Ringing Out the Old

Here we are again, the last day of the year. The time when we look back on the last 365 days and remember what came before this moment in time. The time where we resolve to make the next 365 days better in some way than the last. I love turning a new calendar page and starting fresh. To me, it is hope for improvement, 12 times each year. And yes, they go by faster as you age. I have made several "resolutions" for myself. Some will succeed and some may fail, but the point is to try. I am not going to go in to them here. What I am going to do is to show you my last finish for the year 2014.

 Remember this? Made over a year ago, this light weight "blank-o-let" as we call it, is voile with only a flannel backing and no batting. It makes a lovely light covering in spring, summer and fall. It also is nice if you experience hot flashes in the night. This one has been so loved and  used A LOT! I wanted to make another one, just a wee bit bigger. I also wanted to bind it, as this one is only zigzag stitched turned in edges.

 Here is the beautiful binding, made from the Anna Maria Horner Little Folks voile I have been saving for this project, along with a wee bit of the Connecting Threads Masuri left over from the first one.

 So soft and slick and smooth. Sews like a dream, but I used my walking foot so as not to cause it to bunch up. Lots of pins too.

 Here it is laid out on our queen size bed.  When I did this, I thought "Wow, it is bigger!"

 The machine binding looks great, I think and a much better option for the edge than the last one (lazy me).

 Then I laid the old one over it to compare size. I was a bit surprised that it wasn't that much smaller.

 And the back? LOVE LOVE LOVE! Anna Maria Horner for the win! Echenacia flannel. I tried to capture the color. It is hard. This stuff fairly vibrates with its vividness.

 So soft, so pretty. I will be enjoying this a lot when I have my recovery time after my surgery in late January. I figure if I have to lie around and just look at the scenery, I want pretty scenery.

And now, one more thing...This is post number 399. Yes, that means that the next post, the first of 2015, will be number 400. A great way to start a new year. I have a very special giveaway planned, so stay tuned. Have a very happy new year and I will see you all soon.

My Best Blank-o-let

When my oldest grandson was a toddler, he had two almost identical baby blankets in blue, with the silky blanket binding.  They were so close to identical, but one was just a bit thinner. We made sure there were two, to avoid unpleasantness on wash day or if one got left behind somewhere. But V knew the difference between the two from a very early age.

 And when he could speak relatively well, he pronounced that the slightly thicker of the two was his "best blank-o-let".  Whenever he was going anywhere, it was "Where is my best blank-o-let?'

 He is almost 7 now and he still calls it his "best blank-o-let".  When I finally finished this light weight summer throw that I started last year, and I cuddled up under it the first night, I though "my best blank-o-let"!

 It's about 52x58 inches. It is made from Maturi Lawn that I bought from Connecting Threads last year.  Crazy Mom did a quilt with it, although she used it mixed with quilting cottons I believe.  I did what I often do, no real plan, just start cutting. I wanted to keep the pieces big so they would go together easily.

 It is a slippery fabric to work with, but oh, so soft! I didn't use batting, I went to my LQS and bought a couple of yards of quilter's flannel in white.  I pin basted it, then I turned the edges to the inside by 1/4 inch and hand basted them in place.

 I did some stitch in the ditch in big blocks and then did a zigzag around the edges to finish it off.  The back is kind of wrinkly. I have been sleeping with it since I finished it.  I haven't washed it yet either.

 It is the perfect weight for summer, when the ceiling fan makes me a little chilly in the middle of the night, but a quilt is too much.  You know what I mean, right?

 And it is so soft. I can't get over how great it feels.  I don't know if I will ever make another one, but I do have some Little Folks Voile in my stash...hmmmm.  I might have to think about that.

 But for now, I am just going to enjoy my best blank-o-let.
Talk to you soon.