Play blanket for Marlene's grandbabies

Our local PFAFF used this butterfly print at a show to demonstrate their quilt frame and when dealer, Marie, decided to clean house and get rid of it, saleslady, Marlene, decided 'waste not, want not' and claimed it for herself.

Marlene recently became grandmother of twin girls but the story had somewhat of a twist in that the doctor wanted to abort the smaller of the two to give the bigger one a better chance.  Luckily the parents decided against it and both little girls were born just fine with the little one turning out to be the healthier one.  As we speak the bigger of the two is back in hospital.

Marlene asked me to continue the all over meandering from where everyone else who attended the show, could give the frame a test.  I didn't quite like the idea and tried to unpick but some of those stitches were so tiny they were literally embedded in the fabric.  I decided to cut the already quilted piece off, added a funky border and start quilting from scratch.

There this looks much more like a play blanket than the 'fugly' piece of fabric I had to start with.  Now just to get Marlene's opinion.

Easter project done

I stitched the top together on Tuesday evening but I didn't get anything done on Wednesday.  I had an evening class and printed center panel patterns all morning.

Thursday I added the first think navy border.

By the evening I had the second border on and my quilt covered with pins and pinmoors ready for quilting during the all night quilting friend Karin and I planned for Friday evening.

To see how nice pinmoors work, take a look at this video.

I ordered mine from Day Style Designs.

Somehow Karin and I weren't very productive but then we figured we haven't seen each other (for a week!!) and needed to catch up on some talking.  So we mostly talked but she did a couple of goody bag projects and then started quilting a baby panel quilt.

When I finally got going with the quilting I made good progress and was able to finish the binding Sunday evening while watching the movie on TV with DH.  There are still a couple of piecing mistakes but at least I now get the unit of construction and it can only get better from here.

Completed:  15 April 2012

February beginner group

This beginner group is starting to round things up now and by the next class we'd be ready to do the borders and sandwiching.

Local PFAFF owner, Marie, on whose behalf I teach quilt lessons, came to check on us bringing along 2 milk tarts.

We don't mind being check on if there are snacks involved!

Easter project

Thursday before Easter I was so tired that I actually believed I wouldn't touch any quilting the weekend and for once in a very long time, my cutting table was totally clean except for a couple of bird seeds after we found this little one in the Mall right in front of Pick 'n Pays' doors.

However after taking most of the morning and afternoon off my addictive cravings returned and before we left to celebrate Karin's husbands' birthday the evening, I had my strips for my new project cut.

Waking up in a productive mood was somewhat hard on Friday.  I guess the Bubblegum Tequila from the previous evening had something to do with it.  With that and my brand new toy, a Samsung Galaxy Note phone I didn't get much done.

The big kids came over to guide me through the process of using the phone but for the first time, after upgrading, I actually understand a phone from day one.  I suppose because this little baby is more like a computer than a phone.

When the kids left I managed to stitch my strata and iron these ready for use.

While DH and the gardener got the outside in order I spent most of Saturday seriously stitching and I know I said it many times before I truly dislike foundation piecing.  This took the longest but I could see something happening on my design wall and I'm chuffed.

Not much to see on this photo but I'd rather show the project once completed.

The mister drove all the way to meet Karin's husband at their cabin by the dam on Sunday for their golf date.  With me home alone and having the house to myself I thought it good to leisurely start with some of Monday's household chores.  With Monday still a public holiday, the blonde and the mister at home, I reckoned it would be more rewarding to clean house and have it stay clean for a while unlike days with them around and it feels as if you simply can't win.

Unfortunately even with my house impeccable I didn't do as much sewing as I hoped for on Monday, therefore no completed project.  The units are all done and once trimmed I can start piecing it all together.

Giving up temporarily

Last week Tuesday I had to rearrange my sewing space (again!) to accommodate this huge quilt measuring 2, 5 meters square.

Friend Karin suggested I echo quilt and I obviously listened.  Worked a little every day hoping to finish the weekend but gosh did I have a hard time with this one?  As usual I had the weight of the kittens to take into consideration but it is not as if I am not used to this by now.

I encountered every problem in the book with thread shredding being the most prominent.  I could stitch towards me, to the left or the right but there was just no way I could stitch away from me without the thread snapping.

Frustrated and wanting to finish I decided to then work around it and start at the top every single row - not much fun either and as the weekend progressed I realized that my time was running out and I would not have this done before the end of the weekend.

With my setup rearranged I couldn't get to my high-pressure steam iron leaving the laundry piling up in one guest room, not good for the moral either.

So I decided Sunday was the deadline anyway, so off with the undone quilt and what would I see on the back?  Folds and puckers in the backing fabric.  Now for all I care this can just stay there.  There is no way I am unpicking to fix these.

Until I've done something else (hopefully with more success) to boost my spirit this dear quilt will now have to patiently wait on another spare bedrooms' bed to be completed.