Quilt, Hutch, Dogs

Barron's Debut

Before you wonder aloud, the Doxie girls are still with us, and doing as well as14 years old dachshunds can do.  Their days are full keeping one step ahead of this incredibly sweet, but rambunctious Japanese Chin named Barron. He turns a year old in a few weeks. He came to live with us last May, and we haven't had a dull day since.

Often here visiting is his partner in crime and brother, Lundy. This is an intelligent breed, and it's amazing to watch them scan the room looking for something to get in to. It's hard to know which one to blame for what, and brings back memories of when we had a house full of small children.

Some things never change. Still now when I sew all the dogs are drawn to be in the room with me. And like the Doxies, Barron thinks every quilt top is his to sit upon.

Last weekend was bitter cold with high winds. The snow blew sideways, and I thought I'd never be warm again. The hutch made it home in almost one piece with lots of other heavy items we'd saved until the end. We've been sifting through my parents' home for the last many months getting it ready to sell, and finished the last load just this week. What an operation! It makes me want to sort my own things so my kids don't have to, but I'm a quilter, you know, and that kind of goes against our nature.

The back gave way a bit, and there is a gap at the back where the upper and lower piece meet. Shockingly the top has never been anchored to the bottom, and that's a major safety hazard. We'll fix the cosmetics then secure it with wood or steel plates before I fill it.

My best guess is this belonged to my great grandparents, Abner and Minerva, and I imagine it was kitchen or pantry furniture. A canning jar fits perfectly on the shelf, which is how I will be using it.

You might think it would be perfect for storing fabric or displaying quilts, but wood is not the best choice. It will discolor fabric over time, and sometimes in just a short time. I had a pair of ivory cotton curtains hanging in front of French wooden doors with glass panes. The curtains discolored in the areas that hung close to the wooden grid. They weren't even touching! If you do want to use a wooden piece of furniture, it can be sealed or painted in multiple layers to ensure the tannins in the wood don't cause staining. Look it up to make sure you do it right, but for me, it's a hard pass after my experience.

It's been made from rough wood, and in my husband's words, "Your people weren't carpenters." Do note the crown molding on top. I think I resent his comment.

I finished the top, yet it still lacks borders. I may take it to the studio to use my large ironing board made from a sheet of green insulation board before adding them. I want them nice and flat because this quilt's a keeper. It may be a quilt from a kit, but I'm pretty tickled with it. I can check this one off the bucket list. 

What's on YOUR bucket list? As we both gain experience and skills, and also get older, our bucket lists change. I have another bucket list project I'm working on already. I'll show you soon, but please share yours in the comments below.

Come on, Doxie girls.

Let's go sew.