Half a quilt, all pieced

Well, here's the pieced top for the "half a quilt". (The applique cat half a quilt is just getting started. I wanted to have one ready for the cooler fall nights.) This one is 50" x 82", and was made with a charm pack of Moda Tranquility, two yard of a print from that collection, and orange and neutral scraps. I'm very happy with it; I think it qualifies as bright. Husband said he likes it, so that's all that matters because it was made for him. I'm not sure how it will be quilted. I could stitch in the ditch, but I'd like to send it to the longarmer and let her do some sort of pattern allover. She can do denser quilting than I'm comfortable attempting. Anyway, I have a few weeks to decide because my longarm quilter is gone on vacation - to Alaska. Boy, I'm jealous.

If you can't sleep, you might as well sew

Reading wouldn't do it. Or watching TV. Or Sudoku puzzles. Or solitaire. So after 2 1/2 hours sleep and two hours tossing and turning I got up and started sewing on my latest project. I almost have half of the 4" blocks done. At least I'm a productive insomniac.

Define "bright"

This is a swatch sample of the Moda "Tranquility" line by Sandy Gervais. There's orange, bright green, teal, lime, aqua, rust. There's squiggles, dots, large flowers and pop geometrics. In person the fabrics are more vivid than on this sample card.

I ask you, would you call these colors "bright"?

Evidently, my husband doesn't. I got the idea to use my charm packs I bought yesterday, in combination with fabrics from my stash, to make him a "half a quilt" for his side of the bed using the pattern I showed yesterday. He says he's tired of brown and wants stuff with some color. (This from the man who wanted the walls painted white when we moved in, and bought a brown leather couch. But, I digress...) I've started making his applique cat quilt (more on this later) but in the meantime I thought I'd knock out another narrow quilt for him to use until the special cat quilt is done. Admittedly, there are some brown fabrics in this charm pack, but the majority have the colors I listed. And, I'm using a blue border and orange squares in the blocks. I figured that would fulfill his "bright" criteria.

Au contraire.

I could have picked up some Amy Butler or Kaffe Fassett or Alexander Henry, but I'm the one making it and I liked these prints. They were whimsical and fun, and - I thought - plenty colorful.

Shows you what I know.

Of course you know, this means war.

I was standing at the back door this afternoon, watching some much needed rain fall, when I noticed something funny about my patio bench cover. I went out to check it when I emptied the rain gauge after dinner.A closer look: And:And:
More squirrel depredation. Why, oh why, would they want to chew up my patio furniture covers? Now I'll have to try to patch the chewed edges and replace the ties.

I'll add it to their tab: two bird feeders destroyed this summer, a handful of tomatoes filched, and a flat of marigolds dug up and killed. Not to mention the pounds and pounds of birdseed they steal and the holes they dig all over the lawn.

The swath of destruction continues.

Lavender Lime Quilting

I just have to brag - my local quilt shop, Lavender Lime Quilting, is featured in the Fall/Winter 2009 issue of Quilt Sampler. I was there this morning and picked up a copy of the magazine, which they have been given to sell before it goes to general distribution. They have a great selection of fabrics including the more modern designs by the new faces in the quilting world. Of course, their selections always include the more traditional fabrics I favor as well. It's seldom that I don't leave the shop carrying one of their signature lavender plastic shopping bags, which are so heavy and well made, and are great for organizing projects.

Today I went to pick up two completed quilting jobs from their resident longarm whiz, Sherry, whose work is displayed in their featured design in the magazine. I was very happy with her lovely quilting, as usual, and while I waited as she totaled up my bill, I started to look around. Here's what I found:I bought two charm square packs to use with neutrals and yardage from my stash. Right now, my idea is to make a larger version of this small quilt, except with different borders.

Three charm squares plus my neutrals will yield four 4" blocks, so these two packs will make 128 blocks. With borders, it will be a good lap size - unless someone I know has a baby and needs a crib quilt. The bright modern fabrics would make a great baby gift.

Digging out from the fabric storm

This morning I finally attacked the scrambled mess that my stash closet had become, partly because I was shamed by the organizing effort Elaine has put in recently. I would love to have a large chest of drawers to store my fabric like she has. It would be so simple, just pull out a drawer and look at all the choices, not wrestle plastic boxes off shelves like I have to do.

Anyway, over the past several months (Ha, since January! Be honest!) I have been a total slob about keeping my stash in order. I would pull out selections, cut out patches and drop the folded remains in a pile in front of the shelves. A pile that finally reached such Biblical proportions that I had to break down and fold, stack, and file. Which I did, during a two hour marathon this morning.

Oh, the things you'll find.I was reminded of quilts that I had started planning last year by several three yard cuts of large florals, which would be focus fabric and borders of the designs. Some of which designs, I have to admit, I can't remember. And there, on the top shelf in the green fabric bins, are self-assembed kits for projects, all not started yet. On the bottom left is a large bin of juvenile fabric for Project Linus work. And on the bottom right are dressmaking supplies and patterns, which could be better stored somewhere else, along with the brown bag of dressmaking fabrics. Those skirts I made in the spring reminded me I don't really enjoy sewing clothes any more.

My system is fairly orderly but not particularly handy to see what is stored. The boxes contain smaller pieces, some just scraps, of fabrics sorted by color. I always wrestle with the concept of "how small is too small to keep?" So, one of those red topped boxes is a scrap box for small fragments, which may or may not be silly because I'm not a "crumbs" type of piecer. That box is probably just a holding pattern until I dispose of them. If anyone is interested, I will gladly dump them in a box and mail them to you.

Yardage is folded and stored in the bottom bins and lying on top of the bottom shelf boxes. It's hard to remember exactly what I have, so these straightening sessions are good for refreshing the memory. And, I was reminded of how much fabric I have. "Guilted" about it, more like it.

One of the best things about this cleaning business is that it cleared a place in the center front for my other sewing machine. It's not in use as much as my Juki and I like to keep it safely tucked away in the closet. When there isn't a big ol' pile of fabtic there.

My husband's furry birthday party guest

And, no, before you ask, she didn't get to taste the icing!