Of Coffee Bars and String Borders -

This finally was finished last evening -

We decided to remove the second shelf from the baker’s rack we acquired in Marion, VA last week – there just needed to be more space for the drip coffee maker, the keurig to open up, and the electric tea kettle.

You can also see where the door was removed to make room for the whole thing.  The old door opened inward against the wall that the coffee bar is now occupying – a totally wasted wall as far as putting anything here went.

This is also the only wall in the back hallway that has an outlet, and as the walls are lathe and plaster, we were avoiding hiring an electrician to come add more outlets here.

I have a couple of brita pitchers for water that we can keep here as well, and those can be refilled as needed from the kitchen.

The leveling struggle is real!

This floor is part of the original 1884 side of the house and the floors are anything but level.  

We had to make 3 little shims, each a different height from each other to get the coffee bar level!  3 legs have the little risers, one is just on the floor in a high spot.  LOL!  

Whatever it takes, right?

Looking into the hall from the kitchen.

I think this will work!

And I like it just fine without the second shelf.

While this was going on – there was also much adjusting of new doors that are going into the Quiltville Post Office.  The doors to the bathroom and the old postmasters office where I have my big computer are at least 40 years old if not older -

The height of the doors needed to be adjusted and hinges added to match the hardware on the door frames – and then painted.  New doors should be installed soon!

Perhaps the most fun (and frustration) I had all day was this!

Oh Lola, you ARE a Showgirl!

Click to Play:

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A post shared by Bonnie K Hunter (@quiltville_bonnie) on Sep 15, 2020 at 10:21am PDT

Laying out borders and getting them on is a challenge!

But that aqua strip just pops, doesn’t it?

All of the string blocks have bias edges.  That’s just the way string blocks go. 

All of the seams in the blocks and where blocks are joined together also make for heavy edges.  It took a lot of pinning, matching, and "EASE, BABY EASE!" to get these borders on and to lay flat.

Not to mention a lot of pressing and sometimes STEAM!

I found I had less stretch and flare on the borders if I added the inner border strip to the border first, and then added the whole thing to the quilt.

I also stay-stitched the outer edges of the borders before adding them to the quilt.  That helped save me from battling the weight of the quilt so much.

I kept the string block parts against the feed dogs to help ease in any fullness.  And Oh, there was fullness!

I’m not a huge fan of starch, sizing, best press or any chemical anything, but I think in the future I will try starching my string blocks before trimming to help minimize that stretch.

This is a very piece-heavy quilt and all of the handling just causes things to, well – behave like bias!

But the top is done.

And I think I have the remainder of a bolt of fabric I used for the backing on On Ringo Lake that will also do as the backing for this one and I can get ride of that bolt.  Or most of it.

Close up!

58 hexie stars – all found a home here.

That is this afternoon’s plan – make a backing, get the quilt loaded.  If I get that far, I’m doing good.

Because this morning – I am filling orders for those who ordered The Quilter’s Project Planner!  2 cases arrived late yesterday afternoon.  There are 2 more cases on the way that will be here next week.

Did you place your order yet?

And did you know that entries are still open to WIN ONE?!

The Social Media Tour Continues!

There are just a couple of days left on the tour.  Click to the ORIGINAL POST for the list of who to visit.  

Each site is also giving away a free copy of the Quilter’s Project Planner – so enter to win on them all! (And don’t forget to enter with me as well!)

I will be drawing for our winner here on the 18th.

Having my projects organized makes me feel like I can accomplish things so much better!

And if you are as excited about the Quilter’s Project Planner as I am (Along with Love Your Creative Space which is encouraging me all along my organizing journey!) you can find both titles in the New and Books categories of the Quiltville Store.

Anything happening in your world today?

Quiltville Quote of the Day -

Pineapple Blossom quilt from the free patterns tab 

Follow your own muse with blinders on.

Can I get an Amen?

Have a wonderful Wednesday, peeps!