Wednesday, September 17, 2014

HOT HOT HOT IN CALIFORNIA, AND ANOTHER CHRISTMAS QUILT NEARS COMPLETION



It's been a busy HOT few days over here.  We are leaving EARLY (hopefully around 3:00 am, yikes!) for Melody's and I am soo looking forward to it.  I ran and got my hair done yesterday afternoon and this morning I went and got these nails addressed.  In between sewing today I am working on the laundry, packing, and still need to DROWN the porch plants as best I can (did I tell you it's been sooo HOT?) and pick up a couple of things.  Sam's presents are wrapped and ready and hubby's got the car all serviced and washed.  We will only be gone 4 days, (and two of them will be spent traveling) so this is a pretty short trip.  Can't say I am looking forward to the drive, but on the other hand we have our things down that make it go quickly. We both love to listen to music and we bring along our favorites, we have a few messages to catch up on from our son, and I can sit my lap top on my lap and watch movies too.  Hubby listens along.  And of course there is always hours of conversation to go along with all of it.  I'd like to say it is a pretty drive with lots to see, but honestly MOST of it is NOT, lol.  But best of all there are two sweet little boys on the other end of the drive anxiously awaiting our arrival.  Sam is old enough now to totally get everything, and he gets pretty excited.  I can't wait to see either one of them, and spend time in LONG conversations with my girl too.  They are having a party for Sam on Sat. so I know the time will go quickly, but I am grateful for even this short little time that is set aside for them.

I have spent several hours at the sewing machine in the last few days working on my latest Christmas quilt, which does seem ironic as it is sooo HOT!  It is really pretty easy, but it is taking longer then I thought to put it together.  I guess I wasn't thinking it through much, as how could 320 little squares get sewn on "quickly"? lol. And this of course AFTER the 4 strips had already been sewn together and squared up. It just takes time of course. And then, after both of my squares were on the block, I needed to go through and square up all of those blocks...AGAIN.  Now here is what I have been wondering.  I realize of course fabric stretches so I try as hard as I can NOT to pull or stretch as I work with it, and to "press" not iron when doing that. I TRY as hard as I can to cut out super carefully, and to sew my seams as consistently as I can as I know even an 1/8 of inch one way or another can make things be off,   And yet!  I honestly couldn't believe how much still needed to be trimmed away to make those blocks square!  In fact, I had to trim my blocks to 8 by 8 instead of 8 and half by 8 half.  And! here is where I am really bewildered.  Even with ALL of my precautions and taking my time, and the super good method I came up with to square up those blocks, some of the little red triangles are bigger then others.  I could have cried, but I laughed instead.  Here is the bottom line for me...I am NOT WILLING to be any more cautious then I have been.  I am NOT WILLING to rip out, replace, do over, and in any way fret over the fact that they are not.  So this is as good as it gets! lol  "Maybe" with more time and experience I will discover what it is that I am obviously still doing wrong so that this happens occasionally, but if not...oh well. I have put together all the rows of blocks, and all the rows of sashing with cornerstones, and this part at least went pretty quickly.  All that leaves is the borders and another one is done. Let me show you..

I LOVE LOVE THIS FABRIC!

ANOTHER VIEW...THOSE LITTER TRIANGLES ARE screaming AT ME, LOL!

THERE WILL BE A 2 INCH BORDER ALL THE WAY AROUND IN THE OFF WHITE, AND THEN A 4 INCH GREEN AS WELL.  CAN'T WAIT TO SEE IT DONE.

 I am wanting a matching tree skirt next (we didn't have one last yr. as I had to get rid of our old one the year before!) and that should go quickly.  I have 5 blocks left over from this quilt, and so I intend to make a matching runner as well.  But I NEED to get busy on presents and projects, so I really should be done with my own things already, lol.  I can't seem to settle in on what to make the families.  Every year (for a few years anyway) I make something for each  of my children's family's for them to have and enjoy.  I try to make them all the same things.  Maybe in different colors, but the same.  I want to make them ALL quilts, but that would not only be VERY time consuming, but also costly.  But I haven't ruled it out completely just yet.  All I know for sure is, WHATEVER it is, I need to get on it.

My dryer is buzzing with my last load, and I still need to get to that watering, (I am dreading going out there as it sooo HOT!) and I still have many thing to get together to pack, so I'd best get off of here and get busy.  I might have moments here and there to visit, and I am bringing my lap top, but maybe not either, so we will see.  You all know what I will be doing...loving on those babies. Hope you all have a GREAT rest of the week, and and wonderful week-end. I have heard the heat is breaking tomorrow for a while for us Californians though, which is good because it has been unbearably HOT!  Blessings and simple joys to you all!  Debbie

LOOK AT THESE TWO CUTIES WHO ARE WAITING FOR US!

LUKE HAS GOTTEN HUGE!  SEEMS ALMOST AS BIG AS SAM!

WEARING DADDIES BOOTS!


8 comments:

  1. What a beautiful snowball Christmas quilt! Don't fret about the triangles. You may be off on your 1/4 inch seam? Double check that.
    Have a wonderful time visiting the kids!!
    xo Kris

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  2. Oh, I do know about boring drives with nothing to see on the long drive. When our daughter lived in Kansas it was that way. Wishing you all a safe and wonderful trip. I do know what it means to you.

    The quilt is lovely and I'd never know that it was off 1/4" Anyone looking that close is looking too close. :o)) Happy travels!

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  3. Have a safe trip. I hope the rain is all gone as you go that way. I love your quilt and I love the pictures of the boys. Yes, it is hot. It was supposed to cool down but it is still as hot as can be.
    I know you are going to have such a fun time.
    Have lots of fun!

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  4. Safe and happy travels to you! Love on those sweet boys as much as you can! :)

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  5. If you figure out how you're off on your blocks, let me know. I even took a precision piecing class, but my blocks still don't turn out perfectly. I have all but given up, relying on that old adage that done is better than perfect. Ha!

    Have a safe trip and enjoy your time with Mel and those two adorable little ones!

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  6. Oh, I forgot to say how much I love, love, love that Christmas quilt you're working on. Gorgeous!!!

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  7. Love the quilt. And those triangles may be screaming at you but it took me a bit to see what you were talking about. So if you don't tell anyone, us novices would probably never notice. :)

    Hope you have a wonderful time with those 2 cuties this weekend.

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  8. Your work is beautiful and those babies are just precious. Enjoy your trip!!!

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I am so glad that you would take the time to comment on my thoughts and feelings, it is such a blessing to me!