Bound (Almost) and Determined!

I stuck with my plan to work at the binding in spurts - mark, machine sew the binding in a scallop shape, trim the excess quilt, clip in place, hand sew, repeat.  On Sunday I got enough machine sewn to start hand stitching down the first side.  Yes, it works.  

Sides 1 (top) and 2 (right side)

Then after getting more of the scallops hand-stitched down, I realized I was going to have to redo the corner shape, so that was some unsewing and reconfiguring.  But I think is better now - and reproducible.  

First finished corner.

Since I changed that corner I also had to unsew the next corner.  Fortunately I had only machine sewn a few scallops that were after it, so I just unsewed it all to make it easier to reshape.  This is a good lesson in patience.  If I am patient, I will be happier in the end.

Hand stitching for the next few days is ready.

So after seven days, I have the equivalent of 2 sides and 2 corners complete!!! The third side has been sewn - part of it twice since the tension was not quite right! - and is half clipped and ready for hand stitching. 

Scallops patiently waiting!

If I focus and don't eat or grade papers, I can hand-stitch 4 scallops during a 45 minute TV show.  Trimming and clipping replace a scallop or two when necessary. Knowing that helps me pace myself.  Four is good, less is fine. 

15 Minutes to Stitch

15 minute days last weeks = 7/7

15 minute days/Nov = 27/30

15 minute days/Dec = 6/6

15 minute days/2025 = 296/340

Success Rate = 87%

 

Definitely getting in 15 minutes these days.  I calculate that if I stick with it, I can be done by Christmas.  End of the semester and extra grading might throw me off a bit, but I still think it's doable.

No stash movement this week.  But I did look back and nothing was ever reported for Dear Jane as it was under construction, so that will be a big number when it's done.

2025 Stash Totals

Used last week: 0 yards 

Used year to date: 110.5 yards

Acquired recently: 0 yards  

Acquired year to date: 42 yards

Net used in 2025: 68.5 more yards used

Linking up to:

Kate at Life in Pieces

Donna at quiltpaintcreate

Frederique at quiltingpatch

and ... soscrappy

And So It Begins

Most of the sewing I did was figuring out the binding for Dear Jane.  I got a pattern made for the scallops and discovered that my first choice for a binding color didn't really work.  Little S helped find an acceptable fabric for the binding.  Since the edge is curved, I was nervous about having enough to work with. but I still wanted just a narrow binding to show on the front so I made it 2 3/8".   I did not cut the curves until after I sewed on the binding - just in case.  

Binding going on!!

The sewing is very tedious and hurts  my eyes and shoulders, so I think I will work on it in spurts.  Sew, trim curves, hand stitch down, repeat.  I knew getting the binding on would not be easy, but I am hopeful that I can get in the groove this weekend and then work at it during the week.  I'd really like to finish by the end of December since that will be 11 years in the making.

The curve works!!

It was a "family first" week and I am thankful for that.  We had Little S at home for a few days.  Then we headed back to Savannah to have Thanksgiving with Teacher E and her husband C's family and some of their friends.  We took most everything already cooked and ready to heat up, so time in the kitchen was minimal.  Her MIL made a comment about how effortless joining the families has been and it is so true.  I am continually thankful for my in-laws in Guatemala who always welcomed me and my family.  Now it carries on to E & C and how his family is just another branch on the tree.  Little S stayed behind with her sister since classes start back up on Monday and it doesn't make sense to make yet another trip back and forth.  It was nice have extra noise in the house for a few days.

Yes, it is going to work!!!

You can see in these photos have the quilting stitching is not "dense" as requested.  There are so many pieces that don't have any quilting stitches touching them.  I know the pieces are super small, but that is why I requested "dense" quilting.  It was a new longarm service because my favorite quilter retired.  I am trying to stay calm and just keep moving forward.  I am thinking maybe I can go back and quilt between the lines ???  What are the odds I can sew a smooth curve - slim.  Or just call it done??  Any recommendations??

15 Minutes to Stitch

15 minute days last weeks = 4/7

15 minute days/Nov = 20/29

15 minute days/2025 = 289/333

Success Rate = 87%

 

I was questioning my total days in 2025.  Sure enough I was pretty off.  That improved my success rate - not that it really matters.  This year I am happy with any forward progress.  

No stash movement this week.  I need to look back and see if anything was reported for Dear Jane as it was under construction.

2025 Stash Totals

Used last week: 0 yards 

Used year to date: 110.5 yards

Acquired recently: 0 yards  

Acquired year to date: 42 yards

Net used in 2025: 68.5 more yards used

Linking up to:

Kate at Life in Pieces

Donna at quiltpaintcreate

Frederique at quiltingpatch

and ...  soscrappy

Friday Finish for Felix

My sister-in-law asked me if I would fix some spots on my nephew's quilt that Grandma made for him.  He is a high school freshman and this quilt is still very special to him and gets used daily.  My mother has been gone for over 12 years now, and this is possibly the last big project she made since she was in a slow decline.  She had made sunbonnet baby quilts for all the granddaughters, and was determined to make overall Sam for the first grandson.  

Felix's Quilt from Grandma

Felix LOVES this quilt.  When I got it all spread out, I could see the signs of previous fixes which my SIL had mentioned.  She had marked the spots that needed attention this time with pinned on tags.  That was very helpful.  As I went through I literally wrote a check on the tag when I made the initial fix, then I double checked after I double checked the surrounding area for needs.  I gave the quilt a good examination to give it some preventative maintenance as well.  I can see that certain fabrics are showing more wear than others.  I know that the camo fabric was from my brother's shorts as a kid, so no telling how old that was and if it was leftover scraps or pre-worn! This was a good project for a slow day off.

It is inspiring to see how her work, even in her lesser capacity, has held up over all these year.  It is heartening to see how much he loves it.  He is only three years away from college.  Will he take it with him?  

UPDATE: As I wrote this I was thinking of Felix's little brother, who never met his Grandma.  But he did get a quilt from her.  I was looking for the old post about it and discovered that I had never published the post even though it was all ready to go.  So this Friday Finish has a bonus link!  

Mystery Solved

Note: Originally written in December 2018, but not published until now.

I have been trying for years to get my mother's stash sorted into mine.  I just can't do it.  It always stays separate somehow.  And that's okay.

mystery quilt 

She kept her fabric sorted by colors in bins that fit under the beds.  It was easy to move that way.  I just stacked the bins under the table (also hers) and would dig through when I needed a certain color.  On one of my attempts to get it sorted at least in a way that I would have better access to it I came across a bag of what appeared to be leftovers from a Trip Around the World quilt.  Some of the longer strips were already sewn together and there were plenty of squares already cut and even a bit of yardage.

The fabric was unlike any of her other fabrics, but I was not there for months and years at a time to see what she was working on.  I know that many people gave her fabric and scraps since she made mostly charity quilts so in my mind I wondered if that was where it had come from.  I could not say for sure that it was hers or not hers.  I made a plan for the remains and put it together.  I only had to add a bit of red to make a few squares and the neutral inner border.  My sister contributed a solid blue sheet for the backing.

And then the quilt sat for a few more years.

Finally I decided to give it to my youngest nephew for Christmas, since he had never gotten a quilt that his grandmother had made.  I just stepped out in faith that this had been her project and that was that.  I even made a label saying that she had started it and I had finished it.

I wish I had captured the looks on my brother and sister-in-law's faces when D opened his gift.  They recognized the fabric.  They recognized the design.  They recognized all of it.  My mother had made them a large Around the World quilt for them at some point.  We lived overseas for so long that I had no idea.  I am so glad I listened to that little voice that said "give it to D".

I'm still not ready to mix her fabrics in with mine and that's okay.  I will continually be grateful for the reminder of her I get every time I look at that shelf.

Big Finish!

Like I said in THIS POST about my big finish - I am not sure if I am happy about it or sad.  There are so many memories attached to this quilt.  But I am not going to "unfinish" it, so .....

23+ years in the making!!

We are heading out soon to pick up Little S to come home for Thanksgiving break.  I know we will be doing a bunch of errands and appointments and cooking this week, but I am still hopeful that I make some progress on the binding for Dear Jane.  

15 Minutes to Stitch

15 minute days last weeks = 5/7

15 minute days/Nov = 16/22

15 minute days/2025 = 285/346

Success Rate = 82%

 

Now I can report the backing out!  Earlier in the year I had hopes of hitting 100 yards of fabric out and I don't think that is going to happen.  But I am pleased with over 100 yards used.  Just as long as I am moving forward, right? 

2025 Stash Totals

Used last week: 2.09 yards 

Used year to date: 110.5 yards

Acquired recently: 0 yards  

Acquired year to date: 42 yards

Net used in 2025: 68.5 more yards used

Linking up to:

Kate at Life in Pieces 

Donna at quiltpaintcreate

Frederique at quiltingpatch

Mr. D's Quilt for a Friday Finish

My oldest UFO is no longer a UFO or a PhD or even a flimsy.  It was started about 23-25 years ago, but now it is FINISHED!!.  

 I don't know if I am relieved or sad.  Check out its progress HERE and HERE.

Whenever I saw this waiting for my attention, I remembered the yellow house we lived in on the corner just outside of Antigua, Guatemala.  My sewing room was a small space off of E's room at that time.  Not a closet, but not a room.  The sewing machine fit on a table under the window and there was space for a shelf for my supplies.  Good memories thinking of what I created in the little space.  I don't think I have photos of any of it though.  That was long before digital cameras, especially in Guatemala.  There was no way I would use up film for a quilt. Nearly everything I made back then was gifted long ago.  I wonder where this one will end up.

Heading to the Finish Line

The end of the year is in sight and I am motivated to finish my UFO list!!  I got the last 2 flimsies sandwiched and pin-basted together.  

I started on Mr. D's quilt and despite still being affected by the time change, I made good progress.  

Quilting is underway.

I initially quilted a large X across each 6" block with the walking foot and that was alright.  But then I thought about how old the quilt was and how my skills and fabric were not great back then.  So I am now going back and stitching more closely in the small 4-patches that make up the blocks.  Tedious, but it gives me peace of mind that the quilt will hold together better in the long run. 

Additional quilting across the smaller patches.

I am hoping to have this one done by next weekend.  The plan is still to work on Dear Jane's binding over Thanksgiving even if I don't have these last two UFOs finished yet.

15 Minutes to Stitch

15 minute days last weeks = 5/7

15 minute days/Nov = 11/15

15 minute days/2025 = 279/339

Success Rate = 82%

 

Forward progress, but nothing to report out yet.  

2025 Stash Totals

Used last week: 0 yards 

Used year to date: 108.41 yards

Acquired recently: 0 yards  

Acquired year to date: 42 yards

Net used in 2025: 66.41 more yards used

Linking up to:

Kate at Life in Pieces

Donna at quiltpaintcreate

Frederique at quiltingpatch