Another Project? Will This Never End?

It seems all I've done so far in 2019 is start new projects, and not all of them have been quilting!

First it was cleaning the big sunroom closet (it is not totally finished yet.)  Then I started on my vintage embroidery quilt, slow but sure.  (Sunday it will be two weeks since I've touched that!)  Next I decided to clean my sewing closet.  Lots of tubs and fabric to be re-folded stacked all over the sunroom (again!) and the back bedroom.

Thursday before last my friend from the past came; she wanted to discuss a quilt she wants to make.  She asked where I go to buy fabric now that my favorite place had closed a few months ago.  We discussed how there really is not a quilt shop in our immediate area except one, and that one really is there to sell expensive machines rather than fabric.    We decided that on the next Thursday (the last one now) we would go to Weatherford, Tx. to the old Gibson's store (now really Ace Hardware).  They have a lot of everything in that store, including nice fabric, lots of it Moda.   It is a really fun place!  So much of everything to see, and they even have Cherry Mash candy, not anywhere in my town anymore!

Saturday night my son and DIL took me to Red Lobster for my birthday dinner.  It was delicious!  They also gave me a gift card to Hobby Lobby!  That will require a trip someday.  They also informed me that there will be a baby shower for DIL's daughter on March 3, and she wondered if I'd like to make a quilt for the new little girl-to-be, similar to the one I made for the big sister six years ago.  Of course, I said yes, but I don't know how I can get one made by March 3!  Really!!?  Oh yes, the colors should be aqua, light purple, gray, and white, with a theme of owls!  All these restrictions almost blew me away!   Glad I had a trip planned to a place to get some fabric!

On Sunday night, the weatherman said it would be sunny the next morning, and then raining all the rest of last week.  I called my friend and asked if she would rather go on Monday rather than waiting until Thursday.  She first said no, but called Monday morning  and asked if I could be ready in 30 minutes.  (You've got to be kidding!  But I made it!)  She had never been there, but she drove, and we had a really fun day together with her son along too.   She found some Moda fabric that suited her, and it was priced at about $4 less than at a quilt store!   That's why everyone loves to go there!   (This excursion will continue further down the page)

On Tuesday it was indeed raining cats and dogs, and I had to go to the funeral of a dear friend's husband.  My son also knew the man and my friend, and because he didn't want me driving several miles away, he came to take me to the funeral.  Fortunately he was scheduled to be off duty that day.

Sure enough, it has been raining off and on every day this week, so I'm really glad we made our trip to Weatherford on Monday.  I did find the aqua, purple, gray and white fabric, but no owls in any color!  That night I tried to decide on a pattern that would go together quickly.  I had bought some purple (little leaves sort of) for a backing, but went online to find owls.  Finally found something I thought would work with the four colors I had gotten, and ordered it on the 19th.  Got confirmation of the order, but every time I tracked the delivery, it kept saying (still does) "Pending".  This morning I called and asked if they had it in stock; the answer was NO!  I let them know it would have been nice had they notified me!   I told her to cancel the order, and she said she would send me cancellation confirmation by e-mail.  I still have not received it!  I called my credit card company, and the charge had been submitted on the 19th, the day of my order, of course.  I stewed until mid-afternoon, and decided to send the vendor a 'sweet' e-mail with all the dates and times regarding my order and cancellation, and that I expect to receive the cancellation confirmation today.  Haven't received it yet!  Needless to say, I won't be ordering from them again!

I went online again, and found the same fabric somewhere else; placed my order at 1 PM today, and received shipment notification before 4:30 today.  Tracking showed it already on the way, with delivery expected next Wednesday; we'll see!  I hope so, but I doubt I'll get the quilt finished by March 3.  I told my DIL I may have to do what she did to me Christmas 2017 when she gave me a beautiful Christmas table topper, but it was not even sandwiched, much less quilted.  She has had a really rough year with her parents, and her father's death, and my quilt still needs a binding.  She again promised it by Christmas 2019, which is just fine.

This has been a really long-winded tale just to tell you that indeed I have started another project this year, and it is not another closet!  It is a baby quilt!  I decided the quickest pattern for my four fabrics would be a Rail Fence.  Tonight I have six rows together, nine blocks wide, with three more rows ready to join and add on.  The blocks are 4" finished, and I really think I will need to make a couple more rows, and then the border (before the backing gets here next week).  I know that will be a bit big for a baby quilt, but the granny (my DIL) is crocheting a small blanket in the same colors.  I had made the quilt for the baby's sister large enough to use on her youth bed now, and I want to do the same for this baby.  Baby quilts get outgrown too soon!  I got a close-up of the blocks so maybe if you click to enlarge it, you can see the fabric better; doesn't look like kiddie fabric, but it matches the yarn my DIL sent me.  It is what it is!  The kid won't know the difference anyway!  Again I'm taking pictures at night!  I'll get a better daylight picture next time.   I like that both the aqua and purple fabrics make corners diagonally across the length of the quilt.

Guess I better shut up and hit the sack so I can get up in the morning and get the top finished (maybe).

Hope the sun is shining where you are tomorrow, and that it is not freezing cold!

---"Love"