1399 and Counting

A day off from work is a good day indeed. Make in part of a three-day weekend that involves a day of sewing with twenty-four other women, and it is nothing short of spectacular.

Today I got Grandmother Morris finished. Sewed the rows together ever so carefully. There are a lot of points to worry about. And they all behaved. Beautifully.

After trolling the internet to get the best price for the fabric I wanted for the border, I found said best price ($8.70/yard) at The Old Country Store. Briefly I considered scheduling a drive out there for today, taking Himself along and treating him to lunch at The Kling House. Common sense prevailed, however; I ordered the fabric and it was in my mailbox when I came home from the sewing day on Saturday. I adore this border fabric. Himself thought I needed a row of white before the border and I didn't think so. I've never done this before and for this project, it works.


Once Grandmother was taken care of, Stars in Their Eyes, for Brian and Erin, returned to the foreground. I'd sewn the third row to the top instead of to the bottom, and spent some time frogging it one night this past week and this afternoon got it sewn back on. In the right place this time. And in short order, row four was also sewn on. The pattern calls for five rows, but this is supposed to be a back-of-the-sofa quilt, not a skimpy bed quilt, and I think four rows by four rows is right. The quilt finishes at 64" square. It is next up to go to the machinist. Grandmother Morris will loiter in the pile of flimsies until she is needed.

Well, yes, the post title is "1399 and Counting." This is, indeed, my 1399th blog post and in anticipation of 1400 coming up later in the week, it seemed some sort of a giveaway was in order. I have a copy of Volume 2 of 100 blocks that I bought when it first came out; I've not done anything with it but peruse. There are a couple of patterns, too, that were freebies the last time the Executive Committee went to Burkholder's.

Oh, and there's a chicken. At the quilt day on Saturday, there were gift bags and they included chicken pin cushions.

The organizers had made additional chicken pin cushions and were selling them to benefit the Elisabeth Circle at the church, the group that makes charity quilts. I'd had a wonderful day and wanted to support Elisabeth. So I bought a couple of chickens. One is for Honna, who wasn't able to attend. And the other goes to the give-away winner.

Here's a close up of the patterns. The book, the chicken, and the patterns comprise the giveaway for post #1400. If you are interested, leave a comment and we'll see what happens. Please don't post giveaway on your blog; it's for my regular readers. Just us chickens, in a  manner of speaking.

Comments

Pat said…
I really love the look of Gramother Morris. It's classic, and reminds me of crocheted granny squares. I'm not sure I would have picked that border fabric because I would have thought that the scale was too big, but once again you show what a great eye you have -- it's absolutley perfect. The overall look is vintage, but the white makes it so crisp and adds a touch of modern. I can't wait to see Stars completed. Don't you hate when you have to unsew a whole row like that? Stops you dead in your tracks and takes the wind out of your sails. A block is tough enough, but a whole row is the pits.

Can you put me in the running for the block book? My hot pink chicken is doing quite well as an only fowl.
love your top quilt Nancy.........you have been busy.........
LizA. said…
I absolutelyLOVE the border fabric for Grandmother Morris! You have been one busy lady. If I win I will definitely be passing along the chicken pincushion to a young lady I've been mentoring and teaching to quilt. She too suffers from Lupus as I do and she raises chickens! Sounds like a perfect match.....

Congrats on 1400.....wow!
Mrs. Goodneedle said…
The GM quilt is amazing and the border fabric is the BEST... I have to do one of these; and yet, I hope Grandmother doesn't come knocking too soon, I have lots of other "to do's" in the queue ahead of her. Congrats on 14001! We made those chicken pincushions for favors when our Guild hosted Symposium here in 2006, I have a veritable flock in my sewing room... be careful, they multiply!
Betsy said…
love the chickens- what is inside them? are they weighted to keep them from flying the coop?

ps the quilts look great too;-)
quiltmom anna said…
Nancy,
what a busy girl you have been- You found a great border fabric for the first Morris quilt- sometimes the best strategy for avoiding spending money is not going to the store/ website...
I love the second quilt - what is the pattern called ( the one for Brian and Erin) I love the combination of stars and courtyard step blocks..
I went to a workshop on Friday night and Saturday and just have one block to finish then I can put them together.
Wow 1400 posts- that is a wonderful accomplishment... I just am dawdling along at 125 + posts. Just don't write often enough...
Congratulations on reaching such an inspiring number.
Warmest regards,
Anna
Nancy said…
How exciting to have reached this milestone on your blog.

I look forward to reading your posts and seeing all of your projects.
JudyCinNC said…
Grandmother Morris is spectacular with that border. WoW on the 1400th post and thanks for the opportunity to win a wonderful giveaway. Judy C
Sarah said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
Sarah said…
Sorry - my original comment was posting under my daughter's name.

I just made my first two Granny Square blocks today. What fun!

Thanks for the great giveaway!
Amy said…
Congrats, Nancy! I love lurking on your blog. Yours is one of the first that I began reading and it keeps getting better! Love Grandma and am looking forward to seeing the cows join her in flimsydom. Thanks for the inspiration!
Janet O. said…
Oh, Nancy, these two quilts just make my heart sing! I love them both--the fabrics and patterns. You have done a lovely job on them.
Wow!! What a milestone to reach 1400 posts! (I haven't even reached 100).
Lovely giveaway--just count me as one of the chickens. : )
Pick-a-little, talk-a-little, pick-a-little, talk-a-little, cheep-cheep-cheep, talk-a-lot, pick-a-little more (If this doesn't ring a bell, think Music Man).
Char said…
Grandmother Morris has come along beautifully. I'm still resisting.
Congratulations on your upcoming 1400!
Quiltgranny said…
Nancy, a frien dog mine just post three generations of quilts and I think they look like yours, only the blocks are smaller. What is your pattern that you used...I love it!
Anonymous said…
Beautiful quit tops! You do such gorgeous work. I'm a blog-less, regular follower and am excited to be in your "1399 and Counting" drawing.
Linda said…
Wow! that border fabric is AMAZING!! Thanks for showing it to us.
love your grandmother quilt, excellent choice for border. good that you resisted a trip to the olde country store, i love that place...and the chicken pincushion? i've been lusting after them for eons, refuse to pay the price at OCS and haven't found a pattern yet...
howdidIgethere said…
Love both quilts -- especially taken with Bill (but you knew that, didn't you?). Don't put me in the drawing since I'm more than amply pattern-ed and chicken-ed.

I thought you should know that I started a stealth Granny square after your original post and link. (A.D.Q.D strikes again!)

And, of course, I send my congrats on 1400 posts! I am trying to post more often on my blog, but I'm only up to 70-some. You give me inspiration!
Gretchen said…
Catching up on blog reading and oh my these two quilts take my breath away! Love Granny Morris especially the border fabric. Happy 1400 posts!!!
Quiltdivajulie said…
Congrats on the milestone - no need to enter me in the drawing - just wanted to send good thoughts your way!
kdmade said…
Having just returned to the blogging world, I'm pretty impressed by your blogging prowess...1400, holy cow! That translates to a lot of quilts:)
Marge said…
Thank you Nancy, I would love to add the chicken to my pin cushions. The patterns also would be a welcome addition. Love your quilts, such a nice gift for that special couple.
Marge
Susan said…
What a great use of your day off! Count me in as another fan of the border on Grandma Morris. Congratulations on your Blog milestone!
Anonymous said…
Everything you do is beautiful. Maybe I am prejudice because I love you Would love to live closer to see the beautiful, vibrant colors of the quilts. Someday another visit East. Your CA cuz
P.S. please put my name in for the 1400 giveaway - the chicken sounds adorable and will go with my flower wrist cushion I made Saturday.
Deb said…
I just love both your quilts, but really the Grandmother Morris quilt. Now I need to make one of those too! Congrats on nearing 1400 posts.
Judi said…
Congratulations, Nancy, on 1400 posts! My goodness, all those posts AND all those quilts, you are one busy lady. Huge thanks for your blog, which like many others I have enjoyed reading for such a long time now.

I'd love to be entered into the draw, mostly for the quilt pattern of dresses - that's so cute!
Judi said…
Congratulations, Nancy, on 1400 posts! My goodness, all those posts AND all those quilts, you are one busy lady. Huge thanks for your blog, which like many others I have enjoyed reading for such a long time now.

I'd love to be entered into the draw, mostly for the quilt pattern of dresses - that's so cute!
Jindi's Cottage said…
Oh my goodness beautiful quilt tops...love the border fabric for Grandmother Morris, finishes it off so perfectly...lucky Brian and Erin, Stars in Their Eyes is gorgeous...
Allyson said…
I love your Stars in Their Eyes quilt. Very nice!
Allyson said…
I love your Stars in Their Eyes quilt. Very nice!