Sunday progress

Today has been a much needed quiet day at my house.   After church, hubby and I went to Sonny's BBQ for lunch, and after getting back home, I took a much needed Sunday afternoon nap for an hour. After all, our Pastor preached this morning on keeping the Sabbath as a day of rest.

I did a little quilting today on my floral panel .  Still working with the gold thread and getting better at doing it.  I have one more short side border to complete and then it will be finished - at least for the quilting.  After I get the binding sewn on, I want to try adding some beads to one side of the narrow border.


I also completed the applique prep work on the two ring flower blocks for the Pemberley quilt.  One good thing about appliqueing something that you EPP, then edges are all nicely turned under, which makes appliqueing them to the background much easier.  I found it best to pin to the background first, then baste in place so that the pins can be removed.  Before I kept having the pins work themselves out while I was appliqueing and the block would even shift a little.

I had already completed two of the blocks without basting after pinning - but I now have the remaining six blocks basted and ready for applique.  Once the applique is completed, I can square up the blocks to the correct size, and then applique two little Dresden pieces to each corner of the block.  With that, the blocks will be finished and I am ready to sew them together to make the final quilt border.  So close to getting this quilt completed

Pemberley - Slow Sunday Stitching

 I am drawing close to having all the blocks completed for the outer border of my Pemberley quilt. Here I have them all on my design wall.  The row on the bottom of the two ring flower blocks have not been appliqued to the background yet.  The background is just a light cream print, so blends right in with the white background of my design wall.  There will be a 2" strip between each block.

Notice the one ring without a center - well that is what I am doing today.  I hope to be able to start prepping these this afternoon for the applique to the background.  I am getting so close to having this quilt top completed!

My plan for today also includes a little hand quilting on my floral panel.  I am doing quilting around the flowers with gold metallic thread.  This is a little tricky, but still easier than I  anticipated it would be when I chose this thread.  I am using the Coats and Clark Metallic embroidery thread.     I have also discovered that stab quilting with a #8 Straw Needle works superbly.  Its a longer, stronger needle than the #7 Sharps I usually use and seems to handle the metallic thread a little better.   

I have a dear friend, Cheryl, who will be coming to my house for a week or so, recovering from knee replacement surgery.  So sometime today, I need to make a quick grocery run and get her room ready.  I am so blessed to have a husband that accepts my doing this, to have a home that I can welcome her to stay in during this time of need, and to have the good health to take care of her.     I hope you all have a blessed, relaxing Sunday. 

 

 

 

 

Car work table

 My husband and I are on a long road trip to Missouri that takes approx. 15 hours to get to our destination.  We both enjoy road trips and like stopping at antique shops and interesting spots along the way.  I always have some sewing to do - usually EPP for the last few years. 

I used a lap table  to make a "work station" to use on this trip and am really enjoying it.  The plastic containers are held in place by double sided carpet tape.  The little glass jar has a large washer glued in the bottom and there is a magnet glued to the table cup holder.  This way it can be easily taken out do dump the trash.  I covered a piece of cardboard with flannel and used the tape to affix it to the table top.  There is even a light that came with the table.

I am enjoying this worktable. No more dropped pins and scissors in the truck.  I can lay out my pieces and everything is so handy.  When we make stops, I just snap the lids back on the plastic containers, put the lid on the jar and set it in my seat, ready to go when we take off again.

I finished the first block.  This picture is taken in the truck, with the block laid out on the back of the table.  There is a bean bag type back that lets you adjust the angle the table sets on your lap.  So far, I have the EPP done on two blocks and will applique them to the background fabric when I get home.  Today we will be visiting some cousins and I will be completing the third block in the hotel.  Tomorrow we are off to Hamilton, Mo....Missouri Star Company.

Heart Flower Blocks

I have had a nice relaxing Sunday stitching the last of my four Heart Flower blocks.  These will be on the corners of the Pemberley Quilt I have been working on for quite awhile now.  After these four blocks, I have only one more set of border blocks to make and cant wait to get started on them.  My husband and I will be making a trip to Missouri on Friday and I hope to get all my pieces prepped for EPP to take and work on while on the trip. 

Block 4 that I worked on today.  Still have to add the corner little Dresden pieces.

Block 1

Block 2

Block 3