Pink and Orange

Our color scheme for the Holidays seemed to have been pink and orange rather than red and green as I worked on the baby blanket taking up residence across our dining room table. Not surprising to me, or The Man, I wasn't able to finish Becky's blanket before she left work on maternity leave just before Christmas (though I did have the foresight to ask for her mailing address).

Silly me, I thought it would be a quickie project.

This was my plan: A cute fabric panel for the top piece and soft cozy flannel for the backing. The top panel was printed with a black border that I could fold over and use as a self-binding edge. Easy-peasy.

But wouldn't it look so much nicer to hand-stitch a blind stitch binding and then do a machine top-stitch? A week went by. Yes, that looks nice. Now how about hand-quilting around each big block? I retrieved my small sharp quilting needles, pink thread, and a thimble from my sewing box. Another week or two flew by.
 

Okay, but now the four small blocks looked unfinished so they also required tiny quilting stitches around them. Another week.

Almost there, after a quick wash Becky's blanket will be ready to take up residence in it's new home. I'm holding off the temptation to just add a few more stitches to the cute animals. Don't you think that elephant tail needs an outline stitch with black embroidery thread?
 

And speaking of orange . . . .

Christmas Day was spent making Orange Marmalade with the home-grown citrus Jerry has been sharing with us. The yummy citrus preserves were processed using the Boiling Water Bath Canning method.

Welcome 2017.