Slow Sunday Stitching, Etc. – 27 February 2022

GOOD MORNING! The sun is finally going to make an appearance today after 5 days of cold, damp, misty weather! Even this hot natured lady, I am glad the Sun is coming out. The tree cutting is over with, but the front acreage will be cleared starting tomorrow. I did not walk for 4 days as it was just too cold and I did not want to get sick. So today that laziness ends. I had just achieved the 20 minute mile again last Tuesday. So today is a push day on walking. I would certainly like to get a walk in for 31 days in March. I did increase my walking for February from January, so things are looking up.

I have been very busy the last 2 weeks. First thing, the Long Arm Quilter and I never met on 14 February – long story short – it just would not work with her. I had a back up quilter and she will be letting me know when I can bring her all NINE of the quilts to quilt. I had to prepare the backs for all nine and it was really not a lot of fun. I need to stay caught up on my quilting of my tops as I finish them – no more excuses! It is wonderful to have someone quilt these quilts as they are large quilts and I do not do pantograms or edge to edge quilting with designs.

As I posted earlier, the 115” wide batik was returned due to a flaw in the fabric. Then I ordered some more batiks but only 45” wide. That meant that I had to piece the majority of the backs. Next, I used my stash for a few of the backs and they had to be pieced. I then ordered 2 pieces that were 108” wide for of the largest quilts. I was not going to wash the fabrics and have to press the fabric (it is difficult to iron 108” wide fabrics). Kerry at Web Fabrics advised me that the 108” would shrink, so that meant ”wash them”. I am glad I did as the width shrunk to 102” and so very happy that I ordered the 2 pierces at 3 1/2 Yards and not just 3 yards. It covered me for the shrinkage! Because I was sending the quilts to a professional long arm quilter, I wanted to make sure that all backs were prepared perfectly. That meant checking and double checking all measurements, selecting the best fabric for each quilt, then sewing and pressing them. All in all I have found that this is not my favorite thing! LOL

Before I started working on the backings, I checked with Nancy as to what she required for backings. She told me to leave the selvages on when cutting the side pieces. That was something that I had never thought about doing – so it was a great tip and it made a lot of sense. Always nice to learn something new.

During the evening for relaxation, I have been working on my Cross Stitch project called Love from the Fat Quarter Shop. It is a free pattern along with video for Beginners.

I changed the colors and background Aida cloth for my project. Here is where I am as of last night. I really relax when working on cross stitch. I may start another applique project, but later in the year.

I finished Rachael’s grandson’s quilt and just need to get it quilted.

Made a matching pillow case.

I have now started on Georgia’s grandson’s quilt. I am using blue batiks from my stash (scraps and fat quarters). I am using the ”card” quilt pattern, but I reduced the size of the blocks to 4” finished. The 8” block was just too big for a baby quilt.

I have 55 blocks made and 14 more to sew together. It is a very easy block to make. I reduced the strips to 1 and 1/2”. Today I am going to work on the placement. I have a couple of choices, but there is one way to have a secondary ”circle” to the quilt if I go that way. We will see. I would love to have it sewn together by Tuesday!

I am very happy to be getting back to where I was in 2014 in my quilting. Life is peaceful and very dull and repetitive, but that is fine with me because there is no stress other than the idiot who is causing all the chaos in our country and in the world because of his weakness and incompetence due to his mental problems. I do not know if America can survive his incompetence and that includes his entire administration. The idiots who put him in office might be having voter’s remorse since Putin has now threatened a Nuclear escalation. I pray that our idiot opens up the Keystone pipeline, and as for the crazy man who has really started the invasion of Ukraine, this reminds me of 1939 when Hitler started his attack on the world which ended in WWII. I do hope and pray that God provides us with someone who can provide some sanity to the world. Some may not like my words, but Americans need to wake up before we become a Canada.

Have a blessed week and offer a prayer for our Country and Ukraine. Pray for Sanity!

Hugs, Nanette

Linking To:  My Quilt Infatuation; Confessions of a Fabric Addict; Finished or Not Friday ; Em’s Scrap Bag; BOM’s Away;  Sew Fresh Quilts; Crazy Mom Quilts;  Oh Scrap; Scrap Happy Saturday; Slow Sunday Stitching  Quilt Fabrication Mid Week Makers; Peacock Party; Design Wall Monday, Scrap Happy Days, Quilting Patch Linky Party To-Do-Tuesdays;PHD in 2021;