In a Christmas Bind!

When the right green speaks to you, listen!

I have, over the past several years, learned to make decisions based solely on what I have on hand.  My “abundant” fabric stash lives 100 miles away in North Carolina (But this coming year is the year we deal with changing that!) and I am left to fend with bits and pieces that I have on hand.

It’s usually PLENTY to work with when I am making things in a rainbow of scrappiness where all I need are a multitude of colors and a plethora of neutrals, my favorite and most needed staple.

But once you start creating with a color theme in mind – things can get a bit dicey!

There was not enough red to finish the edge -

And I didn’t want a scrappy binding, as it would disappear against the scrappy border. I felt the quilt had too much red already, and I wanted something to brighten that edge up just a bit -

A bright green is the answer!

And I love the pop it gives to the edge of the backing as well.

A red binding would be expected – but boring.

Green for the win!

I made it about half way last night -

2 corners down, 2 to go!

I had a one yard piece of this red in my cabin stash – some selective cutting and re-piecing and it was just big enough.  The trimmed margins after quilting will be cut to Scrap User’s System strip widths and funneled right in, ready to use again in another project needing a variety of reds.

I’ve been asked many times about the width of my binding.  I use a 2’’ strip, for a 1/4’’  double-fold binding finish.  If I have patchwork that goes to the edge of the quilt like this, a wider binding would have made those squares look like rectangles.  1/4’’ finish is my favorite for a binding that accents, but doesn’t overwhelm the edge of the quilt.

Remember this sign from my recent Indiana visit?

Mary brought it to Shipshewana -

A gift for Quiltville Inn!

It wouldn’t fit my luggage, and I couldn’t safely carry it on the plane without danger of breaking the glass, so she agreed to ship it to me.  And it came expertly wrapped in – BATTING!  I felt like the little kid who set the gift aside and was happy to play with the box and the wrapping instead.  LOL!  (Not really, but I did size that batting scrap up to see if it was big enough to use – it is! LOL!)

Thanks, Mary!  I love this stitchery so much.  The most fun is watching people screw up their faces while attempting to sound it out – LOL.

It will have a much honored place at the inn.  Right up there with the NO WHINING sign!

These 2 our settling in!

That Dresden Boy is still a bit on the defensive.  His growling and hissing mostly happens when he is scared and unsure.  It will get better.  I’ve upset his world by dragging him to a new place 100 miles away.

Lola is a chattery love, carrying on conversations in chirps and meows and I am really going to like having them for company at the Quiltville Post Office as I have been spending LOADS of time there tending to all of the mail order side of things.

Today I’ve got some fun in store.  I’m meeting up with Jean at the Free Market in Independence to pick up a porch rocker she is saving for me.  And I’ll be dropping off the discarded pedestal sink for someone else to adopt.  That is IF it is something they will accept.

In the past I’ve donated lamps, quilting books and other  decorative items.  I’ve snatched up a couple of baskets and other things for the inn as well.

And it’s FREE.  Bring something, take something – and they love craft supplies, so fabric I don’t want, etc can be donated and adopted by someone who can put it to good use.  FOR FREE.  It’s a fun time!

From there, I’m meeting my friend Donna for lunch and a good long chat – and we will see where the day goes before I get back to the Quiltville Post Office – I’ve got Part 4 of Frolic on my radar and it is time to get it fine tuned and finished for posting on Friday.  how are you coming along with your clues so far?

I’m going to take a break from constantly spamming you with images of things that are on sale through the month of December, But in due text form remember:

Our Hunter’s String Star PDF pattern is 1/2 price through the month of December at only $4.00!

My newly released Bavaria/Austria project, Warm Hands, Warm Heart is available for download, in the digital pattern section of the Quiltville Store where you will also find the Sulky Stick ‘n Stitch and the Hemming Chenille needles, size 24.

I am shipping out Quiltville Quilter’s Date Keepers left and right!  They are on sale for just $9.99 through December – feature more than 70 of my quilts, full of my favorite quotes, hints, helps and tricks and perfect for gift giving.  Regularly priced at $16.95, this is quite the discount.

I also have all of the rulers on hand that we are using in our Frolic Mystery, as well as many different styles of Karen Kay Buckley Scissors if you are wanting to treat yourself to something special.

The sun is up – it’s frigid cold at 25 degrees out there.  I’m warming up the van, and heading  to the QPO.

Quiltville Quote of the Day -

Vintage hodgepodge quilt found in North Carolina.

Sometimes I find myself making the same mistake more than once.

This thick head can be slow to learn a lesson, but it eventually gets through!

Enjoy your Tuesday, everyone!