Its been an extra long Easter weekend. I planned to have the week before Easter off work so I could do some things like shop during the quiet of the day, to wash and sew fabric that I had bought at The Remnant Warehouse's pre-Easter sale, to get the lawns tidied and garden beds weeded. And then we had lockdown to stop a Covid19 outbreak, and then the rain set in. And rain it has. A lot. And then more.
So, i tried to focus on what i could do with my time at home when my plans had to change. I was forced to do a little rearrange in my sewing room because of a zoom call Holy Thursday, so i found instead of putting things back as they were I started to find new homes or put these things away where they truly belonged. And then i started to play. And the tidy/creative mood hit. I finished a few incomplete jobs that have been partially cut or partially created for years and that ive just moved around when i needed space back.
I finished a cutout Christmas stocking that was hanging around for 3 years. I then made the piping that ive been wanting to finish my quilted star cushion squares, and attached it and then lost my mojo for the back of the cushions. So, i have three 20.5" cushion tops waiting for backs to be finally complete. They will look good when done.
And then I started the Swoon Patterns Bonnie bucket bag I've had cutout for 5 years. Big yay getting this done. I even sewed vinyl for the first time. Love this fabric so i hope it holds up a while, but I have tentative plans to make another sometime, now ive got it done once.
So today, my last day, I decided to finish the quilt top i last blogged about. The orange and blue star quilt top i started in 2017.
Last night I laid out the seven rows and found the seventh wasn't joined so changed the layout to be six rows of six blocks, which meant a new block was required. I searched for the notes i had made originally and rediscovered the no-waste flying geese instructions to make another block. During the search, which took a while, i moved and rearranged things to make things tidier. Now I'd like a large blanket box or garden storage bench to store my rolls of vinyl in the fabric room rather than keeping them on top of the fabric boxes where they get squished regularly. So marketplace has some great listings but the boxea wont fit in my nifty Fiat 500, and then there's the rain. Had to cancel on a great option cos of the car and rain.
So I put things away and got on with completing the quilt top.
I think I'll put one 2-3" border around the quilt top to frame it, using a blue fabric already in the quilt. Then use a different colour fabric that will balance the quilt top as the outer. I have a few scraps of blue sashing strips left so I may make some scrappy bias binding for the edge but it could be too shallow for binding.
And I'll see how long it takes to get borders on and then a backing and pinning for quilting. I have one pinned quilt at the moment so i should quilt that first unless I send it out for longarm quilting. My Sis knows and uses someone. This quilt top size is just about beyond my patience and endurance thresholds.
So, I'm pleased with my sewing progress this break, especially the handbag made, and I'm not sorry I didn't do clothes sewing this break. The weather isnt great for sewing and fitting. And I feel mentally cleared to move onto clothes sewing when the opportunity arises.
