An hour or so...

... and I finished the Tisket a Tasket quilt top!

So now I have two tops to quilt...

No one wants advice - only corroboration.

John Steinbeck might have been right when he wrote that line in The Winter of our Discontent. But, me... well, I really did want your advice. And so I asked. And so you gave it. Thank you!

And then I went ahead and did whatever I wanted to anyway. As usual.

Maybe I should have gone with the Red Paisley.

I could have used the Love Notes Scroll - I would have had enough after all.

Instead, I dug through my stash and pulled out this tiny red-on-white polka dot to use for the sashing posts.

I think it's just fine, and it looks nice next to the Red Checks and the Love Notes Scroll (which I started adding last night until I got distracted by a present that needed to be wrapped and a new episode of Big Love).

At least now I can move ahead with this quilt top and get it finished sometime soon.

Getting it quilted... well, that's another story altogether. I haven't even pin-basted my Checkerboard quilt top yet because, as it turns out, I don't have enough fabric for the backing. I want something plain and simple - and I don't want to have to piece it this time. I guess I should have got out of my pajamas and gone to the fabric store yesterday after all.

It's after 8:00 pm now and I've yet to get the last borders on A Tisket A Tasket. That's not to say it's been another wasted night - I got creative in the kitchen tonight instead of the sewing room. Hey, it happens... sometimes. I made this for supper. Oh yum! I halved the recipe since we're a small family, but next time I'll make a big batch and freeze some. No photo from my oven; we ate it right up.

Oh... maybe just an hour on the sewing machine before bedtime...

Giveaway!

Jandi just moved her blog to Blogspot and is having a giveaway to celebrate. Go over and say "hi!"

I'm sneakily reading blogs and posting this while at work, so I can't talk now. But I'll be back later. I want to show you the progress on my Tisket a Tasket...

Decisions, Decisions

I received my package of RED fabric from the Fat Quarter Shop on Friday. "Ne touche pas," I told myself. I wanted to finish the Checkerboard quilt top before I got distracted by another project - in this case, finishing the Tisket a Tasket quilt top. And I didn't actually take the fabric out of the bag until yesterday, although I did gaze longingly at it through the plastic.

Yesterday was a day of no sewing - there was some cleaning, some grocery shopping and even a bit of fighting conversing going on, but no sewing. I cut a few sashing strips from the Red Checks fabric, but not much else.

Since I can't do any more on the Checkerboard quilt until I have it pin-basted, a job I have to do at school because I have no floor space that isn't hardwood here at home, I decided to work on A Tisket a Tasket this afternoon.

Screeeeeech... that's me coming to a halt after sewing on some sashing strips.

Why?

I just can't make up my mind what to use for the "posts". Have a look.

Here are the rows of blocks with the Red Checks sashing in between:

I set up a few scenarios to help me decide.

When I ordered my fabric, I intended to use the Red Paisley for the outer border and the posts. Now I'm not so sure... Although I like it, I'm worried that there isn't enough contrast between the sashing and the posts.

I could use this pink polka dot fabric. I have included a little bit of it in each of the blocks.

Or... there is the Love Notes Red Scroll. I like the look of this the best; the only problem is, if I use this I will have to buy another fabric for the inside border (which would mean another decision) because 1) I didn't buy enough to do both, and 2) the posts and the inside border are next to each other in places.

What to do? What to do?

If I didn't have to stop and make (or remake) decisions, I would have this done already... okay, maybe not, but there would be a better chance of it getting done soon.

Checkerboard Quilt Top - Finished!

During last night's Friday Night Sew-in, I finished my Checkerboard quilt top.

I can't say I'm loving the green borders. I love the fabric, but I wish I'd buried it in the quilt and used the large turquoise print fabric for the outer border. Oh well. Can't do anything about it now.

The big task ahead, of course, is to decide how to quilt this baby. I have no idea what to do with it. After making the OnlyChild's friend's quilt for Christmas, I said the next one I did would be straight line quilting. But with all the straight lines in this quilt already, I'm second-guessing that decision.

Any suggestions?

Are you ready for the Friday Night Sew-In?

It's time for the Friday Night Sew-in.

What are you working on tonight?

*****

Update Update

6:50 pm - Checkerboard quilt blocks all sewn together:

Update Update

10:40 pm - quilt top finished! Yeah, it took me all night, but I did break for supper and I'm a slow pinner. Here it is:

Okay, then, I'm going to bed now. I can't do the all-night thing; I'm just not feeling that great. I hope you all had a swell time at the Friday Night Sew-in. Can't wait to see everyone's projects!

Night night.

Ho. Hum.

I just can't seem to motivate myself to do anything tonight. My Italian lesson was cancelled, Mr. P is watching t.v. (as usual), the OnlyChild was out with a friend, and I have no marking (yes!) so I had the whole evening to devote to whatever I wanted.

Ho. Hum. Just couldn't do anything.

I stalked blogs, but didn't leave comments. (Sorry - I did visit, but I couldn't think of anything witty to say.)

I moved fabric from the chair to the ironing board.

I stared at my Checkerboard quilt pieces.

I considered making another house block.

Nope - no inspiration. I feel as though I've wasted the entire evening. I will never get back this bonus time. When I am crazy busy with work, French lessons, Italian lessons, another master's course, and all that other stuff, I will think back to the evening of February 17 and think, "Why?"

Or maybe not...

I don't know... is it okay to waste a night? It feels so wrong...

*****

About the two houses in my last post:

They are both on Ada Boulevard which is about 2 blocks south of where I live. The top one is the Holgate Mansion, built in 1912. It was for sale about the same time we bought our house (4 years ago) and was listed at $1.25 million. It is gorgeous inside and out! If I had my pick (which I don't), this would be the one for me.

The house in the bottom photo is called the Magrath Mansion and it was also built in 1912. The current owners bought the house in the 1990s for $750,000. They open it up about twice a year to visitors. I keep meaning to have a snoop, but haven't gone yet.

As business partners, Bidwell Holgate and William Magrath developed the neighbourhood in which I live. In the early 1900s, they bought and built upon 23 lots. None of those houses are as extravagant as the two mansions. We thought our house was built in 1909, but the OnlyChild and I visited the city archives and the records there show that it was probably not built until 1914. We're a bit disappointed that we don't actually live in a "one-hundred year old house" as we've thought all along. On the upside, we didn't miss the house's centennial so we can still plan a party for 2014 (which seems a looong way off).

So, there you have it... I don't live in either of those beauties. I live here: