March Wrap Up

One fourth of 2017 is in the books at day's end, dear readers. Can you believe it? Time sure flies when quilting, right? Allow me this post to wrap up the month and look ahead to what I hope to accomplish in April.

I feel like I've packed a lot into the month. I had no intention of making a Swoon quilt back on March first, but lo and behold! I have 6 blocks finished, and had really hoped to have all 9 done this month. Alas, the final 3 will have to be the work of April.

I got to attend a workshop featuring Corey Yoder, a Moda fabric designer and pattern designer. That was a super-fun day, and it resulted in a finish that, like Swoon, was not in the month's plans, at all. The little quilt of 30s prints is now finished in big-stitch fashion and I have gained new knowledge about Aurifil thread, 505 Spray Baste, and needle selection. Definitely things a quilter needs to know!

I hosted the Frankfort girls and made a fun little dessert/appetizer that looks like a bird's nest. Easy and not too fussy or time-consuming.

I finished off the March UFO - the small tumbler. Using the gorgeous KF borders makes me very happy about this scrappy tumbler quilt.

Our weather this month was exceedingly warm, and spring flowers popped early. I took a pic of the crocuses, but we also have a good crop of daffodils bobbing their heads, too.

Two baby quilts made their way toward completion. I have one quilt top awaiting quilting, and a second that will be in flimsy stage soon. Both quilts were made from remnants I had right here in my sewing room! Using up remnants also put me in the mood to continue with clearing out "piles" and dealing with other remnants. This is a job that will be ongoing, and won't show immediate results, but I know things are less cluttered and at some point it will have to become noticeable!

Finally, last evening I had the pleasure of having dinner at DD Erin's. She and S-I-L Jeff fixed a lovely meal of steak, sweet potatoes and Caesar salad; a lovely reward after an afternoon appointment in Columbus. Her incredibly handsome kitty Rocky was as entertaining as ever.

Now, what will April bring?? Let's do a mental list:

The April UFO is my # 1 hope-to-get-done quilt: nine-patch strippy. I was so close to finishing it a year ago, and then hit a big-time mistake, or maybe just a minor stumbling block. It was enough to make me just quit, put it all away, and move on to less troublesome activities.

Above is an old picture of NPS (nine-patch strippy). My indecision came from how to deal with that unevenness at the top. Apparently, I just couldn't cope with such decision-making in October of 2016, Maybe this month I will find that excessive brain cells will not be required to make this into a finished quilt top.

Next, I want to finish making the last 3 Swoon blocks and get all 9 of them sewn together into a quilt top.

I want to machine quilt the two baby quilts above. And gift them.

I want to finish off the Antique Delights series that I began this month. I expect at least 2 more installments, maybe 3.

I want to make a Thimbleberries quilt at Canter's Cave Retreat coming up on the 11th-13th. I must cut it out here at home, and then sew-sew-sew while at the retreat.

I want to make a t-shirt quilt for long-time family friend Shirley. That is an absolute must for April.

I have plenty on deck for the new month, right? Bring it on!

I am linking up with Amanda for her Finish It Up Friday linky party.

Happy Quilting, Friends!