Friday, March 09, 2007


Laundry on the line...
dontcha just love that? When we drive through Amish country, it is so pretty to see all their laundry out on the line. Usually it's a Monday. Yesterday, I got the first laundry on the line for the year. I about froze my fingertips, but it was worth it! I watched the sunrise and the breeze seemed so full of spring. The flannel sheets froze stiff in no time, but once the sun came up... they melted right away. Whenever I see a gorgeous sunrise, I always think of Darcie, knowing she's up and seeing the same sun rising. My Mom is probably up most sunrises, too, but in WV... well, I remember my sister and I were determined to see the sunrise one summer. We got up at 4:30am because the guy on the weather news said that the sunrise was scheduled for 5:30am. We took our blankets out to the porch and waited and waited and waited. It was full daylight and 9:30 before the sun came up over the hill!! We felt seriously jipped. No gorgeous color or majestic grandeur... just broad daylight. Now here in Indiana, the sun heralds the day, and it was a stunner, yesterday.
Just thought I'd share a quick tip that I do on borders. I have the hardest time making my triangles in my borders come out even with the edge of the quilt. So I used to just whack off the triangles and that would do it. This quilt is a pineapple blossom and I used all those extra HST for a flying geese border. But... how do you get the triangles to end at the end of the quilt? Well, you could figure out what size inner border you need to make it all come out evenly... but that would involve math. I'm getting wiser, and I really don't want to use any valuable brain cells figuring out something like that. So now, I just make sure my triangles run short on the length- it doesn't matter if they run the same amount of short on the sides and top and bottom- chances are, they won't. Then I slap a rectangular piece of fabric, extra long, to the end. Sew the sides off,wack it off even, then sew the top and botton on. I use the 45* angle on my ruler and line it up with one side of the quilt and then whack off the extra, making sure to leave a 1/4" seam allowance. I cut a square of setting fabric that is large enough the cut on the diagonal twice- these go on the corners. I like to make them big and trim them after they're on and Voila! It makes a nice little setting around the corners- as if I planned it that way! Works like a charm every time. Clear as mud, huh? Hoping the pictures help.

9 comments:

quiltpixie said...

I do triangles on my border corners the same! The only way to go I figure, not because I don't enjoy the math, but because the sewing always seems to be out by 1/8 or even 1/4 inch by the time I work with all those bias edges....

Darcie said...

You smarty pants!!! Yes...it totally makes sense, now that I've seen the pic! *Cue applause here.* Thank you, thank you!

Your quilt looks gorgeous on the line. Mmm...I'll bet it smells wonderfully. Can you believe...this is probably the only farmstead within millions of miles that does NOT have a clothes line...yet. Every year I beg for one. I need a Bill. ;-)

Love the story about you and your sis being jipped by the weatherman. How funny now...not then, I'm sure.

Hugs to you and your family!!! Happy Saturday!

Chrissie said...

I have been following your posts for a long time and love all your quilts, but this, I think, is my favorite - I can stare at this all day! The quilting on this is fabulous - and I can almost smell that 'fresh off the line' fragrance. You are an inspiratiion to me! Thank you!

Angie said...

Thanks so much, Nines, for that clever tip!! I love pieced borders but avoid them cause they NEVER work out even for me...now I can do pieced triangle borders, too!!! Yippee!! And actually your 'structions' were excellent!! LOL

Sarah said...

Are you sick of blue and yellow yet? The quilt is beautiful! My dad just put up a laundry line for for my mom and grandma and through out his back in the process! They had to cancel their trip to Texas (via Alabama) and we were all sad.

Miss you! I will try to call you next week.

Kairle Oaks said...

Great tip! Thanks for sharing.

Your quilt is simply wonderful...even if those aren't your favorite colors!

Pamela (Peni) Teel said...

How clever you are!

Glad the girls had a good birthday,too. I can just see them snuggled up with chubby babies!

Love you so, Mama

teelduo said...

That is a beauty and I even understand the picture. WOW!

Quilts And Pieces said...

Oh I love your quilt on the line! I would love to have quilts hanging on a line like that every day! They are so much fun to see!