Finished quilting ALL 52 big ones — 2021 charity quilts!
I went on a tear and finished quilting all the big ones - that is, the ones from Fran in Arizona. She had sent them to me over the last couple of years and while I had added borders to them, I had let them sit while I finished the smaller ones.
However, I’m not quite done with all the small ones plus two that are big but aren’t Fran’s. So hopefully I will finish quilting all of them in the few days. Then on to binding “big time”.
The pile of 53 big charity quilts is too big for one tall stack where it is simply because I have a light fixture that the pile would hit. The pile is 53 is because one of these is not Fran’s - it’s my own top - but I still wanted to finish 52 of Fran’s tops - thus there are 53 tops here. I would have removed it but I suspect it is buried somewhere towards the bottom of the pile and didn’t want to remove it that badly! I’ll find it when I start dismantling the pile as I bind.
So I made a second pile.
It was last Sunday when I came home from church and my tall pile (which was shorter than it is right now) had fallen over. Our cat was lying nearby on the back of the couch. I suspect he had something to do with the pile toppling over.
All of these large quilts have 2 additional borders which I added. I just thought these styles look better with borders - so I added a 2.5” and a 6.5” (cut) border to each top Fran gave me. They weren’t quite as big as I wanted without that much border. But while doing it, I really like how they look, so it is worth it even though it is more work for me.
And I know…this top quilt is the only one like that - where I actually ran out of binding fabric and substituted something similar. Most of these charity quilts - I don’t do that much substituting. :) But now I’ve started doing that with some of the binding - using multiple colors of fabrics in the binding to add charm - and use up my smaller pieces.
But now I’m starting to think about binding - colors, which fabrics, etc. When you consider that each quilt will take about 1/2 yard in binding fabrics each, that’s another 25 yards. And that’s fine. It’s just that I would like to use up some of my less easy-to-use fabrics.
I have had a whole part of my shelving that held plaids and stripes, specifically with binding in mind. I’d like to use up a lot of it. So, where I can, I will use that fabric.
Otherwise, I will just use solids or other things that coordinate. Last year I had bought a lot of stripes from Polish sources to use as binding. I’ve used up all of that except for the black stripes. I will use that as I can - would like to see it gone.
So, you will see me continue to focus on finishing up these quilts. If I could manage to finish up 10 a day, it will take me 5 days to finish up all those big ones.
However, I am not sure I can do 10 a day for any prolonged period of time. I had so wanted to be done by October 1, and while I realistically can finish all the quilting, I’m afraid the doing the binding too is more than I can physically do in that amount of time. Grrr. I am so ready to move on to other things. I am starting to feel a lot of internal pressure! Maybe it is time to really dig in my heels and “get busy!” LOL. If only my body would cooperate. I’m thinking it probably isn’t a good idea.
But then you know (and the Lord knows) I had really hoped to get all this done much earlier in the year, but then my plans changed - of necessity. (I went to the states for 3.5 months to help with mom’s recovery from COVID-19 in case you are new here.) Doesn’t matter. I still am so ready to move on to my own quilts - and I’m in the mood to do some fall ones! I was walking across our yard today and with all the leaves and the beautiful weather…I just want to get going on a couple of quilts for me!
I’ve been featuring all of my sis’s beautiful fall quilt panels and packs, etc…and I’m wanting to work on something like that.
But it’s coming…and soon! As a consolation, I get a big thrill out of finishing quilts - so as I finish up all of these charity quilts in the next couple of weeks, it will be incredibly fun for me! Taking all those photos, though….not so much!
I’m sorry I mention it so much right now. I apologize. I’ll try to be better. The next few days will be other things.
But now you know!
Have a great day wherever you are reading this! Thanks for coming along with me on my quilting/sewing journey!
Be sure to check out what my sis has for you in the store here!
Here’s one of the beauties we have!