Anita's machine quilting and frugal living

Monday, July 21, 2008

I had a pretty good weekend even with company distracting me. I finished the quilt on the machine. I measured to square it up for the binding and was surprised to see it didn't need any squaring at all. I'll save the binding to do later.

Here is a close up of the quilting.

Saturday I helped my sister in law cut out the pieces for her next quilt. She drew out a small design on paper and I did the math so she would know what to cut. While she was cutting her fabrics I went looking for inspiration for a leader and ender project.

I looked through my printed internet patterns...

and through my books.....

before deciding I wouldn't choose a pattern right now. I don't really need to create another UFO or PIG right now. All I really need are some leaders and enders. I can decide what to do with them later.
Sunday before my grandaughter arrived I finished piecing this top together. It was supposed to be a step by step Backward pieced design to put onto my helpful hints blog. When my computer was crashed I lost the direction pictures. So I guess I have to start another one.... smile.

I started it several weeks ago. I thought if I finished it up I could use it as a window quilt in the archway between my studio and kitchen. It would replace these curtains.

That top is scheduled for machine time during my next in house retreat.... maybe.... whenever that might be. It has to be sometime before the cold weather arrives though.

Next I began to cut some fabric into 2 inch strips. I was planning to cut them again into 2 inch squares for leaders and enders when I started thinking about what leaders and enders are supposed to be. No rules exist to say leaders and enders must be tiny pieces of fabric. Nothing anywhere says they can't be long strips.

My leaders and enders are going to be long strips for awhile. See... all cut and ready to start using. I'll decide what to do with them when the time comes. The strips can become just about any kind of design. They don't have to be four patches or nine patches.

I never did get around to the other projects I wanted to complete over the weekend. Maybe I should think about scheduling another in house retreat pretty soon.

Last night I finally had some tomatoes from my vines. These are cherry and yellow pear. Something is killing the plants so I'm not sure I will get anymore.