March 2, 2013

Good morning! Today is Saturday and Steve arrives home in a short while. He doesn't get to stay long but a few hours with him will be wonderful.

I have done much since last Tuesday. I am now working on the last layer of my Sasha skirt. In fact, I only have one more pattern repeat to complete and then I will finish that layer. After that I insert the elastic and can begin wearing it. I will wash and dry it first, however, to relax and soften the flax/linen fibers.

It is difficult to see the actual color of that top and last ruffle layer. It is a light green. This pattern was much simpler and more fun to knit. I liked it better. The dark cranberry at the very top is the waistband. The skirt is crumpled and lying on the top of my knitting bag.

On Thursday, I attended my first meeting with the Quilting Guild here in Bullhead City. There is a business meeting and two class offerings each month. I think it costs $20 to join from June 1 - May 31 each year. That's cool. While at this meeting, which was a class for making microwave pot holders for bowls, I made two. Really cute, I think.

Everything had to be 100% cotton because of the use inside a microwave. I bought two packages of precut fabric and a bag of the batting. Then I found some 100% cotton thread. Each piece is a 10-inch square. There is a piece of batting that goes with each fabric square. Each side is stitched and formed with darts and then stitched to each other. Once turned, the topstitching completes the design and helps with the shaping. As you can see, the holders are reversible. They are also washable.

I also discovered that Carol Neff, who is a member of the guild, lives in my park and is a year-rounder like me. That means, if she's willing, that I will have a quilting partner year round. Hooray!

I also called two quilters who own the long-arm quilting machines to see if I could have one of them schedule me for the completion of the quilt I made for Bruce. Paul's machine won't handle the size of the quilt but Hilda's will. She has agreed to quilt mine for $174 which includes attaching the binding for me, too. I plan to purchase the 3/4-yd of fabric to finish the backing today and then take everything to her ASAP. She says she won't be able to get to it for about 2-months. That's fine with me.

So once Steve arrives, I am off to purchase the remaining backing fabric and will soon have a completed quilt for my son.