Marching On

With the days of March
marching on forever,
I needed to take advantage of this seemingly
long month.

I was feeling a bit guilty,
 like we all tend to do on occasion,
having my long list of WIP's, so
 I pulled out a quilt top
that was so close to being done.

In July

I had started these nine patches
using two packets of charm squares,
Posy by Aneela Hoey
and Cuzco by Kate Spain.

I had even sewn the blocks together,
alternating with a solid white square.

Why did I stop?

Actually a couple of reasons:

I was moving and needed to stop sewing

and pack things up.

(a completely valid reason)

But the other reason was that
 I needed to find fabric for a border,

And I wasn't in the mood to go look.

Well, I've moved

and can cross that off the list of excuses.

So, what was left?

Go fabric shopping!

This is such a simple pattern and it

really gives the feeling of a vintage quilt.

Only the colored spaces are filled in

with some fun modern fabrics,

moving it forward in time.

These simple designs

come alive once they are quilted.

I plan to embellish with 

some rick rack 

( I love that stuff)

and do a gentle swagged border after

the quilting has been completed.

Okay,

I'm closer to being finished,

 no more excuses,

or at least not right away!

Until Next Time-

Spring Will Come

 How do you turn this...

and this 

into springtime?

 By playing a mental game

of imagining these colors and

fields of tulips

and then sewing

Fields of Tulips
50" x 64"

2014

these rows of

spring time colors.

I stitched on the binding Saturday 

as the snow continued to fall.

It may not be tulip weather here yet,

but my rows of colors are done.

I started this simple springtime mood enhancer

a few weeks ago, HERE, using 

strips of fabrics rather than triangles.

The backing fabric
was no gray winter day either,

This is a great print by Riley Blake
called Sidewalks by October Afternoon.
It definitely made me feel happy.

This fast and easy quilt was the 

perfect positive image 

I needed to push the winter doldrums away.
 I'm starting to feel like spring isn't too far off.

Until Next Time-

Spring Break

Even though I know longer

have kids attending school,

and don't live according to the school calendar anymore,

I still love the thought of a "spring break".

My daughter, who is an elementary teacher,

still knows the need to get away just for a few days

to refresh the spirit.

So along with her family

 and

 

 Running Man and myself

 have been enjoying the snow softly falling

at the YMCA Camp of the Rockies

located in beautiful 

Estes Park, Colorado.

We've rested,

relaxed,

watched for animals,

even touched a few,

gazed into the fire

and reflected on life

and the importance of family

while toasting a few marshmallows

to keep our energy level up.

When it was time to return home

we all knew

it had been a lovely "spring break".

 
 Until Next Time-