~ Pick a Binding, any Binding ~

I am just about finished with the machine quilting on my Bucket List quilt.

I stitched waves on the sea fabric.

And swirls on the sand fabric.

I put swirls on the buckets that hold sand, and waves on the buckets that hold water.
I don't know why I insist on being so literal, but let's face it, I'm too old at this point to change.

I have a plan in my head to quilt on the pinwheel/solid border, but I couldn't decide which of the thread colors to use.  Then it occured to me to use the same color of whatever fabric I picked for the binding.
Except ... I can't seem to make that decision, either.

So I am asking you.  You tell me which of the above three fabrics (green, orange, pink) I should use for the binding and hence ... the color of the thread to machine quilt the border. 
I ruled out the yellow, the sea fabric and the sand fabric because I don't have enough of either of those.
I also have enough of the pink stripe ... so you can add that to the mix.
So hurry and vote already since I have dragged my feet far too long on this quilt as it is.  I pretty much blame that on summer.

Pink or Green or Orange?

~ Thread Tutorial ~

After some time off, I am finally adding the borders to my Coral Singing quilt.

I doing a variation of the pattern I designed, seen here.  I just love these borders.
  

Having already applied the in-between-block borders, I cut my squares for the outer border.

Which bring us to the issue of ... thread.

For years and years I used whatever thread was handy ... and cheap.  Mostly I used threads from the sewing basket I inherited from my mother in the early 80's.  I'm pretty certain that some of the thread in there came from the 50's. 

Retro thread is not nearly as cool as you think.

In 2003 I went to work at The Bernina Connection in Phoenix, AZ.  The very first lesson I learned was that Thread Matters.  I was introduced to Aurifil thread, (seen here on the orange spools) and nearly 10 years later, I am still (possibly) their #1 fan. You see, although Aurifil is 50 wt, like other threads you would quilt with, it is only 2-ply rather than three.  This means that you can't see it in the seams like you do other threads.

I have a kajillion different colors, both solid and varigated because I use it not only for piecing, but for quilting and hand applique.  If I use a heavier thread on the top to quilt with, I still put Aurifil in the bobbin. 
However ... when I am piecing a quilt ... I almost exclusively use this varigated gray which has magical hiding powers.

I use so much of it, I buy it in bulk.  (The $10/spool is a smoking deal because one spool lasts forever ... again the 2-ply characteristic lends itself to more thread on that spool and more thread on your bobbin.)

Make note of this number: 4060.  You are going to want to get yourself some of that.

I pieced. In chains.
I smiled.

I will always be grateful for the opportunity I had to be exposed to every new and wonderful thing in the world of quilting while I worked at BC for seven years before I moved. I have mentioned before that I'm a thrifty girl ... but sometimes thrifty isn't always best.

What's your favorite thread?
What made you smile today?

Linking to:
We did it Wednesday
Wow Us Wednesdays
Allie Makes It!

~ St. Patty ~

This weekend we are celebrating all things Green.  And rainbows and leprechauns. And Lucky Charms cereal.  I have lots to celebrate on St. Patrick's Day every year, but I wanted to start out by celebrating a rainbow of colors ...

... in thread. 

I had purchased some bins to help to organize what can only be described as a chaotic web of color and string in my studio. 

I separated the shiny threads from the not-shiny's.
My camera was drawn toward the shiny's.

 

 

 

All right!  Here is a before picture of the chaos.  Let's just say that a year ago when I moved in there was some purpose here, but I can't exactly remember what it was. 

Here is the finished product with all the little soldiers in a row and ready for action.

Thirty (some-odd) years ago, I celebrated St. Patty's by giving birth to daughter #2. Let's just say I wasn't looking my best and I didn't think I cared. 

That is until the nurse shift changed and in walks my new friend ... a darling red-head sporting this button on her nurses uniform.

I gave my husband a look that said  ... uh, don't ... and he went back to coaching my breathing.

When our little "Irish" girl was born, we took turns kissing her.
Happy Birthday to Mrs. Gee!

I am honoring the day in rainbow colors!

Linking to:
Wow Us Wednesdays
Open House Thursdays