Friday Finish: More Peace

Well in between the rainy day napping, I managed to quilt the humongous (as I am now calling it) Peace quilt, piece together scrappy binding and stitch the binding onto the front.

I debated about whether to show this quilt until I had finished stitching the binding on and washing it.  I had a difficult time getting a good picture and an even harder time showing the quilt design.

This crude drawing shows the quilting I had in mind.  The red marking indicates the quilting lines.

If I had to do this all over again, I would go with something closer to what I had done on Leo's Peace Baby quilt.  I also would have used a blue for the background rather than the cream, but hindsight is.....as the saying goes ;-)

The pieced backing with two different solids joined smack dab in the middle ended up being spot on!  The joining of the two colors is centered (almost perfectly) with half of the peace sign quilting on the gray side and the other half on the teal.  When it is all done maybe I can find a helper to hold the quilt up for a better picture.

The binding has been stitched onto the front.  Hand stitching onto the back to be done on the road....once again.

My estimation of the required amount of binding was completely off.  No worries....I now have quite a bit leftover for another project.

I am hoping when the binding is stitched onto the back, the quilt is washed, and I have photographed it in my happy place, I will once again refer to this quilt as Peace, Love and Happiness!

What's Up Wednesday:

It has been raining here 24/7 for many, many days thanks to Tropical Storm Debby.  Perfect weather for quilting....and napping!

I've been trying to focus more on the former rather than the latter.  Still quilting the humongous peace sign quilt and not loving anything about it.

Who's brilliant idea was it to piece the backing in two different solids right down the middle?

So glad the rain hasn't kept the mailman from doing his job.  I had to have the new KONA color card, and these fabrics (on sale) were still in my shopping cart from an earlier visit.

I found this new grand baby picture in my iPhoto library.  It is a rare photo of Leo taken with a real camera rather than a cell phone.  While his other grandma was holding him, I snapped a few (or 50) quick pics.  This was taken right before I had to leave.  Based on the pictures his parents send me, he has already grown so much!

Hope you find time to create today!

Love

I've added another Priority: Alzheimer's Quilt to my collection.

#9534 Love made by Yumi Tsuruta

Love was hand appliquéd, hand pieced and hand quilted by the talented Yumi from Japan.  I love how the quilting lines echo the heart shape throughout.  

As much as I like making these mini quilts,  I also like supporting the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative by purchasing them, especially ones made by quilters I "know". 

I have not met Yumi but feel like I know her from our mutual friend Michele.  Some day the three of us will quilt together....even if it is virtually via Skype!

Staying Busy

I am home now and the saying on the fabric below is what I hope to do when I get grand baby withdrawals!

I have plenty of quilting projects to keep me busy including WIPs I am determined to finish and new projects I picked up on my trip.

For starters I have seven days to baste and quilt this large peace top.

I pieced the backing a few weeks ago, but now I'm considering something completely different.  

 

I'd like to baste and quilt this liberated coin top by next week as well, but don't think that will happen.  We'll see.

What's Up Wednesday: Missing

I am heading home today, and besides the obvious (Leo and his parents), here are some things I will miss:

Taking one handed cell phone pictures while rocking Leo...

Visiting local coffee shops where my coffee is served in a soup bowl....

 Seeing Mt. Rainier on a sunny day....ok, this has only happened twice this trip.....

Watching a movie at the newly-upgraded-to-digital local movie theater (I highly recommend The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel movie)....

 Admiring flowers that don't grow in Florida....

Browsing antique shops for items that won't fit in my carryon bag....

Seeing random cool things while driving.....

Shopping at locally owned bookstores......

Watching my son watch his son....

Blanket versus Quilt

When I was making the baby stars quilt for Leo's baby shower, my daughter wanted to make a baby blanket for him.  She was very clear that she would make a blanket - not a quilt.  While my sister and I are quick to point out that we quilt but do not sew, my daughter will quickly clarify that she does not quilt.

She went shopping through my fabric stash and selected the blue flannel Children at Play paper airplanes and the soft Snuggle in blue.  I helped my daughter a little here and there when she had an issue (that Snuggle fabric really slides), but she insisted on making the blanket herself.

She did a fabulous job, and the baby blanket was a hit at the baby shower.

The blanket is a hit with Leo too!  He loves being snuggled in the blanket made by his Auntie!

This girl who says I have an unhealthy obsession with Leo has his baby picture as her iPhone wallpaper and likes to check her phone just so she can see his picture ;-) 

One more baby picture:  Leo in his car seat with his baby stars quilt.

Taking Advantage of the Situation

Occasionally I will give Leo and his new parents a break from me.  During those times, I will explore
 the local points of interest....by that I mean, the LQSs in the area!  There are plenty, I can tell you that.

Esther's Fabrics sandwich board

First stop was Pink Chalk Studio.  I know the girls there thought I was crazy when I drove over an hour one way to pick up my online order.  To me that is "being in the area".  Well it is....compared to traveling from central Florida.  I know the gas cost more than the savings on shipping, but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to see where all the magic happens.

Pink Chalk Studio

I was disappointed that Kathy was not there, but Carrie and the other gals were super sweet and showed me around their newly expanded work place.  Talk about your dream job!  What a super cool working environment!  I just wanted to walk around and touch all the fabric.  Since they were still settling in, I didn't know if it was appropriate to take any photos.  I did snap this quick pic of monthly club stuffing in progress though.

The girls at Pink Chalk suggested I check out Esther's Fabrics and ChurchMouse Yarns and Teas while I was in the area.  OK, don't mind if I do ;-)  I did bribe my daughter with lunch and dessert first.  Esther's Fabric was a great little shop where I picked up a few items including some hand dyed wool.  ChurchMouse Yarns is a place I'd like to visit again when I have more than a few minutes.  I have made a note to schedule a one-on-one crocheting lesson the next time I am in town.

On another occasion (i.e. when dropping my daughter off at airport in Seattle because she thinks I have an unhealthy obsession with baby Leo because all I want to do is hold him because she is missing her daddy) I took a little detour and visited The Quilting Loft.  I have to tell you that I.LOVE.THIS.SHOP!!!!!!

The first thing I saw when I walked in The Quilting Loft was a huge display featuring several quilts made by Katie Pederson from her new book quilting modern with Jacquie!!!  Wow!!!  I was also super excited to see that Katie regularly teaches classes at this LQS.  Of course, none of those classes take place while I am here, so I will just have to make another trip.   (Between the new grand baby and all the quilt shops, my family is getting nervous I might want to relocate.)

The owner and the other girls in The Quilting Loft were super nice and accommodating!  I wandered around the shop drooling over all the modern fabrics they have in stock that I had only previously seen online.  I bought another copy of Quilting Modern (coffee spill on other one) and just a few fabric items (fully aware of limited suitcase space).

I also noticed they carry Carolyn Friedlander's (Florida local girl) patterns.  It's very exciting to see patterns for sale by someone you know!

 I could have stayed, shopping and chatting all day if baby Leo wasn't calling my name.   Grandbabies do take precedence.
Well, I'm off to hold Leo now.....I think they've had a long enough break from me ;-)

What's Up Wednesday: Difficult Decision

Thank all of you for your well wishes on the birth of my first grand baby!!!  I haven't had a chance to reply to all your emails, but I will soon....or if not soon, at least when I get back home and am unable to hold Leo....but I don't want to think about that. 

Auntie Ally

I promise not to bombard you too much with baby pictures, but for now I am still on the new grandmother high, so you can probably expect one thrown in here and there.  Which brings me to the point of today's topic: choosing grandparent names.  Who knew this would be as difficult as selecting the perfect name for your child?  Who would have guessed that people have the same strong opinions of possible grandparent names as they do with baby names?!

Did you know there are dozens of websites dedicated to finding the perfect grandparent name?  They even have categories such as traditional, trendy and playful.  My middlest and youngest had a few laughs with this.  My daughter even found a few that she thought were perfect for me, but I told her they sounded like stripper names names of exotic dancers.  

For months, I liked the name NeNe as that is what my sister called me when we were younger.  The new parents like that name, and I could picture my little grandson calling me NeNe, but I wasn't sure how that would sound coming from a teenager.  My middlest and youngest of course don't like the name at all.  A good friend pointed out that Nene is also the official bird of  Hawaii which I actually think is cool.  We had run across this nene crossing sign when hiking in Maui years ago.  

 We were having lunch at a Cuban restaurant when the middlest suggested the baby call me Abuelita.  I almost spit out my coffee as this poster was staring right at me.  I snapped a picture with my cell phone, sent it to my oldest and said please tell me I don't look like that.  I could be wrong, but I'd like to think I'm a little cooler than this chick.  My kids did reassure me that I am a cool mom ;-)  What else could they say?

One handed cell phone camera shot while rocking Leo

 My husband is Cuban and my son said at least one of us had to have a name representative of his heritage ;-)  Our kids called my mother-in-law Abuela, but my husband and I don't feel like an Abuelo or an Abuela.  Remember those websites I mentioned that listed trendy and playful names?  Well there was also an International section, and my son saw and suggested Uelito for my husband (nickname for Abuelo...Abuelito).   

All day yesterday as I am holding Leo, I kept thinking "Uela" (Abuela...Abuelita...Uelita...Uela), and I knew that was the perfect name for me!  So executive decision  made (actually it was a team decision by myself and the new parents) and Uelo and Uela it is!  I also like the name Uela as it reminds me of my mother-in-law who unfortunately will not know her first great grandson.

Now I can sign the gift cards and finish the quilt label now that I have a signature!  

P.S. My teenage daughter doesn't like the name for me so all is right in the world ;-)