Definitely NOT Square! from Meg

Definitely NOT Square! from Meg
Originally uploaded by QuiltyBee

Sew & Tell Friday

Check out this cute little hexie quilt from Meg, my April STUD Don't Be A Square swap partner. And it IS little--about 8" across. Meg used these cool mermaid fabrics (sorry, I don't remember the line) in oranges and browns and blue. She hand pieced it, with machine quilting and binding.

Now I'm inspired to finally try some hexies--been thinking about it for awhile. Guess what I'm doing on the couch tonight?

Check out the other great Sew & Tell Fridays here!

Gratitudes

• True spring weather--sun one moment, storm the next
• Fabulous Parade of Bands concert--200+ band students in one gym = a great concert. DS 1 & 2 both look so sharp in their uniforms!
• Finished MY April STUD minis just in time to mail them today--met the deadline. whew!

::Fresh Churn Dash for ME!::

Check out this red & aqua love sent to me by SaraSQuilts for April's STUD swap. It is a sweet mini with beautiful shoo fly churn dash blocks and lovely quilting (despite her protests). There is something about these simple, straightforward yet wonderful quilts. I find myself drawn to 2,3 or 5 fabric quilts over and over.

Thank you Sara! I promise I'm working diligently tonight on yours--it WILL be out early this week.

Speaking of which, I have been so busy that sewing has taken a real back seat to life (could you tell by my non-existent posts?). Now, we are finished with confirmation (DS was dashing in his suit) and 8th grade Washington DC trips; we're gearing up for a new round of concerts, prom (!) and other end of school stuff. Busy time! But so much fun.

Gratitudes

• Surprisingly sweet teenage boys--they have their moments!
• Huge blooming bleeding heart just outside my kitchen window
• The promise of summer

WIP Wednesday

Sixteen pinwheels done for the ORBC Quilt Along. Next I'll put them together with plain squares of the other fabrics in the Flora & Fauna line, and maybe some gray and shot cotton in lime. This one is for my bed! Can't wait.

Spring is such a busy time--lots going on at school and church. Any free time should be spent on the yard. Oh well :)

Gratitudes

• Spring time weather--wild, windy, mostly sunny
• Morning coffee--love starting my day with DH and a cup of joe
• Cardinal song--our yard is surrounded by tall trees, used by these red birds to mark their territory with song. It always makes me smile.

Happy Easter

We always enjoy a quiet Easter--no family get-togethers where we live. But Easter always reminds me of those childhood Easters. My mother always wore an Easter hat (this one has a pink linen cape to go with it); in this photo I had one, too! I always received new gloves from Great-Aunt Blanche, a new dress and new shoes. The family would go to church together and then have dinner--ham, scalloped potatoes, asparagus, orange jello salad, homemade rolls and lemon cake. As the only kid around, I had a great Easter egg hunt with lots of goodies! The Easters of my childhood always marked a new time when we would all awake from the sleepiness of winter.

My hope for all of you is that whatever faith you have, you are enjoying the new creations of spring, along with family and fun. :) Take time to listen to the cardinals (or robins) singing to the tree tops, to feel the spring breeze on the back of your hands, and most importantly, to know that you are indeed loved beyond all measure and understanding.

Looking at Stars

The God of curved space, the dry

God, is not going to help us, but the son

whose blood splattered

the hem of his mother's robe.

~ Jane Kenyon

::Manly Pillow::

Sew & Tell Friday

Today's finish is a gift for a special friend who turns 50 (! I'm next) on Sunday. I've known S. since we were in 2nd grade & we even graduated from college together. He has a wonderful brownstone in Chicago, decorated in a kind of art deco style. I am hoping this pillow will go.

The Asian fabrics are sashed with navy blue and should pick up the dark reds in his living room. My LQS has an entire queen-sized quilt in this style (sans the different size squares) and is so stunning. (Sorry for the shadowing photo--I had to get it in the mail that day!)

I pieced this with scraps and then quilted it onto a thin, fusible batting--turned out to be a great base for the cover--not too fluffy. The fusible helped it stay in place during quilting, too. I'll probably make him a second one--DH would like one, too. Must be manly enough :)

Best wishes for a Happy Easter/Passover this week. We are enjoying fabulous summer spring time weather in NW Iowa! For more great finishes, go to amylouwho's Sew & Tell Friday--just click on the button in the sidebar.