Sunday, November 16, 2008

Weekend Wrap-Up

The weekend was a fun and productive one; my first order of business was to go visit The Quilt Man in Ashland, Virginia. The Quilt Man a/k/a Chris is known for his array of Asian themed fabrics. I have promised to make my friend, Tammy, a quilt and my idea for it includes using many Asian fabrics in rich colors that will make a lavish, sophisticated quilt. I've asked Tammy to help me pick out the fabrics (we'll be needing 30 fat quarters) next Saturday, but I wanted to do some reconnaissance work before I took her into a fabric shop and had her OCD mind completely blown. I'm happy to report that Chris' selection is awesome and I believe Tammy and I will have a wonderful time next Saturday pawing through his fabulous fabrics.


Next up, I made some boxer shorts for a friend of mine (I think he is getting them for Christmas) from a watery dolphin fabric. It is from the Simplicity pattern line. There is only one pattern piece; you cut two. You would think this would be a really simple garment to make, but no matter how many times I've done it, I have to study the instructions real closely just to make sure I get the fly done right. My topstitching isn't the best here; the blue water fabric just didn't want to take any marking at all, but I remembered that I was making underwear here, and men's underwear at that. Like he'd notice. Several things that I do differently from the directions: as soon as I cut the two pieces out, I hem the legs of the boxers. Easier to do it flat than when they are already in the round. Also, instead of snaps for the fly, I always put it in a buttonhole and then a button - it looks nicer and in my mind, it is easier.



Next, I made binding for a quilt I have out being machine quilted. Not very exciting. Making bias binding ranks right up there with cutting out a pattern or ironing your fabric. Necessary, but not thrilling. But I have found that if I make the binding while I'm waiting to get the quilt back from the machine quilter, I'm much more excited about sewing it onto the new quilt as soon as I get it. If I don't, then making and applying the binding seems like a really big hassle. Also, I like striped fabric for bias bindings - the stripes wind around the quilt when sewed on and it gives the whole quilt a little pop.

And I was able to make a few blocks for this simple lap top size quilt I'm piecing for one of my Prayer Sisters. I got the pattern last February at the Mid-Atlantic Quilt Show. Really easy, I thought, a good pattern for something I could make quickly for a gift. And it is easy, so easy to the point that I keep losing interest, so the "easy" pattern ends up not going so fast for me. I guess I need a challenge to keep me interested.
And I got to see the new James Bond movie!! I enjoyed it immensely, but then I like my violence gratuitous, no realism for me, thank you very much. I don't know what all the critics are complaining about; Daniel Craig is one cool cat as James Bond.

And finally, the housework report: no housework done this weekend except one load of laundry that is still in the dryer, needing to be folded. I call that a successful weekend!

Parting Shot: when I went out for my walk today (and discovered the wind was much more brisk that I thought; gloves would not have been amiss!) I saw the other white squirrel. Of the two, this is the whiter one, and my mother named him Al on one of her visits. Surely this is a sign of good things to come.

5 comments:

Vicki W said...

I like the new quilt! glad to hear that The Quilt Man is doing well.

Ratherbequilting said...

I love the Asian-inspired fabrics -I had gotten several at Joyce's last year that I (ok, we) used in the baby quilt for my nephew's daughter - remember the one with all the sherbet colors? The blog is coming along great - although I have to say that the only thing that would skeeve me more than a gray squirrel is a white one - ugh!

stitchin' girl said...

Wow! You have been busy! Those shorts look really cute - I bet the recipient loves them. The quilt is very pretty I can't wait to see it finished.

Larry K said...

Just thought I'd blog-in and check-out your new blog. Not necessarily by accident, as your mother "just happened to mention", that you had started blogging. She seems to be only "moderately" proud of you as had to get the Sham Wow (obtained at the Houston Quilt Festival '08, btw), and sop up the pride oozing out of her e-mail, the PC screen and onto the desk.
Refreshing to see one so excited about their hobby(ies), and writing thusly about them. Although admittedly, quilting challanged, the prose is worth reading.
Seems my father and I were the quilting blacksheep of the family as we have quilts fashioned by my grandFATHER and great-grandFATHER. They started, much as you did, while recovering from illnesses.
Can appreciate Al and/or his relative tho, as that is the first albino squirrel have ever seen
Much good blogging luck and will check in often after each weekend.

KimP said...

Larry, thanks so much for your kind comments! And I appreciate the readership. I'm enjoying it all so far and the feedback gives me ideas of new things to write about. Mother sent me the photo of your Bentley - awesome car!