Finally A Finish, My First in 2019!

I did it!  I got the baby quilt finished last night at 6:15 PM, in time for the baby shower today at 2 PM!  I really don't know how I got it done, but I did, and that's all that matters, right?

I finally had to call the first backing vendor again and finally received an e-mail confirming the order cancellation.  I will call my credit card company Monday to be sure they got the cancellation too!  I did receive the second backing order as promised "before close of day on Feb. 27", at 4:30 PM.  I immediately fan-folded it and pinned the selvages, and got it in the washer.  After drying and ironing it, I got the owls matched up down the center seam almost perfectly before I slept that night!  Had just barely enough!  I had finished piecing the top the day the backing fabric arrived, so the next morning I got it sandwiched and pinned, and started quilting.  For the next 9-10 days, there were lots of interruptions, but I quilted every spare minute!    Everything seemed to be timing together just fine,  if I could just hang in there!  Pictures will be down below.

Last Tuesday there was a big, long interruption in my quilting, but it was as important to me as the baby quilt!  My son arrived at 9 AM, and we went to Tractor Supply and bought new long handled pruning shears and heavy cord, came home and started pruning the crepe myrtles.  We never came in the house  until 5 PM except to get another bottle of water and a candy bar.  It was a beautiful day, just a little cloudy, and no wind.  I wore a sweatshirt, mostly for arm protection, but my son had on shorts!  A perfect day for that job, even thought it was a little late to be pruning!  The tops were up into the power lines over the neighbor' board fence.  I knew if we were to get an ice storm, we might lose power.   It's a done deal now, thanks to my son!  He cut them down, I stacked them up and trimmed off the straggly tall tops, and together we rolled and tied them up with strong cord!  (At least I hope it's strong enough to endure the predicted days of rainy weather1) I'm sure the neighbors got a laugh or two watching me working with my cane!   Here's pictures, before the pruning, and then afterwards.

10 piles cut and tied, ready to go to street for pick up by City..
Unfortunately my  next bulk pickup is not until March 20!

Needless to say, both my son and I were worn smooth out after all that!  But, hey, it's done!  Another Finish!  ( Well, after we drag them to the street for the 20th; I'll get a ticket if we stack them out at the street now.)

Then on Wednesday, I started piecing on the baby quilt again, and did most of every day except Sunday.  My friend stopped by on Thursday morning with more questions about the quilt she is wanting to make, but didn't stay long.  All I did until its finish last night was work on that quilt!  I took pictures, some again at night, so they aren't very good!  I never got a good one of the quilting, but I simply straight-lined it through the middle of the 1" aqua and purple zig-zag lines, and then in the borders.  I didn't have time to even try anything else!    Here's the best I got.

Notice how the aqua and purple Rail Fences zig-zag down the quilt. 

Michael Miller "Happy Little Hooters" backing.  The quilting shows a little here.  

Again, nothing perfect here, but it is my first 2019 finish, including closets!  Back to those tomorrow!

What is really amazing about the baby quilt is how closely the colors match the crocheted  blanket my DIL made.  You may remember she had told me, "It needs to be aqua, light purple, gray and white, with owls for the theme."  I bought the fabric based on those words.  Then I asked my son to bring me some little pieces of the yarn she was using for her blanket.  I couldn't believe it when I laid the yarn across my quilt top!   It appeared to be a perfect match!

Son and DIL came over Saturday night just after I finished my quilt.  She brought her unfinished blanket.  I must say it is one of the most beautiful pieces of crochet I have ever seen in my life, and my aunt did outstanding crochet!  I took some pictures before she took it back home to finish it at 2 AM this morning, so it would be finished by shower time this afternoon.    I know nothing, particularly terminology, about how to crochet, but I do know beauty when I see it!   The little curved edges of each row are raised loose from the base, just barely enough for a tiny finger to 'finger' it, (and no, I don't mean what you may be thinking).  I can see a little baby fascinated by the feel of the design.  Wish I had a better picture of it. We laid it and my quilt beside one another on my back bedroom bed to compare the color matching.  I think I did well, with only a few words to go on.  Remember, all the fabric was bought before I saw the actual yarn!

Notice the pinkish 'curves', (really white) on the left.  Still a few more rows to go

Double click to see it better

Not too bad a color match, you think? 

Today we went to the shower, and I think DIL's daughter was pleased with both the blanket and the quilt.  She received several other nice things for the baby-to-be.   Again I was tired when we got home, but I'm just glad that process is another finish, kinda.  (How do you like that last word?)

Think I'll go crash in the bed, and I may not get up until 10 AM!  I really want to make a couple or more blocks on my embroidery quilt tomorrow.  If I can do that  for a while, maybe I can have another finish before the end of the year!  Then I want to continue re-folding fabric and getting those tubs back in my sewing closet!  That may take all year too!   I also want to make some cookies tomorrow, and cook a decent meal for myself.  There's not even a store-bought cookie in my house, and I haven't cooked a decent meal in over a week!   I've been BUSY!   (but that's about to change!)

It's been really cold and a strong north wind all day today, and we may get down to record lows tonight, and be cold until Thurday, when the sun is supposed to shine again.  Guess I won't be going anywhere until then. 

Hope you have a good quilting week!  Stay warm, or cool, whichever! 

---"Love"