A Finish, a Quilt top and some blocks

 Well, blogger won't let me revert back to the old style format anymore.  Why do all these techy companies seem to think that if it works, it must be changed and made more difficult.  Weren't computers supposed to make things easier for everyone, not harder and more time consuming?  Oh well.

I washed the chalk markings out on the Beyond Borders hand quilted quilt. I washed the quilt three times, treating it with OxiClean.  There are still a few faint color marks left, but I gave up washing it.  

up close of the center panel

up close of the double feathers quilting

chalk marks removed

faint orange chalk marks still there

I also made a quilt top.  It is the Dogs in Sweaters quilt.  My friend Marilyn gave me some plaids, since I didn't have enough in my stash (I don't usually use plaids).

This quilt is at the quilters now.  It's been an adventure.  I bought a backing for it, and washed the backing before I dropped it off at the quilters on Friday.  Well, she contacted yesterday to say that the backing was too small.  The fabric was cut weird because of how it was folded on the bolt, so it was about an inch too short for her to use.  I contacted the quilt shop and they decided to tear the fabric along the grain to prevent this from happening again.  Not only did she tear the fabric, but she washed and dried the fabric (and treated it for loose dye).  My son picked it up and took it to the long arm quilter for me (while I was at work).  Just in case, I bought a longer piece this time.  

I started making blocks for the Harry Potter; Project of Doom quilt way back in February 2013.  I did good at keeping up with the blocks until that May, when my oldest son graduated college.  After the trip to his graduation (and picking up his little brother from college afterwards)  I never started making blocks again (bad me).  I also started embroidering the book titles on the blocks, but stopped that in September that year (I'd messed up, and couldn't figure out how to fix it back then).  Well, I worked on the titles a bit more back last September, but stopped again when I started another hand project.  

I started back on the embroidery a week ago.  I finished two blocks on Friday.

Oops!  I noticed after I took this photo that I missed adding the author's name on one of the blocks.  I added the name (no new photo yet) on Monday.  Now I'm working on the last block that hasn't been embroidered.  

Since I didn't have any new blocks to embroider (I'd only made 2 sets of the first 12 blocks), I started making more blocks (finally).  I'm working on blocks 13, 14 and 15 (two of each).  

If you remember the squirrel we rescued, it made it thru one night, but it didn't make it the 2nd night.  It was so cute, but I think it was hurt too bad from it's fall from the nest.  

Hopefully I'll have another blog post with more finishes soon.  Since all the blogger changes, I just haven't been in the mood to blog much. 

Wego Quiltin's Annual Tea

My little quilt guild, Wego Quiltin' had it's annual Tea Monday night.  At the very first Tea, back in 2003 (the first ever meeting) they had a Crazy Hat contest.  We decided to wear Crazy Hats to this Tea.  Several of us have been members since that first meeting.

I know I probably have quite a few hats around here, but I decided to make one for the Tea.  So, on Sunday, I made my hat.  I had found a pattern for a bucket hat, and decided to make one.  The directions weren't very clear, but I muddled thru.

stitching the brim pieces

The hat is reversible.  I didn't measure before I made the hat, I just used her pattern pieces.  I also added more top stitching than the pattern calls for.

one side of hat

other side of the hat

me in the hat 

The hat is too big, but it works.  I put my hair in a ponytail for the meeting, so it fit better on Monday.

Here are some of the other hats at the party.

Jo

Marilyn

Janet

Kandy

Kandy

Linda

Jinnie

Since we still can't meet at the church where we usually meet, we met at a park.  The weather was lovely (74 degrees).  Two of us brought all the food (in special containers).  Sorry I didn't get photos of all the Show-N-Tell quilts. 

This guild makes LOTS of things for philanthropy.  Over 130 stockings for soldiers were turned in, along with cool ties (also for soldiers) and walker bags (veterans) and placemats for the local Meals on Wheels.  Several ladies also made matching hearts (two hearts the same) for a NICU unit.  The mother will place one heart inside her shirt (to get her scent on it) while the other heart is placed under the babies head (to get it's scent).  Then the hearts are switched so that both mother and baby can smell each other (helps with bonding).  We will continue making all of these items as long as there is a need.

Earlier on Monday, I finished binding the hand quilted quilt.  I still haven't washed the markings out of it.  Here are some photos of the quilt.  It is a two sided quilt.

front of the quilt

center

back of the quilt

back center

One of our neighbors found a baby squirrel in the street, beside our house.  They put it back by our tree (no nest to be seen anywhere).  They drove back by a little while later, and the baby squirrel was back in the street (the asphalt is warmer than the sidewalk).  Still no mother squirrel to be found. 

baby squirrel

It acts like it might be hurt.  It doesn't like the grass.  Our neighbor talked us into trying to rescue the little thing.  She's tried to get rescue groups to take baby squirrels in the past, and they won't or can't.  I don't know if this one will make it or not, but hopefully it will live thru the night.  It really wanted attention from us.  It came over to me, and let me pet it.  We put it in a cardboard box lined with old wash cloths.  It really liked the pecans we gave it.  It's now in the kitchen for the night. 

Don't worry, it also has a bowl of water, and the cardboard box is in a Rubbermaid storage container with some screening across the top (I don't want a squirrel to get loose in my house).  Hubby will release it back near the tree in the morning.  Hopefully the mother will find it then.  We just don't want an Owl or Hawk to get to it first (or coyote). 

Happy National Sewing Machine Day!

Happy National Sewing Machine Day!  Sewing machines are so awesome that they get TWO days each year (June 13 & Sept 10).

To celebrate, I found this great sewing machine ornament at Hobby Lobby earlier this week.

I have been doing some sewing.  I finished 19 cool ties for soldiers last night. The ties have a cooling gel in them, that when soaked in water, will keep the soldiers cool.  I used a Chevy car fabric that I had to make the ties. 

cool tie

19 cool ties

And.....

I FINISHED THE HAND QUILTING!!!!!!  254 hours and 43 minutes of hand quilting on this quilt.  It's been raining, so I don't have any photos of the complete quilt yet.  Hopefully tomorrow the sun will come out and I can get my quilt holders to help me take some photos.  Till then, here are a few sneak peeks.

The binding is ready to be sewn onto this quilt.  Hopefully it will be finished by Monday.  I have 2 quilt guild meetings this week (in person, social distancing) and I want to show the quilt off.

I may have a problem.  I used chalk pencils, way back in 2009-10, to mark this quilt (flying geese, stars and pinwheels only) and I'm not sure the chalk will wash out well.  Any suggestions?????  I've tried using an eraser on those marks, but it only dims the marks, not removes them. 

Weekend Stitching

I got some stitching done over the weekend.  I had extra time since hubby and eldest son played disc golf most of the weekend. 

I finished a quilt top for my great nephew.  I'd made the flying geese units a few months ago.  I just needed to sew everything together.  It is a Mickey Mouse quilt (he loves Mickey Mouse). I used the same pattern I drew up for my granddaughter's quilt. 

I also made 30 more face masks. Most of them were for others. I did keep some for myself,  since I was getting bored with mine. 

Now to get some more projects done.