Quilter's Quandary!

As I sit here typing this morning there are TWO things I am noticing. First off - my wrists are getting sore. Is that from sewing and cutting?  Or is that from typing on a surface that is a bit too high???   Probably a combinaton of both!

The second thing I noticed is that my finger nails are too long.  Now I know that doesn't seem like such a big deal, but it is!!!  You know why???  Well I had shellac put on my nails before Christmas - the beginning of December!!!!!

 I loved the look, but once the shellac came off, my nails were a mess.  They wouldn't grow - they broke, they were soft, they were brittle.  It was awful.  But this is the FIRST time since then (almost six months later) that I actually have to file my nails!!!!!     Wow!!!!  


Yesterday, I went back to Bargain Fabrics yet again!!!!   I am becoming a regular at the store for sure.  If you get to the store - tell them you are friend of the crazy lady from Toronto who writes for QUILTSocial and made that tote bag. I think you'll get excellent service!!!  (Not that you wouldn't anyway - the sales staff have been very helpful)

Now here is my quandary...................

Remember my PEI quilt????   The one with the oysters, the lobster, potatoes, etc. Well - it is currently 55" by 64"  which is just a tad shy of my generous lap size quilt which is 60" by 72" .

Memories of PEI quilt

 Technically it needs ONE more row of squares on the side and two on the bottom to make it the right size. But I would have to buy a LOT more FQs to get the variety.     Or I could do this.................



Add a skinny border of oyster fabric and a bigger border of  multicolour shell fabric - that would make the quilt 65" by 74".

Add two borders

Normally making the quilt a bit bigger wouldn't be a big deal, but despite the fact that this PEI tartan is NOT 100% cotton (it is polyester and viscose), I wanted to use it for the quilting backing.  I know - silly me.  The problem is - the tartan is 60 inches wide!!!!    Do you see my quandary????

PEI tartan

So the quandary is this:

1. leave the quilt the size it is and use the tartan as the backing 
2. add the borders as purchased and piece the tartan backing. (I have FOUR meters of the darn stuff)
3. add a small 2 inch border of oysters or shells to make the quilt very close to my normal generous lap quilt size and still use the tartan as the backing but not have to piece it?????    Then I would have enough tartan to back another quilt!!!!!   Don't worry - I already bought another bundle of strips to make another quilt.  That is going to appear on QUILTSocial at some point in the near future. 

I'm tending towards number 3.     What would you do??????


Yes - I am still working on Chubby Charmer  - I have the front and back together and quilted. I have the pockets done and attached to the lining - I am working on the handles this morning. I was hoping to find a swivel ring to use for keys on the inside.  A couple of places to look today including Value Village (for an old purse strap) - otherwise, I will finish the bag with NO key fob inside.

Now a funny thing happened on the way back from the beach the other night.  I am madly taking pictures (as you well know if you have been following this blog for the last couple of weeks) of everything. And if you have followed QUILTSocial this past week, you know I made the beach tote bag. And I used a decorative stitch for "quilting" on the footprints in the sand fabric.  Well I did the same stitch on the pockets of my latest Chubby Charmer as I used flusible fleece on them, not the interfacing. It's what I had!!!!!

Stitching on the pocket of the Chubby Charmer

In case you can't see it that well - here is a close up.

Close up of stitching

When choosing that stitch - I was looking for something that looked like tracks and that was the closest I came.  But on my way home from the beach, I got VERY EXCITED when I saw this.........

A June beetle walking up the sand

See - look at those tracks - just like mine!!!!!!!

And that beetle did NOT go straight - he was curvey - just like I discovered I needed to when I did the stitching.  Check out this link to see the difference.   Scroll to the very bottom to see the pictures.

Indeed - it doesn't take much for me to get excited!!!!!!      There is inspiration EVERYWHERE - you just have to keep your eyes OPEN!!!!

In case you think I am getting nothing done lately - well that is true!  NOT!!!!   I have been hand stitching a binding down. I brought TWO quilts that needed binding. One is going to stay here and one is coming back with me.

My binding corner!

I am almost done and I only started it the other day!!!  I know - that is fast for me. But I have my iPod and listening to a great book and a super view - how could I not!!!  I was disappointed last night when it became too dark to stitch.  Oh - I could have moved my OTT Lite in, but I was getting tired!!!!!   Heck - I might even get the other binding done as well.

Then I spent a bit of time on the computer - trying to find some great audio books to "read" on the way home. Sad, but my days are numbered here! Downloaded two - it sure helps to have a listing of the books that I have read because I can't remember the darn titles and I have too many authors that I follow to keep track in my head (thanks to Linda for that tip many years ago!). Some are in series so have to check which one is next to be read and so on.  A tad complicated, but with the computer - no big deal.  I must get my older lists of "books read" in the computer program so I have the total listing in there.  And I have started my second to last physical book so I may have to totally rely on the iPod soon.  No worries!!!! Lots of hand work to do while I listen and the iPod holds LOTS of books.

Time to start a new project!!!!  I have been struggling with fabric choices on this one for a while.  Found an awesome pattern - not sharing it with you yet!!!!  Nancy knows - maybe you can pry it out of her! But found this great FQ bundle which will be perfect for the quilt. It was on sale and I bought it at The Quilt Store in Newmarket a couple of months ago. It was 25 percent off!!!!!

FQ bundle - Fancy (Lily Ashbury) by Moda

Next up - I found some Kona solids at Sew Sisters to go with it for a bit of variety and a place for the eyes to rest!!!

Kona solids to go with the FQs

I still wasn't satisfied and needed some lights. But what????

I could add in this BORING beige (which I pulled from my stash)

But I took ADVANTAGE of Nancy when she was here. I love how she can pick those busy prints and put them together to look awesome. So when we were out and about - we found these to go with it. Those lights came from Bargain Fabrics (near Summerside), Quilting B & More (Charlottetown) and Fabric Crafts n' More  (O'Leary) - three quilt stores on PEI. Thanks Nancy - I appreciate all your help!!!!    I was hoping for a total of 60 fabrics - I have 55.   I would like a couple of orange ones - LIGHT orange with cream background. I am sure that I have several at home or I will find on my way home.

BUSY lights, BRIGHT mediums and REST YOUR EYE solids

 I think I am set (except for those missing five).  This is an area where I am NOT comfortable - working with those busy lights.  Scares me to death and so it is time to step out of my comfort zone and get to work on them!!!!!

Block ONE is cut

You know how your cutting board gets all crappy from trimming little bits.

Little bits left on the cutting board

When we were in Sea Garden the other day, I found this scrubby thing. Says it can be used for anything and everything needed a scrubby - like your vegetables, your feet (I wouldn't use the same one!!!), and many other uses including getting the bits off the cutting mat. Well it didn't say that - but that is what I bought it for.

Very useful Scrubby!

 And I have been trimming so I get lots of little bits on the cutting mat.

Almost done trimming!!!!!!

My girls are very funny. They RARELY sleep together, yet I caught them last night cuddled (so to speak) on the dog bed!!!!!

Sparky and Little Sammy - sleeping together

Little Sammy is very curious. She needs to see everything and look where I caught her this morning.

Looking out the window as Dad left to play golf!!!!

I am afraid to say but the sun is shining (has been since this morning), there isn't a cloud in the sky and it is warm outside!!!!!   I have to go to Charlottetown to pick up my last visitor at 1 PM so no bike riding today.

It is indeed going to be a brilliant day. Not only the weather, but I had been mulling over some stuff and needed a direction and it hit like a lightening rod when I woke up this morning. I am happy as a clam!!!!    Now to get to work to make it all happen.

Have an awesome day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Ciao!!!!!!!!!!!!!