Flowers and Veggies

Todays class was terrific   So much so that I came home and not only finished my block but auditioned fabric for the next.  We had our choice of flowers or veggies   I had packed colors for the bell pepper not realizing it was the most complex pattern. The eggplant should be a breeze.

"Sew It Like Ruth" uses a template method.  The teacher Heidi Sandkuhle taught us the concept and skills to translate any of our own original photos or designs into quilts which was a big part of the appeal.     

Check out how itty bitty some of the parts were

The workshop book Piecing Expanding the Basics feels less intimating thanks to the teaching of Ruth McDowells method by the very talented Heidi who is an accomplished artist in her own right.  Now i read through it with fresh eyes and am really glad I bought it. 

New and Old Potted Plants

On Tuesday I stopped by Costco for dog food and drove home with two new rhododendrons  

Four days later and not yet in the ground but apparently happy with their new digs 

My orchid is also doing well.   Loving the dark colors in them both. Wishing you all a lovely Spring 

Union Jack and March 2014 Monthly Mosaic

Union Jack

While you're browsing Lily's Quilts blog and the link ups for Fresh Sewing Day, check out her Union Jack wall hanging tutorial, the Jack Attack QAL and this recent beauty.  I'm making a secret one of some sort with these:

The four Andover London fabrics were purchased specifically for this and I'm pretty sure about the sketch black and white in the center.  The others are just stash auditioning for the part.  

Should I make one jumbo sized Union Jack or a bunch of small ones?

Fresh Sewing Day

Chain+Link Wedding Quilt progress, Finished front and "second front" Rainbow Twirls quilt, Houndstooth Birthday Quilt, Pincushion swap, Stitch Africa workshop.

Linking up for April to Fresh Sewing Day at Lily's Quilts 

Vaca Fabric - Stash Expanded

We stuffed the large flat rate box to the brim and it was waiting for me when I got home. 

Isn't it hard to believe my pretty pile of possibilities came from this messy heap?  Digging for treasures was quite exhilarating I must admit.  My sister and I had a blast and it's probably a good thing this place is an airplane ride away or I might need an intervention. 

SAS Tempe AZ

2014 FAL Q2 Goal Mosaic - TEN

1. Chain+Link Wedding Quilt 2. Sparkle Punch 3. Union Jack 4. Corduroy Improv 5. Workshop Improv 6. Curve On 7. 21st B'Day in  Parsons Gray 8. Stitch Africa 9. Polaroids 10. MQG Michael Miller Fabric Challenge (fabric hasn't arrived yet so it's not in the mosaic)

MQG Michael Miller Fabric Challenge

You would think with only one out of four completed in 2014 FAL Q1 that I would be conservative with my mosaic but instead I'm tossing them all out there (well not ALL).  Linking up with Katy @ The Little Thistle's 2014 FAL Q2 goal setting party.

Spring Blossoms

So many quilters and bloggers are also great cooks and gardeners - you may have noticed that I am neither.   Fortunately a few of my plants have survived and thrived, especially with the recent bout of rain to interrupt our drought.  I'm please to share this shot from my front yard:

Hope you're enjoying flowers in your neck of the woods too.  Happy Quilting!

Yes, I know I'm spoiled

I unpacked my suitcase after returning from a wonderful vacation being pampered at my sisters and immediately repacked it for a 4 day Quilt Retreat.  I'll share a picture of the finished quilt we made together from my last post, but first let me show you the progress I made on my niece's wedding quilt.

The pattern is Chain+Link from Quilty Magazine by Elizabeth (don't call me betsy)  It is available on Craftsy and on her blog.  The blocks are large so I took advantage of the nice big design wall to get this shot.  Notice the bald spot on the top row?  Oops, mis-cut.

Thank goodness we were a short drive to Hart's because I packed all the teal, aqua and yellow fabric and completely spaced out on bringing the background yardage.  Kona Snow to the rescue. The wedding isn't until June but I'm on a roll so I'll call this my April ALYoF goal. 

There wasn't much sleep to be had, yet I brought my Kaffe cross because it seemed only right to come with a quilt to the retreat.   I also dusted off my umbrella but we really only had one full day of rain on Saturday.

The dining hall was a short walk across the bridge and I took this picture on my way to dinner - I love the inviting glow of the workroom nestled cozy in the redwoods.

Sunny skies when it was time to pack up on Sunday so no worries about how to keep my machine dry and get it safely to my car. 

Usually I bring a billion options but this time it was just TWO projects: the wedding quilt to start and this Houndstooth to finish (my March ALYoF goal).  

I managed to piece the back and baste it Thursday morning before leaving for the retreat and did all the quilting and trimming before going to bed at 2am that night.  The binding was attached the next morning so I thought it was a slam dunk but as you can see from the clips still on when I showed it at our guild meeting, I'm still hand-stitching.

Not only that, but my 2014 FAL Q1 Goal yielded one finish out of four.   Linking up to the Finish Party with my pillow. I've been busy and I've been productive - just not on the projects I thought.

Allowing an impromptu project to detour goals is just fine with me.  Especially when the result is a great collaborative time and beautiful gift.  My sister's friend really loved it.  

Rainbow Twist

We were inspired by this quilt made by Sanda at the 2013 SBAMQG Retreat.  Working from several bundles of FQs and using the extra blocks the back was quite the time consuming challenge.  

One of my favorite design elements of the quilt is the binding where I paired the block fabrics along the edges to emphasize the rainbow layout.  Totally doing that again :) 

I know the calendar says a March recap mosaic is in order as well as a 2014 FAL Q2 mosaic, but for now - I need a nap. Linking up Rainbow Twist to Amanda Jean at Crazy Mom Quilts for Finish It Up Friday. 

Really Random Rainbow

Double Rainbow

On the topic of Rainbows - I was driving to my small group when I spotted a double rainbow in the sky.  Finding parking in Capitola Village isn't always easy and I was hoping it wouldn't disappear before I could pull over.  You would have thought it was a UFO in the sky the way we all scrambled.  Linking up to Really Random Thursday at Live a Colorful Life.