January Finish -- Aidan's Quilt

For a while there I was beginning to think I was not going to finish my January goal, but I am out of my sick bed and have been able to spend a few days in my sewing room. I am so glad.  I didn't want to get behind in my very first month of A Lovely Year of Finishes!  

In my last post I told you about getting the backing made for Aidan's Alabama quilt and then getting it basted.  That was actually my goal for January, but I really hoped to get it quilted and bound as well.  I quilted the main part of the quilt with a variegated black/gray/white thread using a medium stipple.

When I got to the border I decided to switch to crimson for the quilting thread, and when I saw how good it looked I wished I had used it for the entire quilt.  Shortly after I started, I quilted across one of the Alabama A's.  I didn't like it.

From then on I was really careful to go around them, and I am very happy to report than only 2 more A's were sacrificed in the making of this quilt! 

I have to tell you that the going was not all that easy this week.  As you know, it's best to clean and oil your machine and change your needle before every new project.  This is NOT the result you want!

That's a little too much oil.  But that's what happens when the lid to your oil bottle is broken and it falls off when you are trying to put a tiny dot of oil in your machine!

I don't keep paper towels or rags in my sewing room, but there was plenty of toilet paper in the bathroom.

Everything went smoothly after that until I was clipping threads ......... and snipped a tiny little hole in the quilt!   I don't know if you can see it; the pin is pointed at the hole.  I think you can see it in the close-up.

Thinking it would shred during machine washings, I had to repair it.  I opened the seams on either side of it to appliqué a little piece of black over the hole.  Since the quilting was in the way I had to put the patch diagonally across the sashing.  You can really barely see it so I am very relieved.

Yesterday I got the binding on it, and last night I finished stitching it down.  I slept under it last night (a fun tradition I have!) and now it is ready to give to Aidan.

I really like this quilt a lot.  I know it will be well-loved, and that's really the best part of the whole thing.

I'm linking up to the FINISHES PARTY at Fiber of All Sorts and then I am going to see what everyone else accomplished this month.  My goal was entry #148.

A Super Sewing Sunday

I spent almost all day on quilty stuff today!  The first thing I worked on was basting Aidan's quilt.   Before we moved here we had a huge finished basement with stained concrete floors which were great for basting a quilt.   Sadly, there isn't an easy place to baste in this house.   I tried laying things out in the living room this morning, but I couldn't get the backing stretched out flat.  No matter how I tugged and pulled and pinned, there were puckers and pleats in the backing.  It was really frustrating.  Finally, I stripped our king-sized bed and laid out the backing, batting and quilt top on it.  For some reason it worked great!  I was able to pin baste, then roll the quilt up as I worked.  

I made some progress on a UFO today -- the black and white wallhanging I started right before Christmas. 

  

I got more than half of the rows finished today.  I don't know it it's harder than it looks or it was just me, but I made 8 rows before I finished one without having to rip!

I always thought I was a pretty accurate piecer, but working with black and white makes it difficult to hide any imperfection!

I hope it doesn't make any difference to the QRC Reader.  If it does, I'll just turn it over and use the back as the front.  I actually think its way cooler. 

Progress on Aidan's Quilt

I honestly thought I would have Aidan's quilt finished by now, but spending nearly three weeks in bed with an upper respiratory infection does not make it easy to accomplish anything.  The few times I did have a tiny bit of energy I used it to either throw in a load of laundry, empty the dishwasher, or take a shower.   Today, was the first time I was able to get into the sewing room in well over a month.  It was a treat!

I used all the fabrics I had left over from the front, both Alabama prints and the houndstooth, then added a red blender and a black/white print from my stash to make the backing.   It's about 77" by 86" at this point, plenty big enough.  Next up -- basting!!

 

2014 Will Be "A Lovely Year of Finishes"

I love all the projects I began last year (well, except for that DISASTER in June!), but I am bothered that I added five things to my UFO list without removing any!  That's why this year I am going to be linking up twice a month with Shanna and Melissa for their "Lovely Year of Finishes."   The first week of the month I will declare my goal.  The last week of the month I will share what I have completed. 

First up -- January's Goal -- Aidan's Alabama Quilt.  I hope to make the backing and get the quilt basted this month.  I put the top together fairly quickly when he asked for a new quilt, and then all the Christmas Hubbub began so it has been waiting.  It will be good to have this one completed since he is so excited about it and has been so patient!  

I am linking up to Shanna's page here.  There are a lot of goals posted there so take a look!

A Year of NewFo Challenges

I can't believe I survived a year of New Projects with Barbara's 2013 NewFo Challenge!  I went in thinking not only would I start and finish twelve projects, but I would also finish a few UFO's I just happened to have on hand.  I was thinking that it was a real disaster, but actually, when I looked back over my list of finished projects, I did okay.  Take a look.

January Project -- Gavin's Quilt -- FINISHED!

February Project -- Neutrals Challenge -- FINISHED!

March Project -- Pillowcases -- FINISHED!

April Project -- Tile Tango -- FINISHED!

May Project -- Pink Stars -- FINISHED!

June Project -- A Real Disaster -- And I STILL don't know what to do with this one!!!

July Project -- Jason's Quilt -- FINISHED!

August Project -- Zelda quilt for Josh -- Up Next!!!!

September Project  -- Baby Quilt -- FINISHED!

October Project  --  Aidan's Alabama Quilt -- Sooooooo Close!!!!!  

November Project  -- Marmalade Squares -- FINISHED!

December Project  -- A Christmas Surprise --  Ooops!  You didn't think there was a December project did you!  Well, I thought it would be something I could quickly throw together along with all those last minute Christmas preparations, hand-quilt it in the car on the way to St. Louis, and give it to someone as a real surprise for Christmas.  Well, that didn't happen.  But I'll give you a peek (because I do still want to finish it!)

With that, I will link up with Barbara's Linky Party over at Cat Patches for my final 2013 NewFo Challenge.  It's been a lot of fun.  I have thoroughly enjoyed it.