Once and Future Sewing

It was a busy day yesterday. We started our morning with Eggs Benedict for Mike's birthday breakfast. My shoulder is feeling much better now six months out from my bike accident. I can do most things on my own now, but whisking things like Hollandaise sauce will make it hurt. Mike whisked his own Hollandaise for this meal. In all of this, he's gaining a new appreciation for some of the things that go on in the kitchen.

After that, I did the only sewing of the day when I sewed the binding on the Poppy Mosaic. This might seem like a strange choice of fabrics to you (on the left).

When I finish a quilt top, I usually make the quilt back at the same time, and then cut all the strips I'll need for the binding. Then everything gets stacked together. When I pulled out these binding strips, I wasn't sure I'd picked the right ones. On the other hand, they didn't go with any of the other quilts I had sandwiched for quilting either. So I checked on an old blog post...sure enough. I said I'd auditioned a bunch of fabrics, and I liked this one best. Okay...no need to reinvent the wheel, right? So it's sewn on now, but that's as far as I got with it. I had a mission in mind.

As I mentioned yesterday, my favorite local quilt shop gives a 25% discount on your whole purchase during the week of your birthday. It seemed like a good time to buy yardage for quilt backs on some of the quilts I'm working on right now. So, I left, armed with a list of the quilts that would eventually need backs, and I came home with all of this:

So here's what they're for. The top one was in their bargain basement (literally, in their basement). I just liked it. There was 1-5/8 yards left on the bolt, and I took it all. There is no plan for it. 

The rest were all bought for specific quilts. This one

will be the back for New Mexico Kitchen. Here are the blocks I have for this quilt so far. 

There's actually one more that didn't make it's way into the photo.

This project is next up in my sewing room.

The next fabric, this pretty floral,

will be the backing for Jenny's Flower Garden.

I still need to sew the blocks together, but then that will be a finished top.

This one...

will be for the Posies quilt I'm working on right now. 

I won't need the backing until next year, at the earliest, but it's good to be prepared. There could be some kind of fabricatastrophe between now and then. It's a weird world right now.

Finally, this one. This was another from their bargain basement.

This will be for the City Bank quilt.

I still need 12 more blocks before I can finish off this top. While I was shopping, I pulled two bolts off the shelf, and I was having a hard time making up my mind between the two. When they reached the cutting counter, I made my decision and put the other one back.

So, hey...that was a good day of shopping. I saved $72.26 with my discount. Mission accomplished.

Sadie has discovered the joys of the wood box in the morning. She can keep an eye on squirrels, lie in the sun, stay dry...why, it's a kitty paradise right there outside our dining room window.

People are so impurrtinent, however...always tapping on the glass trying to get you to look their direction. It's very exaspurrating.

This morning I'm heading off to the farmer's market with Erik and Mae. We're expecting both clouds and sunshine, but no rain. I don't really have anything on my list aside from enjoying their company. 

When I get home, there's plenty to do. The whole family will be up for dinner tomorrow to celebrate our three May birthdays and Mother's Day. My part in the whole affair will be small, but I want to make a green bean dish today, and then tomorrow, I'll be baking a pie. There's a little housework that should get done too. I have to set a good example for my kiddos, don't you know. So with all of that, I'm just hoping to turn a couple of corners on my quilt binding today.