Basted and Ready to GO!

The quilt back got finished this morning and spray basted together with the top:

As you can see, the only space in the apartment big enough to lay the quilt out is our generously sized bathroom. (I LOVE our bathroom.)  It's perfect for a 60"x60" quilt so that will probably be my max (or quilt-as-you-go) while we live here.

 I pin basted it more than usual too, I know this will be a work in progress for a while.  I'm thinking these designs from Leah Day's magnificent 365 Free motion quilting designs will make an appearance:

So now I'm ready for my first quilt guild meeting ever (with DC Modern)!  I'm looking forward to meeting Katie and Anjeanette and many others!

In other news, since going into work on Wednesday I've been in studious hyper-drive trying to prepare.  I'm going through a Chemistry for Biology Students book and designing six versions of four different quizzes to go along with the book.

Hellooo school year!

I also managed to roast (or over-roast) my first chicken and give the Kitchen-Aid mixer its inaugural run making early-birthday cupcakes for Cynthia.  I used my grandmother's old secret recipe: one can of cherry pie filling, plus devils food mix, plus two eggs.  Makes a really light cake with a texture like Angel food, and it's oh so good!  I prefer to food process the cherries so they "hide" in the cake, but this time I just blended them in the mixer.  Still tasty, but the cake looks like a cherry chocolate cake.

Well, more chemistry awaits...

Aubrie

A Very Busy Week

It's been a busy week here in Greenville. Grades were due and midterms were given. It is the unfortunate wake up call for many students (most of whom have never had to study.) We're learning together though. I'm adjusting to a new generation of freshman...consequently I'm learning the importance of a quality middle school education...for their grades and my sanity. Just yesterday, in the midst of my tired delirium, I watched a student struggle with his midterm. He looked left, then up, then another upward sort of angle, then right, then just when I thought he'd look at his test again--he looked away...back to the left. At this point all I could do was laugh to keep from crying...I mean, how can they pass a test that they don't even glance at?!? So, I'm trying to hide my face as I laugh, then my students notice, and they think I'm crying--so now I'm losing it--laughing out loud. I had to tell them it was because so many of them weren't looking at their test. They thought it was funny too. It's the first class I've had that really has an appreciation for what an absolute mess (lovable, but a mess) that they are.

But...on to crafty things. For week ten of the free motion quilt along, I prepared my wholecloth quilt square. I got to borrow my future in-laws' sunroom for an amazing set of big windows I could use as a light table and came up with this:

Simple masking tape operation. I used a sewline pen to draw the lines...and I absolutely LOVE the rich fabric. Then, I pinned the backing fabric to my floor as usual with T-pins, put a square of the quilters dream recycled polyester batting in the sandwich, and pinned together. I've decided that I HATE small safety pins...and I think I put too many...

I starched with Magic Sizing...seemed to work okay. I want to try the Niagra brand starch in a spray bottle...I love the non-aerosol concept!

Well, I'm off to enjoy a night of outline quilting! Yay! My first evening without grading to do, AND I can sleep in because my kiddos don't leave for their field trip until the middle of 1st period!