Opting For Some Outside!

I arrived home around 5pm yesterday to the question of "Would you like to take the dogs to the park?"

You don't have to ask me twice!

My only stipulation was that we take a trail we'd not been on before to explore a new area.

And I'm glad there were two people for two leashes, because I don't think I could have kept the bumbling barkers untangled and under control on this narrow trail full of sights, smells, and sounds -

There were streams to cross.

Or just walk right through as the case may be.

The green is coming!

The sounds of this rushing roaring stream could be heard from afar.

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Temps were about 60?

But dropping as the sun went over the other side of the mountain. Further up the creek (not seen in this video) is a tall waterfall, but the going seemed to be really rough to get to it, and I just didn't think I was up to more boulder climbing.

I could see glimpses through the trees, but not close enough to really get a photo.

It was all I could do to keep Mabel out of that pool!

In fact, I lost.  In she went! LOL!

So did Zoey - but dainty as she is, she only went up to her knees.

Say cheese!

Coming back down from as far as we climbed up.

It was a bit "iffy" and I'm glad we turned around.

Right before the great in-we-go water adventure!

This restored my soul!

It had been a busy day at the QPO studio as Mondays generally are, no matter how I tell myself I'm going to take things at a more relaxed pace.

Somehow I must still think I'm in my 40s.  Until I look in a mirror and see myself as old enough to be someone's grandmother!

This happened over the weekend.

I have quilted far enough in from the edge that I can now trim the excess backing and batting and put the binding on the string star quilt.

Edges of quilts are never square after quilting.  Borders wiggle, fullness ekes out - much like rolling out a pizza dough.

I have never seen a completed quilt, hand quilted or machine quilted - that is completely straight and square before adding binding.

So - I square my quilts before adding binding. Especially the corners so that I get a good miter as I put the binding on.

I use a large mat, huge square ruler and the table side of my longarm as a surface big enough to lay out the quilt one side at a time.

Trimmed and ready for binding.

You can see how far in the quilting is now - I have started the 3rd row to the inside.

On it goes!

Sometimes I'm glad I have hung on to my older stash - I found the perfect dusty purple that has a bit of red in it to pull out the red in the center.

I make my binding from 2'' strips for a 1/4'' finish - I like a narrower binding that just adds a pop at the edge, doesn't upstage what's going on in the quilt center.  And it uses less fabric.

Finishing up the binding.

I like this finish!

No more batting to catch my rings on, no more excess backing fabric in the way - and no binding or sleeve to do later - that part is now DONE!

This is the difference of a trimmed and squared quilt -

Nice straight bindings (with no lumps) and squared corners.

It will hang straight, and lay flat.

Now to finish quilting the center!

For those asking, I've marked with Crayola Ultra-Clean Wash Out Markers. The quilt will get a good wash when the quilting is done and the marks will be all gone.

I am quilting with brown thread.

Today my legs are a bit sore from yesterday's hiking!  But it's a good kind of sore - like YES - I moved my body and didn't just sit in front of the sewing machine all day kind of sore.

My hope is that we'll have good enough weather through the weekend that I can get some of the gals from The Quilt District to get out and about with me as well.

The rugs I talked about the other day have been lying flat for about a week.  Yesterday I went over to the house to do some getting ready things, and the Quilting Quarters smelled rather like a tire store.  LOL!

Today I'm taking them all out on the porch to air them out in the fresh air.  I'll be opening windows to get ride of the tire store smell!

It's always something isn't it?

What's up for your Tuesday today?

Quiltville Quote of the Day -

As a creative person I do not force myself to always follow rules,

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I might not completely break them - and I most certainly make my own as I go along!

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Is that you too?

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Easy Street from my book MORE Adventures with Leaders & Enders available in the Quiltville Store.

Have a Terrific Tuesday, everyone!