1/20/19

Stitching Like There's No Tomorrow

It's raining hard today, and it looks like a day of rain ahead of us. It looked like that yesterday. Mike got out early to do some work on the trailer before the rain hit. By afternoon, it still hadn't hit, and Mike was finished for the day. I think he was waiting for a bail-out from the rain, and it never came. These two took advantage of the dry day and played outside for a good part of the morning.


They have become really good friends. Smitty still needs to assert his seniority occasionally, but for the most part, they play well together. They spend most of their time side by side.

As for me, I spent hours finishing off the Let's RV Cross-stitch. I kept thinking I'd quit, and then I'd think...it's only just a little more. And then I'd stitch a little more, and I'd say...it's only just a little more. And this went on for quite some time until it really was just a little more, and then it was finished.


So I took it downstairs and pressed it. Then I flipped it to the back. I'm a messy back person...judge me if you must. I have no shame about my messy backs.


When I'm doing regular embroidery, I back my pieces with muslin or some kind of stabilizer so that none of the threads show through. For cross-stitch, that didn't seem to be a good idea, and so I was a little more careful to keep the ends tidy. Still, I worried about a few, and so I spritzed them with water and pressed them to the more densely stitched areas. Then I used some Pellon SF-101 stabilizer (the kind used for t-shirt quilts) and fused it to the back. It will hold those thread ends in place, and it also gave the piece a nice heft.


With that finished I set it aside for a bit while I worked on finishing off the Mulligan Stew blocks. The first one was this one:


Here's the block.


This was the story associated with this block.


The fifth and final block for this go-round was this one.


I wondered if it was a coincidence that this little person showed up just about then.

Hello...it looks as if you need an assistant. I would be purrfectly pleased to help you with your sewing.


Truly. And I have a lot of expurrience with just this sort of thing.


Purrhaps you didn't hear me.


I SAID, I HAVE A LOT OF EXPURRIENCE WITH THIS SORT OF THING!!!


I find catnip is an excellent remedy for this kind of purroblem. Here's the fifth block of the five I was making.


When I work on this quilt the next time, I'll be finishing off all the blocks. My goal is to get through each of the four oldest UFO's each month, but I'm not really keeping track. Most of them are nearing finish.

So then I got back to work on the Let's RV piece. I added a border, and then cut a piece of batting. I had a scrap that was the perfect size.


Then, I selected this fabric from my stash for the back. No reason...it was there, and so I grabbed it.


And then...just to hold things in place...I stitched one-half inch inside the border seam, and a quarter-inch outside the border seam. It's a little difficult to see in the image below, and so you might have to take my word for it. Would I lie?


And then, I machine sewed a binding to it. It ends up at 12 x 17.5 inches. I'm just hoping there's a wall big enough in the RV to hang it. We have lots of windows...not so much wall space.


With that finished, I needed something new for slow-stitching. Next up is the third block for Appalachian Memories. This one is called "Goose Tracks."


Once I had it traced out, I colored in the quilt block. These are named for their quilt blocks.


And now, it's hooped up and ready to go. In the beginning, I decided to start with the quilt block on each of these.


When I was finished with that, I realized that the cat was closed.


They'll reopen for business during regular business hours. This being a three-day weekend, I'm not sure whether they'll reopen before Tuesday.


This morning's slow stitching will probably consist of stitching down the binding for Let's RV. I might get started on the barn block a little later. As for machine stitching, I'm going to get a start on quilting the Alley Cats Quilt Guild. I haven't really thought about what to do with this, but something will come to me.


Oh yes, and the second challenge for Project Quilting will be announced today. Usually I need a day or two to think of something. Sometimes inspiration comes instantly with the announcement of the theme. We'll see. It'll be the Alley Cats unless I get waylaid by Project Quilting.

18 comments:

Karen - Quilts...etc. said...

that is a very cute camping block - we used to have a tiny pull behind camper and it was nice to be out of the rain and sleep on a bed - but it sure was tiny when you have a large husband! Now we have a small motorhome and it is little too - but bigger than the one we have 30 years ago

Sandra W said...

Nice job on the camper van piece. I'm amazed that you can do four WIPs in a month! But the again, you are a doer!
Love those kitties.

The Cozy Quilter said...

Cute camper with the perfect border fabric!

Julierose said...

Adorable camper piece--we went tenting when the kids were little in the Bershires--I loved it--we talked about getting an RV but never got to it...college $$ for our two intervened ;))) I also love that barn--did you crayon in the quilt pieces?? You do such nice stitcheries...
hugs, Julierose

QUILTING IS BLISSFUL, DI said...

I just love that little camper---you did a great job on it--way to go!!
and I enjoy watching you stitch your barns together--
happy stitching today--
luv, di

Vroomans' Quilts said...

Love the new little camper piece, border and binding fabric are just perfect. I know what you mean about 'stretching' that near the end finish - so close just gotta!

Jenny said...

That's a lovely little RV cross stitch piece you have just finished, just the thing to hang up in your camper. Don't the kitties look so lovely and peaceful when they are tucked up fast asleep!

quiltzyx said...

Love the way the camper embroidery looks with the borders! If it doesn't fit on a wall anywhere, maybe on a cupboard front or as a table topper? Definitely deserves to be see!

Oh, Smitty & Sadie look so cute all closed up for the day!

LIttle Penguin Quilts said...

Your camper stitching is just adorable! It's really fun to look at all the words all over it! My SIL and BIL are RVers - they would love that. Is the pattern available online?

Quilter Kathy said...

The camper stitchery is adorable! You found the perfect border fabric!
Enjoy your hand stitching today!

crazy quilter said...

Hi Barbara, when I was a cross stitcher I always had messy backs. No judging from me. I did the same and usually pressed some fusiable interfacing in the back. Your piece is very beautiful!

piecefulwendy said...

That little camper mini is really cute. I hope you find just the right place for it. I haven't tried the catnip thing with Wilbur, but think it might be a good thing to have on hand when he's trying to be helpful. Ha! So neat that your two kitties like being together. Do they like the snow?

Sarah said...

I love your caravan stitching. It is adorable and the fabric to mount it perfect! PS No judgement on the back....whose looking?

SJSM said...

Lots of updates here. Cat talk is always a treat to hear. Lovely finish on the camper stitchery. I know you have Mulligan Stew in the works for a while however it seems it is a quicker finish than some of your quilts. Only one set left to do. It rained all day here. Yesterday was all patternwork all the time I have 2 tops for myself, one for hubby and 1 and ½ pants patterns tweaked for fit. Today I will cut out and prep with interfacing and be ready for the retreat on Wednesday. I usually have more prepped than I ever could sew. It is good to have options if the going gets tough or tiresome.

Enjoy time with your hubby.

Brown Family said...

I wish my kitties were all good friends! Angel and Kirby use to be and then we brought in Max. He and Angel will never be friends. He is always asserting his male domination over his elder! Kirby and Max have come to terms and will sometimes sleep on the couch together almost touching!

You did a good job on the RV cross stitch. It is hard to get a neat back with words. The border is just right!

Kirby will get right in my face when I am sewing to offer his assistance. Then he will lay behind the sewing machine!

I hope Smitty and Sadie opened up before the weekend was over!

QuiltGranma said...

LOL!!! With the cats closed they remind me of hedge hogs! LOL!!! just can't stop! Love your little quilts too!

Kate said...

The Let's RV cross stitch turned out beautifully. Hope you can find a good place to hang it in the RV. Looks like the the kitties have developed there own version of winter hibernation.

Cheryl's Teapots2Quilting said...

The RV mini turned out really nice.