Finishings

Did you have a great Christmas?  I surely hope so.

The day after Christmas can feel kind of empty.  I mean, we’ve been so busy with all that goes into making Christmas CHRISTMAS! for weeks.  But today it’s back to … whatever.  There’s a stack of dirty dishes that I gave myself a holiday from yesterday and since the dish fairy did not show up while I was sleeping, I guess I’m the one who’ll be doing them after all.   And because Daughter #1 and Son-in-Law will be driving from the Big City to visit this afternoon, I have plans to make a big pot of chili and cornbread for dinner.  In fact, I’ve already started it.  The meat is thawing on the stove.  It’s kind of nice having a gas stove with pilot lights that keep it warm all the time.  Except in the summer.  Yesterday I put the butter in the oven to soften up a little before dinner.  It was nice having soft butter for the corn on the cob.  And baked potato.

Anyway, our Christmas was rather quiet, just not right at first.  We got up to the ringing of the cell phone.  Daughter #2, who lives in a completely different timezone, called at 7:28.  And said we didn’t answer the first time she called.  At 5:38!  It’s just a good thing I leave my phone at the other end of the house at night.  She and Son-in-Law #2 were on their way somewhere having an argu..er, discussion about the route he was taking…that being of the scenic variety.  But they got to see a raccoon cross the road.  You’d think that would have made it better.   After that, we opened our gifts.  Mr. C liked his.  I don’t want to talk about mine.

After getting home from Christmas Eve service, I made our traditional Coffee Cake.  For some reason, though I really do try, I can never seem to make it earlier.  Last year I managed to set it on fire, but that’s a story for another day.  Having learned my lesson, this year I set it on the table to cool.

The swirls are cinnamon/brown sugar/butter yumminess that could put a weaker woman into a diabetic coma.  So I had two pieces for breakfast.    Along with eggs and sausage.  And hot chocolate.  Then, because it was Sunday, we went to church.  This was Mr. Clark’s day to be head usher which means he has all kinds of things to do, like get there early.   I arrived in time to find a good seat.

Home again.  This is when the day got really quiet.  Just the two of us and not much else going on.  So, out came some unfinished quilting projects.  And I actually located all the parts I needed.  Needle, thread, scissors, buttons.  Then I put on the latest Netflix selection, Lost in Austen, and started working. Don’t you just love Jane Austen?  I wish we still talked like that.  “I love you. I have followed you to this infernal place because I would follow you anywhere! I would harrow Hell to be with you!”

That is until Mr. Clark came in wondering if I was as hungry as he was.  I doubt it.  He’s always hungry.  Or he’s eating.  So I had to make dinner.   Well, except for grilling the steaks.  That’s his part.  Because he knows how to light the grill.  No, I do not want to learn. And he doesn’t complain about standing out in 40 degree sunshine.  Not much anyway.  It’s the least he can do after those “presents” he gave me.

After that little diversion, I got back to working on my quilts.  That is until I had to stop and spend about 52 minutes looking for the bias binding strips that I had when I sewed these quilts together back in September.   But a good thing!  For the better part of the last month I’ve been searching for some fabric I got for another quilt project, and there it was as plain as day.  So, I guess it all turned out okay.

Wow.  Can it really be true?  I actually finished something?!?  I am rather amazed with myself.  No, I think I can be, even though they are rather little.  Finished is finished.  I used a Lil’ Twister Primitive Gatherings pattern I got from Olde World Quilt Shoppe.

This one is 8 inches square.  I tried quilting with my sewing machine before, but it ended up looking something less than acceptable (bordering on ugly).  And since this is so small, didn’t want to quilt by hand.  I think the buttons worked.  (I used DMC #12 perle cotton and made it appear as if they are tied on.  If I had a better camera, I could take a closeup of the buttons.)

 

I didn’t want to copy the button idea on the larger quilt, so I just used #10 DMC crochet cotton and tied it.  It ended up being 12 1/4 inches square.  I used flannel for the batting in both quilts.  The candy canes are for perspective.

The pattern starts with 2 1/2″ squares.  I was using scraps of fabric I get from Mrs. K, so didn’t really follow the pattern.  I just sewed until I thought I had enough.  After cutting and re-sewing the blocks, they ended up being smaller than I thought.  Oh, well.

So, I was able to make these little quilts with materials given to me and what I already had on hand.  What a sweet deal.  Finished.  Finitura.  Completo.  Komplett.  If I keep this up, I may have to change the name of my blog.

Mrs. Clark