Another Flimsy

As promised, I've continued to work on the quilt of greens. Nine-and-a-half months after buying the fabric, and with my sewing room looking like a small explosion has erupted, the quilt top is finished. Cutting the various widths and lengths of fabric into strips to make up the blocks wasn't fun, but having seen this pattern on other quilters' blogs, I knew it was one I wanted to make. Once. And what possessed me to piece this complicated friendship braid border is beyond me. I'll be the first to admit that I'm not very good at the piecing. So I advise you not to click and enlarge the photo. Please. Control yourself. You'll be sorry if you ignore my plea.

I've got some busy days coming up, so it may be a while before I get to the batting and backing stage. And, news flash: I'm keeping this quilt for myself!

Just Like I Was Told... Sort of

I intended to go to the Dollar Store to get a (cheap) gift bag for wrapping my recently-made apron. My friend, Sarah, of Red Gingham fame, suggested instead that I wrap it in leftover fabric and tie a bow around it. Well, I took that idea a step further and made a reusable tote bag. I didn't have enough of the floral fabric to line the bag with, but I found some other fabric in my stash that would work, so here it is... all ready for gift-giving tomorrow.

Git 'Er Done

As usual, a date for a bridal shower was creeping up on me, and I needed to get a gift ready. I chose the same apron pattern that I used here, but instead of the straight trim pieces, I made it with scallops. When I first saw the green plaid fabric from Phillip and Lystra, I immediately thought, "Apron." Even though I used part of the fabric for this bag, I was pretty sure there would still be plenty for the apron. I found the --ah -- inexpensive, shall we say, floral fabric at one of the few remaining Wal-marts that actually have fabric. I like to look at the bride's online gift registry so that I can choose colors that won't clash horribly with her kitchen, and so that I can get an idea of her style. This particular bride has chosen Fiesta Ware for her everyday dishes, so the clear, bright colors of this apron will be perfect.

Here's a close-up of the front.

The apron is fully lined in the floral fabric. I didn't like the way the label turned out for the first apron, so here's what I did this time. It's on the inside of the bib part.Finally, I got smart and made the gift-enclosure card to match.Now all I have to do is go by the Dollar Store and find a suitable (and matching!) gift bag. And I "got 'er done" a whole five days before the shower.

Hello, Friends

Last week I sent a couple of gifts to Karen, creator of The Selvage Blog. I have been enjoying the creative inspiration of her blog for several years now, and she has featured some of my selvage creations there. It was time to say, "Thank you!" for first opening up the idea to me that selvages are usable. My only regret is for the 40-ish years that I cut off selvages and threw them away!

In addition to one of my bookmarks, I sent her a needlework companion book, complete with a selvage cover. The book has dividers and blank pages for making notes about projects, threads, fabrics, etc., and a small zippered pocket in the back for holding swatches or samples. Here's what the front cover looks like.
And here's the back. A few close-ups, including one of the hidden button/elastic closure: Take a close look at the number 6 in the next photo. These color dots are supposed to be a single color, but this one looks like rainbow sherbet!

And the selvage on the orange, dotted fabric is different from most.

Click this link to check out Karen's blog. You just might find me there today.

I'm Still Among the Living

Yes, I'm still here. In addition to my two regular at-home bookkeeping jobs, I'm about to start a third, and there are two more potentially out there. So, I'm staying plenty busy!

We finally had some fall-like weather last week, and it was nice to open the windows and turn on the attic fan. Blinky thought so, too. Remember this little bundle? I've had it for over eight months, and it is gradually becoming a quilt. I promise.The gooseneck lamp in my sewing room is great for keeping strips close by!
Although I'd like to finish it in the next few weeks, don't hold your breath!

Win-Win

I love baseball, especially the Atlanta Braves. I've been following them for roughly forty years, through the dismal 1970s and 80s when they usually were mathematically eliminated from being contenders by the All Star break, into the exciting 1990s when they won a record fourteen-straight championships (most straight by any pro sports team -- not just baseball), and into the new millennium.

I also love to sing, and I've been a part of various choirs for longer than I've been a baseball fan. Currently, I sing in the choir at Midway Presbyterian Church. On Monday, my two loves were combined as my church choir sang the national anthem at the Braves game. We submitted a recording to the Braves about this time last year, and at the start of the season this year, they called to invite us. August 30 just happened to be the date that worked for the majority of choir members.

This is uncharted cyber-territory for me, but hopefully there will be a You Tube link here that will let you see and hear our rendition of The Star Spangled Banner.



Singing at the game itself was not uncharted territory for me. Back in the late 1970s, I sang in a community chorus that was invited twice to sing. That was back in the old Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, so this was my first time to set foot on the grass of Turner Field. The Braves won the game, 9-3, and a good time was had by all.

Yum, Yum

Emily and the kiddos came over for supper last night, then Alexa spent the night with us. I think Jordanna enjoyed her meal.Emily was smart and stripped her down to just a diaper beforehand. Afterwards, this little critter went directly to the bathtub... ...leaving Grammy to deal with the fallout.

I Spy

I grew up with cats and even though James didn't, we've had many over our thirty-five years of marriage. We've never had more than four at a time (that was too many) but we've rarely had just one. Blinky is just one. It was obvious some time back that Blinky is a dominant feline, and after my beloved Daisy died a couple of years ago at age 17, we didn't think that Blinky would appreciate it if we introduced a new critter to the household. To put it a bit more succinctly, we were afraid she'd kill a kitten! Blinky is also the only cat who has ever been allowed to sleep with us. This was James' idea, not mine. Remark- ably, she parks herself at the foot of the bed, and stays right there all night. Conveniently, it is James' side of the bed. She will attempt a more prestigious spot on the bed, but once she's directed to move to her appointed place, she will.

Last night, I had been lying in bed flipping back and forth between baseball and football on TV. I got up for something or other, and when I returned, here's where I found the cat.
She didn't stay for very long, though.

A First

When you get to be a half-century plus, there aren't a whole lot of firsts left in life. (I think my first time to go snow skiing isn't going to happen now.) Last evening, I got a phone call that was a first. I could tell that it was going to be a recorded message, something I got way too many of during the primary and run-off elections, and expect to get more of come November. But the recording began with, "This is Cobb County 911 Emergency Services." Now that will sort of get a person's attention. It went on to describe a missing girl who was last seen several hours earlier at an intersection a couple of miles from our house. Now I knew that enhanced 911 meant that Emergency Services could pinpoint a location based on caller ID, but I never thought about it working in reverse... them calling us. On second thought, I vaguely remember a request from the county to give them all our contact numbers to make it easier for them to let us know of an emergency situation in our area, but I expected it to be something like telling us to evacuate if there were a wildfire or flood in the area. "Big Brother" is definitely watching us, but I guess I'm OK with it if a missing child is found safe. And in this age of technology, is there really any choice but to acknowledge Big Brother's existence?

Favorite of Favorites

I like just about all the postcards I've made (I found it hard to send out the few that I didn't like), but this one ranks high on my list of personal favorites. It went out yesterday to a friend who just had surgery. Like me, she's been a seamstress for most of her life, but I recently introduced her to (and infected her with) the quilting bug. (Not my computer bug, which could have made her un-friend me.)