A Five-Year Finish

Finally...just shy of five years in the making, Mumm's the Word is finished. I started this quilt on August 26, 2012, and finished it yesterday.

Here's how it looks from the back:

It now bears the title of my newest finished quilt, giving up its standing as my oldest UFO. This morning I was looking at my "Quilts in Progress" page. Although Mumm's the Word has been the quilt that has taken me the longest to finish, I'm a little embarrassed to say that another quilt will take its place in the lead by next spring. The oldest on my list now is Mulligan Stew, which was started on Tax Day, April 15, 2013. 

The picture above doesn't show all the completed blocks. Since that was taken, there was another row completed, and so I've finished 35 of the required 60 blocks. It's doubtful I'll make any more progress on it before we return from our trip next spring, and by then, it will be the quilt that has taken me the longest to finish. A dubious distinction to be sure.

As for the other quilts on the "in progress" list, several just need quilting, and a few are close to being finished. That said, the news isn't all bad. Besides...it makes me feel as if I've been quilting all my life when I have a quilt that is more than five years in the making. Heck, my grandmother would probably be proud.

All that hand-sewing yesterday had the kitties exhausted. They've been thick as thieves in their outdoor adventures. It's warm, however, and so early afternoon means they have to come in and cool their tummies. Smitty's favorite spot is just a little jump from the top rung of his kitty pole. He likes the cool top of the china cabinet.

Sadie likes her dad's chair in the cool basement.

She's going into the vet this afternoon to be micro-chipped. It's a sort of "1984" practice. I've never seen this done, and so I'm hoping it isn't too painful for her. We'll need to get them some collars so they can wear their chip identifying tags, and the collar will probably be the most painful part of the process. Kitties prefer nudity.

As for other sewing, getting hanging sleeves and labels sewn onto my two quilt entries in this year's Oregon State Fair have moved to top (and urgent) priority. Yesterday, I created and printed the labels. This year, we aren't required to put addresses and phone numbers on the labels, which always seemed a little weird to me. Quilt entries must be presented in a pillowcase, and the pillowcase needs to have address and phone number included, but the label is exempt this year.

So, here's the label I created for Gingerbread Square.

This one is for Snips and Snails. The denim is printed onto fabric. The little label was removed from the baby overalls I purchased when the quilt was made. Fusible was applied to the back, and it's fused to the label. When I finish adding borders and backing to the label today, I'll stitch it down with a blanket stitch just to be sure it stays put.

It was the last piece of OshKosh paraphernalia that could be removed from the overalls. Now they are but a denim shell of their former self.

So that's today's agenda. I'll get back to doing the embroidery of the last of the Summer Holiday blocks. Tomorrow Constance will take over the morning embroidery slot.