A Finish!

The Christmas tree skirt is done with 2 days to spare!
I think it looks really cool on my leverite.
(leverite = slang for a big rock, as in leave-her-right there)

I used a light green thread (Superior So Fine #450) for the machine quilting and bound it in a black Christmas print.


Oooooh. Feathers!
(They are not perfect, so it's a good thing they blend in.)

The back was pieced with leftovers from the front. I was going to piece strips all the way across, but I got bored and threw in some big pieces on the sides. I was planning to cut the slit down that center green stripe, but I forgot and it ended up 45° away.

This is the original made by my mother in the early 90's that I was asked to reproduce. I'm pleased that the pattern is the same with the colors in the same position, but mine has a more modern feel, as it should.

Today is Veterans' Day, which means went to a parade this morning. We crossed a pedestrian bridge over the river to get from the parade route on Main Street to the park where the ceremonies are held. You can see we have just a little bit of Fall color hanging on.

Boy, does it feel good to finish something!

Unsewing and College Tours

OK, girls. When you're right, you're right! Janice, Jackie and Karen all counseled that I should replace that iffy green on the tree skirt setting triangles. I used it, figuring I didn't have time to shop for something better and it would be OK under a Christmas tree. It was not OK.

Last night, when I pulled out the leftover fabric from piecing the top to piece the back, I realized I had some big pieces of dark green! It only took 20 minutes of "unsewing" the yucky green and 30 minutes to sew on the better green.

I should stop calling it yucky. It is a lovely piece of fabric, but it just didn't play nicely with the other greens in the piece. I'm much happier now. Time to quilt!


By the way, does anyone recognize this pattern? My mother made one of these tree skirts in the early 90's, but we can't find the pattern. I'd like to identify the source and give credit to the designer. I'm working off of photos and measurements of the original.

***

I did not get to sew over the weekend because I was with my awesome Girl Scout troop! Most of them are juniors in high school and they decided they wanted to go on some college tours together. So on Saturday, we went to a Junior Preview Day at Bryant University. It was incredibly informative and we felt welcome and comfortable there. Unfortunately, they don't offer the programs my girls are interested in.

We spent the night at a nearby Girl Scout camp. We arrived early enough to go on a hike. We're getting lazy in our old age. We ordered Chinese food for dinner!

On Sunday morning, we left here...

to go here!
Talk about culture shock!

Salve Regina University is in Newport, RI and occupies a gilded-age mansion and cottages in addition to more modern buildings. The "welcome" from the admissions department took place in the dining room of the mansion (above).


While we enjoyed the tourist aspect of exploring campus, it was not the school for most of my girls. One senior interested in the nursing program will return with her parents to get a better look. Overall, it was a great weekend!

Deadlines

If you visit regularly, you know I can't get anything done without a deadline. There is one looming for this tree skirt, but I'm stuck again. I am really pleased to have the triangles done and I think they look pretty cool. But I'm not happy with the setting triangles.

I have some time to sew this afternoon, so do I just push ahead with this fabric?
Or should I wait until Monday when I have time to shop for something better?

What would you do?