Tommy's Kitchen Sink and a Bear

A finished quilt is a great feeling, and I put the last stitch in Tommy's Kitchen Sink this afternoon. He had to throw everything and the kitchen sink at his illness and I hope this quilt brings some smiles. 

I took this photo at my mom and dad's.  Luckily I did not have to pay a location fee for the photo shoot. 

However, a small blue Bear wanted to be in the photo.  (My dad says *Bear is a camera hog.)

*Bear is my dad's companion.

The backing is two colors of gingham flannel in wide horizontal bands.  (In this photo doesn't it look like the quilt is crossing its legs?)

My visit to my parents' house was twofold: taking pics of Tommy's quilt and also getting some measurements.  Apparently my brother Ted felt Bear needed a pair of choners (shorts) for modesty while riding prone on the dashboard during a recent trip Ted and Dad took (his crack was showing!).  I was telephoned from the road and asked to provide the clothing, since I live in the same town as Bear.

I think this recycled shirt is a good choice.  Iron crosses are pretty manly, right?

Dad said posting Bear's measurements online would be rude, so they are a secret.  Let's just say that Bear is apple-shaped and has healthy thighs. 

Various and Assorted

Long workweeks do not make for energetic nighttime quilters...I spent more time looking for quilting ideas and going to the fabric store for thread than actually quilting.  But this morning I got up early and got to it.  The Kitchen Sink quilt has aged far too long and needs to get to its new home.

After crosshatching with cream thread in the ditch diagonally through the center of the quilt, I went to my trusty three-step zig zag for the narrow border and some large puzzle-piece stippling in the wide border.  I know, I know, not adventurous in the least!

Using 40 wt thread means you run out of bobbin thread more often...one square foot to go and I ran out at this point!  Good thing I thought ahead and bought two spools of thread. 

Some free motion quilting in the setting triangles will finish off the quilting and I can proceed to binding, labeling, and mailing this off to my aunt's husband, who has been undergoing treatment for tongue cancer.  He's feeling better but is still recovering from radiation/chemo that took a deep toll on the Georgia native.  Hang in there, Tommy!

Tuesday's Orts

May is full upon us and the sound of birds.  They like orts too!

• Russell the dog seems to be suffering from spring allergies.  His eyes are all pink around the eyebrow and he is constantly twirling around on the grass rubbing his face.  He is probably allergic to the grass, the silly dog.
• Son Nick was playing some pickup basketball at the park last Thursday and rolled his ankle but good as he stepped on another player's foot with all his weight, going up for a layup.  He has one skinny ankle and bony foot and one fat ankle and fat foot.  Sprains sure take a long time to calm down.
• We had some unexpected rain last night and this morning when I took my walk everything was clean and fresh.  Too bad it was trash pickup day and I had to wend my way around all the cans parked on the sidewalk.
• I've been on a new eating plan for two weeks and have lost 5 lbs.  It is the No Sugar, No Flour diet by Dr. Gott.  You know, of the newspaper column.  Eating whole grains, meat/seafood, veggies, nuts, and fruit leaves me feeling full so that I don't crave sugar or processed food.  I feel clearer-headed and have more energy.  That's a good feeling!
• Traffic rant:  Parking lots that are so poorly designed that there is only one way in and one way out unless you drive an entire city block to the other end to exit onto a street you can't make a left turn onto to get back to where you came from.
• Mother's Day cards warm the heart.  I like to get the funny ones too.
• My Mother in Law, when she saw her vintage tablecloths and her china gracing the tables at our Mother's Day brunch here, said, "I've seen those before".  And promptly offered me all the rest of her linens.  Oh, my groaning cupboards!
• Gratuitous scenery photo from So Calif:   

This is camping at Faria Beach. A long row of RVs lined up on the edge of the road.

And this is why!  What a view.  It was dinnertime when I took these shots a couple of weeks ago and my mouth was watering from all the BBQ smells.  These spots are full nearly every weekend and of course all major holidays, practically all year long.  Even I could camp like this!

Design Wall Monday--May 9, 2011

I hope everyone had a lovely Mother's Day.  We held our annual brunch here and enjoyed mini muffin omelets, bacon, fresh berries, homemade chocolate chip scones, pumpkin bread, and waffles, plus a carrot cake with cream cheese frosting that was to die for.  Lots of mimosas and OJ flowed as well. 

This roomful of men were watching the Lakers lose.  But they were well fed!  That's my dad, brother, three nephews and future son in law.  At the table are two of my sisters in law, not watching the game :).

On my design floor is this month's pick for the UFO Challenge, #9.  I am determined to get this one finished so need to get a move on! 

 Nicole of Sister's Choice Quilts made 68 of these blocks from this pattern and I was the lucky winner of them when she had a giveaway a year and a half ago. 

Pattern is Fall Frolic by Evelyn Sloppy.  I love the diagonal lines of the design, and red and green is my favorite color combo so I will enjoy playing with these pretty blocks.

It will be a challenge to lay it all out and get the distribution of the blocks even.  Nicole made a few extra blocks 7x9 layout.  It will make a nice sized throw at 56 x 72.  I'm raring to get them sewn!

See more Design Walls on Judy's Patchwork Times. 

April UFO finish--Cheddar and Cinnamon

Yes, I know it's a few days into May, but my April UFO is as finished as it's getting for now.  It was a bit ambitious of me to think I could complete a whole quilt from blocks to binding during a month in which I was going to be out of the state for a whole week and then play catch up at my two jobs!

After assembling the quilt by section...

...I laid out some border options.  Originally I thought I might just do top and bottom borders because I felt the quilt might be too narrow at 63" finished.   

I believe I've mentioned before that I am not a MATH girl. Upon refiguring, it turned out I had not counted borders for all four sides, so the quilt would actually finish at 72", based on the pattern's two borders of 2" and 7" finished, which is plenty big for a couch quilt.  Yeah, I am a WORD girl, not MATH.

 

Ultimately I went with a 6" finished outer border so I could include some corner blocks.

The top is finished!  This is from a Thimbleberries book, the pattern is called Nine Patch Criss-Cross.  I emphasized the stars using Cheddar and Cinnamon fabrics, hence my version's name.

I love this quilt and am so thankful for all the swappers who made these wonderful 9 patches.  I'm pondering whether I should have made the corner blocks with cheddar triangles only.  Also, that very low contrast 9 patch is bothering me a bit and I may decide to change it out. It is especially noticeable in photos.  Opinions?

May's UFO Challenge pick is #9, which on my list is this yummy pile of blocks I won awhile ago in a giveaway from Nicole of Sister's Choice Quilts .  She did not include the pattern but gave the name and I found a photo online that I can work from to assemble it.  The fabric is Moda's Yuletide Blessings, though it doesn't look especially Christmasy.  I'll enjoy putting this together!  See other April UFO finishes on Judy's Patchwork Times. 

Tuesday's Orts

It was a busy week and lots of orts are floating around my mind--they land here each week.

• The royal wedding was quite a spectacle--but the lovely Kate and her handsome Prince William were classy and mature.  Her dress was just lovely and suited her so well.
• Wedding salon dress shopping with DD Elaine was a new experience.  She looked beautiful in every dress she tried on and her audience, including me, a best friend, future MIL, and future SIL were not much help at first as we oohed and aahed at her in each one.  Elaine finally tried on several of the dresses again to narrow it down to two.
• The sample size of one of the finalists was so large it had to be clamped up and down either the front, so the back was flat, or down the back, for the front to be flat.  They need to invent Bridal Clamps to blend in, instead of big industrial red clamps from the hardware store. 
• Future SIL asked Elaine the final question a la Say Yes to the Dress:  "Elaine, is this your dress?"  And it was.  Sorry, no peeking till the big day!  Her sister Erica was allowed to see it online since she is out of the state and missed being there so much.
• Sunday I ran out to the shops for a little retail therapy.  Dresses are back in style, yay!  But so many of them are made from that nasty polyester that clings to every lump and bulge.  I found a cotton knit that works much better and even has pockets.
• Traffic rant:  They have been digging up the street daily on the route I must take to get to work, to replace a flood channel line.  I want to bash into each mallethead that waits until the last second to merge into the one open lane!  Grr
• Sometimes picture taking involves moving objects when you least expect them:

Thanks, Mini, for adding a huge artifact in the middle of my favorite block!

Design Wall Monday--May 2, 2011

On my design floor today is my April UFO.  I've got the center stitched together but need to add borders tonight.  It won't be finished to my original idea but it will be a completed top and not a bunch of blocks in a box.

This is 54" square at present.  I'm trying to decide if I want to add borders all around, or just at the top and bottom to make it longer.  For bottom and top borders only, I would add the cheddar fabric first and then the cinnamon, with maybe a small strip of the cream/red print between.  Opinions, anyone?

See more Design Walls on Judy's Patchwork Times.