what happens when...

All your blog-friends have fresh new posts beckoning, you have a quilt nearly quilted on the machine, calling you (because you want to show your blog-friends!), and you have your kids planning a revolt because you haven't fed them breakfast, yet, ( it's only 8:24 am... not my fault you were up at 6:15!)...

YOU BLOG!!!

after feeding the kids...

I have arranged for the boys to entertained elsewhere so I can spend the day with you, QUILTING!

I have so much to tell you, pictures to show you...

So, today I am spending it with you.

It is 8:30 am and we are going into my sewing room

to finish quilting that quilt!

I can't wait to tell you more about this little one: It is going to New York!

I made myself a black tea. Would you like one?

with milk and sugar? (Well, I have goat's milk and Stevia in mine...)

:)

Please, forgive the mess. It's a beautiful quilting mess, you know the one... Hey, I rather have you here with me than spend time cleaning up for the perfect picture. Today we do it without the airbrush! :)

8:40 am

Ok, finding my groove again. Last night it was going so much easier.

Don't you just hate it when you know that you are only an hour away from finishing... (ok, it's never only an hour! ... And the kids really do want a goodnight-kiss, And hubby does want your company, besides charm hexies are calling you from the sofa!!!)

...

Ok. It's going ok.

Straight stitching, using my walking foot, making sure I pull the bobbin thread up so it will not get tangled on the bottom stitches...

10:10 am

Quilting is going well. Almost done. I hand-basted my quilt so I pull out the threads as I pass that section. I find that 'marking' my lines with my Clover Hera finger-press gives me a crisp line to follow. The stitches are looking good top and bottom!

Oh, Little one, I have missed your humming so... ( Ok, My 'Little' Brother QC1000 is a bit chunky, and can't be moved easily, and she needs to go for her yearly 'spa' cleaning and oiling soon... But she is sooo loved and a really hard worker, too!)

Ok, so you have your tea? I have some great news to share with you. I am so thrilled, I don't even know How to tell you. It's easier if I just show you... go here.

:)

11:30 am

Ok, I am not blushing so hard any more... But it is such exciting news. Again, thank You Amy, for organizing the Blogger's Quilt Festival, Natima for encouraging me to take a chance and join, and all of you who nominated me. It's a tremendous honour.

and most of all to YOU, who I am sharing this with... YOU mean the world to me, dear friends!

And the quilt is done! I think it is... I will now take a picture.

in the meantime I will start thinking of the binding... I am thinking green... hummm, any suggestions?

12:15 pm

Had a few visits from the kids. They are just upstairs and wanted to get some more toys and movies.

They will have their lunch upstairs as well, Yeay!!!

:)

Ok here's a picture. Not a great one, but you get the idea. Don't you find it hard to take a picture of a quilt when you are on your own?

How I wish I had a garden and a clothesline. Humm, maybe I can have a clothesline in my sewing room...

So let me tell you some more about this quilt. This Comfort-quilt is going to Victoria. She is amazing, and such an inspiration:

in her own words last night in an e-mail:

No, it does not need to have a house on it.. that was for the first part of this project... I am making the quilts with the house blocks, (aprox 80 quilts) which will be auctioned off at their fundraisers

the charity project it self, bumblebeansBASICS.com is for completed quilts, of any kind that go direct to the families... ;-)

Didn't I tell you?

:)

Please, consider helping! Especially if you are in North America. Your quilt might become part of someone's family history, providing a soft refuge in a harsh reality.

Thank You, Victoria for being you!

12:55 pm

Hubby brought Lunch!!! Chicken Souvlaki for all of us. (I will take a picture!)

So let's take a little break, and I'll be back after I put the boys down for their little siesta.

It has been an unforgettable morning, Thank You!

:)

And I can't believe how much I got done, too!

:)

2pm

What a fab and quick lunch: Grilled breast of chicken, in a grilled thick pita, with ripe tomatoes, sweet onions, thick greek yogurt sprinkled with Greek oregano...

My hubb's is topped with french fries, mine with fresh cucumbers... And a tall glass of lemon& lime Mint sparkly delight...

I had to tell him all about my fabulous morning. He just smiled and rushed to read the post!

:)

The boys are not settling down. I can hear them having a party in their bedroom. So I will stay close and work on some charm hexies for now. I haven't counted out how many I have yet. But I have really enjoyed the Moda White Chocolate Candy bars and the Petit Fours. A great way to add little 2 1/2" squares in fabric lines I might otherwise not have access to.

2:40 pm

...silence...

They fell asleep, finally! I can't wait to get back to finding a binding for Victoria's quilt.

I will first measure the quilt to see how many strips of 2 1/4" I need.

(but first some chocolate...)

:)

3:37 pm

I chose a minty green stripe for the binding. I really like stripe-y bindings!

I have sewn my 6 strips and now I am ironing the binding in half. I always slide the pressed part away from me, so I don't burn my fingers.

I hold the iron in my right hand and slide the folded fabric from left to right, rolling the pressed binding neatly to my right. (if you are a lefty just reverse the process!)

:)

Next I will sewing the binding on.

Couldn't resist taking this picture of the back...

You can see the quilting a bit more...

5:15 pm

The Binding is on!

...and the kiddies are up from their nap. Let's go find them something to nibble on until Daddy comes home from work.

I love the way the binding looks. I think I will start sewing it on as soon as I can. Maybe more pix will follow!

Now I need to trim the excess batting, and prepare my workstation...

I like to quilt or sew on binding resting on the back of an arm-chair or sofa.

This has been such fun...

and we haven't gotten to the cruise pix yet!

:)

We'll leave that for another day?

Thank you so much for sharing this lovely day with me!

xox

Valentina