More Quilt Backs and One Finish

Woven Strings

I finally finished the binding on this quilt that I quilted quite awhile back.  Feels good to sit around with a quilt on your lap these days. Weatherguy said it was 8 degrees this morning - first time we've had single digit temps since 2000. 

                

Decisions, decisions. Three more to go.

Quilting Queue

Snow days are good days for sewing. Our road is a mess - not that I have anywhere I need to be until Friday morning.
I am on a mission to get backs made for all my finished tops.
Yesterday, I made a few more backs and bindings for some.
I have 14 in the queue right now (6 are small or baby quilts). I'll carry these down to the quilt cave when this snow melts.  Maybe today I'll get the final three done. Or maybe I'll just sew what I want!
Have a fun day!

Making Quilt Backs

This is the Nine Patch Plaid Quilt that I quilted in November.  I like how it looks.

Orca Bay quilt

Yesterday was our bee meeting.  I took the Orca Bay Quilt so that I could work on the binding.  I finished it last night.  Hoorah!  Tonight I finished the binding on the woven string stars quilt.  I quilted it a couple of months back.  I also have the Bunkhouse Braid quilt that needs the binding sewn down.

Friday evening I added the small border to the Coping Quilt.  It has I more small border and the a finishing  solid fabric border.


This afternoon I made backs for 4 baby quilts, and 3 large lap size quilt.  I still have 4 more quilt tops that are finished, 3 are full size and one is a large wall hanging. 

Tomorrow is Table of Grace at WUMC so there will be no time for quilting.  So glad the weatherman has offered up a warm day for us.  

Debbie's Quilt

Back working on the Coping quilt.  I put the inner border on and have made all the small blocks for the outer border.  Now I have to trim all 56 of the border blocks as I cut them all 1/4" too big (better than cutting them too small at least).

Cousins - 1969

We were looking through some old pictures after Gordon's Memorial Service and came across this old one  picture taken in 1969 at my mother's in Shinhopple, NY.  There were 17 cousins then -5 more were added later on. My brother's daughter, Linda standing in front of Gordon (in glasses) lost her life in an automobile accident when she was just 18. 

My niece, Debbie, sitting 2nd from left, was here for the service and I took the opportunity to give her a Jubilee quilt, shown below,  to honor her 50th birthday.

Exquisite Star - Pink

Tomorrow is our Undercover Bee Meeting.  It will be good to see everyone.  And I think we will have a couple of visitors who are interested in joining our bee.  I think I will take a quilt to sew down the binding so I won't have to carry my machine.  Stay warm.

Progress on Coping

This morning after my surprise guests left, I sewed 16 of my blocks into four larger units.  I also made 3 border blocks.  I think the pattern calls for 56 border units.

These four block units measure 17 1/2 inches each.  I only need nine of these units for the center of the quilt.

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My Surprise New Year Guests

I finished Book I of The Secret History by Donna Tartt last night just before  midnight.  I decided not to stay up for the Times Square Ball Drop and went to bed.  The phone woke me up about 1:15 - All I could think was OH NO - NOW WHAT!

 It was John's brother Al - who lives just a couple of miles from me.  He and his wife had been to a party and were locked out of their house.  So they came over and spent the night with me.  An impromptu pajama party  - old folks style. 

 Kind of nice once I got over the scary late night call.

Happy New Year to All.

New Project - Fandango/Coping

One of my new Christmas gifts had a picture of this quilt on the cover, so I had to start it at the first possible moment.  Things were pretty quiet around here Friday evening and I started cutting some of the hundreds of 1.25 X 10" strips needed for the finished quilt.  To be completely honest, the first block was made with 1.5" strips, because I thought I remembered the right measurements! 
The book is "DEVOTED TO SCRAPS"  from Leisure Arts.
I was surprised to also see a pattern from someone I actually know.  Connie Walker who used to own a local quilt shop (Whistle Stop in Selma NC) has her "Meet Me at the Manor" quilt pattern published in it too.

Lots of cutting, sewing, trimming seams and pressing but that is just what I need right now. 

 I will probably call it Coping because the uneven strips make me think of the little strips sometimes added to adjust for a block's size and  also  because that's what we're all doing around here just now.

Missing Both My Number One and Two Guys

Gordon and John 2008

So shocked to lose Gordon so soon after John.  At least they will have each other's comfort in Heaven. Gordon's friend, Stan, read the following poem at Gordon's Memorial Service on Friday.  We will miss them both tomorrow but have all our wonderful memories  of each of them which can never be taken from us.
 

My First Christmas in Heaven

I see the countless Christmas trees around the world below 

With tiny lights like Heaven’s starts, reflecting on the snow. 

The sight is so spectacular, please wipe away the tear 

For I am spending Christmas with Jesus Christ this year. 

I hear the many Christmas songs that people hold so dear 

But the sounds of music can’t compare with the Christmas choir up here. 

I have no words to tell you, the joy their voices bring, 

For it is beyond description, to hear the angels sing. 

I know how much you miss me, I see the pain inside your heart, 

But I am not far away, we really aren’t apart. 

So be happy for me, dear ones, you know I hold you dear, 

And be glad I’m spending Christmas with Jesus Christ this year.

I sent you each a special gift, from my heavenly home above, 

I sent you each a memory of my undying love. 

After all love is a gift more precious than pure gold. 

It was always most important in the stories Jesus told. 

Please love and keep each other, as my Father said to do 

For I can’t count the blessing or love He has for each of you. 

So have a Merry Christmas and wipe away that tear. 

Remember, I am spending Christmas with Jesus Christ this year.

Santa Archive 2000