Thursday, March 28, 2024

One step backwards

I got the bottom row sewed on and then began to trim the sides. I did the right side first - no particular reason. I flipped the quilt around to trim the left side the same width as the right and ran into a problem. The amount of black between the seam and the designs is too much. If I would cut it the same width as the right side, I would end up cutting right along that bottom motif. Ugh! So I lined up the big ruler
and cut a good 2" off.
I ripped off the excess from the body of the quilt top.
I already pressed the seam flat. Tonight I will have to restitch the seams along the body of the top, then I can sew the side back onto the top. After than I can trim the side. I already cut the batting that I will need. Once I get the top put back together, I will have a better idea of the lengths of backing I need to cut and toss them in the washer. I figure if I get the backing sewn together Friday evening, I can then start pin basting. I hope to start quilting on Saturday. Sunday will be quilting except for the time I will be going to my brother's house for Easter for a couple hours. What will be nice is once I get the 9 shirts in the middle quilted, everything else is black so I can just keep quilting until the bobbin runs out. Well, at least that is the plan!

Wednesday, March 27, 2024

May have a deadline

I did good last evening and got both the top and bottom rows sewn together. Then I even sewed the top row on to the three rows!
Tonight, I will make the final decision about the size. I pulled out two pieces for backing and there will not be enough of the piece with the skulls wearing headphones if I make the quilt top any bigger. Since this is a giveaway, it doesn't matter what size it is so I think not making it bigger will be my choice. I need to trim the sides so that will take off a few inches for the width.
I sent a text this morning to see if the lady that I am making this quilt for will be at a show my nephew is playing where she lives on April 8th. It is the Eclipse show to entertain people during the eclipse that will happen in this area that day. If she is going to be there, then I can send the quilt with the band, so she doesn't have to drive almost 2 hours to pick it up from me. I can't work the show because I have mandatory training at work. All this means is I now have a deadline and need to get the quilt done in 11 days. I was inspired to take this picture this morning from the one Wanda took recently. I took it quickly on my way to work thru the windshield. Not great, but I tried! LOL!!

Tuesday, March 26, 2024

Harley quilt is progressing!

I got the three rows sewn together now! Tonight, I will try and get the shirts sewn together for the top and bottom rows.
To give it more length I could go two ways: 1. add a plain black border out of t-shirt fabric or 2. go thru my stack of shirts again and pull out the ones that have a narrow design. I think it all depends on how much I need to add to get the length I am looking for.

Monday, March 25, 2024

Did what I could

I was a busy weekend getting things ready for company on Sunday and having to make a trip to the optical office an hour away. I bought new prescription sunglasses, and I was seeing double especially on the left side. Turns out there was a mix-up with the prescription and since my eyes are really bad, where I see thru the glasses was off a bit. The optical fellow said the worse a prescription is, the more precise where you look thru the lenses has to be. They will get the lenses remade and we will try again. By the time I got home from errands and the optical place I was beat so I chilled out all afternoon. Butter and cream cheese were on sale - butter $3.46 and cream cheese two for $5.00 - so I stocked up
Here is my plate for Sunday's dinner: Honey Baked ham, green beans, mac and cheese and little red potatoes. It was all good.
Sunday the neighbor's brother showed up to remove a retaining wall that was failing and a brick abutment that was a useless design element. This was some entertainment for my company. LOL!!
Both have been removed. My neighbor was really lucky that there was no type of fasteners between the house and the abutment. That annoying pine tree that belongs to me is also going to be gone. His brother said he would get rid of it stump and all!
The brother is also going to move the back steps at my garage. When I get my new deck, I will have them build a smaller lower deck so these ugly steps have got to go!
I did get a bit more done on the Harley quilt. Three rows are ready to be sew together.

Friday, March 22, 2024

Harley is coming along!

Made some good progress on the Harley quilt last night. I had three shirts that I needed to add fabric to make them the size I needed
I then got the light colored t-shirts sewn together in their respective rows. I wanted to get this done so I didn't have to keep changing the color of thread in the sewing machine.
I don't know how much I will be able to get done this weekend. I am hosting Easter dinner for a few people, because everyone is busy on Easter. Have a great weekend!

Thursday, March 21, 2024

Harley quilt top progress and banana bread

Last evening I got the rest of the t-shirts trimmed. I did leave extra on the shirts at the sides for adjustments. Once I sit down and figure what the current size will be, I will decide my next move.
I had some bananas that needed used up, so I made two loaves of bread and took them to work.

Wednesday, March 20, 2024

Dog tired

I don't know where I picked up the phrase "dog tired" but that is how I felt when I got home from work yesterday. I got something to eat, sat in front of the space heater and fell asleep for a while. I had no ambition to get anything done. This morning, I was up early enough to make a pot of soup for meals today. I had found a recipe and I had everything on hand I needed, chicken broth, chicken, quinoa, frozen spinach, and celery. Add in some Rosmary, thyme, garlic, a little salt, and a can of drained Canelli beans and like magic I had a big pot of soup. I did drizzle in some parmesan cheese that was beaten with an egg for a finishing touch. If you beat the cheese with the egg, the egg helps distribute the cheese throughout the soup. I had some for breakfast and it was pretty good.
I didn't have much for lunch yesterday and so I think I was tired from lack of fuel. I will have soup today whenever I want and see if I have the energy tonight to get something done.