Monday

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A new start

Because I've done pretty well the past few months wrapping up several UFOs, I'm treating myself to a brand new long-term project ! 

I've had "appliqued bird quilt" on my bucket list for a very long time.  My original inspiration was Birds of a Feather, a Blackbird Designs book that was published in 2006.  Blackbird Designs came out with another lovely bird quilt in their 2012 book, In the Meadow.  I've had both of these books since they were published, so I've been brewing on this for quite a while.

 I used to do more hand applique -- like ten years ago or more -- although for various reasons I got away from it.  But it seems that now is the right moment for me to explore this idea.  I'll be doing my own interpretation rather than reproducing either of the Blackbird patterns … but leaning heavily on them both for inspiration and shapes.  I got my first few blocks prepped, and am looking forward to spending winter evenings stitching and embellishing.

Because I expect this to be an ongoing project, 

I'm going to start linking to

 Kathy's Slow Sunday Stitching.

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Stash Report - week 49

Used this week:       05.75 yards

Used year to date:                        230.50 yards

Added this week:     00.00 yards

Added year to date:                        42.75 yards

NET USED 2018:                                             187.75 yards

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Friday

I assembled a back for my

 SECRET SANTA SEW ALONG project today …

… and this is why I need to keep working on
stash reduction!

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Good helpers

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Wednesday

It's sleeting and snowing outside.  I was able to stay home all day, doing some cooking and some puttering.  In particular, I had a pleasant time browsing through this new book:

Hope's Journey by Betsy Chutchian

It just arrived the other day -- I was looking forward to it, and I wasn't disappointed!  

The book has twelve chapters, and it's designed to be a 'block of the month' type project.   Each chapter has thoughtful historical commentary, instructions for several traditional pieced blocks in varying sizes, and a coordinating small project.  After working one's way through the whole series of chapters/blocks, one is offered several possibilities for assembling the blocks into various scrappy sampler quilts. 

In addition to the fact that this book is based on traditional piecing, I'm especially pleased with all the options it offers.  I'm absolutely planning to do all the blocks and at least one of the final sampler quilts.  It's likely that I'll also do many of the small projects as I go along, just to use up more stash.  I'll certainly be working on this more rapidly than
one chapter a month.

I've already pulled an assortment of FQs, colors and backgrounds, so I'm ready to get going!  Anybody else thinking about working on Hope's Journey?

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A fun little winter project

I bought this fabric panel last fall, because it looks a lot like our house, including the picket fence and pine tree background.  It got tucked into a pile of "stuff" and forgotten ... and then it wasn't winter any more.

So here it is, another winter, and I'm taking another lap around my quilty to-do list.  I'm going to work on the snowmen panel this week, and see if I can get it into use this year.  My action plan is to trim it to a logical size, add a snowflake border to enlarge it, and then finish it with some simple outline quilting and red binding. 

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A couple of similar serendipitous 'red house treasures', 

stumbled upon at long-ago garage sales.  These are both hung going up the staircase during winter.

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