Happy Friday everyone! It has been really busy here between the shop, the usual migraine nonsense and… wait for it…. getting ready to leave for Vermont! I am going to be watching my grand daughter for three weeks. Her mama has to go to Washington DC for a month long training session and asked if I would come and help out while my son is with H. He commutes a fair bit to work and back which makes H’s daycare time much longer if he is on his own with her. Between that and snow days and the usual illnesses she is always coming down with, it will be good to have another person there. I am looking forward to it as much as my DIL is NOT looking forward to it. You know? I feel terrible for her to have to leave for so long. She is a medical resident in Radiology at the University of Burlington and has known this was coming for the last several years but now that it is actually time to go, ugh! She is such a trooper and is trying to make the best of a lousy situation.
I have been cooking meals and freezing them so Ray and Julia don’t have to cook quite as much while I am gone. They both have long days and it will be nice to have a few things they can just pull out of the freezer and heat up. Also, my friend Sophia has been coming over and learning to run my shop for me. She is such a good friend and I am incredibly grateful she is able to do this for me. She will cut orders and ship them for the next few weeks. I have known her for a long while and we are both into quilting and sewing. She will have everything under control while I am away!
I did play a bit in the sewing room this week, though not as much as I would have liked (is there ever enough hours in the day?). I had four custom orders, two are finished and the other two are prepped to be completed today.
Inspired by watching Marie Kondo on Netflix the other day, I thought I would clear out some old fabric that just wasn’t ‘sparking joy’ for me any longer and give it away. But as soon as I sat down and started going through things, I found this panel I had picked up at a garage sale last fall. That was the end of the Konmari cleaning effort!
I just love this panel. I did several reverse image searches to try and find it on-line and see what line it was from. One person on Facebook or Instagram (?) commented that she made pillow cases with it in the 1980’s for her children. So it is an older fabric. I wasn’t sure what to do with it but finally decided to make a doll quilt with it for A Doll Like Me. It is so pretty and, at 22″ x 26″, just the right size for this.
I found a batting scrap and some backing fabric and quickly put it all together.
I love the pig and unicorn both!
The quilting is basic since it really doesn’t show up and the animals are the star of the show here.
Lions, tigers and bears, oh my!
I free motioned around most of the animals and some of the vines to hold everything together. Around the outer border I FMQ’d flowers. That was good practice as I am really rusty these days.
The backing and binding were also a thrift store find – I believe it was an older RJR print. Great colors thought, right??
Don’t you love making something start to finish with bits of fabric you already have. The stack of fabric in my closet holds so much potential. I will keep this little quilt and mail it to Amy when I have a few more things to add to it.
Time to go finish up those two orders. Also need to make meatballs for the freezer. Yesterday I had a roast in the crockpot for shredded BBQ Beef sandwiches. I am filling our freezer!!
Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend. Ours will be gray and rainy out, as it has been all week. The wet weather inspired me to cut a few gray and white fat quarter bundles for the shop. Aren’t these pieces wonderful? Included are flowers, stripes and text prints by Carrie Bloomston, Alison Glass and Sarah Fielke! Click the link if you want to add them to your stash. 🙂
Linking to my usual sites. Check them out at the top of the page under link ups!
You have been busy! Sorry to hear about the migraines again 🙁 How exciting that you get to go to Vermont for 3 weeks, though! I feel sorry for your DIL; I remember how difficult it was to leave for an extended time the first time around. The first one is the toughest, then it gets a little easier. She’ll be happier knowing you are there too, though, I think. Using that panel for a quilt for A Doll Like Me was a great idea! I have one more quilt top to sew up for Amy, then I hope to get them sandwiched and finished this weekend.
I am excited to be with her for sure – I am hoping the time goes fast for my DIL – sitting through a month of all-day review sounds just horrid but she takes her boards in June so it is a good time for review. Have a wonderful weekend Wendy!! (Too bad Minnesota isn’t just a bit closer to Vermont!)
Hi Bernie! Oh, you will have so much fun with H for three whole weeks! I’m sorry your DIL has to be away so long – that will be so hard on her and the whole family. It’s nice that you can step up and help them. What a sweet little doll quilt – someone special will really enjoy that! ~smile~ Roseanne
Thank you Roseanne. I can’t wait to (someday) live closer to the kids so I can help out more often and without traveling across the country to do it. I am looking forward to a long stay with my grand daughter though. 🙂
Bernie, love that panel. Please send me Amy’s address for A Doll Like Me. I have a few things to send her and have misplaced it. I know you will enjoy your trip.
That is such a great panel and a great finish. Some little kid will love it for their doll. A great use for it for sure! Safe travels! (By the way, I despise the whole Konmari thing. Joy is not the only reason to keep things! And 30 books is a ridiculous limit!)
Love the little blanket. I also love the pig! So sweet.
Glad you’ll get to see your grand for a while although I know your DIL’s sadness over leaving for so long.
I hope you have a safe and happy trip and visit. ❤️
Ps. The weather here has been yucky also! South central Louisiana.
It is definitely a mixed bag – this trip to Vermont. I know the kids (my son and DIL) are dreading it and I am so happy to have these several weeks with H. It will all be find. Hoping time passes quickly for them and not as much for me!! Does that make sense? Have a great Saturday!!
Have a wonderful, funderful trip to Vt! You must be so proud of your daughter. Three weeks seems like such a long time, but it will go by in a flash. Super job on that panel! And I love those cuts you made today. Oh, and I succeeded in working epithet those skinny little bindings and am proud to say I finished four hospital gowns to be mailed out to Amy tomorrow! After the first one, I said, “Nope, this isn’t for me.” But the second one called out to me, and was so much easier after having struggled through one. Thanks for the helpful hints! XO
Epithet? Really? I need to proofread my comments better! And to think I typed ‘on’. How does one get ‘epithet’ out of that? Lol!
I am incredibly proud of her. Hard to believe she is nearing the end of her residency (one year left) – The last seven or eight years have been an incredible amount of work.
Congrats on conquering the bias tape Karen!! I knew you would do just fine. Thank you for going on to make four gowns. That is wonderful and Amy will be so grateful. If you need the address, email me. I can’t remember if you already have it?
It may be vintage, but that panel is adorable. I hope you have a great visit.
I think this sort of panel is timeless. The animals and flowers are so sweet – it was a fun project. Have a great weekend Anja!!
Ooh, the panel! I love that kind of artwork. It’s just perfect for a quilt for one of Amy’s dolls. Konmari or not, you made great use of your closet time, and made something that will spark joy, both for you (in giving) and some little kid in receiving it. Best kind of tidying up and getting rid of stuff when it comes to quilting. Have a great time in Vermont. Hard for your DIL, and H and her daddy, too, but such a special time for you.
The panel caught my eye too Janine. I just love it. I can’t say I had all that much ‘closet sorting’ time because I saw this right away. Anything to get out of chores and back to sewing I suppose! Hahaha – there is truly a lot of fabric I do not like and will probably not use so I do need to clear it out. It makes things so cluttered up. I know you went through the process a while ago as well. So, maybe when I get back??
That looks like a really fun quilt to make and how fun is that print? It will be treasured by its recipient. I know you are going to have a great time in Vermont. Safe travels!
Thank you Yvonne. It is funny because sometimes I think I spend far too much time looking around in thrift stores. But occasionally I find such cute vintage fabrics and it spurs me to do it again. I am addicted I suppose! I do love this print and hope a child has fun looking at all the animals on this little quilt. Have a great Saturday!!
Will you have a sewing machine in Vermont? Maybe you can do a bit of piecing while you are there. Sounds like you are busy preparing to be gone for a month. Stay safe in your travels, and have fun!
Fortunately yes, my DIL has a sewing machine!! So I have been cutting and cutting – I hope to get two simple quilt tops pieced. My grand daughter is a good napper and sleeps about 2 hours each afternoon so I will have some time to sew. Thanks so much for the good wishes!
Enjoy your time in Vermont! Hope it’s not too cold! As always, I’m loving your blog 💕
So sorry to hear about the migraine! I was hit with one this morning and am just getting off the couch now! It’s the worst! I love this little quilt and that it’s headed to A Doll Like Me. I was inspired by your earlier post to make some little hospital gowns for Amy, and I hope to get back to them this week! Maybe I’ll sneak in little quilt, too! Take Care, Bernie!
Hi Tami, you have been so busy with projects. Love seeing what you are making for Project Quilting this year. You are right, migraines are the worst. However, as you and I both know, so many people have far worse to deal with. Just have to keep perspective. Have a great week!!
Cute panel and sounds like you found a great use for it. I do love projects that reduce what I have in my sewing room, though I fill like fabric tends to expand to fill there, even when I’m not buying any! Hope you have a great time with your granddaughter!
Hi Emily, Yes, the fabric just expands and reproduces while we aren’t looking. How does that happen anyway??? I am in Vermont and happy as can be. Snowy and cold but so much fun!
Aw…sorry about the migraines, Bernie. Vermont again??? Didn’t you just get back from the east coast with a circuitous, exhausting return? I guess a grandma has to do what she has to do 🙂
See, that is why I don’t clean. I am sure I will find something and get sucked into it before I realize Why did I come into this room? Enough about me. This is about you and that panel is supercute. Love it. Wishing you safe travels. May be we can chat since we will be in the same time zone 🙂
Yes, Vermont again. I knew I would be coming for a long stay this winter. I am thrilled to help out my kids while my daughter in law is gone (she is near you in DC!) Too bad we aren’t a smidge closer or we could get together! Someday….. Have a wonderful day. I am going to get a bit of sewing done. (I hope!)
Love it! I watched Marie and it didn’t do much for me but then I binge watched all the hoarders episodes on Amazon Prime haha. I got rid of at least a whole tub of fabric (I resell mine on Facebook Fabric Destashing Groups). I have a lot more tubs but I did find something I forgot I had in the 2 I went through!
Hmmm, I will have to check out Hoarders. I don’t think I have seen it. Cleaning out your fabric is definitely helpful – I know I have so many pieces I don’t even like at this point. I want to make more space and organize mine – It is such a mess. The project is high on my to-do list!!