An Awesome August It Was

Even though there are a few days left in August and the possibility to sew-queeze out another finish, I decided I’ve done sewn enough to call it a month. It does seem like August is lasting forever especially with it having thirty-one days like July. I thought I had jinxed it by mentioning in last month’s Post that I was looking forward to having an awesome August but it started out awful because I forgot I was scheduled for dental implant surgery on the 1st. Then I had back spasm pains the next day but thankfully with the help of some OTC pain medication (Aleve), I was ready to start sewing by the 3rd. I thought I would feature my Frisky Quilt  which I just finished several days ago and a very fitting to end my month of awesome sewing. I also like to mention the Master Quilt Holder provided his invisible assistance in holding up the quilt.

Two years ago while vacationing in Colorado and celebrating my birthday at my favorite quilt shop in Granby, The Fabric Nook, I fell in love with Zen Chic Frisky fabric line and purchased a layer cake and yardage. And I must have loved it so much that I later purchased a fat eighth bundle of the collection from The Fat Quarter Shop (FQS) and then sat on my shelf waiting for the perfect project. Last November, FQS released their Fat Eighth Flip Pattern and I knew it was just the perfect pattern for my fat eight bundle of Frisky. I have to mention it is one of those patterns which I plan to make again. I created a modified version of it for fat quarters and used it for my Kaffe Fassett Fat Quarter Flip Patchwork Throw which was just finally finished this year. My Frisky flimsy was made during the last week of December and has been waiting to be quilted all these months.

I think part of the reasons for procrastinating in machine quilting was because I didn’t know if I wanted horizontal wavy lines, cross-hatch or straight-line and didn’t decide until after it was pin basted which I enjoyed this time, since it allowed more time to gush over the fabrics again. Straight vertical line quilting it was, 1” apart, not too wobbly thanks to my quilting guide, using CT Esssential Thread in Marigold.

I used a gold homespun yardage which for some reason I had over ten yards for the backing. I may have a secret fondness for gold fabric. A teal/navy dot print from the Frisky fabric line for the binding which was hand sewn, something I seem to be enjoy doing now. As I have mentioned in previous Posts, when buying pre-cut bundles, be sure to buy yardage for the binding which I did but wished I had bought another print instead. Frisky measures 56”x70” (approx.) and the pattern can easily be adjusted to make it larger.

One last pic of Frisky and I think the colors are a wonderful segue from Summer to Fall. One Finally Finish, although lovely as it is and kicking myself for waiting so long to finish it, does not make this an Awesome month but the following does.

Eunice and my Studio Squirrel were all revved up with some reorganizing, looking through a lot of the bins and shelves for “lost” fabric which then prompted me to make these five flimsies.

Prompting meaning I was tired of seeing some of the fabric bundles laying on my shelf or having “accidentally” finding them while looking for something else. I also should mention these flimsies are almost twin-size and not lap because I was trying to use up as much of the fabric for less scraps but it didn't always work out. Also I was also in a flimsy making mood since I needed a break from machine quilting. I’m naming the top two, the Citronickle Couch Quilts and maybe used for the future quilt retirement hotel suite , Pieceful Wendy and I are envisioning. Still, there was more to be made for it it to be an awesome month.

My iPhone case has been broken for more than three months and I was really mad and disappointed that the new one ordered did not have a circle bracket but was just decoration. (Insert salty language) I was tired of having to prop up my iPhone so I finally did some research on how to make an IPhone pillow.

At first I made three, one for Hubby and I to use for the kitchen table and one for the upstairs studio.

But then I decided to make more since I wanted them to be strategically located in both our house and the GP House so I needed twenty (none of them are located in the bathrooms). I also asked my boys if they would like some and ended up giving ten to them. I made several for friends and neighbors, so I made over forty of them and only have ten left. After making fifteen of them and compiling the features of three of the tutorials I looked at, I came up with a faster way to make which I will share later. I like to mention that all of the fabrics were from my stash, mostly from my wonderful novelty print collection and I didn’t think plastic pellets were that expensive. I’m calling these Phone Plops.

Rather serendipitous, during one of my searches I found six of these slow stitching mats made last year which were the right size needed to make Phone Plops, fancy ones I think. This one is sitting on my Studio desk.

These are the last three I made and I’m saving one for my Blog Buddy, Roseanne, Homesewn By Us. (Insert Big Laughs here because she’s a big Packers Fan).

Last, but not least, is my Asian Butterflies PatchBox Quilt, the flimsy of which was made well over ten years ago. I thought this was going to be my only Finally Finish for August. Hand quilting was  done using a variegated #20 cotton thread and it is one of the causes of mentioning the reorganizing, fabric hunting and binding in this Post. I could not find the binding in the designated binding drawer and was going crazy because I think I see the border print every time I’m in the studio but could not find two strips of it anywhere, I did make some lovely fabric reacquaintances but I settled for a Debbie Mumm stripe for the binding. I ended up reorganizing the binding drawer and also have ten new projects.

Would you agree that I had an Awesome August? I thought I spare the details of two new scrap projects, rug punching and resurrecting two Thirties Reproduction projects. I’m ready now to do some secret Holiday Sewing during the Labor Day Weekend. I’m also thinking I may be putting out my Fall Quilts/Decor next week, because some of foilage like the Hostas are changing and we’re having some cool weather now. 

Wishing you a happy, pieceful and sewful Labor Day Weekend.

Linking up with: My Quilt Infatuation/NTT