Posted on by agilejack

Time to Get Busy

I met my pickleball teacher today at 9:30 am for a rousing training session in freezing and foggy conditions. And it was fantastic! We haven’t been able to have a lesson for about a month, with holidays, family visits, and weather. It felt really good to get out there.

And I knew this was my opportunity to present him with my Ice Storm quilt. So I wrapped it up last night, wrote a card, and locked it into the back of the car. After my lesson today we walked to our cars together, got all the training equipment into his trunk, then I told him not to jump in his car and leave so fast!

I pulled the package out of my car and gave it to him. I told him that he had been giving to me generously for months of his talents and skills, and now it was my turn to give to him of my talents and skills. He’s so funny… he got emotional. He’s just so touched when people do things for him to show their appreciation.

I told him he could open it then, or he could wait until he got home. He said he would wait until he got home. About a half hour after I got home he sent me this photo. I’ve obscured his face because I don’t know if he’s in the witness protection program or something like that.

I left his smile for you to see! He wrote to me: “Your gift was a delightful surprise! Thank you for thinking of me and making me feel special.”

After icing my foot and having some lunch I hightailed it out into the crazy shopping frenzy to pick up some gift cards for people at work. I only had to go to three places and had it all done and was home in about an hour.

Ernie arrived yesterday afternoon. I took the prospect of company as a reason to dig in and clean my living room and get my little birch tree and mantle lights up. This will be the extent of my holiday decorations this year.

After dinner and a little relaxing I decided it was time to get busy, so I dug into my sewing room to start working on the table topper that I’m making for a Christmas gift. I figured it was time to pull the trigger! I had already selected the fabrics and had a couple different blocks in mind.

I decided to go with a basic 16 patch block for this. Mostly because I wanted the pieces of fabric to be small. So that pattern seemed like a good one and a quick and easy one to whip up. I follow this really good tutorial for a 16 patch block from Wanda at Exuberant Color.

I’m basically going to replicate this table topper that I made for this same friend several years ago, but I will make it just a little bigger.

I borrowed this from my friend so I would have a model to follow. It’s been a long time since I made this!

I cut two 2.5 inch strips from each of the fabrics I selected and then paired them up…

and chain pieced them into strip sets.

I always finger press my strip sets before pressing. Then when I press I use a metal ruler to keep my strip sets nice and straight. This video shows you how I do this.

I got the eight strip sets made and got them all cut into strips so they are ready to sew together.

It’s going to be fun to see this come together. Here’s a couple of the sets arranged into blocks. that little strip to the right is the only waste left over from one strip set!

I love this next one…

Ooh! I love that one!

I’ve been thinking about how I’m going to quilt this and I’m thinking I’m going to go very organic with wavy lines going two different directions — criss cross wavy lines.

I’ll add a couple of borders onto this to bring it up to a bigger size. the larger outer border will be Philip Jacob’s shaggy in black.

Or, I may use the piece of Philip Jacobs Luscious instead.

Hmmm. Good thing I have a few days to think about this. I think I have enough of the luscious. I KNOW I have enough of the shaggy. Using one of these darker fabrics will help the topper read dark, which is what I want. But I think those lighter value fabrics are going to be critical in making this thing interesting and making those dark fabrics really pop!

This is all of the waste from eight strip sets. I love a project that doesn’t generate any scraps that I need to deal with!

I had a lovely dinner tonight of fried eggs and toast. It was really good and a treat for me. These three agreed and really wanted to lick that plate.

As I was getting ready to settle in on the sofa for the night I remembered that I bought some egg nog the other day. So I decided to dig into my liquor cabinet for some bourbon. Rather than opening a new bottle of a good bourbon, I went for the old Jack Daniels.

that was a mistake. Next time I have one I’ll open the good stuff!

44 Replies to “Time to Get Busy”

  2. Wow sounds like you had a busy day! And what a beautiful quilt so glad he liked it! Ernie is so cute, those three I’m sure will be keeping you busy. Again I don’t know where your find the time to do your quilts I’m so in a slump right now my new machine is in the shop for the second time and now Christmas is around the corner but I think I’m just going to relax and organize for the new year and start fresh. I can see some Franken bags in my future with all the scraps I have . Wishing you and all your four pawed friends a wonderful Christmas and New Year!
    Kelly

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    1. I’ve eased off a little on my sewing productivity. I think I nearly burned myself out. So I’m enjoying small projects like this table topper. I do have a couple quilts I want to make so I need to make a decision and dig in after the holidays.

      Merry Christmas to you!

      Anne

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  3. You are right Anne. Give yourself the best you have. You are worth it. I love your Chrismas decor. The three wisemen just in front of your tree. Merry Christmas.

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  4. OMG Anne cuteness overload, you really do have to dress those boys up like the 3 wise men! I had a good chuckle over the different fabric choices you made in the two table toppers, past and present. I love colour, period, but as I get older I find I want bright and rich more and more….I was not a big Kaffe fan as a new quilter, but now I can’t get enough! I thought Jack Daniels WAS the good stuff!!! Please submit your personal recommendation. To date I have been a brandy and egg nog girl!

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    1. that first table topper was made specifically for my friend and is not fabrics I would typically use. I’ve gotten a little bolder in the things I make for her! I was a little surprised when she wanted me to make another table topper for her!

      My Jack Daniels was definitely not good stuff! It might just be really old! It’s been in my booze cupboard for many years!

      Anne

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  6. Oohhh! ERNIE 😻😻😻😻! What a little lovebug! It’s sweet the boys all get along so well and you get to enjoy some little dog loving. Very cool your pickleball man loves his quilt, what a great idea. Sounds like you are all better now. I still need to get a flu shot. Something’s going around here and trying not to catch it. We quit putting up a tree several years ago and the lights on the mantle and bottle brush trees are our extent, fine for me🥰

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    1. there is some nasty stuff going around here. Lots of people with colds and I know a couple people with COVID right now. I’m hoping this is it for me this winter!

      I really just want the lights in the house. With all the darkness, the lights help me keep my cheer up!

      Anne

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  7. Sad to see the ice storm go but happy that your coach appreciated the hard work that went into it! Guess I’ll just have to make one… put it on the list! LOL. Brave soul to play in icy foggy conditions. Be careful please we don’t want any broken hips.
    The boys are adorable. But what no Santa hats? Like the idea of your tree which can stay up longer but wouldn’t it be lovely with Kaffe ornaments and Kaffe garland!?

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    1. I can’t keep all of the quilts I make. And I can’t think of someone I’d rather give it to. So it was a good decision.

      If the courts were icy I wouldn’t be out there! We don’t even play when they’re really wet. it was cold and the grass was frosty, but the courts were completely dry.

      I typically leave my lighted tree up until the time changes in teh spring. I just like having the sparkling lights!

      Anne

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  8. What a great gift! GIving of one’s talent and skill is always a special gift. Nice fabrics for the runner/table topper. I like the look of the Luscious, it picks up on all the colors and the black makes it richer looking.

    My dad always said to use the good stuff, treat yourself like company.

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  16. I had a few chuckles thanks to you. And thanks for being so real and someone I can relate to. As a dog, fabric, and pickleball lover. Love those beautiful fabrics you are putting together for your lucky friend. Be sure to post the finished piece. Happy Holidays to you.

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    1. It’s amazing how may quilters I’ve met through my dog training activities. And then last week I was talking to a couple of ladies at pickleball who are also quilters! It’s so fun to have these multiple things in common!

      Anne

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    1. Hmmm. I have some amaretto. I’ll have to try it.

      One of my favorite holiday drinks is cranberry juice combined with apple cider, heated with cinnamon sticks and orange slices, then poured into a cup with a shot of amaretto. Soooo good!!!

      I also use amaretto on summer fruit salads. Really good that way!

      Anne

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  18. So glad your instructor appreciated the quilt. The world needs to show more appreciation always! The video was a good reminder to press accurately. If you are near a Trader Joe’s, try their egg nog. It has rum (?) in it already. Keep up the good blogging, it’s inspirational to me, my quilting mojo is in the tank. Merry Christmas!

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  19. Love the colors!! Do you know the name of the fabric that is in your top strip set? The pink and peach flowers. I think I need to order some. You always get me inspired. Thank you!!!

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  20. Awe, super sweet for you to give your coach that amazing quilt! His smile is awesome too! Yep, break out the good stuff and enjoy some smooth eggnog – cheers! The table topper is going to be spectacular and thanks for the ruler video – I need to get one of those big bad boys!
    Hi Rico, Bender and Ernie 🥰 ya’ll are so darn cute 🥰🥰🥰

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  22. Your quilt is pretty and is loved. All your pictures are so nice. I still think Ernie should come and visit me here in Michigan. LOL

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