Spring Break Sewing

With our Spring Break trip cancelled and being sick the whole week, I was determined to at least finish making something and feel slightly productive. I was working on my Good Night Irene blocks for the sew along hosted by Terry over at her blog http://terrytreasures.blogspot.com/ I realized that I could finish it up and have it as the spring/summer table cloth sooner and that is just what I did.

 I used two charm packs of Moda's American Jane Potluck fabric plus lots of scraps from my bins. I have Fiestaware dishes in a rainbow of colors, so these bright hues should be perfect on my table. I had been thinking of red for the border as that is my favorite Fiestaware color, but our local quilt shop was in the process of moving and I went up to a fabric store a couple of towns away and found this gorgeous spring/summer green for $5 a yard. Sold!

 It has been a very long time since I have actually quilted a larger quilt on my sewing machine. I usually use my mom's long arm, but with her knee replacement and me being sick I did not want to go over to her house and bother her...I used a wavy quilt stitch on my Pfaff and went diagonally across the blocks. It took a fair amount of time, but I am thrilled with the outcome! It really helped to use my old quilting gloves and work from the middle out. I got half of it done on Friday night as part of Friday Night with Friends http://stitchingcubbyhole.blogspot.com/2014/04/fnwf.html and the other half of the quilting was last night.

 I put the binding on this morning and did it all by machine since this will be washed so often. I washed it before taking this pictures.

It was really windy outside, so I did not get the best pictures of the whole quilt...I have lots of 2.5 inch squares left over, so I whipped up this little pouch using this tutorial http://kelbysews.blogspot.com/2011/03/zippered-pouch-tutorial.html



 Here is the other side. I think these will be perfect little pouches to put some chocolate and hand cream or lip balm in and give out at Secretary's Day. Working at three schools means I have many valuable secretaries to thank. I am going to order some more zippers on-line right now!

Then, I am going to sit and work on my embroideries for this Let It Snow BOM as part of Slow Sunday Stitching. Back to work tomorrow for seven more weeks of school and then summer vacation! Yes, I am anxious for summer!!!