Floral BOM

I am not sure I even knew what I was doing, yet, this quilt is ready to ship on Monday.

It is a Floral BOM Mystery quilt. Obviously, scrap. Each block is made as a separate vision & color scheme. The blocks are framed with a white & blue print, then a first border using 2.5" scrap squares. The final border is a blue, white & gray floral print & the binding is also scrappy. 

The back is made of 6" scrap squares. And quilting is a simple wavy line. It is getting harder for me to work with the Essential Tremors now in both hands. Needle threading is a challenge as is keeping lines. Oh well. It turned out nicely.

Joining Batting

I joined what was needed for one quilt and have more pieces ready for the second one. It is silly to throw away batting if I can use it. However, I did put a bagful of smaller batting strips into the giveaway box and in the batting bag so they know what they have to try and sell.

Although the batting may be ready, my final check and press is needed for both quilt projects. Once these joined pieces are used for quilts, whatever gets cut off of them does get tossed. I simply cannot use anything smaller. Also my machine needs to be completely cleaned once they are joined. The lint that gathers is heavier than with plain 100% cotton.

The weekend was spent cutting off threads on both sides of a piece, checking for narrow or incomplete seams and getting them reinforced. Its such a mundane task but essential. I thought I was ready to baste, but that is not the case. It all needs a final press now that it has been folded endless times.

Golden Harvest

While speaking with one of my long-time friends, I realized I had a PIG (Project In Grocery Bag) or UFO (Unfinished Object) that she would enjoy. It surprised me that there was enough of the fabrics to make both the top and back.

Moreover, this Rail Fence pattern is completed for one side of the quilt, and the Star also using the Rail Fence was started for the other side. I am going to keep making the Stars and let it come out random for her. 

There were no notes-to-self for this project. I don't know if I had someone in mind when I started it, nor did I really know what the plan was.
 
As a result, I am just starting new, so to speak, and simply finishing it for someone who will enjoy it. The Rail Fence might have been a front or a back. It is quite long at 104" so a seam can be ripped and the finished blocks added to the shorter width. I am leaving it until the other side is finished.

What I find enchanting about this project is that it is so easy to complete. I have no idea why I put it away. Such a mystery. However, the real Golden Harvest of it is that it is being finished. I understand why some UFOs are damned difficult to complete. They come out, and with them can be a lot of frustration. 

Frustration seems to come from unresolved feelings. The feelings can include thinking I am inept, or not having enough fabric, or not understanding how the pattern works. Or any other assorted feelings that simply stop a person.

Well, for whatever reason, this project is something that I am completing feeling quite neutral. I want to get it to the stage of basting readiness. That means I need to join some batting, and then take it and the Florals quilt into the clubhouse and baste them both at the same time. I am excited to finish them both and give them new homes.

Merry & Bright BOM

This one is our favorite candy. I selected the Honey Nugent with dried fruit and sliced almonds. Its actually imported from Italy and comes wrapped in a foil paper and then sits in a small box. I love these and haven't had them for years. I've seen them at that Cost Plus Market in Bakersfield and may buy a few this year.

The squares are only 9" and I've been joining them to the setting blocks as they get made. Some of this one has holiday fabric, but the center beiges are regular. I am liking how it is turning out but it will not be finished in time to give as a gift for this holiday.

For as much as I use, there is still so much in the stash. I think I will attempt to use up more of the larger pieces for the back when it does get finished.

Yesterday, I spent time working on my scrapbook. Once again, I sorted photos into sections and threw a handful of them away. I made a list of headers, text or stories for some of the pages and will do that on the computer. I doubt I will get back to that project once my company comes. Meanwhile I keep quilting as I can. Everything is really finished that 'needs' to go out this year, so there is no pressure.

Floral Center

I have 12 floral blocks, so decided to join them and add sashing. It will need a focus fabric, so what I did was to take a picture of how it looks now to see what I can use.

Part of the challenge with my quilting is trying to use what I have to make a quilt top and back. The photo shows a variety of colors which is what was planned. The sashing is leftover from my Grandson's quilt. Its not white and because it was a large print of blue on the white, it sort of neutralizes the look. I need to measure it to see how much fabric I need for a border and go from there. I am happy with how it is looking so far. Everything was randomly placed.

Floral BOM

I made this today, and while it is done, it gave me some challenges to get it to the 12.5" square. It will fit with the other blocks and that is my next step.

I like how it turned out and next is to see how the other 11 blocks will work together. The white fabric stretched for me, whether I cut it on the bias or something else went on. I am not fighting with it, nor am I remaking it. It either works with the other blocks or will be replaced with a different pattern. I like the color combo here and call it done.

Merry & Bright

While I did piece the next block, it isn't trimmed. I've joined it to one of the setting blocks. Next one that is released for this row, I want to use more of the traditional red & green.

Today, at the Post Office, was very challenging. I shipped out two quilts and a simple envelope to one Niece. Should have been an in and out event. Should have been.

At first, the clerk wanted to charge $55 to send the box by priority mail. It could not be smashed down to the large flat rate box. When I balked, he said it would be less to send it by ground. Ground takes longer, and sometimes when I have opted for that way, it gets there sooner than the priority shipments.

However, I needed a different label. In re-doing the address, I wrote the wrong half of the street address, and his 'search' wouldn't accept it or give a zip code. No zip, no ship.

In order to call to get the correction, I had to leave the building for better reception, and got a friend who could give me the zip and correct address. Going back inside, I had to stand in line AGAIN. The ground fee, signature & new label (79 cents) came to $26.59.

I surrendered the entire experience. I've found too much stress and anxiety building in me lately and decided I needed to rest, and to get outside to be in the gardens. Weather has turned colder, much colder now. I can see some of the more fragile plants curl from Winter's Breath.

Me. Well, I want to cuddle under afghans and quilts, drink tea and eat soup.

Sacred Jets

I finished binding it and will get it ready to ship in the morning. I thought about this very cute little 4-year-old boy who will most likely drag it around his house and yard, laughing and running with joy. It was a pleasure to make him.

Who knows if these will be his colors or if even cares? I really like the wavy vertical quilting lines and might just do that again. It was easy and very effective for home machine quilting. Easy is always good. 

I don't plan to work on anything the rest of the day and may take it easy over the weekend.

Solstice to Solstice

Its not the largest quilt I've made but I sure had issues getting it all to fit in the pic. 

Solstice to Solstice Mystery BOM. That means it was a mystery quilt that was released one block each month, going from June Solstice to December Solstice. I set it aside because I didn't know how I was going to finish it.

I love it and it will ship either Friday or Saturday.

Binding Halfway

I felt like I was flying on the binding, only to discover a seam that was coming loose. That meant, I ripped off the machine stitching and need to catch that seam again. Before I go on with it, I need to re-examine both sides. I thought I did earlier but hey...these eyes.

Of course, just saying two words brought a 1969 song to mind by the Guess Who. This is what young men looked like in the later 60's, & none of them appealed to me then or now.

"...These eyes watched you bring my world to an end..."

Well, I may be a bit dramatic over a seam in need of re-doing, but its how I feel right now. Luckily there is plenty of time to make the correction and finish the other half of the binding before the weekend when I want to ship it out.

Ready to Bind

Such a big quilt at 90" square. I pinned edges so I could cut off the excess and get it ready for binding. Huge. This quilt is huge!

I am tempted to put it under my needle and quilt some of the parts. I might still do that. It took me the entire morning to trim it. Of course, I went all sorts of places with the work I did. 

Done is done. My next step is to calculate yardage and cut the binding joining into one long strip. It is a beauty however and I hope she likes what I did on it.