Yet Another New Plan

I like making plans even if I don’t always stick to them. This time, I’m setting monthly quilty goals so I don’t run off after every shiny new idea that comes along.  Something old (finish something I started), something new (a stashed kit or new technique), and something to donate (from stash fabric). 

February’s something old: easing into the UFOs by taking the 4 star blocks I started over 12 years ago and turning them into a wallhanging. 

Something new: I want to try half-rectangle triangles and make this Jolly Bar Meringue Shortcut Quilt from Fat Quarter shop. (Done 2/3/2024)

Something to donate: make something with the fabric leftover from hubby’s UFO quilt? 

I also purchased the patterns to finish my foundation paper-pieced garden quilt. It’s on my list of goals for 2024, so making a block monthly-ish would be better than my usual reality of making them all at the last minute in November or December …  Anybody want to bet on which will actually happen??

Longarmer Day

 Yesterday, I took four quilt tops to my longarmer pal.

I told her I was bringing 3… but finished the fourth at 2:00 am so it could go for a spa day too. Hey, sleep is overrated. 

First up - the “not fireflies” starburst quilt. Love these colors and the textured background. Don’t the lights look like fireflies in that top picture? This one is going to my pal, Reyna, in trade for a quilt she made. 

And another starburst! I’m experimenting with size, shape and borders. Really pleased with this one, the navy border just makes it glow. It’s kinda shocking how fast these get out-of-control size-wise. This one went from 48x48” to 60x72” with just one additional row on top and bottom, and borders. Next time, I’m making it bright orange and 100x100” for meeeeeeeeee. 

This started as a free Baby Stripes pattern a friend showed me, where you make those 1” stripes individually. Um, no? That’s what Tula Pink stripes are for!

43x43”

Pretty pleased with how it turned out - and it’s going to be even better with little bunnies in the quilting. Details here. 

No white stripes for Tula! Crazy fun color combos

The last one is an oldie but goodie. I made this back in September but didn’t have a recipient in mind. So, it’s getting little bunnies for quilting too and going as a gift to the new baby’s mama. Hope she loves it…

Oopsie

I misread a baby shower invitation and the 4+ weeks I thought I had to make gifts for mom and baby suddenly morphed into ….. 10 days. Oops!

Forgot to take pics after adding skinny white borders all the way around.

I’d already found a baby pattern I liked - spending time on Pinterest and Instagram when I coulda, shoulda been sewing - and had enough treasured Tula Pink fabric to make this sweet zebra stripes top. 

Rainbow zebras, 43x43”

Tomorrow I’ll make the backing - cute little hedgehogs in neutral colors - and Friday it’ll go to my longarmer pal for quilting (bunnies, maybe??) Not going to make it in time for the shower but hopefully it’ll be there well before baby arrives in March. 

Sparkling

 Hubby suggested putting a dark brown border on the blue starburst quilt

54 x 54”

and it really popped the colors. I like it so much better now.

The brown has metallic gold sunflowers that go well with the yellows.

I’m not sure I’d try this again with another flower panel, but maybe this one was just too pastel to work well?  Jackie has registered her vote against. She saw the flower picture, then the quilt and said, “why did you do that?? The flower is so pretty!” 😜

Jackie Appleseed

 Jac wants to grow an apple tree 

so after she finished her snack,

we put the seeds and a wet paper towel in a baggie

She said “ewwwww” to having dirt on her hands but kept going!

and forgot about them for a week or three . .  .

It worked!

Jac used a chopstick to dig holes for her 6 sprouts 

and we gave them a good watering before putting the pot under a grow light. 

It’ll be interesting to see if any survive and grow. Maybe Jac will be snacking on her own-grown apples in, oh, 10 or 12 years. . .

Road Trip

 I wanted to check out the fabric

in the skinny bolt sale in Orcutt,

and hubby wanted apple strudel from Solvang,

Solvang ice cream for the win!

so we bribed the three grands 

with the promise of a stop at Ostrichland, 

loaded them in the van and headed north. 

Pop had to settle for raspberry strudel 

(poor guy! Apple was sold out by the time we got there)

but the feathered dinosaurs were a big hit. 

Leo did most of the feeding 

but Jac worked up the courage 

to offer the food pan to one of the smaller emus.

Donovan just said no, nope, not going to happen.

We were surprised at how crowded Solvang and the ostrich farm were,

even allowing for the 3-day weekend.

Maybe the new king of Denmark has everyone thinking Danish thoughts?

Fun fact: ostriches have 2 toes and emus have 3.

If I had to bet, I’d have guessed the other way around; more toes to balance the bigger bird.

Not so fun fact: traffic at the end of a 3-day weekend is Not Fun, even with all the pretty red lights. 

Donovan

 Jaclyn

Pretty white-on-white butterfly fabric

Quadrants

Stitch four sides,

to cut four triangles,

Love this new ruler

to pin four quadrants,

for four different layouts, 

with this being the best so far. It’s ok… Maybe sewing it together tomorrow will make it sparkle.