Got Your Back?

Last month I went on a fabric hunt. I armed myself with a pictorial shopping list. Pineapple Fabric had a warehouse sale complete with long tables as far as the eye could see, loaded high with fabric cuts being sold by the pound! This is always a great deal, but when it comes to looking for backs for existing quilt tops it's just the ticket. This was my shopping list: color photos and sizes of the quilt tops hanging in the "to be quilted" queue. 

It took some time searching through the stacks and plenty of "tip-of-my-finger-on-an-extended-arm-to-my-nose" measuring (which, for me, happens to be 33.5") but I was able to find some great pieces to use as backs, for the six quilt tops pictured, plus two more, at a  fantastic price! When I returned back home, since not all pieces were single cuts, I chopped apart my visual aid, wrote up a piecing plan for each backing piece, and pinned it to the chosen fabric, like this:

now, when I'm ready, I can grab the quilt top and its assigned back and get it done! Along with those backs I also picked up a couple of pieces for the ongoing Cream and Sugar BOM. All in all, it was a successful hunt! Although I miss the flagship Keepsake Quilting store in Meredith, NH when I'm up north visiting family, I certainly do enjoy the physical proximity of Pineapple and the ability to still pick up all my favorite Keepsake treasures here now. Pineapple has been closed since early this year as they clear the decks and prepare for their grand RE-opening in mid-September. In preparation for that they've just announced another warehouse sale for the last full weekend in June. I feel compelled to attend; after all, they've always got my back! Who's got yours?

 Life is Good!

Closing In...

Even with a slower, more intentional, approach to Christmas (without the hosting and toasting) this year, the days still rush by at the same pace and all of a sudden it's "go" time. There are cookies to be baked and traditions to be upheld. The sugar cookies and almond cookies are on our  Mr. G's "must have" list, as they have been every year.

The sewing room has temporarily been converted into package-wrapping central. 

That Christmas Ornament table runner has been bound and rolled for gift-giving. 

Hannes has found the coziest, warmest spot in the house (near the fireplace) for a quick nap.

Speaking of Hannes, I baked a pan of brownies from this mix that was a gift. The tea towel is adorable. (And the brownies were very, very good too!)

I did take a quick trip to the new Pineapple Fabric Outlet nearby. I found a great deal on backing fabrics, purchased these four pieces by the pound (which averaged out at about $3.38 per yard). I also treated myself to a new 12.5" square ruler. My original one, which I've had for a very long time has chipped corners and measurement lines that are now, at best, minimally visible; it was high time.

While there I saw the Creative Grids mask template for sale which reminded me of the one that I had purchased back in April but still hadn't taken out of the packaging. 😲 I made up two in short order after coming back home. I think that I'm a Small/Medium- the small seemed too small and the medium too large. I know, I'm like Goldilocks-- I need it to be "just right"! This is something that I'll tweak and figure out later, after Christmas.

And so, here we are; Christmas Eve's Eve. Chex Mix is yet another tradition that must be observed around here. I made up a double batch this year. We'll share some and munch on the rest. Yes, Christmas is closing in fast; we're down to the wire. The shopping is done and it's time to sit back and enjoy what we've planned and prepared, however Christmas looks for you and your family this year. What Christmas traditions are you upholding this year, even if your gatherings look different?

This isn't my quilt, I found this on the Internet and would love to replicate it,
I am drawn to the simplicity and the scrappiness. Isn't it sweet?

I have some other ideas for January quilts too, and, along with all of you, will be happy to bid adieu to 2020. I hope and pray that these last few days of this unexpectedly eventful year see you all remaining safe and healthy. 

Life is Good!

 

Fabric Shopping Frenzy

My fabric haul~ five 5 yd. pieces selected for quilt backs. 

I went on a fabric shopping spree last week; oh, what fun I had! I went by myself, but encountered many, many people already there when I arrived. The sheer number of other shoppers who beat me to the sale did get in my way. I had some items snatched right out of my shopping cart! Did I practice social distancing? You betcha-- my shopping spree was online! Where did I shop? At the Pineapple Warehouse Sale.

Sadly, this much anticipated event couldn't be held "live and in-person" this time and was taken online. A friend and I had been eagerly looking forward to attending and I'd had it on the calendar for weeks ahead of time. I just couldn't imagine how the online version of this sale would stack up to the real thing. I'll tell you this: I wasn't disappointed with my haul but it was a much more solitary experience, that much fun is always multiplied when shared as an experience with sewing buddies.  All things considered, I'm SEW happy that they went ahead with their spring event online; there were specials every few hours accompanied by fun activities on their Facebook page during the event, they did an excellent job rolling with the punches. Were you in "attendance" too?

I did miss the instant gratification of buying it and having it bundled and bagged on the spot to carry back home with me; but the anticipation of receiving the package, and finding my loot folded neatly inside, made up for it. I did have trouble logging on to the sale, in the beginning; there was tons of traffic, to be expected. Finally, when I got a clear connection, it went more smoothly. I did choose a few pieces that sailed into my virtual cart and, at checkout, had evaporated. That was disappointing. I shopped on, however, undaunted. I had money burning in my wallet that I hadn't spent at MidAtlantic Quilt Festival this year. All in all, when I shopped this online sale (from the clearance section) and applied the discount, I ended up purchasing twenty five yards of fabric for one hundred dollars. Yep, $4 a yard! You can't beat that! I did miss the "buy it by the pound" event and seeing old friends from my quilting past, but this quarantine won't last and there will be more "in real life" warehouse sales to come. 

Adapting to the current situation: this is something that has never happened to me before, a completely blank week in my personal planner. Those who know me are aware that I'm a scheduler. I have a monthly planner and move all my events, standing commitments and appointments into this weekly section on Sundays. Here's this week at a glance! 😲 I can hardly believe this myself. Right now, next week looks exactly the same as this week. I am filling my days: sewing, reading, cooking, cleaning house-- how are you occupying yourself these days? What will you remember, or have to show for it, when we come out on the other side of this quarantine? Stay safe and healthy; wash your hands! 

Life is Good!

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, 

plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." - Jeremiah 29:11

Up next: D.E.A.R.

Hello, Pouch!

I bought the pattern for the "Hello Pouches" (knot and thread design) and was eager to make some up, I thought that they were cute, functional and a nice alternative to the paper gift bag for small Christmas gifts. I made one up yesterday as a trial. I'm happy to report that it's a well-written pattern with easy to follow instructions and access to online video tutorials. I made the "large" size (7.5" X 6.75" X 4.25") only because that's how much clear vinyl I happened to have in the house. I learned a few things along the way, if you want to make some let me pass along these tips:
Use a "Jeans" needle. The one that I used was 100/16. There are lots of bulky bound seams to sew through and the heavier needle is most valuable here, sew slowly too! I love Wonder Tape and I used a good bit of it on this bag.

As you can see in this photograph there are narrow, turned, top-stitched bindings; the Wonder Tape, when applied along the folded edge before turning, ensures those narrow hems will remain straight and smooth. I have not had any problems with the product gumming up my needle, it delivers nice results. Every bit of this bag has finished, bound edges, even along the zipper tape; those straight, flat hems are pretty and I can't get results like that when I use pins and am stopping and starting to remove them. Since the bag is see-through (the beauty of the pouch to begin with!) you want your finished seams to look extra-nice.

The zipper is made from one half of a handbag zipper-- the two sides are separated, the pull removed, and then threaded back on both ends of the zipper tape which has been folded in half. One thirty inch, double slide, zipper will make two bags. There's a trick to finessing the pull back on, (and a video that I watched three times!) that takes a bit of practice, but I got it. I added a fabric tie and attached it to the zipper pull to make opening easier. All in all, this is a nice bag and I will make more;  I can see lots of practical uses for this one. One down; a bunch to go!! 

And just in case you thought that I was running out of projects(!), I made a quick trip with friends to the Pineapple Warehouse sale today; they were selling fabric by the POUND, it is a great deal!

Warehouse shopping going on-- fabric by the pound!

I ended up bringing home lots of pieces (pounds!!) for quilt backs as well as this fabric for these two quilts (below)-- a table topper for Christmas and a wall quilt for our youngest granddaughter for her birthday next January (backings on the bottom of the stacks). These will be projects to keep me busy at two upcoming retreats scheduled for next month--perfect timing! I hope your day is a pieceful one!

Life is Good!

A Smattering

I swear, I try to keep up with posting, I honestly do; what takes me so much longer than it used to? I don't know. But, in a continuing effort to be more timely, let me entertain you this morning with a smattering of various and sundry events in my life over the past week. There was this-- Theodore the chipmunk who decided to jump in the watering can just prior to my filling it! I heard a telltale scratching, amplified by the galvanized metal, and look who was inside! I jumped-- you bet I did, and my glasses flew off and landed, lenses DOWN (of course!) on the bricks.  The left lens was chipped; smack-dab in the center of my line of vision! Take my word for it, I tried to get a shot of the offensive area (above) but it's hard to tell. I called the eye doctor's office the next morning and was advised to bring them in. I really wanted the lens to be replaced if possible. I was informed, after the glasses were inspected that my lenses were going to be replaced, both of them; and that my warranty expired that VERY DAY! 😲 One day later and it would have cost me, dearly. As they say, timing is everything. Oh, Theodore was released to scamper back under a shrub! If it's not one thing it's something else; remember that toad that hid in my tennis shoe?

My favorite first cup of the morning tea; has been for years. Stash, Christmas Morning, a blend of black and green teas with a hint of jasmine. It is perfect. Why do they have to mess with the packaging and even the tag? It's bad enough that the box sizes are smaller now but I have a whole new item to search for when shopping, the new branding doesn't resemble the original in the least. I liked the tag to read "Cup of Joy", it made me happy. A dear friend once told me that "change is life" and if one doesn't adapt to change we know what the alternative to life is-- but change for the sake of change?
I took Lynnleigh shopping the other afternoon for fabric to make a sundress. Here's the pattern:

I told her that she would need to choose something to make a dress for herself and and also a contrast fabric. (Yes, of course, there will be a doll dress too!)  She was very serious about the entire selection process, no greater decision has ever taken longer. The hardest part for her? Finding the "contract fabric"!😉 I believe that she had a fun time and was pleased with her ultimate selections. 

She had a performance with her singing friends the following evening, it couldn't have been cuter!

Some quilting has been going on. I quilted this for a friend last week. Her desire was for parallel wavy lines; it turned out nicely, I really liked this pattern. She made it in a mystery block of the month class. 

I have another QOV on the rails now, these are always different, inspiring, and so much fun to work on!

The Hydrangea are spectacular this year! These are around back, adjacent to our patio space. I have inadvertently cut them back at the wrong time of year, more than once, only to be left bloomless the next summer. Now my plan is one of benign neglect and they're rewarding me. We still have no 'start date' from the contractor for our screened-in porch project back here; we know that we're on the list, hopefully we're getting near the top. Sadly, it looks to me like we'll be enjoying it in the fall instead of the summer this year; but there are many summers to come, it's all good. 

The new perennial garden is coming along; blooming is beginning! We have, at long last completed the making of all the stepping stones and are still in the process of installing them.

Another viewpoint. The beaten-up large stone in the foreground has since been replaced. 

As I posted earlier, we made four personalized stones and placed them randomly for the grandchildren to discover, each one bearing their initials. Gregory was first one to stop by and discover his on Sunday afternoon. I think he liked it!

Today is the last day of school in public schools here; remember how that felt?

Forty eight years ago today my husband and I graduated from high school together. We were the last class to graduate in front of the school, outside in the driveway, squinting into the setting sun. (Since then, graduations have been moved indoors, into a field house that wasn't quite ready in 1971.)

SUMMER!! It seemed like it lasted forever back then. 

Life is Good!

Customer Service!

We've only recently returned from yet another epic road trip-- this one was loaded with adventures and firsts for me; but that's another post for another day.  Today I want to focus on customer service; you know, that concept that we all want to experience on the positive end but usually don't respond to unless it is negative. Sadly, there are many too many bad customer service experiences anymore!  This is a different story, it's all good; this story is what the definition of excellent customer service is all about. While we were away I shopped for fabric for Gregory's Quilt* at each and every quilt shop along the way (there were many!). On the 17th of August we found ourselves driving across Kansas and stopped in Hays at Quilt Cottage Co. Here I found two pieces of fabric to add to my collection for this project (the plaid pictured in the large triangles of those shaded 4-patch blocks, and the dark green triangles of those flying geese-to-be units). When we returned home a week ago I began cutting out the quilt and piecing all the sub-units for the main blocks. Somehow, I mis-cut over half of the large triangles for those shaded 4-patches, instead I had erroneously cut up that pretty plaid fabric into the smaller triangles needed for the flying geese! (Who, ME???) I wasn't in a total panic; not yet. I kept thinking that maybe I had enough and that I had caught my mistake in the nick of time. That did not prove to be the case. I recalled being in that shop where the fabric was purchased and remembered being asked at the time if I wanted to register my email address with them, just in case I needed to contact them for more fabric after I returned home. Of course, I declined; no, that never happens to me! (ARRGGH!) When the seriousness of my error became apparent, the day before yesterday, I was left with no identifying characteristics of this fabric (I had cut off and discarded the selvages the week before, they were long gone!) other than a photo. I also had the business card from the shop. I Facebook messaged the photo to the shop and called them on the phone (dialing was difficult with my fingers crossed!) at the same time, hoping against hope that they still had some. Kari, one of the owners, answered. As I described my situation she simultaneously looked up the photograph and asked if I had registered my email address with them. "No", I replied, "I didn't see the need at the time"; we both laughed. She was quickly and efficiently able to locate the fabric there in their shop, and find my purchase too, through their electronic inventory system. She cheerfully told me that she would be happy to cut the yardage that day and get it in the mail as soon as she could. I was grateful and relieved (plus, I ordered a little bit more than in needed, just in case!), I assured Kari that she had just saved my life! A few minutes later she FB messaged me to let me know that it was already being mailed. Wow! Just WOW!! Is that the epitome of customer service or what? Isn't this what every Quilt Shop, every store, every business, should strive for? Yes, of course it is! And to that end-- from now on, whenever I encounter EXCELLENT customer service I am going to publicize it. I will make it a point to let the business know and all of my friends too. Top-notch service deserves all the recognition that it can get. Join me. Where have you received service that is above-and-beyond? Let's promote those positive experiences!

*So, back to Gregory's Quilt. I blogged about it here back in February. At that time I was planning to make it totally scrappy with blues, greens and tans. As time wore on I realized that I couldn't cobble together enough scraps to make this look at all planned or cohesive. I recognized the fact that even for someone as addicted to scraps, and in love with multi-fabric quilts, as I am; there came a point where it was okay to give myself permission to go shopping (away from my bins) for what I needed (plus, there will be left-overs, which means-- MORE SCRAPS!).

Now, all of the blocks will look like they do in this layout; with natural-colored linen sashing between the blocks and blue cornerstones. This will be his bed quilt. 

Because this quilt, his Picture Play quilt that has been on his bed for the past five years, is growing threadbare and wearing out. It is currently undergoing binding replacement at Chez Goddneedle. You can see the new fabric for the binding folded over the top in this photo. Nothing, not one thing, gives this quiltmaker more joy than knowing that a quilt is well-worn and well-loved.💗

It's why I quilt.

Life is Good!

There's A Hex On Me!

Every time I turn around I find that the hexagons are mulitplying!  It's all good. Using two of my favorite tools: the Hex and More and Sidekick rulers, I find that the possibilities of creating new hexagonal designs are, quite possibly, limitless! These shapes are the subject of the current block-of-the-month at my LQS; our instructor (Quiltkeemosabe, see former post!) encourages us each month to explore many different variations using triangles, split triangles, diamonds and, this month, even larger diamonds! I have absolutely no idea how I will set these together, time will tell. I am leaving my options open until the end.

But, of course, I have chosen my setting fabrics already. I scored these beauties at the Pineapple warehouse sale last month. Why let current indecision stand in the way of some serious shopping? That would just be silly; and, in my own defense, I'm under the influence of that hex after all.😉

Life is Good!