!

quiltzyx said...

It's obviously Obama's fault that I missed the eeny meeny post until today! Hah! Even though I wasn't in the green camp, it does look swell & the stripy border will be A-1!! You surely did get a ton done today. Good on ya!

Michele said...

Love the peppermint quilt and I'm glad you resisted cleaning off his bed.

Anonymous said...

Your work is beautiful!

MOMCAT14C said...

I love the fabric that is the backing for your garden quilt, and the scissors fabric! Do you know who the manufacturers are? I'm surprised that, given the amount of time I spend in brick-and-mortar fabric stores, and then trolling online fabric stores at 2 am, I've never seen either of those fabrics before!

I love Smitty's little catnip-strewn bed. Reminds me of how Mica sleeps!

Kate said...

I so enjoy your posts. Not only do I get to check out your pretty fabulous projects, I get an education at that same time. Congrats on all the progress, the table topper and the stitchery are both spectacular!

Brown Family said...

You got a lot done!

Dana Gaffney said...

Deja Vu, I was going through the links at Sharon's and started reading, it was all so familiar, the Obama blaming told me I had been here before :)