It wasn't me and wedding quilt prep

Leading off with "What do you do when the Mr. discovers your stash?" Fabric stash people, the other stuff is legal here in Northern California.  

Do you claim it isn't yours?
Do you insist you are holding it for someone else? 
Do you find other hiding places? 
Do you feign ignorance? (It wasn't me)
I'm so busted. 
Progress on the wedding quilt patchwork piecing is turtle pace, but coming along. This is totally off list for any of my quilting challenges, but I decided this would be an amazing gift for my hair stylist June bride. 

First layout revealed I need to make more blocks. I was going to border and sash the four patches in grey, but now I think I will just sew the four patches together on point and finish off the corners and edges in gray. I am determined to make this quilt from just my stash. 

Second layout just to get a head count revealed I still needed more blocks, thinking 12 ought to do (I am just about out of all low volume fabric at this point). 

I am also being pickier about my work, literally. If the points don't match on the four patch, I rip out the seams and try again. I hate to admit on a couple of the four patches, I had to do over again 3-4 times. 

Finally found fabric in my favorite form - in bulk. A $10 purchase at SPCA thrift, hoping there will be something useful inside. 

Shamelessly showing off
bottlebrush in bloom

There was some prequilted stuff I don't like. Luckily, some Cranston print yardage and other fabrics saved the investment.

Facebook quilting challenge prompt for May is #4, my black/cream/pink quilt. On my wish list, but no plan in mind. Another punt.

I am still working away on my magnolia needlepoint with the intent of giving it framed to my mom this Christmas.  

Patchwork Times challenge prompt for May is 11 which is my art with fabric blog hop quilt. It is partially quilted but my machine insists on only piecework right now and will not quilt without skipping. Drives me crazy. 

So, do you have to hide your fabric (or any other) purchases?  

Sometimes it's a unicorn in the laundry room

I admit I am a kid at heart, this thrifted Circus Circus Las Vegas plush joined my collection.  

I picked up this trio of mystical creatures a few years ago. The Friends Cherish Each Others Dreams unicorn cross stitch was also  a thrift shop find.



Rounding out this passion for purple is my hydrangea.

Quilting and sewing have taken a back seat to gardening now that our weather has turned gorgeous. This is my first year I have made a concerted effort to start my garden from seed. It is a lot of work! I take the sprouted seed and plant it in a bio degradable or leftover planters. They then await permanent planting in the greenhouse.

 

The beds outside the greenhouse are planted with zucchini, arugula and heirloom tomatoes. Another bed is planted with aloe vera, now joined by rhubarb (2 year nursery matured) and an artichoke. Once summer dries all of the surrounding vegetation, we might have to electrify the fence to keep deer out.  

One year we had the start of a wonderous artichoke plant, the next day the plant was withered and dead. Some critter had eaten the plant at the root and that was the end of that. Our new cat Susie is  quite the hunter seen routinely with a captured mole. I am hoping she will solve our mini mammal problem.  

My only thrift purchases over the weekend were a small framed picture and a scarf (total $5). With pictures, I upgrade. This deer themed print was double-matted and numbered. I thrifted back two other framed pictures I had previously purchased second-hand. 
The scarf I knew would go perfectly with a top found a couple of weeks ago. 

Wishing everyone a delightful Easter weekend!

Going Gonzo Gardening

As a follow up to the Quilty Orphan Adoption, a small group of quilters that offer fabric, quilt blocks, etc. to other quilters, I sent out two boxes, recipients posted here, and threw my name in for these seminole bands offered by Nann at withstringsattached.blogspot.com.

Even prettier in person

She mentioned she might send fabric, or a book, or a pattern, and Boy Hardy, did she! All kinds of fabric, a pattern and a slew of books with my favorite being an OBW (one block wonder) and Mad about Plaid. My interest in a colorwash quilt is waning and my interest in an OBW has taken hold. 

My hair stylist is getting married in June and I would like to surprise her with a low-volume bed-sized quilt utilizing fabric remnants of pastels. I did a fabric pull and cut 5" squares, chain pieced a few and will see how it turns out. 

Linking up with Jennifer at inquiringquilter.com for:

Thrifting didn't produce much even though I hit up 5 shops. My finds included a summer shift, blue patchwork maxi and a larger hoop for my hexagon hand quilting. 

On the gardening front, I've got quite a few seedlings growing in the greenhouse. So far they include heirloom tomatoes, purple carrots, arugula, beets, peas, sweet peppers, beans and onions. Northern California weather has been stunningly beautiful so I have spent every moment outside. My goal is the have the greenhouse jam packed with edible goodness. Images to follow in the weeks to come ~

Quilting IRL

Having taken the month of March off for quilting challenges, April's prompt for UFO Challenge over at Patchwork Times is 11. That was my patchwork crazy prompt highlighted on qwilt-qwazy-queens-and-doodle-quilt.

The FB prompt for American Patchwork & Quilting's UFO Challenge is 5. The vintage blue quilt is in the queue but I am not ready for it. I continue to winnow down my fabric stash by giving it away to thrift shops or on a quilty-orphan-adoption. 

I had the California holiday of Cesar Chavez on April 1 and finished a project sent off to the longarmer. The creation will be highlighted on the Nifty Novelties blog hop, my post to go live on May 24.  

Looking ahead, I have three quilts in sandwich form. My machine has gone to the shop with it skipping stitches when I use the walking foot. 

I really have to turn my attention to piecing my daughter's quilt. I won't have to worry about running out of fabric because I bought more than enough. 

Finally, I found a quilter Bernie at needleandfoot.com who encouraged her readers to post comments about their mistakes and blunders encountered while quilting. 

I have many rookie mistakes because I taught myself how to quilt. Let's dive right in!

Mistake No. 1: Not keeping to the 1/4" rule. We all know what happens, fabric skews and that pretty grid you were going for is now a mess. Threw away my first quilting attempt. 

Mistake No. 2: Misunderstanding of fabric values. My second attempt at quilting was a log cabin quilt in blue. Blue, blue, blue and more blue. I still have that one, it was also a study in free motion quilting, "study" being the operative word. Let's just say it is not an heirloom quilt. 

Mistake No. 3: Not knowing your limitations or the limitations of your machine. Now this mistake I have been doing much better on. I have given up the idea of quilting bed-sized quilts on my domestic machine. It frustrates me and I don't like to do it. Free motion quilting hurts my wrists and back. It was time to concentrate on perfecting my piecework. 

There you have it, my mistakes were mainly early ones in this craft, but like anything practice makes perfect.