I Am Extremely Happy!!

I am so happy that I could almost burst (oops...it could also be that I had a really yummy dinner)! I have finished the quilting on my first Seven Sisters quilt. I finished quilting just before supper and I have just finished taking out the basting threads. This is the third quilt that I have hand quilted and I can see how much I have improved. I do still have a long way to go...I did have issues as I went along, but maybe they had more to do with the fact that I kept changing how I was quilting it. If I had just stuck with using the hoop throughout I may not have had as many problems. The back is not as smooth as it should probably be but I think once it gets washed it will just add to it's charm.

I really like the fabric that I used for the backing. It has a light background with tiny pink and green splatters all over it. Now, the next thing I need to do is to trim it up and then sew the binding on. I already have the binding made so that is not a problem but I am really nervous about trimming it. I am so afraid that I will mess it up and after all of the work I put into it I am afraid that I will make a cutting error or something silly like that.

Check out Kathy's Quilts Slow Sunday Stitching to see more posts from quilters that are working on handwork projects.

Orange Rainbow Nine Patches

Things are pretty well back to normal around here (at least for me that is) and that means I am getting to spend more time in my sewing room and I am loving every second of it. I made 8 orange 9 patch blocks to add to the collection and I love them. To me, orange is such a happy colour and I find that just looking at it is enough to lift my spirits.

Hop on over to soscrappy's blog to see other creative uses for orange scraps. Sadly, this is the last weekend for orange and yet I am already wondering what the colour will be for October!

Almost Finished Quilting

I am so close to finishing the quilting on this quilt. I just need to finish the row I am working on and then there is one row of partial baptist fans left to do. My goal is to work on it each evening this week and I should have it all done and ready for binding. This quilt is one of a series of 7 Seven Sisters quilts that I am making completely by hand for my 6 sisters and myself. It is definitely a long term project and a labour of love. This one is the first to be quilted and I have one top ready for basting and another 2 tops underway - one of which just needs the sashing and borders cut and sewn on.

Kathy is hosting a Slow Sunday Stitching link up each week and I have been meaning to post frequently but somehow it doesn't always work out. Today she asked about the hoops that we are using. This quilt has been my test subject and I have tried quilting with a hoop, without a hoop and with a quilting frame. Each time I have tried something that I think would make it easier for me it just doesn't seem to be and I end up back to the hoop. I received this hoop from my Aunt Iris a couple of years ago. She was downsizing to move into a smaller residence and she gave me this hoop. I really do like it because it is a bit smaller and fits my body size a bit better than the larger hoops. This hoop will definitely become well used by me over time because I have so many plans and ideas for quilts that I want to hand quilt. Now that summer is nearly over it will certainly be a lot more comfortable to sit with a quilt in my lap for hand quilting - it is just so hot to do it in the summer!

Enjoyable Friday

Mess of paired qsts ready for pressing and snipping apart.

Yesterday, I took some good advice and I just did a few things around the house before I wandered into my sewing room. I finished sewing the stack of qsts that I had ready to go and then I sewed a second stack as well. Getting to sew even just a little bit is very good for the soul - I truly am addicted!

Orange scraps - I must look for more!

Once I finished sewing the latest batch of qsts I started looking around for bits of orange fabric for this month's Rainbow Scrap Challenge and managed to find a bit. I will make up some 9 patches today for my rainbow quilt.

Later in the early evening I had a glass of delicious red wine that my son Eric had given me for my birthday. It is an Italian wine called Badia A Passignano Chianti Classico Reserva 2007 and it is wonderful. Yesterday, my sister Cheryl told me that Dr. Oz recommends you drink 1 glass of red wine everyday so I had to follow the doctor's orders!

Ironed fabric all ready to be used.

Bonnie Hunter had her quilt cam going last night and while I watched and listened I did a bit of ironing. I had been collecting fabric here and there over the past while and it had all been washed but just not ironed. Most of this fabric was purchased at Fabricland for only $3.00/m - who could resist? It has been waiting patiently for me to iron it and last night was perfect to work on it. I still have more to do and I just might get it done tonight. It's funny, but I do find ironing to be very relaxing and therapeutic.

While I was visiting my husband yesterday, the Dr. dropped in and let us know that my husband will not be coming home this weekend. The latest word is that if all goes well he will be able to come home early next week. I can't wait for him to be home but I don't want him here until he really is well. It is exhausting having him in the hospital - emotionally and otherwise.

A Little Bit of Sewing

Boy...have I ever missed spending time in my sewing room. It felt so good to sew for a little while last night. I  sewed the stack of qsts together that I had paired up the other day and when I finished those I paired up another stack ready for sewing. I am not matching them together other than trying to get a dark and lighter triangle together. Bonnie Hunter's pattern requires 174 hourglass blocks but I will be making the quilt a little longer so I will need a few more than the pattern calls for.

I don't work today - hurray! - but I really do need to tidy up my house. I have neglected most of my chores since my husband got sick. Before I go to the hospital today I will try to just mow through the worst of it and maybe, I just might get those paired up qsts sewn together too!

Getting Back to Normal??

The picture is the same but now all of the blocks are finished.

Lot's have 'things' have been happening for the last 2 weeks but not too much going on in my sewing room. I did get all of the blocks finished for the RWB blue quilt that I had been working on and I just need to cut the rest of the border triangles and then sew everything together. I think it will be a great looking quilt once I get it all done.

I have also started another quilt that will be for my niece Amanda -I started piecing it as a leader/ender project when I was making the RWB blocks. As you can see, I have the triangles for the hourglass blocks out and I am putting light/dark together so that I can just grab and sew. My sister Cheryl cut all of the pieces for this quilt for me using her Studio Go and I am very glad because now that I have gone back to work I just don't have as much time to sew. It is a design that I have already made as a wedding gift for the daughter of one of my husband's cousins. It is a Bonnie Hunter design and is called My Blue Heaven. I called mine 'Heaven's Above...It Must Be Love' and I was thrilled with the way it turned out. When my niece saw the photos she decided it was the design for her and off she went shopping to pick out the fabrics that she would like in her quilt. Her Mom, Glenda, also purchased a huge variety of fabrics as well. I hope it turns out the way my niece has envisioned it!

On another note, my husband has been sick for the past two weeks and has spent the last week in the hospital. He is now on the road to recovery and will probably spend another 5 days or so in hospital. I am so grateful for everything that the doctors and nurses have done to help him.