{Post 1,573} Hand Quilting Under Way

A long time ago in a far-away place, I had happy Tuesday nights at QT...quilting time. I met with 3-4 other ladies every Tuesday night to work on a hand sewing project. Those days were welcome and happy. This was starting back in '92, as in 1992. Seems like a million years ago. 

As I thought back to them, I decided to start QT at my house. But I am calling mine Sit 'N Sew. Tuesday nights from 7-9 at my house. No food is served. Everyone brings their own beverage if they want. Last night was the first meeting. I worked on hand quilting my Valentine quilt. I have worked on it a lot today, and I am nearly finished with the top panel.

I machine quilted meanders in the floral strips with dark red thread. The area is so busy that it won't show much anyway. I machine basted with the same thread (to save time) as I did the rest of the quilting. 

I am outlining all the applique with hand quilting in cream, and also doing a cross-hatch pattern with straight lines 1-1/2" apart. Today has been comfort activities...making comfort food (home made chicken and dumplings in my Instant Pot) and hand quilting. It started snowing last night about 1 AM and did not stop until about an hour ago at 4 PM. Actually, it is still coming down, but much more slowly. So it has been a stay in kinda day.

Here is a picture of the front and back. I picked a fabric I just want to use up for the back. This is a wall hanging, so no one will be the wiser. 

{Post 1,572} Mock-up of Valentine Wall Hanging

Here are my 3 appliqued panels and 4 floral strips for my Valentine wall hanging. Now sewn together yet. I am babysitting 2 little girls while their parents move into their new-to-them house. Very limited sewing time.

{Post 1,571} Valentine Quilt Begun

This is the first of 3 similar panels for a Valentine wall hanging for our foyer. I have had this in mind for years and years. Now I realize I won't have long to hang it this year if I finish it before 2/14 at all. That is what has kept me from making one in years past. I am going to press on (literally) and try to get this finished for this year.

The panel is 8-1/2" tall and 42" wide. I am trying to compress it some to make it finish at 36" wide.

The middle applique panel is reversed from this one, and the third is the same.

They are separated by simply pieced chunky strips. I am considering doing it all the same fabric instead. The jury is out on that decision at this point. I'll focus on the applique panels, and I'll see how the quilting vibes flow from there.

{Post 1,570} Be. Our. Guest.

With our segue into empty nesting, we have changed our rooms up a bit. We have made Rachel's bedroom into our main guest room. We have moved a queen-size bed in there. She will live in the dorm this, her last semester. Once she graduates, she will be down in her room again until she gets married on August 18, 2018.

As you might recall, I painted this room Dover white (it had been grape popsicle). With the addition of the bed, easy chair, and side tables, it looked a little bland. I was so hesitant about putting things up on the walls. I wanted it perfect from the get-go. So I hemmed and hawed for ages. 

I finally decided upon and made this sign. The words are cream-colored contact paper. Easily removable and replaceable if I want. I am going to eventually put a coat of polycrylic on it so it will match the bed frame better. I. Love. It. I got the idea from a friend's blog, The Frugal Housewife. I made some changes in construction, but the seed idea was hers.

{Post 1,569} Auditory Doc/Quilter

I am in an exam room with my husband. He is seeing an auditory doctor for the first time. She is a quilter. She has one of her wall quilts in every room, including the outer waiting room. This is the one in ours. It is heavily quilted. It is not my style in any way, but the work is lovely!

{Post 1,568} A Crazy Christmas

I am bad about taking and sharing pictures. My son-in-law is a professional photographer, and I had the sense to request that he bring his camera with him for Christmas. I wanted to get one group picture of this crazy crowd. So many well-loved people and lots of good food. Apparently I am a child magnet, even for my son's girlfriend's daughter! So much fun all day long.

This is not all of my children, but we did get to see them all at some time during the holiday season. 

[Post 1,567} Baby Quilt Finish

...well, except for washing and drying!  I made this quilt this past weekend, then quilted and bound it this AM. I also hand quilted around each letter in the name to secure it flat and make it look just a little nicer. 

My inspiration was a random baby quilt I saw on Pinterest. I had asked the new mom if she had a color preference (why do I always wish I had not done that?). She said gray and navy blue. I had not one thread of gray in my stash. I like gray, but I don't have any in my house. 

So I went to Hobby Lobby and got 1-1/4 yards of the gray and white chevron print. I used a navy blue shirt for the letters. The back is pieced from 6" pieces of plaid brushed cottons. It is about 42" square. 

It is not my original plan, but I love the way it turned out!