Monday, November 3, 2014

A busy weekend


Norie and Leia came Friday evening with the promise we would put the Halloween cookie cutters to use.

We spent some fun quality time together, and even though we got a bit behind the day, there were plenty of fancy painted cookies to go around.

At Christmas last year, less than a year ago, Leia was hardly able to part with any of the cookies we made. BUT, this time she was not only ready to share, she picked out some of the favorites for me to share with the choir on Sunday and her "Jiji" to take to his Homeless Ministry meeting. When I set them out on the counter Sunday morning, there were many phone-cameras recording the results ... and I think some even made it to facebook.

As I have been going through "saved stuff" I pulled out the costume box and things that had not seen the light of day for decades, got a good workout. Clowns, Indians, witches, magicians, pioneers, ... I can't even remember what all these were used for.

Leia found one dress at the very bottom of the trunk that matched one I had made for the doll she loves to play with.

This could have been made for her mom or aunt back when there was a big celebration in New Jersey for the Bi-centennial.

There is still a bit of that fabric hanging around the stash box and Leia was able to find some scraps in the quilt I have been working on.

Friday evening, I managed to sew the last few blocks together and now I can sing a rainbow.

I wanted to take a picture to show my Grandson, Ben, but it was raining all day Saturday so no chance.

Sunday I took it to church and put it out on the floor of the fellowship hall for a picture.

It still needs a border and it is already too big for my tiny futon.
I have been thinking that it will make a good "Big Boy" quilt for my Grandson, Ben. He had requested purple and lime-green but though I have been collecting fabric for over a year, I still am far from having enough ... and much is on the pink and flowered side of purple, not too boyish.  I thought if I could add a purple batik border, it might be something he would enjoy. Of course, I can use it and really love how it is turning out and I didn't want to make Ben change his idea of what he wanted. After seeing the picture, He said yes, he liked it!

I stopped at Yuzawaya fabric department on my way home Sunday but they had no batiks at all and very little purple.

Friday I will be going to the Yokohama quilt show and perhaps there I will be able to find something good at one of the shops there.

If you could see Ben's sunny smiling face, you would know a rainbow is perfect for him.
You can't have a rainbow without sun and that smile lights up my world.

I was glad I added the sashing when I began putting these blocks together. It made the whole process a lot easier.It should be easy to quilt in the ditch ... maybe over the winter, keeping my lap warm.

A five or six inch border should hold it all together. I wonder if it needs a narrow white inner border as well... hmmm.

Meanwhile I am quilting a small runner for the "geta bako" (shoe cabinet) in our entryway. I had been quilting the pieced blocks on the diagonal and the more I did, the less I liked the results. Yesterday I un-did all those quilting stitches and began quilting in the ditch. Much better!

I hope you all had a happy Halloween too. Wish I could share some cookies with my blogging friends.

12 comments:

  1. Such a lot of delight! Cookies, grandchildren, costumes, quilts...

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  2. Leia is a dear with her matching dolly! And your quilt top is stunning! I can't imagine how much planning that must have taken! It is a winner if you ever plan to enter it somewhere!

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  3. Julie, This summer I stopped in the tiny fabric store in Shimokitazawa. I forgot the name of the store, but they have batiks. In fact, they seem to carry everything in that small space. The store is located down from the Peacock. The Peacock is next to the station. They are working on that station and some exits have changed; so, I can't tell you what exit to take. If you take the Inokashira line out from Shibuya, you will see the Peacock on the right of the train as you come into the station. As you face the Peacock, turn right to walk to fabric store (direction of the flower shop), continue a very short way. The fabric store is on the right. Excellent small fabric store. The quilt is stunning!

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  4. I love Leia's outfit with the matching doll, that is such a clever idea.
    I also love how your quilt looks, the colors are stunning.

    Debbie

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  5. I think your quilt is simply gorgeous!!! I love how it's turning out!

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  6. ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS!! One hundred thirty blocks - HAND-sewn!! You do AMAZING work, my friend!! - And Tanya is right - it IS a winner if you ever plan to enter it somewhere - ;))

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  7. I wasn't that much older, when the bicentenial happened. I remember outfits like that. Love the rainbow quilt.

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  8. How fun to share cookie making and costumes with your granddaughter. :) And Julie - another fantastic quilt!! I cannot even fathom how this one is put together but I LOVE the colour and the white diamonds separating the blocks. How wonderful that your grandson likes it.

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  9. Terrific quilt for Ben, and wow what precious memories you are making with and for Leia. She will never forget these good times with you - the baking, the discoveries. If I can help you locate a purple batik I'd love to help! David has a trip to Tokyo in a couple of weeks and could ferry some yardage to you. Two of my local shops carry a nice range of batiks.

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  10. What a wonderful fun time with your grand daughter. These are special times. Isn't it fun that she ha had fun with costumes that have been there for so long.
    Your quilt is looking wonderful. It is a beautiful rainbow and it is pleasing that be likes it, too. Good luck in your quest for the right border fabric.

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  11. Nothing is more fun than baking cookies with a little one. :) That dress is adorable as is the doll, but the cutest of all is the sweet granddaughter wearing it! blessings, marlene

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  12. Such a gorgeous quilt! I'll be very interested to see what you chose for the border. I think it looks great just the way it is, and I'd be tempted to just bind it up, but sometimes the border really "makes" the quilt. Keep us posted!

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