Number Five

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I cracked into my fifth bolt of batting the other day.  The hubs asked how many I had gone through in the past five years.... and I told him this was my fifth.  Then he did the math I've gone through 160 yards of batting.   But think of the savings!  I've spent roughly $640 on my bolts vs. $1,600 buying it by the yard!  (even if I had scrounged for coupons I still would have spend around $960 buying it by the yard)

That cost difference is like 96 yards worth of fabric I could buy! Friends!  If you are quilting regularly you should be buying bolts!

I'm on FIRE

I have been on fire!  Not little campfire style flames, but like a big 'ol bonfire.

Doesn't this quilt bring happy spring thoughts to mind?  Even when the grass is winter brown, and the trees and bushes are bare sticks,  This quilt makes the photo seem cheerful.  

I made a trip to HoLo yesterday and picked up a couple quilt backings, and some white thread.  I needed a spool of thread to finish quilting this pretty throw.  I always use Coats and Clark 100% cotton 1200 yard spools of thread, and when I ran out I switched to a Coats and Clark  100% cotton small spool, and I was having one heck of a time with the top thread shredding and breaking.  I think it happened 4 times in one evening and I grew so frustrated that I set it aside to wait for a regular spool.  I'd really like to understand why this happens when I use small spools.  The tension stays the same, but the top frays.  I'll ask the shop when I take Jenni Juki in for her first ever tune up.  She isn't ailing, but after 4 1/2 years of hard labor I thought a little check up would be wise.  

As it worked out last night after I was done quilting I used the extra green fabric from my Blueberry patch quilt backing to bind my Scrumptious quilt.  Good economical decision.  Also, I think it looks lovely. 

I actually finished TWO quilts yesterday, but I cannot share this one yet.... soon.  Very soon I will have a bunch more quilts to share.

I am growing attached to the machine binding method.  I'm getting better at it, and I like the way it turns out now.  I'm happy to report the different colored top and bobbin threads continues to work well.

Yesterday was an amazingly productive day.  With two quilts finished and two quilts basted.... THE LAST TWO!  Did you hear me?  My last two UFO's on my list to complete are basted and slated for quilting very soon.  

I'm going to get cracking on the Mod Pop this afternoon.  

Afterwards I will work my way on to quilting my Virtual Quilting Bee sampler, which I've named the Blueberry Patch.

I'm pretty sure my dedication to getting these projects off my list is directly related to my anxiousness to start something NEW!  I have a cabinet full of beautiful fabric patiently waiting to be broken into.... Honeysweet, Sunnyside, April Showers, Honkytonk,  and Simply Style are all calling my name.  

I must succeed!

I WILL succeed!

1. Birthday gift for my sister- DONE
2. Baby gift for a friend due in late spring- DONE
3. Happy Go Lucky- DONE
4. Cuzco- DONE
5. Economy Block I-spy- DONE
6. Marmalade- DONE
7. Blueberry Patch Sampler- Ready for quilting
8. Scrumptious- DONE
9. Baby gift for a friend due in late spring-DONE
10. Mod Pop Quilt Along-Quilting
11. Mystery BOM - up to date 
12. Plums- I'm leaving it
13. Postage Stamp- I'm leaving it
14. A gift quilt- DONE

If I Had A Front Porch Swing

 This quilt would probably be out there all of the time.  

I'm talking about a classic glassed in porch with a swing, or a wicker love seat.  I wouldn't want it exposed to the elements of course.   

I finished my marmalade quilt last night.  It's so beautiful.  I love the fabrics.  I love the pattern.  I am so pleased with the finished quilt.  

I love the way a quilt looks when it's back lit.  Makes it look like stained glass.  

I used a yellow backing!  How cheerful is that?!

It's so wonderful to have another quilt DONE.

I really only have three other quilts on my list!

1. Birthday gift for my sister- DONE
2. Baby gift for a friend due in late spring- DONE
3. Happy Go Lucky- DONE
4. Cuzco- DONE
5. Economy Block I-spy- DONE
6. Marmalade- DONE
7. Blueberry Patch Sampler- top is done
8. Scrumptious- Being quilted
9. Baby gift for a friend due in late spring-DONE
10. Mod Pop Quilt Along- need to baste
11. Mystery BOM - up to date 
12. Plums- I'm leaving it
13. Postage Stamp- I'm leaving it

Nine

I. LOVE. THIS.

Block nine arrived this afternoon and I just happen to have an afternoon open to sew it up.  

Also, I'm banging this stuff out.  I finished another quilt yesterday, but I haven't shared a few of these crossed out projects because they need to be mailed.  I'm going to make it a priority to make it to the USPS tomorrow because I have THREE quilts that need to be mailed out.  That will take a bite out of my quilt allowance, but I should still have enough funds to purchase a binding for my marmalade.  I've got this!

1. Birthday gift for my sister- DONE
2. Baby gift for a friend due in late spring- DONE
3. Happy Go Lucky- DONE
4. Cuzco- DONE
5. Economy Block I-spy- DONE
6. Marmalade- needs a binding
7. Blueberry Patch Sampler- top is done
8. Scrumptious- Being quilted
9. Baby gift for a friend due in late spring-DONE
10. Mod Pop Quilt Along- need to baste
11. Mystery BOM - up to date 
12. Plums- I'm leaving it
13. Postage Stamp- I'm leaving it

My Economy I-Spy

A finish!  

I really love the scrappy look of this quilt.  It really makes this I-spy so much more fun.  

 The backing is not juvenile, but still fun and pretty.

This project really did clear out some of my scraps.  I may have some more economy blocks in my future.  

This first birthday quilt is done early!  Can you believe it?  I'll set it aside for my sweet niece's birthday in June.  I'm so pleased to have another quilt DONE.

1. Birthday gift for my sister- DONE
2. Baby gift for a friend due in late spring- DONE
3. Happy Go Lucky- DONE
4. Cuzco- DONE
5. Economy Block I-spy- DONE
6. Marmalade- Quilted
7. Blueberry Patch Sampler- top is done
8. Scrumptious- Being quilted
9. Baby gift for a friend due in late spring- Attaching the Binding
10. Mod Pop Quilt Along- need to baste
11. Mystery BOM - up to date 
12. Plums- I'm leaving it
13. Postage Stamp- I'm leaving it

Have I Ever Mentioned...

...that I hail from some incredibly talented women?

I may not have brought it up because I will never sew or quilt at a level that could be compared to my grandmother.  Seriously.   

I flew home last week to attend my grandmother's funeral.  It was a tough trip.  One made so much easier because my family is amazing and I thoroughly enjoyed my time catching up with cousins and aunts and uncles. 

During the service several of my cousins shared their love of my grandma's stellar cooking.  It was true, this woman could cook.  While I heard her German Potato Salad mentioned for literally the 12th time, I was privately reflecting on the amazing talent my grandma had as a seamstress and quilter.  Of course I should have mentioned it at the service, but I wouldn't have been able to get through speaking, as just typing seems to have me a bit choked up.  

Sadly, the only thing I still have is my pillow blanket.  And it hardly shows off her talent. But I can tell you this woman was amazing.  One year for Christmas she gifted out a massive number of these pillow blankets.  Another year, she made every one of us robes.  Quilted robes, and by all of us I mean 15-20 of us.  It seems like I was very young that year, and obviously I had nearly no knowledge of sewing or quilting at my age, but I remember thinking "How did she make all of these".  As a grown up I still wish I had asked her what month she started those twenty robes.  Based on my Christmas sewing, I'd imagine May or April right?  

One Christmas my grandma made me Barbie clothes.  They were beautiful, I remember my favorites being a satin nightgown with matching robe, a fur coat.  How she could stitch those little things will baffle me forever.  I should have taken sewing lessons from her.  A big regret I'll always have.   I'll never forget how we joked about her habit of buying bolts of batting.... and here I am a bolt buyer myself.   

I spent so much time with my grandma while I was growing up and I have so many wonderful memories....  watching her cook, playing cards,  enjoying blueberry pancakes for breakfast, watching her pulling out her good dishes,  and about a million other things I remember watching her do with awe. 

Even though I'll never have her skill, I'm so happy to have had her influence and love.  

Number 500

Did you know this is my 500th blog post?  Ya, probably you didn't.  

Doesn't that sound excessive?  Even spread out over four and a half years.  Did you know that 2013 was my quietest blog year since I started this puppy?......but, I have enjoyed tracking my progress more lately.  I hope I keep it up this year.  This quilt blog is an important part of my quilting progress.

Sadly, I really don't have anything meaningful or momentous to blog about. Just an update on my dang wips. 

My scrumptious quilt is being quilted. That seems pretty lame for an entire post, but it's all I've got.  

Now that I'm feeling really good about my progress I'm starting to reconsider #13.  Maybe I'll make a smaller version after all.  If I get the binding finished on #5 this coming week, purchase a binding for #6 today or tomorrow, finish quilting #8, and slap the binding on #9 by machine, then I may be out of things to do pretty soon.  I'll have to budget my backings for the mod pop and sampler, so I might pick up the patchwork from the postage stamp while I wait.... time will tell (and my allowance will decide).

1. Birthday gift for my sister- DONE
2. Baby gift for a friend due in late spring- DONE
3. Happy Go Lucky- DONE
4. Cuzco- DONE
5. Economy Block I-spy- binding attached, just needs hand sewing
6. Marmalade- Quilted
7. Blueberry Patch Sampler- top is done
8. Scrumptious- Being quilted
9. Baby gift for a friend due in late spring- Quilted
10. Mod Pop Quilt Along- top is done
11. Mystery BOM - up to date 
12. Plums- I'm leaving it
13. Postage Stamp- I'm leaving it