Super Secret Squirrel Stitching

I’ve been missing in action for a few weeks, firstly due to catching up with everything after our little holiday and then my computer decided that it didn’t want to play any more.  Of course this happened when I planned to do the BAS (GST return).  Grrr!   You don’t realise just how much you rely on your computer and how much info it holds until it isn’t there.  Fortunately, all is now up and running again now.

Therefore, I apologise for not replying to comments and not having the chance to comment on blogs that I have now quickly read.

Now for that super secret stitching I referred to in the heading……

Last Thursday, Mick and a mate who lives just down the road made the rather long trip down to Mount Gambier to collect our mate’s new sidecar.  Yes, there are now three sidecars living along our little country gravel road. The plan was that they would probably get back on Sunday or maybe Monday, depending on how they went.

On Wednesday night I had a thought.

Mick likes black, white and red quilts.  Mick likes windmills. Mick has a birthday coming up next month.  I’ve been collecting black and white fabrics for a few years now with the idea of a quilt for Mick in the back of my mind, but never sure how I could achieve this as a surprise.  Now I had 4 days without him around.   The fact that I would be at work for two of those was by the by.

THURSDAY

Mick left at 7.00am. I had half an hour of ironing just the corner of 42 fabrics before I left for work at 7.30am.

Returned from work at 6.00pm, did all the chores with animals etc, had a quick bite to eat and was working on the quilt by 7.00pm.  Cut 42 x 10 inch squares, fiddle faddled with the placement and sewed together in a grid of 7 x 6 squares.  Went to bed at midnight.

FRIDAY

Before leaving for work at 7.30am, measured side borders and sewed on to quilt.

After work measured and sewed on top and bottom borders.

Then I watched TV.

SATURDAY

Did a few domestics in the morning and at about 11.00am started cutting up the quilt top again. I used the Twister Ruler that I bought at Braidwood last year.

My friend Anne came to visit for a day of sewing, which was fun.

I sewed the blocks back together again.

I had planned on using a crossword puzzle fabric for the border, as Mick does the crossword in the paper each night, however I didn’t have quite enough fabric.  I decided that the dress forms would be fine as the border, rather than as the backing as I had originally planned.

It looks a bit different now from the previous night.  I’m rather liking it. The finished size is 72” x 65”.  A nice size to snuggle under on the lounge.

Next issue, I would now need to piece the backing.

I’m rather pleased with how that turned out as well.  I then cut, joined and pressed the black binding as well.  All done by 8.00pm on Saturday night.  Phew! 

Mick arrived home at 9.00pm on Saturday night!!!!  They had a really good run and got home much earlier than expected.  That was close.

The quilt is now with my friend Val to be quilted.  When I get it back I’ll either machine the binding on in the small window I have before work, or more likely take my little Elna machine into work and do it in my lunch breaks.  I’ll hand stitch the binding in my lunches.  All should be done and remain a surprise for his birthday.

There’s nothing like a deadline to get me moving.  Maybe I should set more.  I’ll keep you posted on progress.