A Whimsical Finish

Good morning, my friends. It felt like a busy day yesterday, although it doesn't seem as if I have much to show for it. I was bothered by my left wrist for much of the day. It sometimes happens when I've been quilting. A few days ago, I noticed it was bothering me. By the time I was ready to do any sewing, it was feeling better and I forgot all about it. Then, yesterday the pain came back with a vengeance, and I ended up immobilizing it around noon. It doesn't hurt unless I move it, and so the splint helps. It just makes everything else seem awkward. 

But a little wrist pain can't keep a good stitcher down. I still went ahead and stitched up Day 10 of the Tiny Hearts. This one is all fly stitch.

After that, I did some more stitching on the Joyful Journey piece, although I didn't take a picture.

There was some housework to do, and I did a Bow-Flex workout. It probably didn't do my wrist any good, and it was after the workout that I decided to use the splint. When I was able to make it back to the sewing room, I found Smitty there ready to help cut border strips.

With such an excellent helper, how could I not finish off My Whimsical Quilt Garden? Sometimes it can be a bugger sewing on borders, but these two went on easily. The finished quilt top ends up at 62 x 74 inches. 

I'd hoped to use some of that fabric from the outer border on the back. I had folded (rolled) yardage, and it felt as if I had at least a couple of yards. When I opened it up, I realized I'd stuffed cut-off strips in the folds, and there was only about a yard that was uncut. It wasn't enough to piece together a whole  back. I'd also pulled some other fabrics, and they were all the same...just about one uncut yard and a bunch of cut-off pieces. So, okay...I didn't have fabric for the back, but I was able to cut binding strips from the green stripe below.

No doubt we'll be visiting quilt shops on our trip. Heck, I'm making a pilgrimage to Missouri Star Quilt Company on this trip. It seems to me I'll be able to find some fabric for the back while we're traveling, and that is my plan. I've added the pattern for this quilt to my Used Pattern Yard Sale. When I add these used patterns, I look for what a new one costs and ask for half the price plus a little extra for postage. It seems this pattern might be out of print because the ones I saw were priced at $75 and above. It's possible to find the pattern as a digital download for $11.99 right here. If you'd prefer a paper pattern, then I've got you covered.

If my wrist will allow it, I'll get back to quilting the Dot-to-Dot panel. I'd like to get this finished before we go.

Next up on my whiteboard is to quilt and bind this little mini. I'll do this one on my domestic machine.

The timing of our trip combined with what sewing projects I can manage between now and then seems a little off. There's too little time to finish anything large, and too much time for small things. I might get to work finishing off another of the larger quilt tops, but I haven't decided. Frankly, I'm in a baking mood today. I have some things on my must-bake list I'd like to try, and my wrist might do better with that.

For dinner last night, I tried this recipe from Eating Well for Creamy Sun-dried Tomato & Spinach Soup with Ravioli. This was really good and very easy too.

The recipe called for "mini ravioli." I could only find regular ravioli, and so I substituted tortellini. It's pretty much the same thing. Also, it called for eight cups(!) of spinach. I put in the whole eight cups, but it seemed like too much for the amount of broth. I'll make it again, but I'll use just four cups of spinach next time. Mike liked it enough to have seconds. 

So there's a little housework to do today...not much. And then I'll look at doing some quilting and some baking. It's going to be a slow Sunday...the best kind. And maybe by the end of the day I'll have baked up something good to eat. The mind reels at the possibilities.

Also, I can't let the day go by without acknowledging that today would have been the 41st birthday of our daughter, Holly. I don’t suppose I’ll ever stop wondering what she might have been like. Watching an old episode of Madam Secretary recently, I heard this quote mentioned. It seems particularly fitting to the loss of a child.

The most painful state of being is remembering the future, particularly the one you'll never have.  

~ Søren Kierkegaard

So happy birthday, baby girl. We loved you all of your life.