oksewglad

I too thought that this sewing center is a wonderful idea!

Iceblossom

When I won that auction for thread and was getting directions, I found a site marked on the map about quilting. I looked it up and a local person with a home quilting business and many years of quilting in the community (and working until the business shut down) has a similar open house. Space is limited but an actual work group day for free. She's still shut that down and I'm sure shots will be required along with other things if she opens it up again. But in good news, she did her first retreat in a year! My friend in Arizona is also going to her first quilt camp.

I was a happy solo quilter for years and then found I really enjoyed the community aspects. Just being around other people who may not do the same styles I do but who at least get that I'm doing something is really nice!

My Tuesday group, since Covid we've been meeting outside. Seattle in winter especially is not conducive to much handwork. We are doing less actual work and more show and tell and talking and as the year has progressed we are doing even more talk and less show... but we need the get-together. I'd really welcome a work group as well. It's still a motivator for me to have something to show/progress each week.

retiredteacher09

joe’smom: The lady created it so she could have company sewing. She told me about the plan before COVID happened so it’s been on her mind for a while now. I know she sews with another group and they will meet at her house a couple of times a month also. The Thursday group are quilters she met on our Friday open sews at the LQS. I think there are 4 invited so the group will stay small.

Funny part: I figured I wouldn’t come home with any fabric like I do when I go to my church group. Wrong! ❤️ The host had some for me. Lol! Beautiful batiks and some other fabric. She knows I do charity quilts.

oksewglad

Oh it sounds like you have another enabler, Connie!

Got my new fabs washed and dried and put in a bag for later...t shirt quilts are a top priority now...working on the second one putting interfacing on the shirts tonight. It was 90 degrees this afternoon here!

retiredteacher09

oksewglad: Yes, I do have an enabler. She gave me some quilt blocks from her guild’s free table shortly after I met her a few years ago. 🙂. I look forward to seeing your t-shirt quilts.

oksewglad

Giving thanks as the rain falls on our roof tonight. It is sorely needed here.

I'm hopscotching again from tshirt quilts to a WIP. Ready to put the final borders on the 9P strip quilt I started earlier in the month; I think I have fabric for backing too. When I finish it tonight I will put it away and skip back to the tshirts tomorrow.

Irishrose2

Anxiously awaiting my package from MSQC. No reason - it's just backing, but I like having a package coming. Right now, I don't need it - I can't get the quilt squared up and I am very frustrated.
MSQC has to the be the slowest shipper - no, Fabric.com is right in there, too.

Iceblossom

It's like Tom Petty sings, the waiting is the hardest part!

I find eQuilter to be very fast and reliable but don't you get me thinking about that discount I have available!

I've been doing bits of tidying up around the house and with the fabric, still have too much stuff but there isn't quite as many as there was awhile ago. Out in the yard I cut a big chunk off the lilac in the name of pruning and being able to get through the gate again... have a lovely bunch inside the house and enough lilacs for the neighbors that wanted!

I know it doesn't even require an exemption since I'm going to use it, but Friday I went to 4 different stores (and 2 were just different Joanns) to look for a better white on white cloud fabric than I have for this comfort quilt project. I don't know if it was really worth driving all over town, but I did come home with one flat quarter arguably better than what I already had... It's still so rare for me to go out these days and it was fun to look at fabric.

The person we are making the quilt for is our leader/organizer. She handles us so deftly and just says "It has come to my attention that XX needs to be done". And she gives each of a task to do and we go off and do it (whatever it may be, quilting or otherwise) before we even realize we never agreed to it in the first place! We are not used to working "headless" and without her skill set things are a lot harder. For such a tiny person she has large shoes to fill, and I'm just clumsy The last lady for the comfort blocks is the one who has been coming over. She's going to try and have them ready for me Tuesday -- but if not she will come over Wednesday and we are just going to sit down and sew them and get them over with.

Today I'll be working out the diagonal sashing option a bit more. I've only cut some of the pieces from the blue as how many are needed of each color is quite a bit different than the flat set -- but good news is I have plenty to do that. I've washed and cut the binding fabric.

I'm waiting to wash/cut the vintage piece until the top is fully assembled and I can spread it out on the yardage, goal will be to match the design so the seams will be invisible.

It is just amazing to me to realize that it is 70 years old. It's been stored well it's entire time, is in beautiful shape with zero musty old fabric smell. No dye loss at the crease line or fading anywhere. It is technically a decor piece, which might be why it had the selvedge info. Still all cotton and a lovely weave but a larger "tile" size than I'd expect for clothing.

Iceblossom

All righty! The blocks are all turned in, now I'm going to play with layout options.

I visited with our friend today, she said she needed some company. Her husband is in advanced Alzheimer's and cannot be left unattended, so we visit outside the kitchen door and she listens/checks in every now and then. She is planning on keeping to extra high hygiene standards, she doesn't think the time they have left together is long. On the bad news side of things, my hubby was in a minor car accident Wednesday night. Good news is both cars involved were able to be driven home, we have two cars, only one of us is working, and the friend is only a half mile away on a nice flat neighborhood. So I even got some exercise out of the equation.

retiredteacher09

Iceblossom: I’m sad that your friend feels her husband doesn’t have long. Thanks for being a good friend to a caregiver, Also, I’m glad your husband wasn’t hurt in the car accident.

I pulled out some fabric that was given to me but isn’t in my interest area. It will go to a fundraiser garage sale.