Adventures in fiber

I quilted bubbles over this Sunny Coins flimsy today.   So now another quilt is in the “needing binding” pile.  Interestingly, when you have a flimsy ready to go, often times, you really aren’t even half way there.   You need batting and some of these battings definitely need to be pre-shrunk.   Then there is choosing and sewing together the backing and the binding.   Now you get to choose the design and get everything on the machine so you can quilt.  It all takes time, so this entire day (after gym) has been spent getting this flimsy quilted.  And currently I don’t’ even have a place to put it up where you can see the entire quilt.

Storm at Sea is quilted, but when I cut the binding, I find that I am about 10-12″ short, so I will need to take the time to look in various places where it may have been placed.   This quilt was put together a few years ago.   I have always liked this pattern, so soon will have it hanging on the wall.   I was so pleased with myself that I was up and working on this in the morning.

I had hoped that I might be able to get another flimsy quilted today.   No such luck.   Since my phone was not working again, I made an appointment with Apple to have it worked on.  I was sent to Best Buy about 45 minutes away.   But they couldn’t fix it, so sent me another 5 minutes away to the Apple store in the mall.  It was 5 hours from the time I left home, until I returned with a new IPhone.  I’m hoping this time, since they gave me a new phone, my problems will be solved.  It is difficult not being able to send or receive calls.

On the way to the appointment, I stopped at JoAnn’s and picked up 2 yards of Seahawk fabric for a project.   Then there was 7/8 of a yard remnant and I can’t just walk away when offered a good price on a piece that I  know will eventually be needed for a project.   So now I have an increase 2 7/8 yards of fabric – at least until I get a quilt fully finished and can add it to fabric used.  The only fabric I purchased in the last 2 years was Seahawk fabric.  Maybe tomorrow I can either quilt another quilt or find the rest of the fabric and finish the Storm at Sea.

Chinese Coins is one of the fastest, easiest and brightest quilts that I remember making.  It was fun watching the bright colors come together in this “rain forest”  labeled as Seattle.   Not complaining – just sometimes a bright spot is fun.   The rust color panels are a solid panel so that went rapidly.   This quilt measures 51 x 70 because I wanted to add a bit of rust color to the coin stacks.    I used Babylock’s love of Sewing with Pat Sloan’s lap quilt pattern.  Her jelly roll had much more variety than the one I had on hand which is why I add the rust.

And these are the better storage units – already full as I just transferred the contents from the units falling apart.

This morning I did go to the gym, but only did 10 minutes on the bike and I realized that my energy is not back, so did other “run around” chores, like get the co-op order, get the new calendar with the Jewish dates, and go grocery shopping.    By then it was lunch and half the day was spent.

After that, it was time for quilt therapy.   But I wanted something nice and bright so took half a jelly roll and cut yellow blocks to make Chinese coins  (2.5 x 6.5″).   Because the fabric is already 2.5″, cutting goes fast.   Then I tossed the pieces together and started sewing.   It is nice and bright isn’t it?   And this is how many of my ufos happen.   I have a whole list of January projects and this one was not on it.  Nor was it even a thought until today.  But I like it and will finish the top and then go back and finish the top 2004 Shop Hop block flimsy.