More Orphan Blocks!

This is the orphan block project I've been working on lately. I haven't come up with a brilliant name for it yet so if you have suggestions, please leave a comment. Definitely a utility quilt which I'll probably use as a table topper since its roughly 58 inches square. Did I say square? Not really, lol!

I quilted it myself somewhat successfully using my walking foot. I don't like moving the quilt around when quilting and the pattern I chose to quilt the outer blocks was my downfall. I ended up picking out 6 blocks worth of stitching and starting over with easier straight lines.

I pieced the top several years ago and then as now quilt math was a challenge. I ran out of the red border fabric so I added the purple but didn't cut it long enough. I added a few inches of gray fabric and decided to add my initials and the year in that space to make it look "planned".

Why did I choose purple binding? I keep a bag of binding scraps to use on scrappy quilts and I found some binding which should reach all the way around the quilt. Premade binding, yes! Well, it almost reached all the way around the quilt. I added some scrap purple plaid to finish the last 5 inches.

I decided this quilt would be a good opportunity to learn how to sew down binding by machine. I stitched the binding on the front, pressed the extra to the back, and glued it down with Elmer's School Glue. It took me less than an hour to glue and stitch in the ditch from the front. I think it went fairly well for the first time doing this technique.

Other things keeping me busy: I've been stripping these 3 old chairs to refinish. I bought two of them at a farm sale at least 20 years ago so I'd say its time to do something with them! If they look good when stained, they will join 3 chairs like the one on the left around our dining room farmhouse table.

What's still blooming in my yard?

Asters

Brown Eyed Susans

More Asters

Butterfly Milkweed

 A Bumblebee was taking a nap on one of the zinnias one cool morning! I let him nap in peace.

Until next time, Mayleen