Borders, bindings, and backings

Yesterday was Sit n Sew day. It was time to buckle down and get some work done! OK - get more work done!

It was a day of super productivity and I'm going to share what the others did tomorrow. Today, it's all about ME.

In the morning before anyone came, I got the backing done for Tonga Rhapsody which I showed you yesterday, but here it is again.

Tonga Rhapsody - ready for quilting

Once everyone was settled, I put the pedal to the metal and this is what happened.

This quilt and the backing were made a while back but I didn't have any fabric for the binding. When I pulled apart something else, I found a piece of dark green that would be perfect for the binding. So the first thing I tackled at the sew day was to make the binding. This one goes into the "to be quilted" pile.

Another quilt ready to be quilted

This next one is a scrap quilt and it needed the backing and the binding made. There are no borders on the quilt. I could have added some as it's on the smallish side for me (only 50" wide), but NO worries - this will be great for a smaller person. Now the backing and the binding are done. It was easy to find the fabric for both - I had pulled them from my stash a while back and they were sitting in the work basket. 

Quilt three of the day that got moved to the "to be quilted" pile

I looked in the workbasket and picked this as my next project. This quilt has been made FOREVER. It was together but didn't have any borders on it. The fabric was in the box. So border number one went on like a dream. Border number two is a directional print and I only had one meter. Let's just say there are a few seams in that outer border. It's so darn busy, I doubt you'd even know there are seams there. And now this top is DONE. The quilt is an old pattern from Bee Creative called Pickle Dish. I've no idea where the pattern is.

Pickle Dish quilt top - DONE

I used the black fabric that was in the box to make the binding and found a bright backing in the backings pile. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE seeing all my backings so quickly and because the yardage is marked on them, I know before I even pull it off the shelf if there's enough fabric. It's so easy!!!!!

Quilt number four of the day!

It was back to the work basket to dig out the next project. This was a quilt top I made at a retreat a while back. I used a layer cake and a Creative Grids Scrap Ruler to make it. The border, binding and backing fabric were also with the quilt top.

Scrappy Halloween quilt

I got the first border on last night and the second one was prepped to go on this morning. The quilt top with two borders is now DONE!!!! That only took a couple of years.

The scrappy Halloween quilt top is done!!!!

Then it was on to making the binding and the backing. I used a different backing than the one that was with it. Again - super easy to find! The one I was going to use will get labeled and placed on the shelves later today.

Quilt number five add to the "to be quilted" pile

I won't show you the "to be quilted" pile at the moment. It's huge and getting bigger by the day. I need to finish tidying up the puzzle room and then I can show you the quilting pile. The stuff I took from the puzzle room is on the floor by the quilts. A tad messy!

Look how awesome it is to have all that room to lay out the bolt of backing fabric and cut the backing. Nothing to take off the table, no need to work in a tiny space. I'm so in love with my "new" studio. And I aim to keep it that way. Yes - from time to time, it gets messy, but then it's so easy to clean up when everything has a home. That is the key - clutter will disappear if everything has a home. What doesn't have a home - needs to go!

Laying out the backing fabric on the cutting table

And I figured out how to tackle that corner of Studio B. After the ladies left yesterday, I stood there for a few minutes perusing what was there. I opened a few containers and HMMM - this is going to be easy. It might take a while, but should be easy. I'm going to sort - a pile for UFOs, a pile for brand new stuff, a pile of fabric (some of which was bought as a group to make something), fabrics I will likely never use, supplies, etc. That shouldn't take long and then I can go through each pile and pitch and purge. How easy is that going to be????  Super easy!!!! I already see a HUGE pile that will be donated to the local high school.

I'm trying to be very realistic as well. Some fabrics were pulled for a project or at least part of a project. Those are going back on the shelves. There is NO NEED to be starting something new that isn't from a kit. It's a question of getting things under control and then if I want to pull a new project, that's OK. But NO pulled fabric is going to be sitting around.

So what's this workbasket I mentioned above? When I was tidying a couple of weeks ago, I found this nice orange container. It was filled with stuff which has since found a home. The container was empty. I decided it would make a perfect place to put the current projects. The projects above were in that workbasket. There are SIX more projects in that workbasket and I will work on those six until they are complete. Only when the workbasket is empty, will I add something to it. Otherwise, you know what will happen. I will put something in that I "really" want to do and the other stuff won't get done and then it becomes a UFO. No LONGER will I do that. OK - from time to time, I might slip, but I'm really trying to make headway in this mess.

The workbasket for Studio B

After a day like yesterday, I really feel that I made huge progress and there really is a light at the end of the tunnel. Of the six projects left in the workbasket, I have one with me today for Monday sewing. It has a border that needs some applique and prepping it will be a perfect project for today when I get bored with embroidery. The other five are not huge projects and I should have no trouble working on them. It's all about FOCUS.

Speaking of containers, look what Rose brought me yesterday. I was admiring her basket the other day at class. These are from Longo's. They are reusable, collapsible containers. This one is square and is cute as a button. I've got all my Monday stuff packed in it for today. They have larger ones that we use all the time, but this is about 12 inches square.

A square collapsible bucket from Longo's

Even though it was a sewing day yesterday, I did almost 19,000 steps. Now how the heck did that happen??? All that walking around putting on borders and bindings and making backings! I also walked back to the mall to chat one more time with the Bell people. Nothing was wrong, I just decided to take advantage of the "free" tablet that they offered. It's small, but perfect for DH to read on.

I also managed to get another customer quilt done! I'm keeping up with the customer quilts and I'm right on track! I have a few more to go and I "accepted" three new quilts yesterday! Once October arrives, I want to make the schedule about 3 customer quilts a week and one or two of mine or a charity quilt. I have to get them on the machine - they are piling up rather quickly!

Customer quilt - DONE

There you have it - a super productive day!! I'm so pumped with excitement, that I can't wait to get into the studios and back to work. I just thrive on this stuff and I can't get enough. However, I do take some downtime - I did finish my book last night.

And how do I get so much done? I'm very efficient with my time. As my oatmeal cooked this morning (3 ½ minutes), I was out in the garage and took a bunch of stuff to the curb. It's big garbage day tomorrow and I might as well take advantage of that instead of paying the junk people to take it away. Let's see if any of it is left when I get home later today.

WAIT!!!!  Before you go - it's QUILTsocial week for me. I won't tell you what machine I'm working on this week. You have to pop over to see. I'm so excited about this that - well, I'm going to be doing a lot more with this machine in the future.

Have a super day!!!!


Ciao!!!!