Yesterday, Saturday, we got up and headed out to Battleground around 9:45 for Rico’s herding lesson at 11. We gave ourselves a little extra time because we weren’t sure how the roads would be. Just two nights ago the freeways were at a dead standstill in the snow storm.
The street my house is on was solid ice and really slick. The main road that takes me east from my house to Interstate 5 was terrible. Very slick and icy and rough. The three mile drive took us about 15 minutes! I was being extra careful so we didn’t slide off the road.
Once we got to the interstate the roads were completely dry! Even up on the country roads around Battle Ground. I was expecting to see icy and slick roads up there.
Our herding lesson was great. We spent the hour working on some fine tuning for the sheep herding trial on Sunday.
When we were done we stopped at the field at Washington State University to let the boys have a good run. They really needed one after not much activity during the storm.
There’s Bender in front and Rico waaaaay back there. They were so happy to get out and run!
On the way home we decided to stop at Ikea to see what curtains they had for my bedroom since I wasn’t thrilled with the ones I got at Penney’s, or with the ones I ordered from Amazon. I found a set I really like. They are very tall so will need to be cut down and hemmed.
When we got home we grabbed the curtains and returned one set to Penney’s and another set I bought to Amazon. Then we headed out for a treat of frozen yogurt! That was our lunch. Hell of a lunch!!!
When we got home I tossed a chicken with potatoes, carrots and mushrooms in the oven to roast. Then we got busy sewing on the second half of the 16 patch quilt. We got three rows done before dinner and finished up the last two rows and sewed the two large sections together after our good meal.
Here’s a little video showing this gorgeous quilt…
I’m really happy, too, that my friend is now IN LOVE with his quilt! I was feeling terrible as we were making it that she wasn’t very excited about it. But when the blocks started being sewn into the quilt top, she fell in love more with each block! I was thinking she was going to have to leave it with me.
I really can’t believe we got it done!
We made the decision last night that we weren’t going to head out for Rico’s sheep herding trial as a storm was coming in and it could have been dicy as we would have had to be on the road at 5:00 this morning. I actually felt better after making this decision. I was dreading a trip in bad weather. We both think it was the right decision.
So, what did we do instead? Well, we didn’t get up a 4 am., that’s for sure! But It was snowing when I went to bed last night and my friend said the road was covered with snow when she woke up at 5 am.
So we had a good night sleep, had a leisurely breakfast then headed out to my favorite local quilting store to purchase a backing for this 16 patch quilt. My friend is going to leave it here with me to take to my long arm quilter to finish. She decided on the KFC Onion Rings wide backing. I think it’s a great choice!
I have a big piece of that Onion Rings in my stash that I planned to use on an Aboriginal Fabric quilt some day.
On the way home we stopped at the Pendleton Woolen Mills outlet store. We go there often and never buy anything, but it’s so fun to look at all the beautiful things they have.
Things to furnish your house… blankets… gorgeous huge rolls of wool fabric…
The pillows were my favorite. The colors were so amazingly gorgeous!
And, again, we walked out empty handed.
When we got home my friend’s husband came over and hung my new curtain rod above my bedroom window. Then my visitor and I got busy cutting down the curtains we bought at Ikea, getting them hemmed and pressed. Once they were done we hung them on the new rod.
I’ve had a sheet hanging over that window for a couple years… there since the blind that was there broke. I don’t know why I waited so long to do this! It feels so good to have the window showing. And I can’t wait to open these curtains in the morning when the sun is shining! Its makes the room feel so much bigger.
I wish the panels were a little wider so there was a little more fullness when they are closed. But the alternative would be that I made curtains from scratch. And I’d rather spend my time making something else!
We’re winding down tonight as my friend is preparing to head home tomorrow and I’m back to work. It’s been really fun to have her here again and great to have a week off work.
I think I may plan to take a long weekend around Memorial Day weekend. It might be a good time to head down to my brother’s place again.
agilejack 
That’s a wild backing choice – love it! Hugs, Leonie
Sent from my iPad
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Hahah! I agree! It IS wild but I love it too!
Anne
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Looks like you both had a super visit together! Super finish with the 16 patch and I would have been really tempted with those gorgeous cushions, you must have had great self control you walk along by.
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I might have bought a cushion but they were over $100 each! I don’t live a life that goes well with $100 cushions!
anne
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It sounds as though you and your friend had a really nice week together. The quilt is gorgeous, and I’m glad she loves it. Here’s an idea… if you really want fuller curtains when they’re closed, you could buy another set, hem them to the required length, and then seam 2 panels together. You’d need to do a little seam ripping at the top casing & at the bottom hem to blend the panels together and spend a bit of time, but, at the end of the day, you’d have what you want. Because the curtains would be much fuller, the seam most likely wouldn’t even be visible when the curtains are closed. It’d most likely be hidden in the fullness of the fabric.
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Glad you stayed put. Better safe than sorry. Looks like you had fun lusting at the Pendleton Outlet. I love their wools.
I have a friend I quilt with and she and I have very different taste. I can’t tell you how many times she dislikes the fabrics, or the pattern and once it is done, she loves it. Sometimes I am skeptical when I start out but there is something about seeing it all together that is magical. Maybe it is the stepping back to see it all, or maybe it is because it’s done, but there is definitely something about it. Onion rings is a great backing! What size did this end up being? How many fabrics/yds? Curious.
Like the curtains vs a sheet. Another 1 or 2 would give you more fullness but you know that. 😊 Hope your friend has a safe trip home.
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Couldn’t see the video of the finished quilt.
It’s beautiful
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Try this link for the video:https://www.youtube.com/shorts/–zMKSRGakE
Anne
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The quilt is fabulous! The video really shows it well. And it is always such fun to sew with a friend.
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It was fun to have someone around to talk to. And we were soooo productive! I really didn’t think we’d be able to get it done. The snow helped with that!
Anne
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This quilt is beautiful! I found a bunch of Aboriginal fabrics on sale and ordered several. Thanks for the link to Wanda’s tutorial.
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Good for you! I’ve only seen them on sale once! I bought fabric for a backing on line a couple years ago. I’d go crazy with a sale!
Anne
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Just wow ! The quilt is great , driving in icy conditions is scary it’s better to be safe . Can’t wait to see the next project . Looks like the dogs were in doggy snow heaven, enjoy
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I’m going to take a night or two off. Then I will finish the border on my sunburst quilt. then I want to make a backing for my jewel frames quilt. Then I’ll take those and my friend’s quilt to my long armer quilter.
After that… who knows!!! I have a hundred ideas for what’s next!
Anne
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Love your new curtains and your friend’s quilt 🥰🥰🥰🥰! What a great time together ❤️. Maybe she could come back Memorial weekend as well 😻.
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She would love to come back again when the weather is better and would love to see my brother and his wife. We were both disappointed we didn’t get to see them.
Anne
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I’m with your friend on the original feeling of not loving the quilt. Now I want to make one – at least a wall hanging size if not larger. Love it!! Thanks for converting me. 😉
I had new windows installed on my second floor and attic about five years ago. There’s a small window at the top of the back (“servant’s”) stairs that I hung a rod on but have never made a curtain for. Ugh. Isn’t procrastination the WORST?! I think I’ll peruse the IKEA website this afternoon.
Congrats to you and your friends on this fabulous quilt. Quite an accomplishment!
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Haha! I knew I WOULD love this quilt. I was pretty disappointed to see how flat my friend was about it. But by the end she was like me… just standing there looking at it! I kept catching her in my sewing room looking at it! I’m glad it had the same affect on you!
I bought fabric and a tension rod for an unfinished shower in my utility room bathroom 12 years ago. Have never made that curtain! Not even sure where that fabric is. What seemed important at some point ceased to be!
Thanks… I love this quilt and may have to make one of my own.
Anne
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Beautiful extraordinary quilt! I hope the Australian manufacturer takes notice!
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I’ll let you know if I hear from them!!!
Anne
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Hi Anne, I KNOW how long those IKEA drapes are? Is there enough fabric that you cut off to
sew onto the sides in order for them to be fuller? Just a thought.
The quilt is lovely. She’ll really love it once it’s quilted!
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There’s probably enough fabric but there’s not enough interest on my part! hahah! I will spend my time working on something more fun!!!
Anne
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Here’s a suggestion you might like. To make the curtains fuller add side panels. A width of matching kaffe fassett fabric ( maybe the same as the pillow cases) on each side would look nice. I know it would be making curtains but it would look nice and achieve some fullness. I would not join the panel to the new curtains.
Kathy
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I think I’m just going to live with it. If the curtains are closed, it’s most likely it’s dark and I’m sleeping! So when they are seen the most they are pulled to the side. I’m going to be done with them!!! And I’ll spend my time working on something more fun!
Anne
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I love your Aboriginal (andKaffe) quilts. This one is gorgeous! If you don’t mind my asking, how did you decide to cut your Aboriginals in 2 1/2 squares? I’m thinking of copying this idea (imitation being the sincerest form of flattery) but I hate to lose the overall effect of some of the patterns. Knowing your thought process would help.
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I followed a tutorial from Wanda at the Exuberant Color blog. I’ve linked to it in several blog posts about this quilt. it’s made with 2.5 inch strips, which is a common width for width of fabric strips. You can get two full blocks out of two strips sewed into a set.
I’ve made other quilts with the Aboriginal fabrics that show the fabric really well. Here’s a post that shows one:https://agilejack1.com/2021/11/14/aboriginal-quilt-is-gifted/
There are quite a few posts about making that quilt on my blog. go to my blog and search for “Aboriginal quilt” and you’ll find some of them.
Anne
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Thanks for taking the time to respond. I am already a blog subscriber and enjoy seeing all your quilts! I guess my question wasn’t clear. I wanted to know WHY you cut those Aboriginal fabrics into smaller pieces. Was jt because you thought putting them with a “partner” would look really good (it did), or because youd already made one with larger pieces, or just felt like making a 16 patch, or? Sorry for the confusion. Anyway, i love the result.
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Really just wanted to make a 16 patch. My friend has been resistant to making one and I wanted her to see how easily they go together. I’m not sure she loved the process of making the quilt, but she loves the quilt!
Anne
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Good enough reason! Thank you. I’ve made two but now I’m (re)thinking of making another using my Aboriginals. Yours was, as always, lovely.
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16 patch is one of my favorite patterns. I like making them and I love the way they look.
Anne
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You two did a great job getting that finished AND your brothers quilt (minus the outside border). Very productive vacation/visit/snowstorm!!
That’s one of those quilts that will come alive when it’s quilted and seen in person. She will absolutely love it then. What is the binding going to be?
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Will bind it in Brandon’s black and white crease. It looks really cool as a binding with the Aboriginal fabrics. They have a lot of black and white in them.
Anne
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I’m so glad your friend loves her quilt, too! It’s a winner in my book. Winter weather sure can alter plans. Too bad to miss the trial, but better to be safe. You had a lovely full week of quilting fun.
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I’m ready for winter to be over. Two more weeks and we get an extra hour of light in the evening. come on spring!!!
I’m glad my friend likes her quilt too! I was worried!
Anne
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Spectacular quilt 💕💕💕 so much talent! Your friend will cherish it and the fabulous memories of making it together ❤️. Better safe than sorry – good call to stay home. The Pendleton woolen outlet store looks amazing too!
Nice curtains – I like the simplicity- it let’s your quilt shine. Safe travels for your friend 🤗
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I;m loving my curtains! I love waking up in the morning and getting an expansive view of my beautiful and private back yard. It was a good project to get done.
This is a great quilt. I might have to make another one just for me!
Anne
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