I finally got my Muscat mystery quilt on the frame and began to stabilize it. It’s been a long time coming.

I had hoped to quilt this one in 2010, but we were to move before I got a chance. So I took my frame apart, packed up the Bailey, and folded up the quilt. And the packers didn’t come and didn’t come……. until the end of the month. I would have been finished, if I had known. And then, we sat and waited until January to move! My Bailey and frame weren’t even unpacked until April, and by that time, other projects were more pressing.

Now, we are moving again. I’ve been busy sorting scraps and blocks and UFOs and PIGs (projects in grocery bags)and piles of fabrics I’ve tied together for just the right project. I’ve finished cutting out quilts so I can just take the pieces to sew. When we get packed up, I won’t see my stuff for at least 4 months, and I need projects with me to stay busy and keep me sane (well, OK, the sanity is questionable, but hey, I do my best).

It looks like the packers will be here in January – hopefully around the middle of the month. After months of waiting and wondering, I’m feeling settled with knowing what should happen. I have time to finish at least this quilt top, if not more.

Yesterday, I finished loading the quilt on the frame, and began the job of stitching in-the-ditch to stabilize the quilt and keep it square and the sashings straight. Using Bottom Line thread on both top and bottom so it hides in the seams, I’m almost done the inner sashings. Then, I hope the quilt will give me a few hints as to how it wants to be quilted. I found some wonderful variegated thread for it.

Walking and shopping today, but —- tomorrow we QUILT!