The surgery went well!!!!!

Yesterday was the last Pampered Sit n Sew day of the year. I have raised a lot of money for my two charities - just have to get it all in the system now and see how much I am missing.

My only complaint about yesterday - those girls were so quick to put their projects away that I barely got any pictures. DRAT DRAT - I missed Katheleen's Carolina Lily AGAIN!!!!!!

I did manage to get these two pictures though....................

Here is Rose (isn't that an excellent shot if she were Wilson from Home Improvement???) Anyway Rose worked on her One Block Wonder. Last time she was here - she had got the placement of all her blocks and pinned them. Then she took advantage of the fact that I was pressing for everyone and she got all the columns sewn  and then she managed to get a lot of the columns sewn together. Great job Rose!!!!!

Ronda is making "All About Me" for her husband's 40th birthday in January. She also took advantage of the pressing and  got the quilt all together except for one block that she was missing due to a technology glitch!!!!   I hear she has since printed the photo that goes there and will get it together in plenty of time for me to quilt. Yes - her quilt is on my January list!!!!    She asked a long time ago!

Fortunately the other three people did NOT require pressing as Ronda and Rose kept me very busy. Katheleen was doing applique on her Carolina Lily and Flo and Joanne were quilting. Anyway - we all had a great day. Watch out for more Pampered Sit n Sew days in the New Year. I have to get my own calendar set so watch for that.

After everyone left, I tackled the quilt repair. I started by sewing the half square triangles together. Before I trim or anything - let's check some sizes. ooops - they are WEIRD sizes.

Not FOUR inches, but four and a quarter inches!!!!!

Not TWO inches, but two and 1/8 inches

So they got trimmed to 2 5/8"

Pinwheels are trimmed and remade - also had to trim the plain squares. Note how THIN the fabric is. And to add further excitement to the project - those triangles for the pinwheel were cut on the BIAS. Yes - that means the outside edge of those pinwheel squares is 100% BIAS. 

The quilt with the two damaged blocks removed

The repaired piece waiting to be reinserted

The repaired piece in the quilt!!!!

Also have a hole to fix

And now for the washing part.

I was a bit apprehensive for this part as the quilt is fragile simple because of it age (30 years) and the fabrics are so thin!!!!  Also the stitch length used is not LONG enough and you can see the quilt wanting to separate at the seams especially since the seams on the pinwheels are pressed OPEN. And then there is the question of what product to use - the quilt is very soiled and was going to need a really really good washing.

I thought I would test the binding pieces.

Binding in the sink. 

I started with the product on the right, but NOT much was happening, so threw in the big guns - the OxiClean and wow - what a difference. Probably not the most gentle thing to use, but honestly this quilt needed the extra boost.  Just wait and I will show you what I mean. 

So I got brave and thew the top and the backing into the sink with the Oxi-Clean. I let it soak overnight and yes I did have visions of waking up in the morning to find the quilt dissolved because of the Oxi-Clean. But it came out just fine!!!!!

Have a look at this - the sample on the right is UNWASHED, the middle was done using the  Sew Clean product and the one on the left - Oxi-Clean. 

Guess what I will be using to wash very soiled items in the future.

I really wanted to have it ready for the lady who is hand quilting it. She is coming today for another reason and it would have been great to have it ready for her. However I am still working with the customer trying to figure out how the quilt was originally quilted so it can be requilted the same way. You could NOT tell how the quilt was quilted except for the cable in the blue sashing. No idea how the rest was done as the quilting is long gone.

Since it won't be ready to give to Pat today, I have decided to give the quilt another bath. I haven't had a good look at it since it was drying on the rack, but I think another bath wouldn't hurt it and then I can get all the rest of the binding washed at the same time.


Today is the LAST day of the year that I share my studio with others. I will have my head down after this trying to catch up with everything!!!!   But it is a breeze to get the studio ready for others and I LOVE LOVE LOVE having the room clean and tidy. So much easier to vacuum (yes I do vacuum and I do dishes by hand since our dishwasher is not working properly).  DEAR SANTA - I want a new dishwasher for Christmas.


Got one more list/sheet to make up - for those items that people borrow from me. I have the notes on bits and pieces of paper, but got to put it all in one spot.




Oh yes - I am feeling in control.


HA - all I have to do is look at this - my next project and all control goes OUT THE WINDOW................

Any idea what this is all about?????

These are two sample blocks I made a while ago. Any idea yet????

Why it is DEAR JANE - that's what!!!!   I am running this as a year long (well actually two years, but don't tell them) at The Hobby Horse.

My biggest dilemma is what to use for the background which is why I made the two blocks - should I just use muslin like the example on the left or use shirtings like the example on the right???????    I am TORN - I like the clean look of the muslin, but the shirtings is interesting as well.

Anyway - I'll be sure to give you all the details of this project in the next day or so.

On that note I had better finish the dishes and pass that vacuum.


Have a great day!!!!



Ciao!!!!!