It's time for some serious creativity in this little house on the prairie. Watching last night's full (or nearly full) moon and this morning's pretty sunrise over Big Swan Lake is sure to be inspirational. And here are a few finishes to share with you:
binky leashes and bags
directions found here
binding done on a little donation quilt for Twin Cities Quilts For Kids, it is a pattern by Villa Rosa Designs
I usually finish my bindings on these donation quilts by machine instead of hand. For one thing, they get done quicker. For another thing, they probably hold up better through repeated washings that might be needed. I start with a 2 1/2" strip, sew a scant 1/4" seam allowance on the right side of the quilt, then press and fold it around to the back of the quilt. I use a little wavy stitch on my machine, stitching on the right side of the quilt right next to the binding seam. In the photo below you can see the fold edge of the binding is caught in the wavy stitch on the back of the quilt, and the stitch on the right side blends right in.
I have made progress on my hap quilt. I was so happy to finish the last of the 36 blocks that I needed, and I have the border blocks added to one side. Most of the hap quilts that I have seen end with half blocks on the edges, like you see on the right and left sides below:
I decided that I would like it better with finished blocks all around, so I came up with the dimensions to extend the blocks and fill in with some background fabric. I'm not yet sure if I will add any more border around this, I will wait and see after I get the other 3 sides done.
Besides all this creating with fabric, we cooked up some pizza last night. Not your everyday pizza. We have some special dietary needs (well, Nancy and I do, and Leisl has to share in the joy) so we ate gluten free, dairy free, soy free and meat free pizza! So even if there was such a thing as pizza delivery in Grey Eagle, MN, I don't think they would have our special pizza on the menu! We tested out 2 types of gluten free pizza dough mixes, and both were acceptable but Bob's Red Mill brand was preferred over Chebe brand. Also tried a new cheese substitute, Daiya, and it was more melty than any other product I have tried. Even a little bit stretchy like the real thing! Tonight will probably bring more culinary adventures, I'll let you know what develops!
The other really important development is the start of a new adventure for my son, Dan. He is embarking on a cross-country bicycle journey, and you can follow his progress on his website. Please check it out and leave a comment to keep him motivated!
