{Post 1,128} Grandson Arrived!

Our first grandchild (a boy) was born yesterday AM.  The delivery occurred too quickly for us to be in the delivery room since we live 8 hours apart, but we got there as soon as we could.  I will post more later.  Don't have access to any of my pictures as I am on my husband's computer.

Thank you to all of you who have prayed for a safe and healthy delivery.  Mom, baby, and GRAMMY JO are all doing fine.  Hee hee :)

Details later.

{Post 1,127} Cutting Table

My friend, Janet, just got a dream cutting station set up.  I was so envious of her clear space...a brand new beginning for her.  To make her feel even better, I took a picture of mine.  Here it is, 8 months since my last overhaul:

{Post 1,126} My View

My left foot is throbbing.  Well, only a tiny part of it.  But throbbing is throbbing.  I went to a foot doc to get treatment for a wart yesterday.  He put acid on it and wrapped it under several layers.  It throbbeth.  So I am trying to stay put as much as possible.  It's laundry day, so that's a good excuse to stay at my sewing machine so I don't have to go up and down the steps repeatedly.  Here's what I pulled out to finish (shows about 1/4 of it):

That's my view from my sewing machine.  Before I start any new projects, I'm going to finish this UFO.  It has been hanging around, unfinished, since May 11, 2010.  Yes, I hang my head in shame.  I am working on a pieced border for it instead of my usual add a thin inner and thicker outer border treatment.

I am peculiar about my bed quilts (which is what I intended this to be--queen-sized no less).  The bluish gray border will sit on the top edge of the mattress.  The border will hang down over the edge.

Here's my idea.  Do you like the spools in the border all facing the same way or alternating?  I've only cut from my red scrap box (and made up two green ones to see if I liked the block), so the color palette is limited now.  I intend to cut many other colors and values before it's over.  I am using the same cream for all the background.  I intend to make two pillowcases to match the quilt from the same fabric.

Opinions on direction?

{Post 1,125} Revolutionary Idea

Do you carry bobbins around in a sewing bag or your purse?  I do.  It's easier than carrying a spool or cone of thread.  The problem is the rat's nest you end up with when you leave it in there for a while.  Problem solved.

See this?  They come in all kinds of colors, sparkly and unsparkly.  In the baby department at Wal-mart.

Here's what you do with it:

I've been using one for a couple days (a cantelope-colored sparkly one) and it doesn't let one bit of that thread off the bobbin before you want it off.

You're welcome.

~Joan

{Post 1,124} Scrappy String Selvage Spiderweb Quilted

Today this entire quilt has been quilted.  I did a simple design so it would not be so stiff (the selvages make it stiffer than usual anyway).  I did a Fern Ziggle (Pajama Quilter design) on the center, reverse curlicues on the gold inner border, and what I call a hook feather on the outside border.

I did the center and inner border with a variegated pastel thread.  After that was finished, I realized I didn't have any thread that matched the outer border.  I didn't really want to wait until the sewing shop opened tomorrow because I had time to sew TODAY.  I looked through my machine quilting threads again, and came across one that sorta matched, but it looked way too gray.  It was from a box my friend Sam sent me a long time ago.  She was getting rid of threads she didn't like and sent me a box.  Thanks, Sam!  After quilting, this one really filled the bill!  it matched so well that I had a hard time seeing it as I quilted.

I'm so grateful for the GOOD things the internet provides.  I have made many new friends through it.  I used a design that I saw just a few days ago on my friend's blog.  The pattern was easy to figure out and went so quickly.  

There was also time to sew on the binding to the front.  I am going to start sewing it to the back tonight.  My daughter's baby was due 2/28 but has not been born yet.  This will keep me busy until we get the word that she is in labor and we start the 8-9 hour drive to go see our grandson!

These are the best pictures I could get until it's washed and dried.