dublb

I changed m mind about postin' about my trip.
Dh & I got ta OKC on Sunday evenin' & checked into the hotel. As soon as I got unpacked I discovered that I didn't pack my foot controller. So do ya'll know what my solution was? ? Yes I went & bought another sewin' machine, first thing Monday mornin'. It is a li'le Brother that has a computer & 79 stitches. I paid $139.00 for it at Walmart. I then spent all o' the rest o' Mon. in the room sewin'. (DH's meetin's lasted till 9:00pm.)
Tuesday mornin' I met up w/Zipit & she took me ta Guthrie for a Fart. She is so much fun shoppin' with. I'll post picts. tamarrow. I thought Guthrie was such a purdy li'le town, & got 1 pict o' 1 o' the neat streets. I also got some picts o' both quilt shops. I got back ta the hotel just as DH got free o' his meetin's. He decided ta leave OKC then, so we packed up & headed ta Lawton for the night. Th'smornin' we went ta Harbor Freight in Lawton & I bought a sewin' machine tote on wheels. Ok, It is for tools, but it will be for my sewin' machines. Actually I think there are a couple o' other smaller bags in it but haven't looked that far yet.
On the way back taday, DH took me ta the Dedication Falls in Wichita Falls. We would have had ta go a li'le bit further ta see the original Falls, so that will be on the next trip. I had already walked as far as I could up & down those hilly paths. (About a mile.) we finally got home at 5:00pm. A good trip all in all.

janRN

Bev, sounds like a great trip: you combined all the most important elements--trip with DH, a new sewing machine, FARTing with a friend, and sight seeing. Sounds like a perfect time to me. Enjoy your Brother; I have the same one from Walmart that I use as a back up.

It's been so cold here, -4 in the mornings with a balmy high of 9 in the afternoons so I've been making soup and holed up in my sewing room all week. Haven't spent much time posting, just reading and keeping up with yinz. Hopefully I'll have Pony quilt completed by next week--YAY!!! I just have to quilt 2 more sashing strips and then attach the binding. Question: do you finish your binding by machine? I've always sewn the binding to the back by hand but I just want this quilt DONE so I think I'm going to do it by machine. It shouldn't be noticeable because the fabric is dark blue print very similar to the binding and I'll use dark blue thread. What do you do with the little corners on the back to sew them shut when you do it by machine?

Sorry for so few posts lately but please keep yours coming--makes for such a nice break when I come out of the sewing room. My shoulders and neck are killing me. I was whining about how heavy that quilt is but when I weighed it (yes, I'm that anal) it only weighs 7 pounds. Feels more like 50 at this point.

Have a great day no matter what you do today; will check in later about my binding question. Thanks!

QuiltingNinaSue

Dublb, way to go!! Sounds like a great trip and looking forward to your pictures of quilt shops. Its "Visit your LQS Day' tomorrow...nation wide, no share holders meetings. (that ad on TV just makes me laugh)

JanRN, its cold here too. . . but not as cold as I remember living through before. Like 10 days below zero in January; when it hit zero, we thought we were in a heat wave. We lack moisture, rain, snow, fog; its dry here. So dry, we will not plan a very big garden at all this year.

When I came back from my chicken feed run yesterday and stopped to open our gate into our drive, I had to call dh on the cell to HELP me. Those crazy Guineans had lined themselves up at the gate making a shrilly noise that would awaken the dead and if I opened the gate, they would all get out. Maybe they knew I had their feed in the car. Dh to the rescue yesterday.

JanRN, there is a tutorial on QB about putting binding on by machine using two pieces, but you could use just one piece. I used it on a quick throw for gs when they were coming. I did my usual ninety degree tuck in all corners...leaving quarter inch seam allowance. Clear as mud, but the tutorial explains it better than I.

QuiltE

Good Morning Ladies!!!

Another good night in the sewing room for me ... though it was a so start. I just couldn't decide on fabrics. What I should have done was skipped the blocks and gone on to something else, but was stubborn. Later I remembered when doing the FWS blocks, I would choose fabric for a bunch of blocks and then go at the sewing. Then the frustration of the decisions was over and it seemed like I got more done in short order. I'm sure it was all the same amount of time in the end!!!

Another ccccold day here too .... but milder at only -17C! However the feels like is -24! They say this is the start of it gradually warming again.

MiraB ... and while we're all fretting about The Big Chill ... you're dealing with the other extreme and floods. HOw are things today? Are you moving your car to higher ground?

DublB ... sounds like a fun time away!! And now you have your travelling machine! Did you add to your stash too?

JanRN ... I was about to send out a search party for you! I was worried that the plague had got you but am ever so glad that it's the sewing plague instead! Careful with that sewing marathon, or else you're going to get your shoulders so sore. Time for a massage to work them out. Do you have it supported on tables to the side and behind your machine? or is it falling off a table, and creating a drag? That 7lbs can feel like 50 because of the drag on the quilt as you work. Great to be on the home stretch, isn't it? about the binding ... would you not put it on the same as doing it by hand? only that you would start on the back and flip it to the front, then proceed the same? Though in your anality (new word?), I think you'd be happier to plunder on and do it the good ol' fashioned way! I'm like that ... and even do the smaller tabletoppers etc. with a hand sewn binding. Just seems to finish it off.

QNSue ... you should have had a pic of the guineas lined up looking for their feed!

Anael

My DS just called, they had a meeting with the neonatologist. She told them the twins are doing ok considering. Isa has had a tiny brain hemorrhage (spelling?) but they don't treat it now. The doctors expected this to happen with Bram but he's doing ok today, nothing wrong with his brain. Isa was very restless today and settled down at about 3 am.
They're doing what is possible to keep them alive but my DS and DDIL have to be prepared for bad news. Otherwise no news, things are still the same.
So now I can take a shower, wash my hair and do things I didn't dare to do because I was waiting for the call!
Will be back clean and shiny

carriem

Jan--I do my bindings by machine. I like the look of by hand, but like you am usually ready to get to the next project and it seems to take me a long time! I do mine different than most. I sew my binding to the front like when you are doing it by hand, then use binding clips (red clover ones; used to use pins, but love the clips) to wrap it around to the back...making sure to hide the stitching holding the binding on. I sew from the front either by SITD or using a decorative (feather) stitch. I do it this way because when I wrapped from the back to the front it wasn't even...if it isn't even, but catches the binding on the back I am ok with that...plus by using a matching thread, if your binding happens to move on the back and the stitching "shows" it is ok. I do my corners like when doing them by hand. If using a decorative stitch is catches the corner if using just a straight stitch I usually have to go back and tack down the corners by hand. I hope all of this makes sense! If not, I will be doing a binding this weekend and can take pictures and/or can try to explain it better!

QuiltE

JanRN ... just saw this thread about machine binding
http://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f1...-t211839.htmla
and of course thought of you! Perhaps some tips will show up there, that will help you. What about putting a flange of colour (see Tartan's post)? Could give a nice zip of colour out at the edge with the binding.

Anael ... glad that DS/DDIL were able to talk a little more with the neonatologist and learn a little more. Every day is a big accomplishment for these wee ones! Are things still looking as though your DDIL will be released tomorrow? Will she come home? or stay near the hospital? Here, most of the big hospitals have a Roncald McDonald house (as in McDs hamburgers!) where parents can stay. One preemie Mom friend did so. It gave her so much more time with the baby. Even if there was nothing she could "do", the satisfaction of being there and being able to talk with the Drs/Nurses and know more first hand. I still tear up when I start to think of their story.

Anael

Yes we do have the same here, the Ronald McDonald House is about 500 metres from the hospital. My DDIL wants to come home because of Mick, which is understandable. She will visit the twins every day though. And yes, she's coming home tomorrow.

Oh BTW, I didn't do that umbrella block I wish I did, don't know when I will, someday I guess!

janRN

Thank you, ladies. Carriem, that's exactly what I needed to know. I just couldn't figure out how to close those little corners--hand stitch them closed makes sense. I've only brought the binding around from back to front one time and couldn't keep it even so I attach it to the front and bring it to the back. And yes, QE, in my anality I still may end up doing it by hand LOL. Thank you thank you all! Back to the Bat Cave, I mean sewing room!!!

oksewglad

Sewglad QE is back on the trail-lovely blocks.
And what sweet pictures of the tiny ones Anael. Jeanie I noticed the new use for bubble wrap too. Hugs and prayers from here as well.
Jan just stay warm and yes it's that cold and colder here. DH has been having a hard time getting warm once inside.

Made a huge pot of potato soup with the trimmings and broth of a leftover ham bone. Add some potatoes celery and a little bit of onion to the broth. Simmer until veggies are cooked. Add a thickening agent. I have a mixture of half flour and half whole dry milk that I make. I use a cup of this 1:1 mixture to thicken my soup. I may add some milk as well. Now I will share my secret ingredient--a cup or 2 of squash. Yes turns the soup a soft yellow and a wonderful soft rich flavor as well. I like squash just not very often. One doesn't really "taste" it in the soup. I don't like to "boil" all the flavor from the ham so about 15 minutes before serving I add some chopped ham. And salt and pepper to taste. And now we are down to the last quart for dinner today. Oh and when I make soups/stews they are never the same way twice!

Stay dry mirabelle. Just saw a TV spot from Queensland on the farm show I catch daily and the wheat crop was drying up in that part of the your huge state. How ironic.
I sew my binding down by hand. I love doing the blind stitch and for me it's time for me to think about who the quilt is for and just bring the quilt to a finish. A baby quilt I do finish by machine so it can handle the rough and tough life ahead! I sew binding to the top and used the 3 point zig zag set a little longer than the preset. Yes Carrie I followed your binding directions just fine.

Yes GGal the taxman has it all as of yesterday. See the happy dance from Iowa! That part of my life is over for another year and now onto doing some 2013 cost/income predictions for the banker. I can catch my breath before I need to have that done. Also will followup with some 2012 internal costs (ie cost per cow; cost per acre; etc) now a matter of plugging in final numbers into spreadsheets.

QNS so you blame it all on being a preemie huh? Good of an excuse as any--If being a preemie gives one a big heart--then we should've all been preemies as you have such a sharing one!

Oh so good to be back on board with you all. Off to the sewing room to get those 3 little quilts done by Saturday night!