Sew & Tell ~ January 6, 2025 - A Grand Finale

Happy New Year! 🎉We welcomed 2025 with little fanfare or celebration... it was simply "another day."  Though we did "take the day off" of our regular work.  As we watched the Rose parade, the Christmas tree came down and all decorations were packed away until mid-December, when we will repeat the traditions.  Our tree is so big... and it takes up so much space in our living room.  **sigh** It cramps my style for sandwiching quilts!  (I'd love to get one not so broad but that won't happen until Dave is unable to get the boxes {yes, plural...boxes} in and out of the crawlspace.)  

I was forced to use a different space in the living room to sandwich the Camping Journal quilt... and do it in sections.  I had promised you that there would be no mention of this quilt until it was complete.  And... D.O.N.E., it is!  **insert happy dance **

I finished the binding by noon on December 31.  I washed it and dried it to get the full effect of the squished up, wrinkly, well-loved look that the Heirloom batting that is 80% cotton offers. Ta-da!!!!!  

I had planned on getting it placed on the camper bed as proof that it was done... and then after lunch, this happened.

Dave and I have discussed the need to replace the flooring in the 5th-wheel for months... since Shelby is no longer with us. :(  The camper is 30 years old... which means the carpet is also 30 years old.  Bleh!  I know how much dirt, mud, sand and spills happened in just the 2 years we have owned it.  And carpet in any bathroom is just gross!

We have vinyl plank to install throughout the entire "lower level".  Did you know that when campers like this are built that they start from the bottom up?  Meaning, the flooring goes down first and then the walls and cabinets are set over it.  The carpet was heavily stapled along ALL of the edges.  Neither of us anticipated the challenge it would be to get the carpet out.  There was a horrible squeak in the stairs that Dave wanted to fix while there.  We have decided to redesign the stairs so that we can use the "empty space" for additional storage.  It's a brilliant idea!  

The weather forecasters are calling for a snowstorm to come in on Monday night... this will stall our advancement and progress in the camper.  Not to worry though!

I have a list of projects waiting in the wings... 

First up is this quilt that was started by my brother's wife. She passed away in July. My brother, Kelvin, has been slowly going through some of her things and this was among them.  

I'll share the whole story of this quilt with you when I host the TGIFF party in a few weeks. 

When I finish hand-stitching the strips on the back of the quilt to cover the seams, I will do the binding.  

It will then be returned to Kelvin for him to display on the back of his couch. :)

Next up will be a scrappy red quilt using the Golden Afternoon pattern by Amanda Woodruff at Westwood Acres Fabric.  This was the quilt that inspired the 50th Anniversary quilt that I made last year.

Amanda has a few patterns available, but the only way to acquire this pattern was to purchase a kit.  At the time that I wanted to make the anniversary quilt, the kits were out of stock.  You may remember, I made up my own design/pattern loosely based on her quilt.

After Hurricane Helene, Amanda offered a few copies (less than 10) of the pattern for "free" if you offered proof that you made a $50 donation to one of the specified charitable organizations she selected, in support of the hurricane recovery.  I took advantage of the opportunity.  I felt it was well worth it.  My red version of Golden Afternoon will be used as a fundraising opportunity for our grand-daughter's softball team.  

What other items are "waiting in the wings", you ask? Two t-shirt quilts - one to finish for our oldest daughter.  She started it 12 years ago... I just need to decide on a layout and join the blocks together.  The second t-shirt quilt is for a friend.  Gina had been in a "purging mode" and sent them to me (along with others but stated that she was in no hurry for this quilt).  I have trimmed all the blocks and prepped them with the fusible stabilizer.  I even have the fabric selected for the sashing strips.  I just need to get them on the wall.  Both t-shirt collections are from the same university.  What a coincidence!

And lastly... I have an empty bin ready to gather all of my pink scraps for a RSC project.  I am still undecided about what sort of blocks I'll be making.  Three-inch hexies or scrappy/wonky log cabins.  The hexies lend themselves more for a traveling project.  The log cabin blocks would be perfect leader/ender sewing.  Hmmmmm...

Rather than continue to sit and ponder this decision and take up your time with my reasonings for one or the other (or something completely different), it is now time for this week's Sew & Tell feature... Maggie at Making a Lather has a unique method for making progress in completing her UFOs.  I try to work on these 5 quilts until they are done. Their turn in the UFO closet is over, and they need to be finished one way or another. 

Maggie's finish of her Midnight Flight, pattern by Bonnie Hunter, is stunning!

Follow the link above and see what other projects she has on her list.

I have never made participated in one of Bonnie Hunter's mystery quilts... I am intimidated by the small pieces - more specifically, the number of small pieces required.

Have you ever done one of Bonnie's quilts?

Leave a comment... I'd love to hear from you!

Keep Piecing,

Melva

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