September

Carol here ~

I've have felt pretty lousy most of September ~ a couple pukey episodes and several migraines so lots of reclining or horizontal days.  This is the view from my recliner, the leaves change daily.

I have had some good days though...

I went to visit my friend Martha.

We managed to get a couple of kayak rides in.

I did the closet swap ~ summer clothes out, winter clothes in.  Got rid of a bunch so now my closet looks too empty, need to go shopping!

Lena and I quilted quilt 2026-13 with a new digitized pattern called WINDY SWIRLS.

2026-13

Dan and I have washed several quilts from the "to be washed" pile.  The quilts with the little pieces of red fabric on the tag are quilted, bound and ready to be washed.

We are often asked why we wash the quilts before gifting or selling them.  

1.  The fabric has been around for quite some time, it's dusty etc.

2.  The fabric and the quilt has been dragged around on the floor.

3.  There is always at least one fabric that bleeds.  Every time.  

Here is the quilt we washed yesterday.  This is first wash in hot water in the bathtub with Dawn dish detergent and color catchers.

We've learned the dye is going to bleed the most in the first half hour.  We swish the quilt as much as we can to get the dye out, drain the water and start over with new water.  Once it starts to bleed you don't want to leave the quilt in the discolored water as the other fabrics will absorb the bleed.

This is the second wash.

You can see the red color catcher on the edge of the tub from the first wash and the white one from the second wash.  Amazingly this only took two washes, the dye came out in the first wash.  We then put the quilt in the washing machine on cold for two cycles to make sure we get all the soap out.  

This method works for us.

Will we have sunshine today?  Sure hope so.