ALYOF to Match The Awesome Weather

Yes! In a super-busy month, I finished my May Goal. Yes!

I made it a simple goal because I knew I'd be hoofin' it to get everything accomplished this month.  I'm glad I did. This month's goal was to complete the binding on my Charm Pack Cherry quilt with a black background. I do like the turquoise binding - kinda sets it off.  The print fabric is Moda's Barcelona, and the entire lap quilt takes 2 charm packs of the print and 2 charm packs of the solid.

 It was an interesting process to make the quilt in two different background colors. I like each one.

On a side note, the arthritis in my hands has been acting up.  Not fun. But then last night, I had an unusual thing happen. The ring finger on my right hand (of course, I'm right handed)  decided to voluntary, and without any prior approval from me, snap into a semi-permanent position with the fingertip down against my palm. And it refused to snap back into place.

Owie! So after I stopped panicking, calmed down and took some Ibuprofen, and soaked my hand in hot water and then in one of my flax seed hot packs (gotta love those hot packs!), I was relaxed and the tendon gave way and it went back to normal.  Which is a good thing. Except after a visit with a surgeon today who specializes in hands, she gave me a cortisone shot to reduce the inflammation. Owie again!  At my age, I just don't do 'owie' well, lol.  Hopefully, though, it will give that hand some relief. After all, I have a big To Do List and all of it, every bit of it, involves my hands. Wish me luck so I don't need surgery!

Looking forward to seeing everyone's finishes for May.  And remember: quilt with a smile!

Barb

Linking up with Linky Tuesday, ALYOF, Thread & Needle Thursday, and Quilt Story.

Goal for A Lovely Year of Finishes May 2014

At one point in time, Green Fairy Quilts was having this super-duper sale on charm packs.  Oh, yea - it was about the time that I ran across the Charm Pack Cherry pattern.  So I stocked up because I liked the way this pattern showcased the fabrics in a charm pack, and I could get pre-cut solids in charms, and what could be easier than laying out your design, stitching it up, cutting blocks in two, stitching again, and suddenly a quilt is born!

So I am working my way through my charm packs.  This is what the quilt looks like with a dark background.

Here's the first quilt I did with a white background.  Quite a different look, eh?

I got this little gem quilted and now just need to find some fabric for the binding and get it finished up.  I decided this will be my project for May, because as simple as it sounds, getting this quilt finished this month will be a challenge. Busy-ness abounds at my house this time of year.

Yard work, yard sale, and my Day Job are all getting in my way of quilting (shakes head in dismay).  But, it all must be done. Especially the Yard Sale. When we moved into our new home a year ago, we had enough storage room in the shop for all the things We Never Use But Can't Seem To Part With. The Day of Reckoning for those things is upon us now, and it's time to de-stash.  A lot of the boxes are things from our kids' childhoods that I can't seem to toss out. My plan is to keep them until they get a place of their own, and then load up their cars and send all this stuff on its merry way. One day.

Quilting with a smile,
Barb

Linking up with A Lovely Year of Finishes, Fabric Tuesday, Linky Party Tuesday.

Charm Pack Cherry Quilt Finished

I've finished up the first of my projects for the second quarter of The Littlest Thistle's 2014 Finish Along. Go, me!

Here it is, my Charm Pack Cherry Quilt.

I had the top pieced and was able to get it quilted up and bound. I used a larger-scale pantograph that had soft geometric curves. I think it worked well with these Moda fabrics, A Stitch in Color by Malka Dubrasky. 

I really debated about whether or not to keep this one. I really, really like it. Something about the brightness reminds me of summer, and heaven knows we don't have enough summer where I live.

But in the end, I think I will list it in my Etsy shop, Mountain Quiltworks.  I do like the backing fabric, which I also used to bind it.

I've already got another Charm Pack Cherry quilt cut out and ready to piece. This time I'm using Moda's Barcelona charm packs and I splurged and bought precut black Kona charms so the project is clipping right along. It's like night and day with the background fabrics.  It will be interesting to compare and see which one I like best.

What did you work on this weekend?

Remember to quilt with a smile,
Barb

Linking up with 2014 Finish Along and  Linky Tuesday