It's in the hoop!

After making yesterday's post, I decided to just get on with the next thing on the list.

I took the big quilt to the empty apartment and tried laying it out on the floor.

Nope! Not enough room to spread it out. Well, then I decided to try the loft. First I had to wrestle down the two heavy futons. Then I spread the quilt out face-down on the floor. It just fit with no extra space to walk, but I crawled over it and made sure all the seams were lying flat.

Then, I went back to my closet and pulled out the rolls of thinsulate. There was plenty left on the #60 which I had used on the test quilt. My grandson is living in Colorado, where they already have snow. so I think the #80 might be more useful ... though, in the end I don't know if this quilt will serve as a warm cover or a top spread.

Well, there was surely not enough batting left on the #80 roll, so I would need more anyway. The last batting rolls were bought at Yuzawaya and there are no branches in my area. The last one I used in Shinjuku closed over a year ago. I did not want to set out without knowing whether or not my goal would be met, so I pushed my "phone-phobia" aside, and made a call to the main store in Kamata.
Actually, I had to call a number of times to get through. Then, after apologising for my poor Japanese, I asked if they had thinsulate #80, and that I wanted to buy a whole roll. Yes, they did, and they would hold it with my name on it for pick-up in the afternoon.

I quickly went back to the loft and folded up the finished top ... trying not to mess up the seam allowances. Then loaded that and the backing, my basting thread, sewing kit, big scissors, and just in case, my box of basting pins.

The finished quilt went neatly into another bag, along with a note, and after stuffing Nikko's kong with multiple treats, and making sure I had enough yen to cover trains and batting, I set off with my purse on one shoulder, the big bag on the other shoulder, and the finished quilt on my arm... and the train route notes in hand.

No matter how many times one goes to the same station, those areas are always changing. It was less than a year since I had been there with my friend, Cynthia, at wabisabiquilts.blogspot.jp, and it was still a struggle to find the right building. I think I ended up asking at least three different people.

When I finally found the right place. there was a long line at the cutting counter and only two people doing the cutting. I finally stepped up, because I could see the roll of batting standing in the corner behind one of the women, and asked if that was the thinsulate saved for me. Whew, after checking my name on the note, it was passed over and I could move to the checkout on the first floor.

The guy tying up the bolt for carrying was frustrated with the size and the fact it couldn't be folded, but I was happy to tuck it under my spare arm and pay the reduced price using my members card.
By 2:00pm I was at the church. I passed the bag containing the finished quilt to the office secretary, and asked if it would be OK to use the floor of the fellowship hall to do the basting.

I am so happy it worked out! by the time my meeting was beginning at 6:30, I was just putting in the last of the basting stitches. The pins were not needed and the basting thread still lasted. Both the Pastor and his wife came down while I was working to thank me for the finished quilt. I was happy those left-over blocks had made a hit ... and of course they both had noticed the print in Afrikaans donated by my friend, Ester.

In all, though lugging all that stuff two ways on the sardine can trains, it was well worth the effort. I can do my sitting at home on the sofa ... much more comfortable than a train seat should one be offered ... And Tuesday was the day of the super-aggressive shovers needing seats at any cost ...

The in-the-ditch quilting is well on the way, and I await feedback from Kai as to the big-stitch results.
At least I have something to do while at home. Maybe time to start prepping pieces for the new grandchild on the way....

The test is over

Sunday evening I finished turning the binding on the single black and white quilt. I was hoping for a bit of sunshine for taking a picture, as I plan to give this to my friend and pastor this evening.
Alas, Monday was on and off rain, and rain is predicted for today too. I decided to take quilt and camera to the park while on Nikko's morning walk and see if I could get at least one picture before the rain begins again.

This was my first test of sashiko "big stitch" on a quilt. The batting is #60 thinsulate but it looks as puffy as the #80. I decided to go with puffy rather than quilt inside the larger areas. Thinsulate is good in that it will not shift, even when loosely quilted and with much use.  The border is just quilted in diagonal rows on the white. All the blocks are quilted in the ditch first. The rather busy prints didn't show the big stitches so much but I think I am satisfied with the all-over effect.

Now, the next task will be to lay out Kai's big-boy quilt and get it basted so I can begin quilting that.
It is 8 blocks by 10 blocks with a larger wave print in the border. Getting the seam allowances to lie in the right direction and line up the backing in a small space is going to be the first challenge. If only I didn't have to travel to church in such a crowded train, I could take it there and use the floor in the fellowship hall... since I have to go there anyway tonight.

Anyway, time to stop dithering and come up with a plan... At least the test worked out and I found a purpose for the extra blocks caused by my poor math.

Where does time go?

The passing typhoon seems to have snatched up time and run off with it ... as I can't seem to find any to spare.

Last Sunday was an early start for choir practice.
I was also scheduled for a Stewardship committee meeting at the same time, but since usually I am the only tenor at practices ... with maybe one or two showing up to sing without having gone over their part, I need to know my part well so I won't be thrown off by strange notes attacking my ears.

In the end, I did not dilly-dally around afterwards, but thought I'd better get home before the rain began.  I'm glad I did.

Sleeping in the greenhouse up on the roof, the night was full of blowing and rattling sounds.
At 12:30 I got up to make the rounds and check on all the windows and plants, and though I lay back down on my futon, I could not make it back to sleep.

By 4:am, when I had to leave for onigiri delivery, the wind had let up a bit. Two doors down the street the sweet-smelling Osmonthus flowers were swimming in a puddle. These had only just opened a few days ago so had not gotten much air time.
I removed the leaves blocking the sewer lid to drain the lake but the flowers still clutter the path today.

My trip into town was about as usual. There were a few more large trucks on the road that had probably waited for the wind to die down a bit before taking to the highway, and were working their way into town. One traffic light on a long arm with a large location sign hanging below had blown to the north and was facing the sidewalk on the opposite corner.

There are many large trees along that ring-road, but other than blowing leaves, they remained in good shape. When I finally reached the avenue that runs past the church, the streets were covered in trash.
I guess that had been set out the day before for an early pick-up, and scattered all over. The tall Keyaki trees were all standing. I saw a few small potted trees had blown over, and as I neared Shibuya for delivery, there were two trees fallen across the road and the workers were already diverting the traffic and cutting up the tree. The roots were in the air and it was a good-sized tree that was across four of the six lanes. I heard there were two more trees down on another road leading into the area. There was no trouble finding takers for the rice-balls, most in their usual places.

When I returned home to get ready for school, I checked all the outdoor plants. Even those pots sitting along the top of the wall had remained in place. They seemed happy to have had some rain.

Monday was a very long day, and after a rather sleepless night, I was glad to get home, have dinner, walk Nikko, and hit the sack.

This week I completed the new blocks and finished the last four rows on the smaller quilt for the pastor.

This picture has the rows together and the inner-border added. Today I laid it out on the single bed and am thinking about how wide to make the outer border. Maybe a six-inch border will do.
I am not sure how this might be used, but it should make a light cover for summer or work on a large sofa. With six inches all around, it can be tucked in.

I have a lot of items on my list. Along with Kai's big-boy double-size quilt, I have a stewardship banner with only a few weeks time to do, a blue and white table runner for #2 daughter, a quilt for a coming grandchild, and a much overdue wrap for my #3 daughter. (last Christmas plan) Where in the world will I find the time!

After walking around fallen tree branches on our narrow street, Nikko and I finally went out with the cutters and chopped them into a trash bag ... now waiting for Saturday's collection. I don't know whose tree they came from because mine and the neighbor's maples are fine. Many long thin branches and one multiple branched one about six feet long.

For today, things are quiet. Hopefully I can get the stewardship banner drafted and find fabric to use.
I see there is some kind of a quilt show in Ikebukuro ... not far by train, but a bit costly, and that train ride is not free. Another typhoon is coming but probably we will only get the edge. My weather app on the cell phone says rain will begin soon. (Of course, that app is seldom right, as last night when I was walking home from choir in the rain, I pulled it out to check the prediction, and it said "partly cloudy") Maybe that was just a very low cloud?

Guess I'd better get busy because from Sunday the whole month gets crammed full of activities ... and I still have a weeks-worth of blogs to check on. Sorry if you feel ignored ....