It continued to snow, just lightly, all through yesterday.
The drive has been plowed, and plowed again, but only down to the ice layer that remains.
What else is a girl to do but accept that she can't go anywhere, and she should just stay in and quilt?
I marked the center fans with a chakoner, similar to a chalk-filled pen with a little wheel that leaves a line of chalk when drawn.
That chalk brushes off easily as I quilt, and any chalk caught under the stitches will also wash away once I wash the quilt and block it.
For the border, I'm going a different route as I need the corners to turn a certain way, and it all has to be planned ahead of time, not marked one hoop worth as I go.
For this part I'm using the blue water soluble marker, and each evening before bed I am misting the marks away from the sections I've quilted and letting it dry over night.
I know there can be a problem if these marks are left too long. I also know they can leave brown marks if heat is applied, or some detergents.
My plan is to spray the marks away in the evening, and if any remain in the morning, to spritz it again until they don't come back.
When the quilt is done and bound, I'll soak the whole thing in plain cold water to make sure all of the ink is dissipated before I run it with detergent.
I use Orvus paste for washing quilts.
About Orvus:
- Ideal for cleaning Fabrics, Horses, Livestock, Pets and Quilts. Effective in a wide range of cleaning tasks.
- Orvus is the original gentle & bright clean. Made in USA. HE Safe. Residue Free.
- Safe to Use: Hypoallergenic. Biodegradable. No phosphates or dyes.
- Endorsed by The American Quilter’s Society and the Royal School of Needlework. Voted Horse Journal Favorite. Veterinarian recommended.
- Trusted since 1932, Orvus goes a long way!
I've had a big container of Orvus for over 10 years. It goes a HUGE long way. I use ONE TABLESPOON per wash load.
It also has no fragrance, which is important to me.
You'll find Orvus Paste in the Keeping it Clean category of the Quiltville Amazon Affiliate Store.
If you are also an Orvus user, I'd appreciate comments on your experience in the comments section below. Thank you!
So you want to move the hoop, do you?
Not like that is going to happen any time soon!
Two more Harry Potter movies were devoured yesterday as the snow fell gently outside. We started in on our Monday Movie Marathon with The Prisoner of Azkaban about 4pm, and continued after dinner with The Goblet of Fire.
I don't think we'd seen these since we watched them in the theater when the boys were young.
There are three more to go - and since the Hubster is back to work today in his upstairs loft-office, it will likely be one per evening, ending with the 20 year special on HBO MAX by the weekend.
I've turned the border to start quilting on the second side, so there is plenty to go yet.
This continues at my machine.
How many Churn Dash blocks is "Enough"? I'm closing in on 130. A plan is forming, but I need many more yet to get where I want to go.
I'm having a great time matching the gifted 1980s & 1990s prints with my more modern background neutrals and finding fun center squares from the squares box to give everything a bit of punch.
The floor around my machine is covered with threads and machine lint.
It's been a very productive long weekend at the cabin basement studio!
This morning we have sun!
Temps should reach to about 38 today, where yesterday we never got above 21 and it stayed cloudy and full of snow flurries all day.
At 38 we hope we can melt enough to give the drive one more plow job and start to break up that ice and get the van down to the bottom.
For those who placed orders over the weekend ((THANK YOU!)) I will be shipping as soon as I can safely get to the QPO Studio, which may be as early as tomorrow. I appreciate your patience as we deal with what Mother Nature gifted us with.
How was your own weekend?
For those in the path of Storm Izzy, I hope your power stayed on and you were able to stitch warm and comfortably from inside your own happy place.
We've been here home om the mountain since Saturday afternoon - THIS is why folks rush for bread, eggs, milk, pasta, and more when threats of winter weather come.
Quilt Size: 67'' X 75''
The introductory price for Cherry Crunch is marked 25% off in the digital pattern section of the Quiltville Store. No coupon needed! Price reduction good through 1/31/22.
And while that is exciting on its own - it's even BETTER if we throw in a Gift-Away, don't you think?
I will be drawing for ONE lucky winner and THEIR FRIEND who will each receive the printable PDF pattern for Cherry Crunch along with a Facets of Red fabric roll from Cotton to Quilts!
(Fabric prize must be shipped to a USA address only. If you are outside of the USA we can ship it to a friend within the USA who can then forward it on to you.)
You gotta be in it to win it! Click to Saturday's 1/15/22 Post to enter.
And it doesn't end there. I have placed some OTHER Winter themed patterns ALSO at 25% off with no coupon required!
Forever Mine PDF pattern includes the runner too!
On sale at 25% off through 2/13/22
Warm Hands, Warm Heart & Winter Blues are both 25% off through 1/31/22.
If this is your first time downloading digital patterns from my store to a computer click HERE.
If you intend to download to an iPhone/iPad click HERE.
Today's plan? More Churn Dash blocks, of course!
And perhaps start a new audiobook while sewing as soon as the one I'm listening to finishes.
Desperate Paths was a great listen!
Miniature birds in the air quilt, paper pieced and hand quilted by me 2002.
Sometimes we carry around our hurts- Like the proverbial pearl they start out as an oyster with a small irritating grain of sand.
Little by little we build on them until they are big and hard and impossible to let go of.
You may never get that apology you feel you deserve, but only you can let it go and find peace. It likely isn't even bothering the person who caused you so much hurt.
Forgive them and move on.
It isn't easy, it may take more than one try, but you are worth it!
What a perfect design to hand quilt on the borders! And perfect weather for quilting :)
ReplyDeleteYour quilt is beautiful! You figured out a great quilting pattern for that wide open border.
ReplyDeleteBonnie, just love your hand quilting project. The photos showing why you sometimes you make less progress on it are priceless. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeletejust an fyi, your 2nd link to the Cherry Crunch drawing does not work, it says page does not exist, the 1st one works fine.
Always look forward to reading your posts, have slowly gotten used to not having them on Sundays, but you deserve a break......
Happy Snow Days
MaryAnn in Oregon
Thanks for all your tips on your current hand quilting project. I've been a hand quilter for a very long time & use a hoop for hand quilting. I'm still learning new tips such as how you did your fans, so please keep the tips coming! Have a wonderful day on the mountain!
ReplyDeleteI had planned on working on finishing Rhododendron Trail today but those churn dash blocks are calling stronger so…..
ReplyDeleteLove seeing all your accomplishments! Thank you for ALL you do!
I too use Orvus. I soaked a donated hand quilted quilt that had stains of unknown origin. I used 1 tablespoon in warm water and let it soak for several hours, turning it to check on progress. All the stains came out and when I returned the quilt to the group they were amazed! It's great stuff!
ReplyDeleteHave used Orvus Paste for quilts for 32 years. Back then I lived in the country and it was cheap at the local feed store. It was developed for washing sheep without stripping the lanolin from their wool.
ReplyDeleteI have used the blue water soluble marker for years. I could be tempting fate, but I leave it on until I'm done with what I'm hand quilting, which can be a while. I use a q-tip dipped in water and dab at the marks until they disappear, let it dry and repeat until the marks are gone. Sometimes it takes 3 treatments until the marks are completely gone. I haven't had any long term problems, but maybe I'm tempting fate. The one thing I did find out is that the marks disappear in a high humidity environment. I took a quilt block to hand quilt when we went to Hawaii and found that the marks disappeared! Of course I didn't take along my marker,etc., because I was trying to keep luggage, etc. to a minimum! I laughed and visited the quilt shops I could find in Hawaii. Good trade off! I'll be interested in others' experience.
ReplyDeleteI've used the blue marker for almost 40 years and never had a problem. Plain water, no soap is the key. A good plain water soak in an old type washer, no agitating, then spin.
DeleteI have been using Orvus for as long as I can remember. My husband used it for 4H pigs and his horses and I would always take a jar full when the new jug was bought at the feed and seed store. I have always had success when using orvus on my quilts and vintage linens. I still use it and still buy it at my local farm supply store. It is a great product in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteThat border design is gorgeous! It makes me rethink using busy fabrics, letting the stitches be the design is so creative and just so very pretty. Orvus was the first 'wash' I bought...some 35 years ago. I absolutely agree, it lasts a VERY LONG TIME! I was perplexed that first time, using only 1 Tablespoon...and found it is a Gentle and Powerful product indeed!!! I have replaced using Wool-ite with Orvus for all my delicate laundry.
ReplyDeleteYour border quilting design is beautiful! Thanks for the tip about Orvus. New info for me.
ReplyDeleteFinished a 10 year old UFO last night. Just a utility quilt, but it feels good to check it off the list.
Still chilly but no more snow here in the valley. Thanks for the tip on the Orvus, I bought some synthropol, but haven't used it. good to have options to launder Quilts. Hope you can get down the hill later today. Fun to kit up those fun Churn Dash Blocks for Snow Day Stitching. Getting ready to sash my Mystery this week. some sorting of leftovers and clearing off the worktable is calling to me.
ReplyDeleteI've used Orvis and am quite happy with it. I've also found that it's much less expensive when purchased at a farm/feed store.
ReplyDeleteThere's SO much in today's post! Forgiveness: A friend taught me to write ten times "I forgive you (name) and release you to your highest and best." For one person, I had to repeat that exercise many, many times over a few years before I released him from my heart & truly forgave him. On a practical note, I've been using Orvus Paste for ALL my laundry since Harriet Hargrave spoke to our quilt guild in about 2003. I have her book "From Fiber to Fabric" which includes a chapter on detergents too. THANK YOU BONNIE for being so generous with us. :-)
ReplyDeleteI used Orvus to wash an old quilt that looked to be made from used clothing - stains and all. The quilt came to me as a hand-pieced top. I had the top appraised before I decided what to do with it. I ended up hand quilting it. I also hand quilt in a hoop so the quilt ended up being dragged here and there. It was also a favorite snoozing spot for my son's black pug. Anyway - I threw it in my front load washer with Orvus when I was done. As the appraiser said when she saw it again - WOW! It looks like a different quilt.
ReplyDeleteNot only do I use Orvus for washing my quilts, I also use it for pre-washing all my fabrics as well.
ReplyDeleteYour quilt is beautiful and I love your quilting. Laughing at your comment on people stocking up when the subject of snowgeddons come up. We had dire warnings in Arkansas from 1 to 8 inches and various other numbers. My grandson 17 is working at a local Kroger store. He got bombed on Friday. His first experience. Wore him out!!! LOL
ReplyDeleteYour quilt is beautiful. Love the pictures of your animals. I will have to get the Orvis soap and try it. Thank you for the tip.
ReplyDeleteFor those of you using Orvus in a front loading washer, do you just use the soap dispenser?
ReplyDeleteBonnie K. Hunter…… I have a comment on a different subject. When I am ready to remove the markings from my blue water soluble pen, I use COLD water. The coldest water I can think of! AN ICE CUBE! It/ they work wonders, I usually need more than one, depending on the area I need to remove. I don’t have to worry about getting the quilt TOO wet since I am just rubbing the ice cube only over the blue lines. Yes, I have used Orvus too. :-)
ReplyDeleteI use a paint brush and a glass of water to remove the marks. I bought the mister Bonnie recommended, have to try that.
DeleteI had no idea that Orvis soap can be used on fabric/quilts. Thanks for sharing that valuable information! I was in both 4-H and FFA (1966-1975) and Orvis was used for all our animals. Back then, it was strong, and one 4-H member got straight soap in her eyes. She had bandages over them for a week. I'm glad to know it's now "gentle" and I'm looking forward to washing quilts with it.
ReplyDeleteLinda: My front loader says if it's powder or semi-solid; add to tub with clothes, not the soap dispenser.
Bonnie, as usual, you are a beautiful jewel to all of us. Thanks for sharing so much of yourself with us.
Thanks Chris.
DeleteYesterday, Tuesday, I sewed with friends and I finished getting the center of my mystery quilt together. My friends are now motivated to make it as they loved seeing it in person! Today I press and trim the jagged edges. Love, love, love this quilt!
ReplyDeleteOrvus is the best. Used for many years on quilts and linens . Any items that need gentle care.
ReplyDeleteWhere do I find directions for your leader/enders for this year?
ReplyDeleteLove quilt and your hand quilting.
Viola on Prince Edward Island, Canada
ReplyDeleteHave used Orvus for nearly 20 years, love it. Have even removed red ink marks with it.
Twirl Around in Addicted to Scraps. I have a lot of pinks I wanted to use up so I chose this pattern. I have about half the blocks completed. Then I noticed while looking through the instructions again that the 4th block from the left in the second row has the pink triangle in the upper right of the block. When I saw that I knew my blocks had the pink triangle in the lower left of the block. I went through all the blocks thinking that I had done a mix up when I pieced. I usually make a block then use it as my guide for the next and so on. All of mine had that block oriented with the pink triangle on the lower left. It seemed to work that way too. So when I looked at the picture of Bonnie's actual quilt I saw that the block in the quilt had the same orientation of that 4th block second row the same way I had made mine. Strange. I looked for a correction but couldn't find one, although I may have missed it. Emailed Bonnie but no response. Just found this an interesting little tidbit. Anyone else run into this?
ReplyDelete