Table runner.........................

 Not much else was accomplished yesterday except the finishing of the binding on this Australian/Aboriginal fabric table runner.  It is 12.5" x 38".  The name of the 2 end blocks is Union, also called Union Block, Union Square, and Four Crowns.  The traditional block is usually just 2 colors, but I have to play a little more with color and value.  The block in the middle has just one big square instead of the Economy Block in the center of the other 2 blocks.  These blocks were made in 2014.  I guess it was about time to make them into something.

Maybe we will get a little snow, maybe we won't.  Round 1 might have been overnight.  Most of the second part of the 24 hour storm is lake effect snow that will be tonight into tomorrow morning.  We are 60 miles west of the lake.  It sounds like about a tenth of an inch if we get some.  Some people under the intense snow band might get lots of inches.

Working on the binding....................

I have started the hand stitching on the binding but didn't finish it last night.

Earlier in the day I finished the third of the last 3 dishcloths I had on the needles.  Now I can start 3 more.

The big beautiful tree across the street lost all of its leaves on the last few windy days.  My tree in the backyard turns color later so it still has a lot of leaves.  This is the view from the north.

This view from the south shows a lot more bare spots because the wind was from the south.

There are lots of leaves on the ground.  In the foreground of this photo is a Hosta that you can see was nipped by a heavy frost or a freeze, not sure which we had a couple nights ago.  There are some hostas still standing in more sheltered areas but I think they will all be gone after this weekend.

 

Quilting a table runner........................

This is the last of the table pieces I had prepped for quilting last week.  It is now quilted and ready to be trimmed.  I'll pick a binding fabric today.

The backing fabric isn't one produced in Australia but uses a lot of the same motifs in the Aboriginal prints.

I brought all of my geraniums into the garage yesterday.  I usually save them every winter and then replant them in spring.

Prep day...................

I finally sewed the three Aboriginal fabric blocks together and chose a backing and cut batting for it.  This will be a table runner.

This little piece is about 12" square.  Batting and backing were cut for it too.  This will be a small table mat.

The binding is cut for this quilt now.

Since this quilt is small I decided to hand stitch the binding.  I have one side completed.  The back and binding are both batik but they are easy to stitch through.

We had a warm Sunday, around 60 degrees.  Now we will be in the 50s for the rest of the week.  Rain is a maybe for Tuesday and Wednesday.

Small stuff.................

Yesterday morning I worked in the basement. again trying to get things put away and get table tops cleaned off.  In one box I found the batik pieced sections that made these blocks.  I sewed the blocks and then made them into a table runner top.  I will look for the light fabric I used for the background and if I find it, I'll add a narrow border all around.

Last night I quilted the Australian/Aboriginal table runner and sewed on the binding.  I'm almost done with the hand stitching on the binding.

While I was in the basement I auditioned 2 Martha Negley fabrics for backing for this quilt.  I have 4 yards of each of them which I just figured out isn't enough.  I will have to figure out a creative way to add an additional fabric.

I actually do have another smaller piece of this fabric in addition to the 4 yards.

Even though they are both darker than the quilt top I think either of them would work.

This is how I know it is time to cut another Peony bouquet.  I'll be carefully removing these flowers from the vase as they drop their petals everywhere.

I did cut the new bouquet and it is mostly light colored blooms.  It is in the garage overnight for all of the ants to crawl out before it comes into the house.

About a week ago I showed a Coral Bell plant that was growing between 2 pavers.  Yesterday I pried up one of the pavers and pulled the plant out and replanted it in a bare area.  It had added some new leaves since I took the first photo.  The leaves are green, purple, and red on this plant.  They change during the summer depending on how much sun the plant gets.  

I have lots of weeds to remove and then plant something behind this plant.

I don't have Tiger Lilies in my front garden any more but a bird probably planted this one for me in the crack between the sidewalk and steps.  I'll let it bloom and then cut it down.

I have several small Cranesbill volunteer plants this year.  This one is too close to the big Coral Bell to leave it there.

Today I'll work on my May monthly recap post fomorrow.

Another binding.................

There was one more quilt waiting for binding so I trimmed it and then started looking for something that would look good with both the front and back.  One of the bow ties is made of this fabric and I thought it would work well.  I'm glad I had enough of it.

I got one short side hand stitched last night.

This small project was just waiting for the border to be sewn on so I took care of that too.  It is made of Australian Aboriginal print fabric.

I went shopping for the plants for my porch pots and garage pots so I will be ready to plant on Saturday.  It's supposed to go down into the 30s one more night so I'm waiting..........
 

Just playing...................

Yesterday was the first day this week without strong wind so I went grocery shopping and filled my gas tank.

When I got to the sewing machine I continued sewing triangle squares and then decided to play with some of the parts in the box.  If I decide to sew this block I need to start sewing more hourglass blocks.  I have a couple more ideas to try too.

This is one of the racks in the basement that I can see now that the excess design walls are gone.  On top is interfacing and fusible fleece, next shelf down is Australian/Aboriginal fabrics, then 2 shelves of black and white, followed by African fabrics and some miscellaneous.  On the bottom is pinks, pastels, some backing fabrics and one miscellaneous pile.  I'm just happy to not have to move a wall every time I need something from this shelf unit.

Last night I played with a collection of Kaffe 2.5" squares to see if I have a good selection for a colorwash.  There are too many golds and not enough greens for one thing and not enough medium/dark values.

 

And then there were 3...........

I continued working on the hand finished binding of table runner #3 and got it finished last night.  They are all close to 15" x 31".

I remembered I had some blocks made with Australian fabrics.  I pulled them out yesterday and my note in the bag with them told me 3 were the same size and the 4th one is a little smaller.  When I put them in the bag I hadn't decided if I was going to make more blocks or just make a table runner out of the 3 that are the same size.  They are 12" finished blocks so I could add 1" sashing and 1.5" borders to make them into a table runner.

Three end of the month finishes (February)....................

First up is the Australian fabric 16 patch which I finished on Wednesday.  This is my all time favorite of all of the Australian fabric quilts I have made.  I love the wide border on it.  It ended up at 60" x 77".

The backing is also an Australian fabric which I was lucky to find on sale last year.

The batting is Hobbs 80/20.

Here is a closeup of the backing fabric.

I got a late start last night doing the binding on the two baby quilts.  This one is Donuts and 9 Patches and is 37" square.

The batting is Hobbs 80/20 and it is quilted with white thread top and bobbin in a loopy pattern.

The zebra print on the back was a clearance fabric I bought a few years ago.  The binding is a white and black stripe with the white stripe a little wider than the black one.

Spring Zig Zag is made with the same fabrics as the quilt above.  It is 33.5" x 40" and also has Hobbs 80/20 batting in it.

There was enough of the zebra print backing for this quilt too and I also used the same binding fabric.  This one has straight line quilting with white thread top and bobbin.

I'm glad I had all of those leftover blocks from a previous quilt to make these 2 little quilts.  

I'll work on my monthly recap for tomorrow's post and then I have to start making backings for all of the flannel quilts.

Quilted a couple................

I intended to quilt a bunch of small quilts this month so I got busy yesterday afternoon and quilted two.

I quilted loops on this one with white thread top and bobbin.

I used the same backing fabric on these two since they were made with the same group of fabrics on the front.

I decided on straight lines with the channel lock for this one.

Last night it was time to get busy finishing the hand stitching on the Australian fabric quilt.  I didn't think I would get it done but I stuck with it until 10:30 p.m. and finished it.  I'll get the photos of these 3 today after I do the binding on the 2 small ones.  This bonus day in February is great for last minute monthly finishing.

Flannel Hugs and Kisses............

#3 quilt top for February sewn and pressed, 60" x 83".  I really like the assortment of flannels in this quilt top.  I'm finally making a dent in my flannel stash and I have a backing chosen for this one.

My longarm friend Robin dropped off 2 quilts last Friday so I got one trimmed and binding sewn on.  I'm working on the hand stitching now and have one short side and one corner done.  I first chose a black Australian print for the binding but decided that black binding and black backing would be too difficult.  I looked for another Australian print that was dark and looked good on both sides of the quilt.  I ended up with this mostly purple print and I think it looks good.  I'll be hand stitching tonight when I watch the 3 FBI TV shows.

Champagne color cactus is blooming now.  2 flowers on one plant and 2 buds on the plant behind it.

It got up to 70 degrees yesterday, higher than they had predicted.  I figured it was a good day to go grocery shopping without a coat.  Today is supposed to be above 70 until the storms roll through late in the day and then 30s tomorrow and maybe snow.  Back in the mid 60s or low 70s on Sunday.  I had migraines for 40 years and that is the type of weather changes that could bring one on.

October 2023 monthly recap................

 In October I had 2 finishes, both small....that's what happens some months.  On the left is Australian fabric zig zag which ended up at 34.5" x 45.5".  The colorwash is all batiks and is 31.5" square.

There were 4 tops finished and these 2 are the largest.  The African fabric and mottled batiks 16 patch with added batik blocks finished at 64" x 80".  I started this top in September and finished it in October.  On the right, the Bear Paw top is 69" x 84".  The blocks were made in 2021 and they waited patiently for me to look for sashing and border fabric for 2 years.

The African fabric quilt top on the left was made in stages.  I sewed the crazy pieced blocks in 2018, chose the elephant panel and sewed the center section together in 2020.  The rest was all sewn in October and it finished at 52" x 69".  The colorwash on the right is mostly Kaffe collective fabrics with other print fabrics added as needed to get a good value flow.  It is 18.5" square.

I was thinking about how fast October flew by and I think that is because I was busy the whole month, between outdoor work cleaning up gardens and making all of these tops and finished quilts.  This month I hope to do more playing and experimenting with fabric combinations but still hope to get my 2 finishes for the month.

Now I need to get my stats for this little quilt on my blog so I can refer back later if necessary.

I used 3" finished triangles of Australian fabrics in this quilt.  There are 2 light triangles that are not Australian but have the same flavor as those prints.

It finished at 34.5" x 45.5".  It has Hobbs 80/20 batting, medium tan So Fine top thread, black Bottom Line bobbin thread.

The backing is also an Australian fabric with a black background.

The binding fabric has a lot of purple and orange in it.

I have some weather and nature photos to post tomorrow.  It was a blustery Halloween in my town.