taking shape

machine time friday included assembling more of these little mod kansas dugout blocks.  still more to go but this project is starting to come together and i am liking it more and more.  no, i am not a mod quilter as my quilty portfolio will attest, but i saw these fabrics and the colors just popped out and begged to be put together for a project.  friday also included a HUGE amount of time spent quilting the autumn change, as well as working on my maine quilts wallhanging.  not much sewing today as it's a work day....gotta support my habits, right?

yes, it's friday, but....

for those of us who are Christians, we know that friday wasn't the end, that Sunday came and life began anew.  nature's personification of that truth is evident in the spring awakening, now finally a reality here in coastal maine.  way overdue, too, if you ask me.  the summer seasonal places are starting to open on a regular basis and patio furniture is appearing in stores.  spring brings summer and summer brings maine quilts, so today i've been working on my project to display.  auditioning fabric is soooo taxing....not!  and some time today, the fedex truck will be making a brief stop bringing......fabric?  of course!

long ago easter

over at nann's blog, she posted an old Easter photo so here is one of mine!  this had to be 1956 or so.  this was before brother #2 and sister #1 joined our family.  if i close my eyes, i can clearly see my grandmother's house filled with relatives and doting aunts all gathered around a holiday table.  see, we still had snow THAT Easter too and even with our warm temps this year, no doubt there will be a few stubborn piles left.  no doubt my daughter will get a chuckle out of that hat!

a quilting gold mine

pulled out my HUGE stash of QNM and find that these old magazines are worth their weight in gold.  for example, found this article on a younger jo morton with patterns of some cute little quilts.....how fantastic is that?   my stack dates back to 1990 and i've been leafing thru them the past few days basking in the story of quilting over the past 20+ years.  plenty of technique lessons, articles by quilt teachers who are at the top of their game today and those photos to match......people like gwen marston, carol doak, jinny beyer plus those no longer alive like virginia avery, bonnie leman, pat campbell, doreen speckman and others.  back then i wasn't "into" civil war reproductions and was surprised to find many quilts and patterns that i can use for my newly acquired collection of fabrics.  some quilters don't like the magazine today, but even though it has morphed into a more modern resource, the inspiration it provides is priceless to me.  i "flung" 2 years of issues and need to fling more, but it'll be difficult finding ones i can easily let go.  yeah, it's THAT good....

a giveaway win

patti had a giveaway and lucky me was the recipient of these delish applique patterns!  thank you, patti!  you should hop on over to her blog and see some of her superb work on folk art quilts and others; her applique work is beautiful.  **** and on this sunny, warmish, early spring day i have a few errands and some sewing goals to meet.  still working on my project for maine quilts this year and last night got more quilting done on autumn change.  **** yesterday popped on over to cyndi's blog to see the luscious new fabrics in her shop...that i'll get to see in person next week when i pick up my "blue variety" stash.  aren't they gorgeous!  ***  seems like spring is really just about here; we still have a bit of snow but it should be gone by week's end with our daytime temps near 50; so good to see grass and blacktop again!

challenge from bonnie

if you saw bonnie's facebook post today, then no doubt  you are drooling over this beauty right now!  i know i am for certain.  hmmm, i DO have a significant civil war stash and i do need to use it up....don't i?  i can get the pieces all cut except the cream and pick that up in october.  want to join me and cheer each other on?  one thing, though, i'll need more space before i pull out ALL my repros to cut up for this; better go start clearing the decks.  **** sidelined a bit this weekend with a flare of my previous eye problem, but all is well now and professional advice has been sought and initiated.  **** no real machine work to report but plenty of quilting was accomplished on the autumn change.  diligently pushing for a finish on this ASAP.  now, back to quilting!

thursday sewing

off and on today been sewing on that maine quilts project.  started out with 1/4 yard of the white print and 1/2 yard of the dark blue and this is what is left.  pretty discouraging i'd say....paper piecing doesn't use up a whole lot of stash by any stretch.  this will be a wallhanging and it is far from done, so will use up more of the fabrics that were set aside for this project.  and yes, it IS an official UFO so when it's done, another gets crossed off.  **** cold this morning and seasonable today with some melting of the hideous snow.  despite the winter feel, some of the seasonal places are starting to open on a limited basis, so that is always a welcome sign.  **** off to shower and settle down for the night with the quilting project.  idle hands, you know.... 

UFO progress

this UFO has been in the works for some time.  amish style, of course, using up some cherrywood scraps from their scrap bags.  it is hand pieced and will be hand quilted.  only 20 blocks in all with alternating solid blocks -- for the quilting of course!  this is the first time i've seen them all together and soon it will be a flimsy....no rush, though, whenever is ok with me.  it is a gift quilt so won't be staying with me.  i am thinking my next hand piecing project will be civil war repros.  it has to be small enough to be portable as i've the hawaiian to keep at home....just plain too large to stuff into my purse.   **** yes, it is disgustingly true, we have had another snowstorm.  we are all praying this is the last.  we (meaning collectively new england residents) are so done with winter! 

a quilty day

with flakes falling and plows plowing, not to mention winds howling, it is definitely a snowy quilty day here in coastal maine.  did i mention tomorrow is the first day of spring?  oh yeah, we are all too familiar with this kind of weather this time of year.  i have only peeked out the window once, trying to avoid looking at it more than necessary.  instead, been cozy in my quilting chair working on this gift quilt.  it's over 2/3 quilted and thinking about what kind of binding it wants.  don't think it will be a march finish, but soon after.  **** the setting triangles are all sewn in on the little basket quilt, so ready to baste and quilt--love that companion angle ruler!  **** now that scrappy indigo is an official flimsy, moving on to the next project, a secret project, for the upcoming maine quilts show this summer.  so, without further delay..... 

non UFO finish

you would think that with a lengthy UFO list, my focus would be on finishing rather than making, but i couldn't resist this springy little wallhanging in the recent Quiltmaker issue.  it's going to hang in my work cube giving it a definite non-winter ambience.  rest assured, though, UFOs are being tackled.  just yesterday another square for "just takes 2" got finished.  **** last night during quilt-cam, sewed up some squares for another new project that will be finished soon....kim diehl's "pie birds" runner.  it uses those luscious civil war repros and is a quickie 7 square project.  **** now that this little cutie is finished, my hand quilting time will go to "autumn change," hoping for a finish--maybe no march but april definitely.  hoping that'll give me time for another bed size quilt finish before hot weather arrives.  now off to soak up some late winter sunshine!