Rowing along

Over the last 7 days I have been picking up Row patterns and kits from around Michigan, participating in the 2016 Row by Row Experience.I have two rows almost done and have started on two more. The Hexie bees nest and the log cabin blocks are from two different rows.

I am going for a whimsical look to my quilt, so where the shop chose more traditional colors/fabrics, I have been swapping out my own for brighter, happier colors.

I have enough patterns and kits to choose from for my finished quilt ... now to get crackin' on putting them together!

For more design wall goodies check out the links at Patchwork Times.

Petting Fabric

I am working on a quilt design and just had to buy more fabric. It is a modern style and I didn't have enough fabrics in my stash to pull it off (or so I keep telling myself). Maybe I just needed more fabric to run my fingers over ;)

It is kind of satisfying to cut the fabrics and lay them out in neat piles. A couple of these piles needed just a bit more cutting to get the right shapes, but ... they made me happy to see here.

I had a couple fellow quilters working with me on their versions to see if my instructions were clear. That means I am now in the process of editing my instructions ;)

And then to figure out numbers on other sizes ... in the meantime, I'll just keep petting the fabrics (my top is almost completed).

It is Monday!

 And I am off to teach classes today! So I have been preparing - today's classes are on binding, so I was making sure that my ric-rac binding was just right ;)

Last week I took a class with Nancy Mahoney and here are my three completed blocks. I almost have three more ready to go (half the blocks for the field!).  I enjoy taking classes as well as teaching them. When taking classes, *I* don't have to do much thinking and can just sew on. 

For more lovely design wall goodness check out Patchwork Times :)

challenged and plugging on

I finished up the quilting on the base of my Cherrywood Lion King Challenge piece. That means it is time to add the first applique elements ...

I am liking how it is turning out, I put thin black batting behind each gazelle so the background quilting does not come through the appliques, they puff ever so slightly above the surface.

It is not fun to manipulate a quilt through the machine while stitching down the raw edges of the elements. My domestic machine does not have a large throat and those gazelles have lots of turns. I will add that thought to my eventual machine search ... sometime in the next two years I plan to upgrade my machine and I'm making a list of features that I would like (and then I will look at the budget to see which ones I can afford!).

What are you working on this week?