Tuesday, December 24, 2013

An 'Atom' of work completed

It's been crazy busy here (just like most of your lives, too).  Church musical dinners (I was in charge of food for about 90 people) then driving to/from Oklahoma to get my youngest son's stuff from his dorm.  He's moving to Alaska on Sunday for the next few  years, or even longer.  We're not sure if we'll even get to see him again before his wedding in 2015.  Waaa!!!! 

My inlaws (did I mention that I have the Wonderful kind of inlaws) have come for Christmas.  My father in laws birthday was last Friday.  He is a retired physics professor.  When I saw this pattern, I just knew I had to make this for him.

paper pieced Atom block

paper pieced Atom block
I don't remember just where I first saw this, but, the pattern is by Elizabeth Mosher over at Doodle ee doo' blogspot

I searched tons of quilt shops (yes, tons) and finally found an atom fabric by Michael Miller on a shop hop back in October, to be the backing for this.

This is a great block, but, if you make this block, be warned that it has a total of 161 pieces in it!  Now I know why it took me so long to make this one block!

finished mini quilt
I pieced and quilted this on my favorite hand crank.

1959 Singer Spartan hand crank
I love the precision I get paper piecing with a hand crank sewing machine.  I even did the quilting with this machine. 

I STILL haven't finished all the Christmas presents, but, I'm just not going to stress over them.  I'll finish my inlaws binding before bed tonight (can't bind in front of them) and also the binding on another 'secret' project that I just wrapped.  It will get finished Christmas afternoon.  I did get my last 'secret' project done, too, but, I can't show pictures of it for a few more days (the recipient sometimes reads my blog).

My inlaws leave on Saturday, and my son flies out Sunday morning (waaa!!!!!).  I won't be on the computer much until after they all leave. 

Don't forget.....

Jesus is the reason for the season! 

Merry Christmas!

11 comments:

  1. Wishing you a wonderful Christmas filled with Love and Family!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Merry Christmas Cheryl, to your and yours. May God bless!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Merry Christmas Cheryl! Have a great Christmas. Bless you for allowing your son to grow and spread his wings. That Atom block is wild! ~Jeanne

    ReplyDelete
  4. Kids have a way of leaving home. Enjoy all your family time while you can and have a very happy holiday.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I just love your atom quilt. Merry Christmas.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I hope your son has wonderful, safe adventures in AK, but I empathize with how hard it will be to have so much distance between you. (OK was hard enough, I'm sure.) Unfortunately, Skype works only if kids are willing to use it!

    ReplyDelete
  7. It's a really long plane ride (from CA to AK) to go visit from here, but we did it... you could, too. They will need quilts there. My son and family is there until June or so then they move to AZ! (Out of the refrig and into the fire, I say.) His wife is looking forward to some sunny weather.
    My in-laws were nicer than my own parents... so I know what you mean.
    Merry Christmas to you and yours.
    Hugs

    ReplyDelete
  8. Merry Christmas! What a cool quilt for your father in law! Even more awesome you made it on your Spartan hand crank machine! I hope you all have a really nice visit!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Cool Quilt! The border fabric works well with the atom. I doubt I will ever make this pattern. Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  10. That turned out really nice! Thanks for sharing! I hope that you had a wonderful Christmas!

    ReplyDelete

Comments are IMPORTANT to me. Thank you for commenting. If you are a no-reply commentor, please leave me your email address, so that I can reply to you. If you don't want everyone to see your email address, then you can send me a private reply (my email address is listed under my profile).