Log Cabin & Stars

 This is quilt work from January.  During the pandemic I didn't really have a lot of opportunity to go over quilting ideas in my studio - we were all afraid to get within six feet of each other.  Quilts would get dropped off on the front porch and we'd visit for a little while.  The quilt would stay in quarantine for at least three days, then I'd photograph it and email doodles to the piecer so we could kick around ideas.

This was nicely pieced, which makes it much easier to work on.

Feathers, with some nice contrast from the straight lines.

A beautiful combination of colours, don't you think?

My favorite kind of back...artsy-fartsy, using some leftover blocks. 

WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON...

• First use of the solar dryer on March 18th.  That's always uplifting because it means sunshine and warm weather.
• Our s.i.l. passed away from a brain tumor - just heartbreaking, she was only 62.  I contacted the hospice where she spent her last days and they would be grateful for flannel pillowcases.  I had offered them either pillowcases or a Dignity Quilt, but they already have a quilt.  I've got lots of flannel on my shelves (ahem) so that will be my little project for the next few weeks.
• I'm trying to use up some of the frozen produce from last year - I made a nice pot of asparagus soup, rhubarb muffins, and cherry-almond crisp.  You can probably see my arse expanding from there.
• Coco started doggy daycare with the scaredy-cat group.  The first day she spent two hours being a scared/disinterested attendee.  Then she must have figured what the hell and decided to play for the last hour.  Week two was even better - she got right into the fun as soon as she got there. 
• I finished the Superbowl Sunday quilt.  Yay!  This goes into my box of donation quilts that will be delivered somewhere later this year.  Usually I bring them to the Women's Shelter in Hamilton.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Coco is starting to turn into a "normal" dog.  She woke us up puking at 3 am.  sigh.  Other big events:  she picked up a Kong ball and nosed it around, she's eaten the treats that were stuck into the Kong rubber bone (one of those toys designed to keep a dog amused for a while), she likes to roll around in the dead/rotting bird carcass on our morning walk, and she's chased the frisbee in the backyard.  Mind you, she only chases it ONCE.  Then I throw it, I go get it, I throw it, I go get it...  
• I finished the 2021 bookkeeping and got everything off to the accountant.
• Out here we all have those rural mailboxes at the road.  One of our neighbours has a problem in that their little mailbox door is usually open.  I guess it's loose and won't stay shut.  On our morning walkies today Coco jumped up and tried to rip it off.  Just for fun.  You know.  Thankfully she has bad aim!
  
  
  

SNAPSHOTS quilt by Fat Quarter Shop, and month end STASH report

Quilts don't get much cuter than this.  I love working on this gal's quilts because she is a Very.Accurate.Piecer.

I love the picnic block because, um, lemme think... it includes a glass of bubbly!!

Sunbonnet Sue is taking the dog to the beach.

Pinwheels are flying out of the basket on the bike.

Who doesn't like cake???

You probably wouldn't be reading this blog if you didn't love sewing (or someone who sews???)

Even the backing has a camera block!

The piecer made a mockup of the quilt where she had doodled quilting ideas, and brought it along with the quilt.  That is a GREAT thing to bring to your quilter when you have a 'special' quilt and your own ideas.  You may not get exactly what you drew, but it is a great jumping off point for the longarmer.
The patterns are available on the Fat Quarter Shop blog... here.  As they have requested, you should make a charitable donation to express your appreciation.

STASH REPORT
Used this month  6.65 m
Used YTD         29.54 m
Added this month  9.5 m
Added YTD          9.5 m
NET 2016       (-20.04 m)

I was doing really well for the first two months of the year.  Then Sew Little Time came to retreat with fabric, and then Red Hat day took us to two quilt shops. 

Here is a pic of some of the March fabric used.  So cute!  It almost makes me wish I was four years old again.  And then it occurs to me that if I WAS four years old people would frown on my martini consumption.

It's up! It's up! and the UFO Challenge update

OMG.  Get your mind out of the gutter.  The MAILBOX is up.

VIEW FROM THE EAST

VIEW FROM THE WEST

UFO CHALLENGE
Sigh.  The challenge quilt for March/April did not happen.  And I'm not explaining it.
May & June - this is still (!) a quilt from the UFO list back in 2011.  Good Lord.  The top was completed in March 2010 so it has marinated quite long enough.  It shall be done.

Hmm.  Speaking of ufos... I really should update the little list on the sidebar, eh?

Saturday activities

Saturday was a day out for the Beach Girls.  We went shopping, and then we went shopping.  Ha ha ha...  Where else would you want to go, besides COSTCO.  On a Saturday.

By the time we got back here, it was cocktail hour and stitching time.  And a little bit of painting:

I picked up four more paint pens and two of those are already empty.  Since I cleaned out the store shelves I may need to go to another location if I still have space that needs to be filled.

Winterruption

All four of my longarm buddies have made it here for a few days of Winterruption.  Yes!  It is the Beach Girls, in the flesh.

Here are a few of the WIP's.

This is my WIP.  It'll probably scare the hell out of my mail lady the first time she sees it.  Sadly, my paint pen has run dry (although thankfully, my martini glass has NOT).  Tomorrow will be a trip to Michaels for about six more pens.