Monday, March 9, 2020

Spirit Song Quilt Progress and a Puppy Update

Look, you guys -- all of my Spirit Song Birds In the Air blocks are sewn together!  The top row of three 16" blocks are connected, and the remaining three rows have two blocks connected and one more block needing to be attached.  This phase is going MUCH more smoothly now that all of my seams are nestling nicely again, but alas -- my studio is not at all puppy-proofed, so I'm not getting in much machine sewing time these days!


Spirit Song Quilt Coming Along

I sewed and pressed exactly ONE seam this morning.  The rest of Sam's morning nap was taken up with laundry.  Hopefully I'll get back up to the Studio later today.  It's so exciting when a quilt top nears the finish line, isn't it?


Joining Blocks Into Rows
I've been piecing this quilt on my smaller Bernina 475QE while the bigger machine (the Bernina 750QE) has been set up for paper piecing.  I have a block all cut out, foundation papers printed, ready to go for Anders' Beware the Ishmaelites sampler, and had even pulled fabrics and printed foundation papers for a 16" star block for our guild's new Community Education Blocks on the Move program, but then so many guild members stepped up to create and donate blocks for the program that I now have more mini quilts for the display than fit on the display racks!  That takes the pressure off me to make one right this minute.  


Samwise at 4 Mos., AKA Mister Snuggle-Bucket
The adorable puppy you see pictured above weighs 49 pounds at 4 months old, and although he has learned to go UP the stairs from the first to the second floor of our home, he is afraid to come DOWN those stairs.  So every morning, my husband opens Sam's crate in our bedroom to get him out, and Sam sits in the back of the crate and won't come out until I get down on the floor next to the crate -- THEN he comes running out straight into my arms, tail wagging furiously, and plops down belly-up for cuddles and puppy kisses.  And then I have to CARRY THE 49 POUND PUPPY DOWN THE STAIRS so he can go outside and pee!  


I'll Be Strong 'Til the Finish if I Eats Me Spinach, Like Popeye the Sailor Man
I prefer my spinach served fresh in salads...  But I really do need to teach Sam to walk down those stairs on his own, before I fall and we BOTH get hurt!

Back to the quilting that is currently not getting done.  I still need fabric for borders:
Original Border Plan, 3/4 Inch Inner Border and 1.25 Inch Outer Border
I was originally planning something like that for the borders, kind of a mustardy outer border with a skinny teal blue inner border.  That would give me a 52" x 68" quilt top.  But then today I played around some more in EQ8:
One Inch Inner Border, Three Inch Outer Border
That's an Anna Maria Horner print for the outer border, I believe.  Increasing the borders to 1" for the inner and 3" for the outer border would bring the quilt top up to 56" x 72" before quilting.

My Favorite So Far.  Kaffe Fassett Border Fabrics
Of course, these are just fabric images in the computer, not actual yardage that I own.  I think I'm going to need to take the finished quilt top to a quilt shop and audition border fabrics in person to make a final decision.

My One Monthly Goal for March -- Quilt-wise -- is to get this top assembled with borders purchased and sewn on!  My One Monthly Goal for the puppy is to teach him to walk down the stairs before we both stumble and plummet to our deaths.  

I'm linking up todays post with:
·       One Monthly Goal at Elm Street Quilts  
·       Oh Scrap! at Quilting Is More Fun Than Housework
·       Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts  
·       Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt
·       BOMs Away Katie Mae Quilts  
·       Colour and Inspiration Tuesday at Clever Chameleon
·       To-Do Tuesday at Home Sewn By Us
·       Midweek Makers at Quilt Fabrication

·       Needle and Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation  


18 comments:

Chris said...

I like the middle one with the purple border and I would put the puppy crate by the back door.

Unknown said...

Beautiful, Rebecca. You are a fantastic quiltster. Carmen

Karen - Quilts...etc. said...

I like both borders! It is going to be great no matter what you choose! I love the colors in this and the pattern. Yes you are either going to have to teach that puppy that running down the stairs is ok, build up more muscles, or have "puppy" sleep downstairs

Preeti said...

This is so beautiful, Rebecca!!! It makes me happy and grateful. Imagine the feelings it will evoke in the recipient. My choice would be first or third. Yellow brightens, Pink is lovely but Purple makes it dull. You need fabric??? Well I recommend go shop and then finish it and quilt it...so that we can all enjoy it...again!!!
Samwise looks cuddlier than a quilt.

embroidery digitizer said...

I love your circle quilt It is amazing you made a beautiful design who I have seen your blog images I like it and I will share to with my all friends and thank you for sharing.

Carole @ From My Carolina Home said...

Beautiful quilt! I've always had to teach my dogs to go down the stairs too. After he does his mornng routine, take him back upstairs for a lesson. I would sit behind my dog, put his front legs on the step below then move his rump forward. He'd be forced to move the front legs to the step below that. Repeat until he gets it, usually doesn't take long. Good luck!!

Jayne said...

What a beautiful quilt! Increasing the border width makes all the difference. I'm not sure which I like better, the second or third one. Either one would work! Your puppy is so adorable! I can't even imagine carrying him down the stairs!

Sharon - IN said...

What a sweet puppy! Hope your training him goes well. Your quilt is looking great, and any of those borders will finish it off nicely. Good luck with your goals!

Angela said...

I like the Kaffe border as well! Such a cheerful quilt!

LA Paylor said...

to get pesky quilting out of the way, I like the striped border. Now on to Samwise, the real star of this show. How adorable is he??!! Carrying him down the stairs is scary and he's just getting bigger. I remember having to carry Milo up and down several times a night til we broke down and let him on the big bed when he was secure enough to sleep all night. I let him up so I could sleep lol. Our breeder fell while carrying a pup and they both got hurt. I never understood how any dog could go face first down stairs. Are yours carpeted? that's better than wood with no grip. Milo learned to go down the back porch 3 steps first, with the incentive that I went down without him. He needed to get down to bite at me with those wicked puppy teeth.

Home Sewn By Us said...

Hi Rebecca! SS is looking fabulous - I just LOVE all the colors in it. SAM!! He looks adorable in the back of the crate - I can just see you getting down to peer at him inside the crate. Of course he'd come bounding out for you - wouldn't you, too?!! So sweet. I look forward to seeing what you decide for the borders - I like the last option myself. And good luck to the down stairs - maybe a treat or two placed going down the stairs will do the trick? Thanks for linking up. ~smile~ Roseanne

Susan said...

That is one big puppy! Hope he gets over his fear of going down stairs soon so you can save your back. And congrats on a near finish - you're almost there! Thanks for linking up on Midweek Makers

Turid said...

Wow, this is a beautiful quilt.

Glenda said...

LLLOL thats some bug baby you have Rebecca LOL Look at his feet he's going to be huge when he finally stops growing.???? You will never have to worry about walking any where now with him beside you, you picked a giant of a man and now dog LOL and both love you to bits. To teach him about going down the stairs find some steps where there are only 1 or 3 steps and teach him on those first. then a set of 5 or 7. It's the hight he is frightened of I think. Your blocks are stunning and I like the piano style border also, that Fassett fabric is stunning. Happy sewing and dreaming. Glenda Australia.

Gretchen Weaver said...

Your quilt is beautiful! I like the Kaffe fabric best for the border.

Jocelyn is Canadian Needle Nana said...

Such a beautiful quilt with such gorgeous colours. You have a wonderful eye for putting colours together. And what a beautiful dog! But do be careful carrying him down the steps...so easy to trip.

chrisknits said...

Sam is soooo adorable!! And the quilt will be gorgeous with a similar border to the ones you auditioned.

MissPat said...

It's amazing how the different borders change the look of the quilt. Border 1 makes the yellow stand out but border 3 highlights more of all the colors. I do think you need to take it to a shop and preview some actual fabrics. Good luck with the puppy training.
Pat