School Has Started!

Well, school started this week, and I already have too much to do... but then again, that's nothing new!

One problem, though, is that the instructor refused to post the online course until the middle of the week instead of the beginning of the week when school actually started, so I've already lost time, and I'm not very happy about it.  Mentally, for me, it's a lot like that bad dream where you show up for an interview without having taken a shower, brushed your hair, or pressed your shirt.

On a brighter note, though, my DH surprised me yesterday with a Kindle!  Actually, the one he purchased hasn’t arrived yet, as it was just released this week.  He gave me the leather cover it will go into as I was ranting about being behind and the possible scenarios for managing this class, one being to purchase the Kindle edition of one of textbooks.  He wanted to know if I’d like to keep it, or go with another technology…that guy!  I’ve been wanting one of these for awhile now, but just couldn’t justify the cost, and now it will help with school, too.

Last weekend I started 2 new Bronco quilts.  The tops are together and now I'm ready to put the borders on them and decide what the backing should be.  I’d love to get them quilted this weekend, but I suspect that won’t happen for a couple more weeks, if I’m lucky.

My mom also commissioned me to make a quilt for her so I've been picking out the fabrics, washing, and ironing.   Now it’s ready to cut.  We picked a lasagna quilt pattern, so at least that one's a pretty easy one and it should go together quickly.  I’ve been planning more of these for Bronco quilts, too, I’m just not convinced I’ll get them ready any time soon.

Innovations, the machine quilting conference in Tacoma, is coming up in less than a month, too.  I’m planning on being there, but I need to hurry to get signed up for my classes; the deadline has been extended to September 1st.  Oh, and book my flight….

So, I’m making my list and checking it twice.  Hmm….that sounds familiar, somehow…..

Accuquilt Give Away!

Paulette over at Sweet P Quilting has posted a tutorial on the Accuquilt Go! and is having a give-away for one!

The tutorial is very good and explains how the Go! works quite well.  I have been considering getting this device for some time, so I would be pleased if I became the lucky recipient!

Weekend Update

This was a very productive weekend!

Besides getting caught up on making sweet pickle relish and dill pickles for the first time ever, I made enough blocks yesterday to make 2 new Bronco quilt tops!

I still have to sew the rows together and audition the border fabric, but I’m considering simply adding outer borders, and not using inner borders on this one.

Since I’ve got two quilts, I’m also considering using a fleece back for one and a cotton back for the other.

School is starts today…or, rather, it’s supposed to.  I am signed up for an online class, but the class hasn’t been published to my account yet.  Last semester the professor wouldn’t even give me the list of the books we were supposed to use ahead of time so I could get them ordered beforehand.  I’ll have to see if I stay signed up for this class!

More Bronco quilts to come!

Wedding Quilt – complete!

The binding is done and the quilt is ready to be shipped out!  I think the red binding adds a nice touch.

The back is a red flannel; it was supposed to be maroon, but it’s more like a candy apple red.  If you stare at it too long and then look away, everything looks like it’s in shades of green!

Thursday is the first quilt guild meeting of the season, show it off there, then it will go into the mail.

So, with all this focus on the wedding quilt, I haven’t completed my SwirlAbout quilt.  That’s the one I posted about on July 12th, and I was all excited about the new border fabric I bought for it.  I still am, it’s just that  I was getting some really bad waves and wrinkles in the black inner border, so I thought I’d save myself a bunch of grief and take it off and see what I could do to fix it; it certainly wasn’t going to get any better by adding another border!

The problem now is that I had intended to get that quilt entered into the Portland quilt show, but I think I missed the entry deadline already, so even if I busted my rump to get it done, it’s probably too late.  I’ll have to check, but I have a lot on my plate coming up.

So far I’ve finished 2 of the helmet liners, but they are still taking donations until September 1st.

It’s also canning season, and my DH and I made plum jam tonight; it’s the first time we’ve done any canning together!  It turned out really good, too, and we have enough plums to make another batch tomorrow night.  This weekend I’ll need to work on making some pickle relish and maybe getting some pickles canned, too.

School starts on August 23rd, and even though I’m only taking one class, Innovations is coming up and I have another trip in the works. 

Then there are the everyday, and not so everyday, chores that I have put off which are demanding my urgent attention.

I think I need to clone me!

Wedding Quilt – Binding Needed

I’ve finished quilting the Wedding Quilt and have the binding made.  Last night I went to my longarm networking meeting and was able to whip stitch down the tucks in the back; they aren’t very visible and at lease they lay down now.   Tonight I will start attaching the binding and will machine stitch it down.

The Mother of the Bride said this about the preview photos I sent her:

“The quilt is gorgeous....I feel better already… The product itself is so amazing, the extra line on the back side [from machine stitching the binding on the front] is certainly not an issue.  I am a bit envious of them having such a quality heirloom quilt, but also proud to have been a part of it.  I love what you did to the border -- such an artist you are.”

Since she put together the blocks made by the family, she knew that they were not consistently made, or the same size, so she had her doubts.  Quilting certainly makes all the difference in the world to an unfinished top.

I’ll post photos when I finish it completely, as I think the red binding will add another dimension.