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Wednesday, February 17, 2021

Days of Rainbows & Ice!


The quilting is done on my Catching Rainbows quilt!

At one point I was worried that I would run out of the pastel variegated thread I was using on the top - but we made it!  with some to spare.

What remains on the cone won't be enough to quilt anything of any size - not even a baby quilt.  So the plan is to wind it on bobbins and use it for machine piecing.

Another empty cone bites the dust!  It feels so good - that cone has been hanging around more than a dozen years.

Thank heavens for multi-colored scrap quilts - as long as the thread color is lighter than medium on the value scale, it will likely blend through just about everything.


Truing up the edges and squaring corners before binding.

I've had a lot of folks ask me why I don't apply the binding by long arm machine.

there are many reasons - but it mostly revolves around the fact that when you quilt across a quilt, any fulness pushes out toward the outside edges.  Quilt sides are RARELY perfectly straight when they come off the machine.

If I want a binding that hangs straight, and doesn't curve or bulge in and out, I need to trim the edges of the quilt and square the corners before I put the binding on.

I prefer to apply my bindings by sewing machine, not long arm.


Of COURSE I would run short!!

The aqua stripe I am using has been in the stash at LEAST 30 years.  I remember buying it and it's rose/cream cousin by flat fold when I was making bears, bunnies, and other country dolls to use as striped bloomers.  And sleeves - combined with big florals for the rest of the dress.  It was THE THING to do with country decorating "back in the 90's."

It turned out to be the PERFECT binding in between the realms of "neutral" and "color" without overpowering either.


And I was able to find a scrap I had relegated to the string bin, trim it up and complete my binding!

By the time I did that - there literally was nothing left.  And the stash cabinets breathe just a bit easier with that piece gone.


Loving the quilting texture!

This is Merry Go Round by UrbanElementz.com

I have spent the last few evenings working on stitching that binding down - I've just about finished with the binding, so tonight I'll be moving on to the hanging sleeve and the label.


Loving this stripe!

I was so worn out last evening that all I ended up doing was snuggling under it for warmth with no stitching happening at all.  Some nights are just like that, and that's okay.


Besides - it's kind of hard to turn the last corner on the binding when the quilt is being held down on my legs by Ivy Lea!

Dinner warm in my belly, a cup of evening cocoa - something good on TV (We are up to the last 3 episodes of Everwood and I'm sorry I'm about to reach the end!) and stitching was laid aside in lieu of "just being."

Today we prepare for more freezing rain.

When I return from my mammo appointment this afternoon, it will definitely be another round of "parking at the bottom".

My appointment in Winston for tomorrow has been rescheduled for next week - will this winter ever end?  We have 11 days left in this month - let's hope it runs out.

However, I was talking to my friend Martha who said that the WORST blizzard she remembers in these parts came in 1996 in March. If you talk to anyone from here who was there then and ask them the same thing - they will say "March of 1996!"

So with the incoming ice storm (And who knows what else) I'm prepping for a stay-day at the cabin tomorrow.  My BLUE project will be my focus!

My thoughts are with those throughout the Midwest as they continue through rolling blackouts in an attempt to keep the grid from collapsing completely.

I'm thinking of my friends in Texas (And Oklahoma) with burst water mains in the streets - as they wait for a warm up and a thaw as there is just not enough equipment to deal with this kind of situation there.

It's times like this that I am really grateful to live in a house insulated by quilts, fabric, batting - and pets who love to snuggle!

How are things faring where you are?


   Dalina's 
Grassy Creek finish!

"Stay safe in all crazy cold weather when you go out on your errands Bonnie.  I have finished my Grassy Creek mystery and working on pillow shams as I am gifting it to our cousin as a wedding gift.  Thanks for all your wonderful patterns and your words of wisdom each day. "

Dalina - this is going to be such a beautiful meaningful wedding gift!  I love it when quilts are made with a purpose, and infused with love in every stitch!

Grassy Creek, my new pattern Shattered! and ALL PDF PATTERNS in the Quiltville Store are currently 25% through February 28th using code DIGITAL25 at purchase! 

And don't forget that you can win the pattern for Shattered! along with a Colorcopia fabric roll AND a neutral String Time strip pack by entering ON THAT POST.

And with that, I'm throwing on my coat, my hat, my gloves, my boots - and heading out to the Quiltville Post Office Studio!  There is mail order to get out, and more to do just in case I am cabin-bound tomorrow!


Quiltville Quote of the Day -

Change is inevitable. 

Either we go with it and grow with it, or we get left behind. 

I'm all about going and growing at this point - aren't you?

Have a wonderful Wednesday, everyone!

STAY WARM!



 

28 comments:

  1. my heart aches for all y'all caught in this latest tsunami of ice & snow...prayers for safety and courage are coming your way. Living in San Diego County is a blessing weather-wise and it's not forgotten... the occasional earthquake is nothing compared to winter storms and hurricanes and tornadoes! I feel truly blessed and pray for those of you having to deal with WINTER!!! still working on grassy creek and attempting a clean up, organize, studio! God Bless and keep all, Cats in Carlsbad, CA

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  2. We live in central New York State and see our fair share of weather events. More than five years ago, we splurged and bought a whole house generator. What an enormous difference it has made in our quality of life. Be it ice, wind, heavy snow, fierce summer thunderstorms, we always have power and don't miss a beat. What I'm saying is that it could be one of the best investments we've ever made and perhaps something you and your hubby might to look into.

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    1. I think Bonnie mentioned in a previous post that they have a generator at the cabin.

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  3. Thank you for your well wishes, Bonnie, we have heat on now after being off since Sunday, with a few hours here and there of electricity! Love your pretty rainbow quilt!!! From Texas!

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  4. I remember Everwood. I loved that show and was sad when it ended. I'm also in Southern California and I know it is crazy cold there. My kids live in NC and are bracing for more freezing rain tonight. Stay warm Bonnie.

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  5. I remember sewing bunnies, cows, and pigs in the 80's with the bloomers and coordinating floral dresses! I stayed up to the wee hours of the morning stuffing bodies - this was how a supplemented my income as a single mom of 2 little kids. I absolutely love this quilt!
    Stay warm and safe!

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  6. Congrats on using up that old cone of thread, finding the LAST BIT of binding fabric in the string bin, and working on the last of the binding to finish up this colorful quilt, Bonnie!!

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  7. Snowing again this morning, already 5 inches yesterday and we are suppose to get up to 8 more today. Hanging on with power and hot water so far, but the day is young and the weather is bad. Looking forward to temps in the 40s this weekend. Living in Arkansas you just never know what the weather will bring. Trying to feed my birds with walnuts and pecans since I ran out of regular bird food. Going to try to do some quilting today and forget this weather.

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    1. Me too, was digging out chia seeds, alfalfa and oats to see what the birds would eat and suddenly I had a yard full of crows, blackbirds and a squirrel!

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  8. Really like your rainbow quilt Bonnie.

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  9. We've been lucky this week just north of New York City. The forecast was for rain and snow every day except today but we haven't had any. Tomorrow and Friday a larger snow storm is forcast. Guess I'll just keep sewing!

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  10. I LOVE this Catching Rainbows quilt, Bonnie! I'm especially in love with the teensy-weensy sashing and the way the cornerstones "float" and "pop" in the white corner squares. Well done! :)

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  11. I remember that blizzard in 1996. My husband and I were in Greenboro, NC for a political memorabilia collectors show. That storm covered the whole east coast. It took us an extra day to drive home to western NY and when we arrived there was over 20" of snow in our driveway. We have bright sunshine right now, but the forecast is for more snow tomorrow.

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  12. Ivy is so cute! ❤🐾

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  13. I am on vacation this week and am thoroughly enjoying Grassy Creek. Hopefully, as the snow comes down tomorrow, tomorrow night and into the next day I'll be turning the corner to clue #7. You are so talented Bonnnie - thank you for sharing your gift with us! It's such a wonderful pattern and has really made my time at home very enjoyable.

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  14. I was surprised to read you found a strip in your stash especially since you go through neutrals like a snap. Your quilt is beautiful waiting for the pattern.

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  15. We've been very fortunate in our little corner of Canada, about two hours north of Seattle. We had our first snow on Sunday, and it melted the very next day. So far, our winter has been very mild and somewhat rainy, unlike the rest of Canada and the much of the US. I'm off work for the rest of the week, and plan on spending it in my sewing room! Love your Catching Rainbows quilt - rainbow scrappy quilts are my favourite!

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  16. Oh boy, do I remember the snowstorm of March, 1996! I was a letter carrier and you know the saying "Neither snow nor rain nor heat..." So, off through the deep snow I went. Fortunately for me (but not my patrons) many of the trucks from the Mail Center were unable to get down the highway to our local branches, so our load was light. What an adventuresome time it was, though. People were so kind and thoughtful, offering me hot chocolate and dry gloves. Once agina, you've reminded me of a rough, but very pleasant memory. Thanks Bonnie!

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  17. Love your catching rainbows quilt. I'm stuck unable to finish my projects as my machine's light burned out and it won't run without the light actually working. So cheers to everyone who gets a sew day.

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  18. Your catching rainbows quilt turned out so beautiful. We have had three days of rolling black outs here in Missouri. We hit 20 degrees today a with more snow nd I am ready for the 40 degrees coming next week. It sounds like a heat wave after the bitterly cold we have had for a week. But I know many others have it much worse than we do right now and they are in my prayers.

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  19. We're safe and warm here in the high mountains of New Mexico- thank heavens for heated floors, natural gas stoves, and a reliable power grid. Lows are around zero, but at least it's not wet, so very little ice.

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  20. I will be heading to get your new releases. Had all the mystery clues on my tablet but my grandson spilled water on it. I have been trying for a week to get it dried out to no avail. I'm just sick knowing how much I've paid for all the quilt patterns a d cross stitch pattern. The bright spot is, and here I want to say a huge thank you to Bonnie as she allows three downloads on patterns purchased in her store. Soon as I have something to load them to,will get those and purchase the mystery as I work straight off my tablet. I immediately ordered grandson his own tablet so he doesn't have to use mine.

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  21. I'm with you, I actually LIKE doing the binding by hand. I will even baste the quilt together, then do the binding next if possible, which makes it look almost finished in a good way while I do then (hand or machine) quilting

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  22. Cindy re water spill tablet try putting your tablet in a container of dry rice to cover it for awhile. The rice absorbs the moisture. Worth a try.

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  23. I made a couple of those muslin bunnies for my grands when they were little. They became the favorite drag around buddies. Forget how many times I had to sew the ears back on!

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  24. I'm almost finished with Everwood as well. Thanks for the recommendation. I've really enjoyed it.

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  25. I totally love Catching Rainbows and I'm anxious for that pattern! Meanwhile, I'm a bit north of you - Albany, NY - and we're getting snow. I hate snow, but it's so much easier to deal with than ice. That's very scary. Stay put and, yes, as long as you have quilts, batting, food is good, and pets you'll always be warm!

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  26. Love the Rainbow quilt you are finishing! You are so resourceful - what is the pattern? Ivy Lea has gotten so big!

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