A Birthday Gift

Even though the sewing is slow going here, when it came to my best friend's birthday, I just felt that this year, I wanted to make something for her. She lives half way across the country and I haven't actually seen her in 15 years. Travel is expensive and so we keep in touch on line and on the phone. And it's just like we were together yesterday, each time we talk. She has been such a great support for me these last few months and I really wanted to make something small, that showed how much I appreciated her friendship.

 So, since her birthday's in April and I had these lovely bright spring colors in my stash, I decided a single Swoon block that she could either hang up or use as a table topper, would be wonderful.

 The solids are Kona, but I am not sure what the print is. I won it last year some time in a fat quarter bundle. But I just love it. The quilting is one, big mum, starting in the center.

 The corners I decided to quilt a leaf in each one. I love the way it turned out. I think it finishes the corners so nicely.

The back is a small chunk of Sweetwater's wishes line I also had in my stash. Just the perfect size.

So, Happy Birthday to my friend. I hope you love it and have many more birthdays ahead.

5-6 Years in the Making

In an effort to spur myself on to finish some long languishing WIPs, and because I knew that fatigue would also hold me back this year, I joined up with Adrianne at On the Windy Side for her quarterly Finish Along this year. In trotting out the WIPs, I found this one and I am delighted to be able to share it as finished.

 There is a story here. You knew there would be, right? The fabric is the very first pre-cut I ever bought. A Jelly Roll of Fig Tree Quilts Gypsy Rose. The soft, beautiful colors called to me at that time. I pulled the jelly roll apart and played with the strips. I grouped them in color family order. I counted them to see how many there were. There were 7 groups of 5 strips, with 5 leftover that were grouped by default. I sewed the groups together and measured, divided and cut them into squares and set them on point, a first for me too. I played with them on my design wall and finally settled on this arrangement and sewed them together. I bought a border fabric, since back then every quilt still had a border in my world. And the top was done.

 And I was stumped as to what to do next. It hung on my design wall for a while. And then, I gave up and took it down. I folded it and put it away and moved on to other quilts...for almost 6 years.

I began looking at some of my older, unquilted tops about a year or so ago. I began with the smaller ones, so still, this one waited. I finally pressed the wrinkles out and hung it on a hanger to keep it better. I was waiting for inspiration on how to finish it. I finally got it. I have started making notes when the inspiration hits, because I will surely forget later on. I started quilting it in the first quarter, after finally piecing a back. It's hard to tell here, but each square is quilted with a large Mum type flower.

 The half squares along the edges are a back and forth loop in each strip of the square and the border is a wavy sort of zigzag that I have done before.

 One of the hard things was choosing the binding. These colors are so soft, and have a tone to them that is very much a Fig Tree Quilts specialty, in my opinion. I had to work from stash, so I went through everything, looking for a more subdued option.

 And I found one, confirmed by my daughter when I sent her a photo of the two options I thought might work. This beautiful pale green Dear Stella Confetti Dots. I had exactly a half yard and only one little 1.5 inch strip is now left. I love it so much more than I even thought I would.

And the back? Here it is. A big chunk of an Amy Butler print in pale blue, and bright borders of Birds and Berries by Lauren and Jessie Jung pulled from a layer cake that has been hanging around for about 3 years. I have used bits of it before. Now that I see it again, I wish I had more of it.

 Just look at all that crinkly goodness just out of the dryer. My favorite part of every quilt I make.

And so now, a mere 6 years after I bought it, I love this finally finished quilt so much more than I would have thought. Is it time that does that? This beauty is going to live at my middle daughter's house. Being the only female in the house means she needs some feminine touches and this one fits the bill perfectly. A happy ending.

Quarter 2 Finish Along Goals

Can't believe it's time for the Q2 FAL goals. I did pretty good for Q1. I posted 7 goals and was able to finish 3. I feel good about that. A couple of the others moved forward a wee bit too. So here are my Q2 goals:

This poor little guy never even made it out of the cabinet. Gotta rectify that so I can figure out how to quilt it.

This one is all put together up to the first border. got to piece one more border and the top will be done.

 These are all put together. The bottom two will go on the back, which needs to be made still. Then I need to figure out how to quilt it.

This one, made about 5 years ago I have started quilting on. I hope to be able to finish it soon.

This guy is on the machine and I just started quilting it today. I have a kind of a plan so just dove right in.

And, for my biggest challenge, another Fair Isle quilt. This one in greys red and Kona snow. No green this time, or pink. I have until Christmas, but I know me so I am getting started now. Cutting the tons of pieces has commenced.
Well, that  should keep me busy this quarter. Linking up with Adrianne On the Windy Side.

Sunday Stash #36-Catch Up Day

I know I haven't posted a Sunday Stash since January. I may not be sewing very much right now, but I still get new fabric occasionally. I haven't really wanted to photograph and post. I just am not feeling it. Well this week, I am going to fix that. It was 80 degrees here the other day, so I took some of my new stash outside and took photos and here we are. This represents a couple of months of purchases.

 This is my March color bundle from Southern Fabrics. I joined up for the year to get some of the great color bundles. So far we have had red, green and yellow. I believe you can join at any time, and stop at any time throughout the year.

 And, since yellow is my favorite color, this is my favorite month. Look at all that sunshine!! I feel a rainbow quilt in the future.

 This pretty piece is from my LQS. It is Cori Dantini's new line and thos flowers are so cute. I have a couple of panels from one of her past lines that I haven't made up yet, and thought this might help me to come up with a plan.

 I got these on a great sale from Quilt In A Day. All were less than $5 a yard. I like to buy a yard or two to put in my backings stash when I get a great sale.

One of my all time favorites from Sara Jane's Children at Play.

 I bought these lovelies from Monaluna. I thought they were so cute and perfect for a baby quilt maybe. I just had to have some mermaids!

I have been wanting some of this forever. This is Rae Hoekstra's line. I don't know why I waited, but I didn't want to miss out. So I grabbed these from Hawthorne Threads, on sale.

When they got here, I discovered how good these two lines look together. The wheels are turning, my friends. Have a great Easter Sunday. Linking up with Molli Sparkles.