Finishes of a different sort

A box arrived late last week containing a book I have been waiting for ages to be published--the finale to The Clan of the Cave Bear/Earth's Children series.   

I finished this 750 page book last night. Son Nick said that since I read so fast I should just have gone to the bookstore and read the book!

These old, out of date and worn out vertical blinds in the living/dining room are also finished.

Now there are beautiful white shutters covering the windows.  Originally the delivery date for these shutters I ordered in April was July 5th. I'm so happy the estimate was way off!  While the shutters were being hung, needle and thread were being used for the first time in days.  The binding on my June UFO, Amish Stripes, started to be stitched down on the back--another hour or so and that should be finished as well.  Then I will reveal the little quilt's destination.   Here's a hint: I am close to finishing the 300s.

Tuesday's Orts

It is Tuesday, and time for Orts...those scraps and bits that float around all week in my head and land here.

• Last week was busy at work and we had the unusual feature of patients on Friday afternoon.  I didn't leave the office until after 6 pm.  My car wore another rut in the office-to-home path and never moved all weekend. 
• Saturdays have become almost purely sewing days for me.  I even forgot about a movie date with DH until it was too late to get cleaned up and to the theater on time and asked for a rain check.  Son Nick gave me much grief for the next 24 hours about "ditching his dad".
• Traffic rant:  Turn signals, people!  I could repeat this every week.  Yesterday a large pickup truck with a rack zoomed from a side street into my lane, causing me to brake, then swung wide and at the last second turned onto the next side street, naturally without a turn signal.  This event was seconded moments later by a moron who zoomed behind and tailgated me as I passed another slow moving truck and then swung wide and turned onto the side street from two lanes over, all without signalling.
• DD Erica is coming for a visit this weekend.  Not sure how much we'll see of her since she's got lots of friends to catch up with.  Maybe I'll peek in on her while she is sleeping, as I used to do when she was little.
• DD Elaine and I hammered out plans for those Mason jars purchased by the dozen a couple of weeks ago.  A picture frame is now involved.
• My sister and I both received the same email from my parents the other day, detailing a future possible retirement venture for the both of us:

Mom wrote:  "It's in Idaho and with a little love and care, we know it'll be the hottest spot in town."  Well, let's see, maybe we could name it The Little Cinder Block Quilt Shop. Nope, still doesn't make it cute enough to move to Idaho!  What say you, sister Kathy?

Design Wall Monday--June 6, 2011

There is nothing on my design surface but I have been busy this weekend.  First I got my May UFO Challenge project assembled and sandwiched and yesterday I completed the quilting.

It needs binding and a label--this will be the fastest UFO finish for me so far.  It's a very small quilt so that's not exactly a record breaking feat! 

I promised Carol of Brown Quilts two pillowcases and got those finished as well.  I used two different methods.  The piano key band one was from allpeoplequilt.com's free patterns for the One Million Pillowcases challenge.  My alteration to the construction was to do French seams on the body.  I also overcast the edges on the piano key band seam once it was attached.  The other I made from maryquilts.com's sharing of a pillowcase construction method that results in all the seams being enclosed as well, and is super fast to make.  I bought a white cotton twin flat sheet from Target (Room Essentials, $7.99 on sale) and have enough left for probably three more pillowcase bodies.  That line has other nice colors and I'll watch for the next sale.  See more design walls on Judy's Patchwork Times.     

Tommy's Kitchen Sink

The box full of quilty love reached Tommy on Tuesday and my Aunt Peggy called to let me know how thrilled he was.  I am happy to have brought some smiles.  She obligingly took some photos of the man and his quilt:

Tommy's been battling cancer and has lost a lot of weight, but not his great smile. 

Great modeling job, Tommy!  Sending healing thoughts as always, and extra love. 

A little Amish UFO

I pulled the box last night for #8 on my UFO Challenge list, Amish Stripes. This box has waited for many years to be emptied of its paper-pieced blocks.  I did not enjoy the process although I liked the colors I chose for the stripes along with that Kona black.  These were being made for a swap that I dropped out of late due to only completing 1/3 of the blocks as the deadline neared, and they certainly held no additional appeal for the guilt and shame at my failure!

Some were already trimmed and paper removed, some trimmed but still with paper, and the rest only stitched.  Removing the paper is surely tedious but there were only 20 blocks for the layout I chose.

This morning I got up early and sewed the top from this layout.  Luckily I have plenty of the Kona black to back and bind the quilt.  I'm keeping it simple!  This 4 x 5 setting will finish at 24 x 30 inches for a small-sized wallhanging.  I'd like to finish this little project by the end of the weekend, as it has a special destination I'll reveal in a few days. 

Next up for today is completing another pillowcase for Carol, of Brown Quilts, who has been collecting patriotic pillowcases for her friend, which she tells about HERE.  I volunteered to make two, and finished one several evenings ago.  Pics to follow! 

May UFO finish (well, nearly)

My May UFO has made it to the quilt sandwich stage.  That will have to do for a finish, as May is over!  I got further than last month's near finish, though, so I'm glad about that.

These blocks I won from Nicole at Sister's Choice Quilts about 18 months ago. 

The fabric is Yuletide Blessings and Nicole used the pattern called Fall Frolic by Evelyn Sloppy.  I haven't yet decided on what to rename it!  See other May UFO (actual) finishes on Judy's Patchwork Times. 

The June UFO number is #8, which on my list coordinates to the only paper pieced project I ever attempted and never finished, despite having many of the Amish Stripe blocks finished.  I may swap this out with #7 on my list, which is the Doll Quiltalong quilt I made in patriotic colors and want to hand quilt to display for the 4th of July holiday. Or I may attempt both, as they are small quilts.  I'll ponder for a day or two while I get May's UFO quilted!

Sewing with friends, and visitors

Memorial Day brought several people to our house, one planned, and two of them unexpected.  First, my friend Tanya arrived in the morning with her sewing machine, new Arrow portable sewing table, and several projects to play with.  She went home with a finished pillow cover, which we started last year:

Tanya and her husband have a travel trailer they take to the beach and this fun and bright 24" pillow will probably live in there. 

The light washed the color out, but this pink and brown flannel made up the majority of the backing, a simple overlapped slipcover.  I also showed her how to use the rotating cutting mat for squaring up blocks on another of her quilt projects and we worked on sashing and border ideas while she trimmed.  I love to sew with friends!  We had a great visit and I hope it is repeated soon.

My mom and dad just returned from a trip to Yellowstone Park with Cousin Florence (whom we stayed with in Cincinnati in April).  Mom came over bearing gifts and bringing their two new companions.

I helped Mom name the new companions.  Meet Jackson the Buffalo and Cody the Wolf.  Cousin Florence had generously ordered rooms at the Old Faithful Inn, with a fabulous view of the geyser from the rooms--the buffalo came from there. Their trip included a lot of dodging of weather due to plenty of storms, rain and snow showers.  They saw some amazing scenery and plenty of moose, buffalo, and elk.  In Cody, Wyoming, they went to a quilt shop that turns out to have been featured in the spring/summer 2011 Quilt Sampler magazine.  Called Friends and Co Quilt Shop, my dad picked up the issue and had the owner, Vicki Mollett, sign their page.  I loved the western style quilt she designed.   

Mom and Cousin Florence looked for fabric souvenirs. Cousin Florence remembered that I love Civil War prints and a jelly roll was the lovely result.  Barbara Brackman's blog, Civil War Quilts, has some fascinating history in addition to the wonderful blocks she is featuring and many in blogland are making.  We finished off Memorial Day with a barbecue with a different guest, son Nick's new girlfriend, Alison.  It was a lovely way to end the day.