Blue Hot Pad Finished!!!

Remember the hot pad I talked about a shot while back? If not, you can read about it here. Well, I was determined to get it finished before the new year.

So this morning found me locked in my bedroom sewing down the binding to this hot pad. This was another new skill for me since I have never done binding on any of my other quilts.

I got out some vintage- yet, very strong- black thread, my favorite thread conditioner and a thimble.

Here is a peek at the insulation layer inside the quilt-

I saw how Jacquie Gering on her Tallgrass Prairie Studio blog clipped her quilt together when binding. The clips she used looked very professional, but since I don't have the money for such a luxury at this time, I decided to go with some cute paperclips that were given to me back when I graduated from college.

My daughter thought the paperclips made my work look 'fancy'. Well, I guess it's not everyday that you get to have butterflies and blue birds hanging around your quilting.

 I had forgotten how much fun it is to do a blind stitch. I remember doing them all the time in theater. I was always taking up or taking down the hem on a skirt or slacks. To be productive with my time, I would do all the hemming by hand during my bus rides to and from work. (I know, I'm a weirdo. I claim that title with honor).

Here is the finished piece, all nice and pretty. I'm proud of myself for having finally finished this little quilt. I think this is a great way to end the old year and start with the new.

Lady In Blue

So about four years ago I was at the Phoenix Quilt Craft and Sewing Festival. I was there with the Lacey Ladies of Arizona doing a lace making demonstration.

Throughout the festival there was door prize drawings for all visitors at the show. I was surprised to have my number called. My prize? A quilted hot pad kit.

The kit stayed in its packaging for about a year. Then out of the blue I got the itch to pull it out and cut the pieces. It would be another year before I actually sewed the pieces together. Fast forward to yet another year and here I am finally getting around to hand quilting the thing.

I've been using the time I spend waiting for my daughter at her after-school dance class to stitch. To keep from getting distracted, I've been stitching in the car.

I decided to quilt in the ditch on this. Mainly because it sounded simple and also it would be easy to hind my mistakes. (or so I thought).

At the start I was way off the mark in my hand quilting. But I just kept on stitching. . .

But, by the time I got around to the other side of the piece, my stitches had already shown signs of improvement.

Hopefully, now that I'm on a roll here, it won't take another year to complete this piece.