Binding started..............

I got one of the huge quilts trimmed, binding cut and sewn on and hand stitching started.  I have one long side done.  This quilt was started way back around 2000 (or earlier) and was used as a sample in progress for many Trip Around the World classes that I taught.  I finished sewing it together at some point after I started this blog (July 4, 2007).

At the end of 2014 I sewed on the border and took this photo.  Now 9 years later it is quilted and close to being finished.  I'm not sure if I can get it up on the double design wall for a photo because it is longer than the 96" wall and is a lot heavier with batting in it.  It might take me a couple more days to finish the hand stitching but it hopefully will be finished this month.

Happy Thanksgiving to my USA friends.  We had an early dinner when my out of state family was here at the beginning of the month so today will be a low key day.

2nd quilt top for November.............

I Spy 2 top is sewn together now.  All I need to do now is get both of the I Spy quilts finished for Christmas.  There are 120 unique novelty prints in this quilt top, each square finishing at 6".  The top is 68.5" x 80.5".  I'm planning on putting flannel on the back of both of the I Spy Quilts.

When I went out to check the rain gauge I noticed the pansy is still hanging in there.  It has been there even on the nights it was down to the mid-20s.  I knew they liked cooler weather but now I know they like cold weather too.  We got a half inch of rain overnight Monday night.  That is the only measurable rain this month so far.

Today I will be trimming the 2 quilts I got back yesterday and cutting and sewing on binding.

Borders on.................

I did everything I could think of to delay sewing the border on this I Spy quilt.  Borders are always a time for procrastination for me.  They aren't that hard, just not the most fun part of assembly.  Eventually I pressed the top and border fabric and got busy on it.  I decided on a 4.5" cut border. I'll press it and photograph it today.  I think it should be about 68" x 80".

I'm going to get the 2 quilts I sent out for quilting back today.  There will some binding time in my future.  One will be all by machine, the other might get hand finished.

Border chosen..................

I went through 3 shelves of fabric and finally decided on this stripe for the border of I Spy 2.  I bought it way back in the late 1990s with a kid's quilt in mind for it.  I might use it for a border on I Spy 3 also.

I was looking through the rest of the 6.5" Kaffe collective squares that I pulled all of the red/pink/orange from for the red quilt top I just finished.  I don't know if I want another all squares quilt with so much high contrast.

I ended up with quite a few of the red group too because I only used a maximum of 2 of each fabric and there were as many as 6 of some them.  With all of these reds mixed back in it would make a nice multicolor quilt top.

While trying to make a decision on that I worked on 3 dishcloths.  2 pairs of needles, 3 projects.  This way I can pick up whichever one interests me and they will all get finished about the same time. 

Center panel sewn............

Nothing else was on my schedule so I had 3 sewing sessions yesterday and got the center panel of I Spy 2 sewn.  Today I'll look for border fabrics.  I have several pieces with letters and numbers but also have some bright stripe fabrics.    

I'm enjoying this display so much.  The 2 cacti that aren't in the photo still just have buds but should bloom soon.

In the morning light these blooms look like lavender but they are really pink.  The ones on the left are pale pink and the ones on the right deeper rose.

 

First quilt top finish for November.................

I'm so glad my idea of an inserted border 2 rows in worked as well as it did.  By making it from segments the same length as the squares, there were no long strips to sew in.  The quilt top is 68.5" x 86.5", larger than I had originally intended to make it.  The more reds I found in the Kaffe collective, the more I wanted to add.

This is the final layout of the I Spy 2 quilt.  I decided on 12 rows long instead of 13 because I plan to put a border on it.  I got the first 3 webbing seams sewn last night while I watched TV.

 

One new, continuing on red............

I started laying out the second I Spy quilt on the double design wall in the basement.  This one is 6.5" squares with a dark/light alternating with mediums thrown in wherever I like them.  I need to still add 3 rows to the length but 10 squares is the width (60").

Now back to the red Kaffe squares quilt top.  This is the worst instersection, done when I was in a hurry to finish the second half.

Now that is better.  I can live with this.  There were 5 places altogether that I picked out and re-sewed.  I'm much happier with the top now.

Now the top is all sewn together and waiting to be pressed today.

More blooms yesterday.  The top left is white, the top right is pale pink.  Bottom left is champagne and middle row right, medium rose.  The other two in the lower right still just have buds.  I know one is champagne color, not sure what the other one is.

As much as I love all of the colors, the white ones are so elegant and I always look forward to them.