a quilt top

My sewing room hasn't seen much of me this week, but when I was in there, oh boy!

I started on the baby quilt for my niece.  This fabric has been in my stash forever and I love it, but never seem to find the right reason to use it.  I'm not sure why I bought it in the first place, but it has never been cut into, so I had about two yards to work with.  Plenty for this pattern, but it was wrinkly as all get out, so I pressed it and then had to refold it before cutting.  Toby helped.

In fact, Toby supervised most of the process.

I spent two days cutting pieces and sewing units as I went - it was a path that seemed most economical to me, though in hindsight maybe wasn't?

After I had many units sewn, it was time for a layout.

What mom?  I'm HELPING!

Here.  Look at how BIG I am.  And look at my oh-so-white belly furs that I keep so tidy for you.

(He doesn't get in the way of the sewing machine or iron, but if it's on the floor...)

But once I got to this point, there was no turning back.  I had to get all the pieces sewn together or it would not be in such a nice, flat, organized way thanks to tornado cats.

He still needs eyeballs and my hubby said it's a raccoon (it's a bear...the pattern says so), but it's a top!

After this photo, I pieced a back (used up the turquoise in the first photo and added some of the grey that is in his eyebrow area), made binding AND sewed on the eyeballs!

I want to quilt this using a woodgrain-like motif, but the fabric does not allow me to load it in a direction that will make sense, so I need to reconsider.  The baby isn't due till February, so I have plenty of time to procrastinate.  (And you all know I'll do it!)

I debated about the quilt calling to me last week for DAYS and ended up not quilting it at all.  I'm still working figuring it otu.  Part of me says "just do an overall design - swirls are good!" but the other part says I need to do something custom.  It just isn't telling me WHAT that is.

Oh well.

We canned more tomatoes this weekend.  12 more quarts, bringing us up to 31 so far this year.  I might like to do more, but the hubby is telling me no.  (We have the jars and lids and time and his mom will donate her extra tomatoes (at 62 quarts she has declared herself DONE!), but he is my helper, so...?)

Otherwise it's been a bit of a lazier than average week.  But that's okay.  This week might be better.  (But really, so long as I'm meeting the needed deadlines - quilty and otherwise - it's all good.)

Time to go decide if I'm going to bake for work and maybe mend those pants I'll need/want if the weather ever decides we're REALLY going to have fall...

Happy quilting!

Katie