bring on spring!

this just in from deana.....Google generator gives us challenge #2!

so you ask what is my challenge #2?  it's this....

2.  tree of life panel wall quilt top....this too was a gift and needs to get to the flimsy stage, perhaps even basted...i've got as far as next-to-last border to use some tiny hexies on hand from an abandoned project, so a win/win to achieve this goal

this IS going to be a challenge....lots to be done to get this to a flimsy...thankfully march is longer month than february....thankful for longer days of more daylight and sunshine (fingers crossed)...there's this gold border and then one more and some of the prep is already done but both require lots of hand sewing.  it will be great to move this along for a (hopeful) 2025 finish.  

thursday spent busting more of those kaffe hexies...check in this weekend for a wrap up of that challenge....

next week a bit busier with monday shopping shuttle and 2 appointments and maybe a food pantry run as well.  with better weather there'll be more walking outside....also hopeful...should quell the cabin fever a bit...but oh how i am desperate for my independence again...i feel like a 5-year-old, not able to go anywhere i choose or by myself...these are good beach days and, of course, i can't go at all.  but glass still half full as i know it could be much worse...i'll just keep calm and sew on!

i get ideas....

ventured into the quilt book stash tuesday morning for JUST ONE THING...grab it and go....but nooooo! the book i wanted was at the bottom of the pile and so fingers did the walking thru a few others and came away with more project ideas....and of course the kaffe books contributed their share.  my stash is heavily fat quarters and often pieces too small for projects that interest me,  but pulled this one out especially...

and these.....

until i get to those "new ideas" here's the autumn tree runner ready to baste and finish...binding will be the gold...two pieces used up from the stash too!  

still lots of the autumnal hexies left but idea #3 is percolating for another time as the march challenge is on the horizon.  

and coming attraction...i've signed on to a blog hop under www.beaquilter.com....i'm slated for march 5th so hope you will come on by and see my selection....and see which book i dove into the stash to find....

the hawaiian blocks i mentioned previously?  two of the patterns proved to be far too intricate for the size of the block but i did keep two of them....

next to find a background fabric and baste....the print is from hawaii

i pulled these out to show...the two scrap pattern books my mother gifted me so many years ago....there was another on applique, but at the time i had zero interest in applique other than to drool from afar...i believe these were the only 3 books she ever published...i am so very thankful for this long-ago gift that has been used several times over....

it's another late start this morning due to broken nighttime sleep--no matter as i've nowhere to go except outside as it's into the 60s today and sunny....about time!  it was finally a one-quilt night.  have a blessed day!

miss sunny's day

after a day off for hand quilting, it was back to the machine...got a later start than usual but the entire monday afternoon and part of the evening devoted to chookshed challenge.  here is the beginning...

this is the first of 3 blocks for this runner....each has 4 autumnal trees and that pinwheel center...all pieces ready to finish at least the top today....then it's back to the rising sun blocks and make the binding for the circles.  thanks to gladi for the idea as she used it on some large circles for a quilt--rather than applique down, she secured them with a narrow bias all around.  she is definitely one of my online mentors.  she's a yankee gal too...upta na-hampshire!

so what else?  repro quilt lover over on instagram is hosting another sew along, this time for tiny economy blocks.  i did the 3" finished 9-patches but i'm going with 4" blocks this time.  the goal is to make 60 of them using reds and greens but might not, we'll see.  i have shoeboxes of reds and greens and this will use up some of them.  

i am going to swap colors so i can put them all together.  this will probably be donated depending on how big it finally comes to be. 

lots of chatter online about the demise of joann's and the cost of fabric in a recent catalog.  almost never got any decent garment fabric at joann's...in recent years i've bought batts and backings using the coupons but no need for them now so the closings won't really affect me.  as for fabric prices, i've only bought an occasional piece here and there.  i've been the lucky recipient of much gifted fabric that i do use and for which i'm thankful as it keeps my quilty muse fueled.

spring weather has finally arrived and yesterday actually sat outside a bit...i'll take more that mother nature gives us before the blistering hot stuff descends.  it certainly does re-energize...off to catch me some rays!