WIP Wednesday WoW!

Wow – look what we woke up to this morning! It started about 9:30 last night and is still falling. It’s pretty, but some green would be prettier on the May 16th!

 

 

 

 

 

Anyway, since today is Work-in-Progress Wednesday, I’m linking in here: (check them out and see what other crafty folk are up to!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I haven’t given a progress report on my various sewing projects in a couple of weeks, so here goes!

The May block for the In Color Order block-of-the-month quilt-along was posted, and I made that one right away. I’m really enjoying this QAL (quilt along). Every block is made out of 1/2 triangle squares, so it is interesting to see how many combinations there are, and also they are very easy which is right up my alley these days. Cheers to stress-free quilting!  Here’s the May block:

And here it is with its buddies (Jan, Feb, Mar & Apr, plus one extra I wanted to make as an experiment). She’s going to be gorgeous when she’s finished, eh?!

And then after all my angst and anxiety over Nora’s quilt, it finally all came together.  You’ll remember that I had the 12 blocks but couldn’t decide on a sashing colour:

For some reason, the depression just magnified the indecision, which became stressful, which started keeping me awake at night and yada yada yada. Hard to believe one little quilt could cause so much panic in my mind. That’s being ill for you, I guess. I still have absolutely zero tolerance for stresses of any kind…any little stress just throws me right off of my balance beam and I can’t cope.  My solution was to put the quilt on the back burner and move on to something else for a while. I even told Nora’s mom that the quilt was going to take a bit longer than expected. I was still intrigued by stars, though, and made 12 of these little 6″ babies:

Hummm…..do you see what I see? (said the quilter to the drummer boy). Just to see what would happen, I laid out the original stars together with the new batch of 6″ minis, and Viola!  Nora’s quilt was born!

Now the big job begins…hand quilting this little sparkler!

Also this month I made the May We Be Learning Bee block for Barbara in Oregon. She requested a bow tie block in a theme of our choice. I found some cute country farm fabric, so that is my theme. The block is already in the mail – that is going to be a fun quilt! I’ll look forward to her photos of it when it’s finished. I wonder what themes the other quilters in the group will choose?

My month is June, and I wanted to have everyone make me a bear’s paw block. So I thought I better test the pattern out since I’ll have to post it in a couple of weeks. I tried three times, and just couldn’t make the block turn out the right size. So I guess it isn’t really a beginner block after all. I do love it, though, and will keep it in mind to make when I’m not a beginner anymore. There are so many little pieces in this block that the smallest error multiplies and throws the size right off, so not the best choice for a beginner quilter group if I want to receive 12 blocks that are the same size! I can use the ones I made in a little quilt of my own since my own blocks were consistant, just not the 12.5 inches that the pattern calls for. So I’ve chosen a different (easier) block, but I’ll keep it under my hat for now…you’ll have to wait until June to find out what it’s going to be!  Here are two of my three bear paw blocks:

Of course this post wouldn’t be complete without a glimpse of my menagerie! Here is Misty, who has decided that I have sewn enough for the day:

And Sammy has had a haircut – what a cutie pie!

Happy Wednesday!

10 comments

  1. What a lovely quilt! Stars are in my future. I am, also, a hand quilter. I just never could get used to doing it with a frame, of any kind! Can’t wait to see the finished product!

  2. I really like how your star quilt has turned out! I am really interested in following your handquilting! I have a quilt that I am handquilting…slow going because I’m a first timer. I have the same set up, with the white frame. You sure were productive! The snow would have sent me to bed for the day!

  3. I love it when a plan comes together! even if it wasn’t at first planned! Nora’s quilt is totally perfect!!

    I don’t know who ever said bear paw is a beginner quilt, I have been making quilts for 40 years and still struggle with that block! When I get frustrated with a block I go to my old own favourite Churn Dash or also called hole in the barn door…

  4. This is my first time here….love your header; so darn cheerful!! Everyone of your pieces are lovely. Nora’s quilt is stunning..and I didn’t see a thing I didn’t like…lol I too love the Bear Paw blocks…and we both hand quilt….so there…lol I am coming back.

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