a bit of this and that

March has been a busy month!  I don't have a lot to show for myself but I have been sewing - a little bit every day.  

I've been trying to focus on this last border for my Bird of Paradise quilt.  It's almost finished.  I was very pleased to applique the last of the squirrel/bird feet!  I'm going to stay clear of projects with feet like this in the future :0)

 

I've been sewing along with the Thimblecreek mystery quilt this year.  The blocks today are so much fun - little beach balls :0)  Three more to go.

 Here are the rest of my blocks.  I'm mixing in some Dutch chintz fabrics - I love sewing with them.  I've been sewing them with my Featherweight machine. I had a problems with my main sewing machine for a few weeks (happily it was fairly easily resolved with a new foot pedal) but in the meantime, I had pulled out my Featherweight.  I am rediscovering how fun it is to sew with.

 I also was rummaging through my ufo bin and found a handful of these leader/ender blocks.  I've been working on them again and enjoyed playing around with them this weekend.  I'm not sure what they will become.  They sure are good way to use up little scraps but a distraction from other sewing...

 I hope to have something more exciting to show for myself next time.  Until then -

 

Happy Quilting!!

finally a border

The annual outdoor quilt show is coming up in May and when thought about what to put in it this year...  I came up blank.  I haven't finished anything this year except small stuff.  I've made great progress on a number of projects but nothing finished to show.

 Well that just wouldn't do.  How can they have a quilt show with no quilts?  I simply must contribute something.  I have wanted to finish this Zigzag quilt for a long time.  I was stuck on the border. I thought I was going to use the red and white polka dot fabric for the border but I just didn't like it.  I couldn't let go of the idea so this quilt got stuck. 

 My daughter came downstairs to do some sewing with me on the weekend and I dug it out and together we chose this medium blue print. I've had it for ages - set aside for another, even older ufo.  Well it seemed just right so now I must pin baste and machine quilt this.  That should be doable by mid May - right??  This Zigzag quilt is a ufo from a quiltalong that Lori hosted on her blog Humble Quilts in 2012.  She called hers Mountain Trails.

 This is the little project my daughter got started on.  A friend of mine had gifted her with a lot of these little bits cut off from a couple of charm packs - and then washed. They were narrow - less than 1 1/4 inch wide and frayed on both sides. 

She lined them all up and sewed them like strings together and made this little block.  I was quite impressed!  But, now she is stumped to know what to make with her "made fabric".  There are enough strings to make one more block. I suggested a bag or a pillow but she wasn't keen on my ideas.  Do any of you have other suggestions? 

Yesterday my Circle Game friend came over and I pieced the last extra block I will need for my Circle Game quilt.  After drawing with my compass for the previous 2 blocks it was nice to just modify with my friend a couple of the blocks from the pattern.  With a line change here and there these blocks look very different.  She has been posting about some of her blocks too - here. 
All that remains is to finish the block surrounds and put it all together.   Then we get to choose a new challenging project to work on - I can't wait!

Happy Quilting!!