whoops!

my apologies all around; the fabric i posted yesterday should have been attributed to bethany fuller, pattern name marguerite.  i did get a couple of pieces of mary koval's baltimore album but this one wasn't one of them.  regardless, it is really beautiful and i'm going to use it sparingly to hang onto it as long as i can. 

just plain lust...

that's right, lust.  i saw this fabric today and nearly drooled all over it.  i bought 1 yard but only because i was practicing self-restraint--and because i'm not really a red person.  but isn't it luscious?  it's a mary koval print from her baltimore album line.  yes i do have have plans for some of it, but the rest will just be around for whenever i need to bring it out and fondle and dream about using.  someday i'll probably wish i had gotten the rest of the bolt but today my budget definitely said no.  **** and where, you might ask, did i find this gorgeous fabric?  at cyndi black's Busy Thimble shop, of course,  packed to the rafters with bolts and bolts of every sort of reproduction fabric.  shelves are piled high and bolts are lined up on the floor so there's barely any space to walk.  with 3 other people there, like today, it was way overcrowded.  to see everything, one would definitely need at least a day or more.  i actually went in to see (and probably get) some of the new reds from Moda's Friendship line and they were there but not yet unwrapped.  then i saw the mary koval and couldn't leave it behind.  i also picked up another print from that line, but no more because i'm really not a red person at all.  well i wasn't before today anyway. 

12 little blocks....

waiting for the setting fabric, which i do not  currently have....i know, seems impossible but very true.  they aren't wonky either, just photographed at different angles.  i haven't been doing much machine sewing, rather concentrating on quilting the amish pinwheel.  i'm also almost done marking the feathered star wallhanging to baste before going back to work saturday.   these little blocks were assembled on phoebe and we've had a grand time getting acquainted with each other.  **** next up to sew on the machine is my little cheddar/bow tie piece; i've finally arrived at how to finish this off.  then it's my amish in the city top and must get back to "just takes 2" as i am fearfully behind on this.  maybe i'll tackle those BEFORE amish in the city.  ***** even with just the few hours i work every week, it does make a noticeable dent in my sewing time but i'm enjoying it just the same.  **** hoping we've seen the last of snow, but too early to feel totally sure.  it's been quite seasonable here, meaning nippy winds and sunshine.  now back to my 3-day weekend!

runner flimsy

phoebe and i got this pinwheel runner flimsy done yesterday.  i really like this pattern. this is the 3rd one i have made; the first in christmas fabrics, the second lilac and now this one.  it's an atkinson pattern, which are always good!  **** next machine project is to finish those little 3" blocks for a small quilt.  the quilting on the pinwheel is ongoing and think i'll quilt the pineapple blossom next, either that or the feathered star--a gift for DD and DSIL.  **** as march winds down, we are getting typical march weather; cold winds, sunny, seasonable temps.  yesterday took a ride to wells to a favorite lunch spot right on the ocean.  it looked inviting from the inside but cold winds whipping across the inlet ouside.  there is talk of snow around but not here...yet anyway. 

a phoebe phirst

isn't it cute!  it's phoebe's phirst little patchwork square; a 3" done in civil war fabrics for a new little quilt.  i also worked some on my batik pinwheel runner and am simply thrilled with this little machine.  though it doesn't have the power or the stitch variety of the old viking, its stitch is second to none.  phoebe still smells a bit musty, as does the case, but i'm leaving it open and phoebe on the table to air them out.  the fabric softener sheet helped quite a bit, so i'll give it a second try.  **** the sun is up and i've things to do before returning to work tomorrow for a short day.  i find i get so much more done knowing that endless free time is no longer available.  **** quilting along on the amish pinwheel, hoping for an april finish.  after that i'm going to try and finish a stack of the smaller things, plus i've also taken up a couple of cross-stitch projects on linen--you know, vintage, antique-y looking things; good summer stitching projects. 

oldies but goodies

if you were quilting in the 1980s like i was, chances are you used one of these books.  though not very thick, they are jam-packed with hundreds of quilting designs.  time and time again over the years, i have pulled them out to find just the right quilting design for a given space on one of my quilts.  there are block, border and square ideas galore.  and so it was last night too.  i've finished the urn design on the amish pinwheel and started quilting the individual squares.  the gray background makes it own sort of pinwheel and it needed something.  and of course i found just the right thing for that background space, a sort-of feathery pinwheel that fits the theme perfectly!  **** yesterday i also brought out phoebe for a little bonding time.  i saw a color combo recently of civil war fabric that i wanted to try and i've started on another little quilt, phoebe's very first--since she's been mine of course.  her little sojourn in the case after being thoroughly lubricated and oiled did wonders for her, and she is running smoooooth!  **** our snow?  gone before lunchtime yesterday; more was predicted for today, but at 42 degrees it seems to be a weather miss. 

say it ain't so!

even though the date on my camera is sooo wrong, this was THIS morning, march 28th.  hard to believe one week ago it was 80+ degrees, we were at the beach, thinking we had completely dodged the winter bullet but nooooo!  not that snow is unheard of here in march, but we were hoping it was long gone.  we'll just have to wait a bit until later today, although the same is predicted for tomorrow morning, eeeeeekkk!  enough already!  maybe THIS is the end of it.  ****  today it's back to the batik pinwheel and quilting on the amish pinwheel also.  with 3 days left to finish my march little basket quilt, it isn't going to happen.  but, i have now arrived at a finish for my blue cheese bow tie/cheddar piece, so that'll become a finished flimsy at some point soon.  ***** it's my weekend so i'm off to get started, winter hat and itchy sunburn notwithstanding.

work accessory

this is what the well-dressed cube is going to be wearing tomorrow!  with all the scraps i have on hand, i could make one for everybody (not free of course) but especially me.  with the help of carol doak's book and PP alphabets, i got this done in lickity split time.  i'll hang it up tomorrow, which is friday for me, yippee!  i am far too design-challenged to do these freehand for sure.  **** peeking out from the name is my batik pinwheel piece...i love it, don't you?  i can't wait to get it all pieced...this week i hope....

not pretty....yet

it's over half quilted as of now, hoping to have it done in another week or so.  then i can start on the squares and switch back to the smaller square frame.  the hoop works great for this size design but can be unwieldy.  the transfer-eze is ideal for this but it makes the quilting a bit more difficult, not to mention little surprises that might be revealed once the web is washed off.  while i don't like to use sprays or chemicals on my fabric, it seemed the best solution for this large and intricate design.  ***  a few more little basket blocks are done as well.  i don't know how many more i'll need for a little quilt; that will need to be decided soon.  ****  also on this week's list?  mark and baste the feathered star and finish sewing the batik pinwheel puzzle, among other things.  maybe i'll get that basted too.  but tonight?  mad men and sleep after an 8-hour workday.

mini quilt arrived

this little, lovely, meaningful quilt arrived from Lynne in Oregon just the other day with a couple of gorgeous FQs, some special tea and butterscotch candies.  With Easter just a couple of weeks away, this will go on my door for a seasonal decoration and will be for years to come.  Thank you, Lynne! **** our beach weather has flown, which we knew it would; now back to temps that a bit warmer than usual but not outrageous.  it was nice to get my toes back in the sand, even though it was on the cool side.  *** i am off to work this morning but i have been quilting on the amish pinwheel's center medallion design, a large, feathery urn.  it's half done or more so by next week some time, i'll start on the actual squares.  this is my first experience with a wool batt and like everyone says, it's like quilting through butter.  i've also been at the old viking continuing with the batik runner.  ***** i've a few new civil war fabrics and itching to cut into them to make a small quilt but i am resisting....so far....mainly because i'm still making little baskets for the one in progress.  a few more days and i'll have another long weekend to play in the stash.