Friday Finishes

I'm pretty proud of myself. I completed two projects this week! 

First, I quilted, bound and gifted the baby quilt for the young lady in our church.  I'm pretty happy with this one.  The 9-patch blocks are approximately 7" square with 2" sashing.

You can see the backing I used for the back and binding in this picture, but what you can't see is the very pale white polka dots in the yellow fabric.  I'm not surprised as it was hard to see up-close as well.  I think the yellow backing complimented the top well.

The second project I completed was a curtain.  When we moved into this house last year, I was complaining to my sisters how I couldn't find a curtain I liked for our bathroom window. The previous owners had left a top curtain hanging which was about 10" in height.  It did nothing for the window and was not complimenting my chosen color scheme.  My problem was that the window is positioned in such a way that I needed something that was about 45" long because the window cuts over the countertop and I didn't want to have a solid curtain which would block the sunlight.  My sister said that I should stop looking and make my own.    Of course!  Why didn't I think of that?!  So that was the beginning of my planning process.  What did I want the curtain to look like?

I decided that I wanted the top to be this top curtain.  I had tried it initially when I took down the curtain that had been left behind, but the tabs made it hang loosely and unattractively.  Hmmm... Ok, I can fix that, but what about the bottom?  I need privacy and sunlight.

I had been eyeing this gauze-like material at Hobby Lobby.  This week, they were having a 30% off sale on their upholstery fabric.  I bought 3 yards of this fabric.  That means that with the gauze fabric and the window ribbon to create a sleeve for the rod, the curtain cost me less than $16 and it's exactly what I wanted!!!!!!!

I frogged the tabs from the curtain top, cut two 38" panels from the gauze-like fabric, hemmed it, and gathered it before sewing it to the top about an inch from the bottom of it.  I also create a sleeve for the rod just below the top of the plaid.  Here's the window pre-treatment.

And here it is post-treatment.

I was very grateful for the experiences of my youth when I made my own dresses because it made the gathering of the gauze so simple for me. 

I absolutely LOVE it! Thanks, Mary, for the suggestion that I make it myself.

What I've Been Working on...

This is a baby quilt for a young woman in our church.  She's had a rough go of it and just graduated high school.  Her baby is due Friday, but she's still planning to go to college in a few weeks.  I don't know if she's crazy or idealistic.  She's very lucky to have the support of her family and new husband. 

Anyway, I've had these squares for a couple years and I thought a nice 9-patch with sashing would be cute.  I have to say that I'm pleased so far.  I had hoped to have this quilted yesterday, but I processed a bunch of veggies we'd harvested during the day and didn't get to the store for batting until about 5pm.  Monday night is also date night, so no sewing time after end of business.  Today is another story, though.  I'm done with veggie processing (all the romas, melons, and corn yesterday) until Saturday.  I have a nice yellow with white polka dots fabric that I'm using for the backing and binding.  I have another project I'm working on as well.  Pictures to follow tomorrow. 

Oops

I have been remiss and it wasn't long before the pup reprimanded me for not including her on the "Pets on Quilts" post.  I tried to explain that she hasn't been with us long enough (just three months) to be included, but she was having none of it.  So, I am including a couple of photos of Miss Maddie "helping" me in the sewing room.

Here she is patiently waiting outside the sewing room.  She's taken to laying on the sheet that I use to cover my machines and projects when I'm not working on them to keep the kitty hair off.  In the beginning, she stole the cat bed next to the fabric closet.  See below.

She's WAY too big for that nonsense now. :o)  I can't go anywhere without my shadow, but it's sweet when she waits outside the room while I sew.

Pets on Quilts

Lily Pad Quilting is having a linky party.  They want to see pictures of our pets on our quilts. I can only think of one that I have:

This is Mac.  She's 10 years old.  I received her and her brother the summer I met my husband.  She's a little neurotic, but has been relaxing as she matures.  Where her siblings will force their way into my lap, she will not lay on me unless I have a blanket/quilt on my legs.  In this picture, I'm working on the binding of this baby quilt and she insisted on "helping" me.  She's a sweetie.

But, I can't leave the others out.  This is Ram. He's Mac's littermate and LOVES to help me in my sewing room.  In this picture, he's sitting on a Christmas quilting project desperately trying to get some love.  This is truly my favorite picture of him. And I'd regret it if I only included Mac and not Ram - trust me, he'd know! 

Finally, this is Clovey. She likes to insert herself into the process as well. Although, she's more concerned with the moving parts of the sewing machine and rotary cutter than she is with the fabric.  She's really just waiting for me to sit still long enough to settle in my lap. She's quality control. :o)

I have been looking at others' posts and am very grateful to find that I'm not the only one who suffers from pet insertion syndrome.  Everyone seems to have pictures of their pets inserting themselves into either the project or the process. Solidarity, Sisters. ;o)

Thanks for stopping by!