Wednesday, December 10, 2008

From Child's Rooms to Sewing Room to Guest Room


I have spent more time and money collecting fabric for my quilting stash than I have actually quilting I think. And yet, I never have enough when I want to make a quilt and inevitably have to go shopping to match a fabric or get backing, or something. This built-in bookshelf was first meant to hold my daughter's books, stuffed animals, and trophies, but when she went to college, I took it over. Now I think it's time to take it down and use the stash. It collects dust which is the enemy in my family of allergy sufferers, and it takes up a lot of visual room in a very small room.

I bought four big plastic totes and loaded them into the attic, along with two garbage bags of fleece and batting. And then I found another bookcase full of quilt fabric in Hubby's office closet.

Yesterday, I bought three gallons of paint and moved a ton (really!) of tile from the house to the garage. It did help that the tile was in 36 pound boxes, but there were 28 of them and I had to lift each of them twice, once onto the dolly and once onto the floor. Then I painted the living room, three coats to keep the yellow from bleeding through. I swear this is the worst paint I have ever used, a Monarch premixed wall paint.

This afternoon I started on the guestroom while Brownie was there to help. We moved all the furniture except the bed into the empty living room, and put the bed in the middle of the floor. Also had to unload and remove that bookcase mounted to the wall. There was one screw in the bookcase that I couldn't loosen and had to ask a neighbor for help. After it was down I saw that the crown molding had been put up around it, so had to go get another piece of crown molding and paint it. Then I started painting that room.

And then, since I was doing the room, I thought I'd replace the electric outlets. Three of the four outlets in that room are too big or something. Everything that is plugged in just falls out. Really annoying.

Now all the fabric (my stash) that was in the wall-mounted bookcase is stacked on my bed and I have no idea where to put it. My current goal is to use up my stash and just buy fabric specifically for the quilt I want to make. Seems like I always have to go buy some fabric every time I make a quilt anyway, even if I start with some pieces out of my stash.

Here's the bedroom/sewing room minus the bookshelf and with missing crown molding replaced:


The little white bookshelf will go back on the floor as soon as the baseboard is dry enough. I sure don't want to paint that over again. As much as I disliked painting these walls, I really hated painting the trim, and I'm still not done. Hubby did agree to take off all the doors on the next nice day & shoot them all at once. It is SO nice to have a hubby who can do things.

Now that the bookshelf is off the wall and the room is painted, the room looks much more inviting, which is a good thing since it is going to be the guest room my in-laws are staying in over Christmas. I also got the carpet cleaned today. It's amazing the amount of dirt that gets ground into rooms so far from the outside doors.



Until next time, may you have blessings and quality paint,
Marti

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Quick Nine Patch

Began and Finished 2008

I made one of these as a present for a new mother, as it had the colors she wanted to blend her nursery colors with her little boy's room. Having more fabric, I made one for myself, only full size instead of the twin I made her. But now Hubby has claimed it for his recliner napping.

The back is plain muslin, which I've discovered is my favorite backing. I like the crisp feel of it when sleeping under a quilt. The quilting on this on is simple lines at the top of every row and around the border.

Marti