Quilting and Stuff by Knitnoid

Category Archives: House

Chilhowie Pillowcases

When I was gathering fabric for Chilhowie, I didn’t think about pillowcases.  As I was cleaning up my space a few weeks ago, I found 3 lengths of fabric left over from the wedding quilt I made a couple of years ago.  I had thought about pillow cases for that quilt, but didn’t make any as the quilt was big enough for a pillow tuck. You can see that quilt HERE.

Anyway, I opted to go with the seafoam and lavender fabrics, reversing the cuff and case as I only had a yard of each fabric. All I need to do now is clear out the bed room and set up the bed.

I’m closer to setting up the bed than I was last week.  The electricians came today and started installing lights in the den. They’ll be back in the morning, then I can call my contractor back to do install the rest of the trim and touch up the paint. Once that is done, I can begin moving the stuff out of the bedroom.

I looked for Gracie this morning in the closet. When she wasn’t there I assumed she was under the bed (I didn’t look). Turns out she took refuge in a record cabinet in the living room. I found her when I was looking for the doorbell that will be installed tomorrow.  I was able to coax her out, but she beat me to the bedroom and seeing the door closed hid in my office closet. I finally got her into the bedroom where she hid in the closet.  She does not like strangers.

A Little Bit of This and That

I had grand hopes of having my Chilhowie top finished, the Log Cabin finished, and perhaps even the Pizza Box top quilted.  But the last few days since I checked in I’ve done a little bit of everything so nothing is finished.

Bonnie released the final clue to Chilhowie.  The clues will only be available for a short time — my guess is the end of January 2023. Anyway, I need to make 4 more blocks and corresponding border and sashing pieces to finish the top.

When I get the Chilhowie top finished, I have the backing for it. I found it in my stash while digging for binding.

 

Binding was the challenge on the log cabin. The original plan was to carry the center fabric to the border.  I had been warned off using a yellow for the center, for fear it would leap out, but it doesn’t. However, I was afraid the yellow border would, so I dug through my stash and came up with these options.  Each of them had their advantage and disadvantage, but none were “right”. Facebook was evenly divided. So I went to my LQS to see if I could find the “right” fabric. It was suggested that I use the backing fabric and I was just about to walk out of the store when the “right” fabric was spotted.

 

This Kaffe Millefiore. It’s darker than the yellow so will “frame” the quilt nicely, but at the same time it’s lighter than my previous choices.  Finally, it has all the colors.  After my running around over the weekend I started working on the binding. However, in my haste to finish it up missed spots when machine stitching it down.  I’ve got to take another look at it.

In addition to finding the backing for Chilhowie, I found another 3 Yard kit.  I think this was a ‘contest kit’ at the Quilted Cow. They called it ‘Anthony’, but I’m calling it Dragonflies & Flowers. I am adding it to my WHIMMs page.

Today it the last day to post about the results of the Final Countdown tasks. Here’s my recap.

Day 1 – Choose something you can finish quickly and do it  Big dreams, but I finished my pillow – a UFO from 2008.

Day 2 – Clean out a storage area – I got all the books put up which were stacked in the “Quilt Studio Annex”. As I look at the before and after pictures, I realize that I had already started putting the books up and when I took the before.

Day 3 – Take a project inventory and devise a plan. Since my Quilt Tops and Quilts In Progress (aka UFOs) were already tracked, and I had my UFO Challenge List defined, I decided to work on my PIGs and WHIMMs and what that means to me. I’ve added two tabs at the top of my page. I spent a good bit of time digging though my stash cataloging my projects.  I still haven’t found everything.  Earlier I wrote down “Bubbles – 4/23/22 Have a collection of FQs, now need pattern”. I have no idea what this is, but I’m sure it’s bagged up together and when I find it I’ll add it to my WHIMMs page.

Finally, I’m gearing up to begin the next phase of renovations.  My contractor and I have decided to tackle the den next.  I’ve narrowed down my paint color to one of the 2 purples that nearly blend into the sheetrock.  The paneling will be replaced with sheetrock.  The doors will get trimmed out, ceiling accent lights will be installed and replaced, and new flooring and base board trim will be installed.

 

 

Mid-Week Review

The Log Cabin is Quilted! Now to get it finished by Monday.

 

While the longarm was running, I had 2 projects going on.  I was stitching on Chilhowie.

And compiling my PIGs for The Final Countdown Challenge.  As mentioned yesterday I have a lot of PIGs. Much in the same way I divided my UFOs into WIP and Tops, I’ve decided to divide my PIGs into 2 categories.  PIGs or Projects in Grocery Sack will be those projects and kits that I have all of the fabric for the top and the pattern. The second list will be WHIMMs – Works Hidden in My Mind.  I’m defining those as projects aren’t quite complete — a stack of fabric I plan to use together, but haven’t decided on a pattern or maybe I have the pattern and some of the fabric. It might not be the ‘true’ definition of a WHIMM, but it is my interpretation. These are just some of the PIGs I have. I’m still looking for some that I know I have.

Finally, while I was digging around looking for my PIGs, I found some clothes that Betsy can wear.  These were my clothes. The blouse was worn with a red velvet jumper when I was about 18 months old. It fits Betsy nicely.  The blue jumper it a bit big.  My best guess is I was about 5 or 6 as I know my sister had a matching dress and my brother had a matching romper. Somewhere there are pictures of me wearing both outfits.

In the background you can see my Christmas present.  My Den cabinets were installed before Christmas. I’m not sure what’s next on the remodeling — my bedroom and bath or the den.  They’ll more or less be back to back along the hall bath.  I need to reach out to my contractor and get him going again.

Quilting and Box Shuffling

After a night’s rest I was able to resolve my tension issues and started quilting.  This is the first quilt I’ve done in almost a year.  Prior to this one the last quilt I quilted was April 4, 2021. Four days later I decided to move and I started packing.  This is the Mississippi Quilt Association‘s BOM from 2020.  They are running it again. The blocks are available HERE.

Boxes were moved, one at a time.  Books are heavy. They’ll hang out in the corner room until my bookshelves are built.

The front bedroom is the audiovisual library.  78’s, LPs, 45s, CDs, cassettes, DVDs, and VHS.  A box of LPs are heavier than a box of books — including the yearbooks.  All of this will be gone through and thinned out eventually.  This will go in the den after that room is finished.

The instrumental music library.  Clearly it all won’t fit in the piano bench.  I’m pondering storage solutions.  

I’m considering an Ikea Kallax.

I would use these inserts, put it on legs and fashion some doors.  But that’s a future project.

While shuffling boxes I opened the next to last box the movers packed and finally found my silverware.  I’m not sure what I thought was in the box.  It was not labeled.

I found MORE of the auction blocks.  These are smaller than the others.  I have enough for yet another quilt. I’ll sash them and set them on point after trimming them to the same size.

Moving all of the boxes means I’m able to setup my quilting space.  It’s not done, but I have a work space.

Last night the borders were added to the crazy quilt. I used straight pins to hang the quilt on the wall. I really need to get my design wall put up, but it’s on hold until the trim is caulked and that is on hold until my patio door is installed.

The quilt was loaded last night. This morning before work I started the quilting. I’ll do another pass at lunch.

The Piano Arrived

My piano was delivered Friday.  I’ve also have been unpacking the boxes with breakables in them.  I think I have 3 more boxes of breakables in the living room and the flat boxes with mirrors, glass, and artwork to unpack.

Among the things I found were this bunny and lamb that my husband painted when he was about 12 or 13.  Now if I can keep the cats off the table so they don’t knock anything off.

This is a PSA.  Clean you sewing chair wheels periodically.  I wish I could say there was no thread left on the wheels, but all I can say is the chair rolls much better now.

I’ve been sewing on my  Singer Genie since I’ve moved. But earlier this week I pulled the bobbin case to clean out from under it (is this a theme?). I wasn’t able to get it back, so I it is in the shop.  Since Saturday is National Quilting Day, I thought I’d temporarily move my sewing table to where the longarm will go and pull out my big machine.

Now it looks like the motherboard is going out on my Quilt Designer. I guess I’m due for a new sewing machine – or two.

Dinner Was Served in the Dining Room

Yesterday I moved the dining room furniture into the room.  I have the buffet centered on the wall.  There’s plenty of room at each end for the arm chairs.  They’ll be used when the leaves are in the table.

The china cabinet is on the living room wall.

The plan was to unpack the china and stow it away into the china cabinet.  However, when we moved it into place it was very wobbly – more than an uneven floor could explain.  I laid the cabinet down and discovered the leg supports were broken.  I pulled them off and we set the cabinet on this blanket so I could bring in the table.  I’m going to talk to my cabinet guy to see if he can make me replacement legs.

Dinner was leftover beef and noodles eaten at a table!

 

 

Windows – Day 2

Day 2 was cloudy, but no rain.  They finished the windows across the front. The top picture is from October, but bottom one yesterday. Sometime in the nearish future, I want to paint the door trim to match the window trim.

I rehung the sheers in the rooms. I need some sort of blind for the bedrooms – or a heavier curtain which can be drawn if someone is staying in the room.

They added the side windows in the breakfast room bay.  I opted not to have those open as the glass is only 12″ wide.

The bathroom window has obscure glass.

They also put in windows in my bedroom and over the kitchen sink.

I didn’t do the work, but I’m exhausted.  Maybe it’s thinking about what comes next.  The Piano will arrive sometime between the 15th and the 22nd, so that means I need to get the dining room setup so I can clear the boxes out of the living room.  That will be this weekend’s project.

That in turn will give me space to move the boxes of books and music out of the way of the longarm which I hope to have sometime between the 21st and the end of the month.

 

Today’s Progress

They have started the window install.  First is the driveway wall windows in the Quilt Studio.

The Sunroom window went in.

Finally the patio wall of the Sunroom.

It started raining about 11:15 this morning and is just now (10:45) tapering off after 4+ inches of rain. I was trimming these quilt blocks when they lifted the last window into the opening in the Quilt Studio.  I could no longer hear the rain.

This video is my attempt to show the sound dampening (no pun intended) of my new double pane windows.

Even though it rained all afternoon, the guys kept putting windows in.  I forgot to get an exterior picture of the breakfast room.  The two side windows will be replaced tomorrow.

 

The living room.  I’m need to move those rose bushes. They beautiful, but are too large.  Maybe next year.

The dining room.  I purchased a few Daylily roots Sunday. I think I’ll plant them in in front of this window.

Speaking of daylilies, I picked these up at Hobby Lobby. The plan was to put them on the dining room table when I get that far, but for now, they are on the entry table. I may need to do another arrangements for the dining room.

Finally, I  have the guest bed put together. The dust ruffle was delivered today. So, I used my new nail gun to nail the plywood to the slats to keep it from shifting, then started dressing the bed. I got my workout unpacking the mattress. The quilt is the 2018-2019 Quiltville Mystery Quilt – Good Fortune.  Clearly I need to make a couple quilts in the 84 x 90 range.  The bed frame has been in the family for at least 50 years.  Ted’s sister Ruby remembers sleeping on it when she was 16, it was Ted’s bed growing up and our first bed when we got married.

It’s not supposed to rain tomorrow which will make it easier for the guys to finish the windows. I think there are 8 more to install.

Window Day

It’s window installation day!  Naturally that means the cats get locked up so they don’t escape. I’ve got them in my office. There’s no door knob on the hall door, so the chair is keeping the door closed.  They have food, water, a litter box, scratching post, a toy mouse and 3 cat beds.

But Gracie is not happy.  Typically when people are in the house she hides in my bedroom, but since my bedroom is getting windows, she’s locked up with the other two girls.

I’ve also pruned the magnolia tree and hung the chimes.  My original plan was to hang them by the house, but I discovered the previous owner had put a couple of hooks in the tree to hang a swing.  I removed the ropes and instant spot for the chimes.

The first thing they guys told me was the exterior glass was broken in one of windows.  They are ordering a replacement sash which will be here in 3 – 4 weeks. Since all 5 of the Quilt Studio and Sunroom windows are the same size, this one will go in the Sunroom.

I just hope the rain holds off long enough for them to get all of the windows installed.

Chairs, Outlets and a Rug

I have finished recovering the dining room chairs. I’ve also replaced the glides on the legs.

Here’s a closer view of one of the arm chairs.

When the electricians were here back in June, they put in Light Almond outlets.  Then I painted my Dining and Living room White Lilac.  I thought I was going to have to replace the outlets — so I had my brother make sure I knew how to safely do so.  But then a co-worker told me about these paintable outlet covers.  I bought them from Amazon.

The outlet covers are also up in the hallway and front bedrooms.

This weekend I picked up a throw rug.  It has all of “my colors” in it.  But it’s too casual for the Living or Dining room.  But it looks good with my Good Fortune quilt.  I have it tossed on the platform of the brass bed. It appears that I’m going to need to either get a neutral blanket to use as a base, or make a couple of quilts to fit the new bed.  The need to be 80 x 90 since I have a 12″ mattress.  Maybe both.