Shopping the Stash

Happy Spring, Quilters and Friends! Isn't this a beautiful time of year?? Blue skies, budding trees and bushes, daffodils and crocuses - these fresh, new signs of the change of seasons are more welcome than a trip to the fabric shop! The pictures below were taken around our yard early last week.

When I finished the Market Basket quilts early last week, I had in mind that I wanted to make a quilt using the weather vane block. I'd had the tub of potential fabrics and the pattern stored away for a good long while, so I pulled it out and re-evaluated the plan. This was on Tuesday because Sharon was here. She offered some insight and asked key questions.

The pattern is called Lavender Fields from a book I've had for about 10-15 years called Mulberry Lane by Teri Christopherson. Below is a picture of the quilt I want to make.

Remember I said I wanted to work on something with nice big pieces and few triangles? This seems to meet those qualifications. Only 12 blocks which finish rather large; nice big sashing strips; yes, this will be a quickie, I do believe.

Now, for that stash shopping; below is what I have come up with, and obviously I doubt I will be referring to this quilt as Lavender Fields. It will likely just be called Weather Vane.

I built this combination around the big paisley print; I love a great paisley; always have. The darkest blue will be the center of the block; the brownish will be the corner pieces; the neutral will of course be the background, and the light blue, tone-on-tone will surround the dark blue center. My big paisley will be the sashing strips and the borders. All from the stash!! Yay!

While combining this grouping, I wondered what that same Weather Vane pattern would look like in all red and white. With just a little bit of encouragement from Sharon, I came up with a red grouping, too.

I've never been so organized that I've had a couple of quilts cut out and ready to sew at the same time, yet by the time we go to Canter's Cave, this just might be my reality. It will be an extraordinarily productive retreat, if so!

These two quilts will come on top of a quilt I have been cutting out for most of the past 3-4 days, at odd moments I find to work in the sewing room. (We  had a rather busy weekend!) And it is a quilt that will also be a project for the Canter's Cave Retreat. Jan had the idea that we all work on the same pattern, a scrappy quilt using country or reproduction prints. I will write more about it tomorrow, but I have finally gotten all 16 blocks cut out. I've also got quite a mess of fabric in the cutting area! Scrappy quilts are great, but what chaos they create when using so many different bits! Below is the neat box of fabrics I pulled to get started; believe me, it does NOT look like this any longer!

And, incredibly, I was in the mood to pull fabric for one more quilt I have had on my radar. I will proved the details on it later, as well. Suffice it to say, though, that this sudden attack of advanced planning is not like me in the least. Here is the final grouping.

Four quilts moving ever closer to completion, and all the fabric has come from the stash! It is satisfying to know I can to this; it is discouraging to realize I've barely made a dent. But pretty quilts will be forthcoming, and I am motivated to do it. Maybe I've got Spring Fever.

Hope you have a good Monday! And a Happy Spring!