My design wall is lonely. I was gone most of last week and nothing was on the wall. I just ran upstairs and threw these two little blocks on the wall so I could have something to share. Pitiful isn't it? You can see more design walls by going to Patchwork Times.Now, honestly, it isn't that I didn't do some piecing and quilting last week. I got the rest of border two on my Scrap Squad #2. I also cut border #3. I'm hoping to get it on today or early tomorrow. Then I'll be on a quest to find backing fabric.
It has slowly dawned on me that it is really expensive to make a backing for a quilt from 42 to 45" wide fabric. I figure I will need 2 1/2 yards of wide backing fabric @ $20/yard. Hum, $50. But I need 7 1/2 yards if I piece my backing -- so $10/yard. $75. That's assuming I can find fabric at $10 a yard. I know $20 is high for the wide backs but it's a nice round number and easy to figure. So, before I piece this twin size backing I'm going to either call or go over to the two closest quilt stores to see whether they have any wide backs. And, I'll look at JoAnns again as I know they do have some. If I can't find anything I'll check to see if I can piece a back from various fabrics used in the quilt. But, honestly, I don't have all that much left. I might need to order this on line but I really would like to support my local stores first.
Week of April 23, 2012
Finish FCQ Charity Quilt on Ruthie√
Finish borders on Scrap Squad 2 and
measure quilt top. well only the last border to go not as far along as I wanted to be
Make heart blocks, siggie block√ and
FCQ BOM√
Dinner with Jen, Brian and Sophia√
Work the FCQ Quilt Show Thur – Sat.
√
SHOP at vendors! √
Drive up and back safely! √
Wow! I got most of what I wanted to do done. Of course, they were things I definitely was going to do. Here's what's up this week.
Week of April 29, 2012
Get the last border on the SS#2
Make 4 heart blocks
Cut charm squares for swap
Get blocks and charm squares in the
mail
Find and prep backing for SS#2
Pull out and work on FCQEquilters
quilt… it’s time to get it finished
Figure out if my net book can be
resurrected… it’s lost its memory!
Quilt another charity quilt
Dust, vacuum, clean bathrooms…
Ladies and Gents -- go back up your hard drives NOW! My little net book is used primarily for listening to audio books while I'm in my studio. However, it is also the computer that Electric Quilt is loaded on. Honestly, I'm not as good at it as I should be but all the designs for my 1800's block of the month are (were?) on that computer and no, I did not back that up. Do you hear that crying and wailing? That's me thinking about having to reproduce all those designs. I'm hoping I can get this thing back up and running and that maybe the designs will still be there. (Am I a dreamer or what?) I regularly back up my Mac. Ok, enough wailing. Time to get going.
Happy Quilting 
I don't have many local quilt shops. Here in Hawaii, the fabric is $12/yard. I can't justify that for backing. Yikes! For backing, I try to find the good quality (Moda, Timeless Treasures, etc.) on clearance online. I usually can find something for around $4-5. The few times I have used the wide backing fabric I have loved it. It is so easy! Good luck in your hunt.
ReplyDeleteI try to find backing fabric on sale. Usually I'm so slow in finishing a quilt that I have plenty of time to find somthing that will work. But you make a good argument for working with a wide back.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on the back ups. I lost the video card on the lap top back in March and no I didn't have any back up of my recent EQ patterns. Lesson learned, not only do I print paper copies regularly, I back up to 2 different hard drives. You have my sincerest sympathy. Hope you can get it going again.
Lookin' great Bonnie! Even if those particular 2 are the only 2 on the wall, they are still lovely! Good luck with your list this week!
ReplyDeleteHeather
These blocks are great! I have calculated every way to make the most economical yet pretty backing fabrics...that's the biggest investment for the part no one really looks at!! Have fun shopping and I tend to use anything on a back especially if it is a quilt shop quality on clearance. :)
ReplyDelete