When Hubby Is Away I Quilt All Day

My dear hubby is away on business which means it is as good a time as any to monopolize the kitchen table once again and work on Amanda's quilt.

Before Ray left, he did finish installing the floors in his den....the only thing left for him to do when he returns is to install the baseboard quarter round (and remove the blue painting tape that was left on the walls from when he painted the baseboards). 

I'm really happy with the new floors and I think Ray did a fantastic job!!!

Time to get back to machine quilting Amanda's quilt....

Look at my red boo-boo finger....you'll never guess what caused this blister!!!!  Would you believe this is the result of twisting the plastic screw to tighten and loosen the hoop each time I had to re-hoop the quilt in order to sew the pin wheel design 80 times!!!!

Ouch!  It really is sore!!!!!!

After finishing the 80 pin wheels, then I decided to stitch-in-the-ditch and outline each of the individual quilt blocks.

Amanda's quilt is completely machine quilted now!!! YIPPEEE!!! 

Here's the front....

It's difficult to see the quilted pin wheels in this photo....it's easier to see the quilting stitches when you look at the back side......

This photo is a little more close-up.....

It's not even close to being perfect....there's some fairly obvious "oops"....but over all I think it turned out great and I'm tickled pink with it.

Now all that is needed is to bind it and add a signed label to the back.  My back, shoulders and upper arms are so tired from all the work it took to machine quilt.  It may be a few days before I gather up enough energy to tackle the binding.  At least the hard part is over with now!!! :) :)

Even though it was just me and Kirsten home at dinner time tonight...I decided to make one of her favorite meals.....open face steak sandwiches....uuummmm, uuuuuummmm.

I fry up cube steaks, then make Texas Toast (with butter and 4 cheeses) in the oven.  Once bread is toasted, layer with fresh spinach, cube steak, special sauce (mayonnaise mixed with Sante Fe spicy chipotle spread), large slice of tomato, topped with a slice of provolone cheese.

Stick it back in the oven under the broiler just long enough to melt the cheese.  Oh so simple....yet oh so delicious!!!!!

Time for some much needed rest.....who knows what tomorrow will bring! :)