This was a good week for family times, but not so great for sewing. My only finishes this week are my blocks for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.
Yellow--what a good color for April! It may not be warm here yet (high of 36 F today) but the sun is shining and my yellow/gold blocks are done for the month.
Above, Mr. Biddy checks out my piecing on my Wagon Trail blocks, which are using up the 1800s reproduction scraps.
I had some pretty good yellow fabrics this time, but it was hard to decide on the second print. It needs to contrast with the yellow and the plain background, but seem harmonious. Hmm. I'll keep trying.
When it came to making the Mary's Basket blocks, I decided the yellows needed another color to play with. Red and blue were naturals, and the golden brown worked out, too.
I admit it, I have a favorite! The yellow center in the blue block above has been in my stash forever. It can finally find a good home.
Now for the bright scraps! I made 6 of the easy blocks and 5 of the flying geese ones for my Fly Away Home quilt. Biddy is checking out the bug print block in case any of the bugs try to run away.
Nope, all the spiders and beetles are accounted for.
I have had a couple of quilts to lay out, but my usual space in my husband's office was taken.
Hubby set up all the train sets in there! It was so much fun for the grand kids this week. Big brother was home from school for spring break, and the cousins came on Tuesday. Little brother (above) starts every day wanting to go see the choo choos. I don't know if Grandpa is going to be able to take the trains down any time soon.
In the meantime, I'll lay out quilts on the bed or in the family room and count myself lucky to have such a wonderful family.
I hope it's warm and happy wherever you are.
Have a great week!
Cheers,
Sylvia@Treadlestitches
Linking up with
Busy Hands Quilts,
So Scrappy, and
Crazy Mom Quilts.
Well if quilting space has to be taken over, it's a wonderful sacrifice to give it up for trains for little folks to enjoy!!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely! We have all been having fun playing with the trains.
DeleteWhat a sweetheart your train lover is! You are doing well with yellow, which is so hard on its own. I agree it needs color and your baskets are perfect for that. The Geese quilt is new to me, a very nice blend of the yellow and the colored geese. Keep up the good work!
ReplyDeleteThanks, PaulaB! I think yellow is great, but a little goes a long way.
DeleteThose choo-choos look pretty irresistible!
ReplyDeleteYou've got some fun projects underway - I'm especially loving the baskets and the fly away home!
Thanks, Gayle! It's fun to work on the RSC projects once a month. I never get tired of them.
DeleteOh, I especially love those red, blue, yellow baskets. Yummy! And I spy some fun fabrics in those Fly Away Home blocks. And there's nothing like some choo choos for some old fashioned fun. Yay for grandpa!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Cathy!
Deleteall of your work looks so nice.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Betty C!
DeleteOkay, yeah, the blocks are beautiful! But a Mary's Basket block? Really? And I didn't know? Oh wow! I have to look this up and maybe even put it to use. How did I not know this? A Mary's Basket block. Go figure. Or accept thanks!
ReplyDeleteHi, Mary! The block comes from a recent book: Classic & Heirloom Quilts, by Betsy Chutchian. She named it Mary's Basket. (Perhaps in your honor?) If you have Barbara Brackman's Encyclopedia of Pieced Quilt Patterns, the closest block is #706, aka Baby Bunting, although that block has a 4 patch in the center instead of a square. I just love patterns and all their different names.
DeleteI like that idea of naming the block in my honor. I've been quilting long enough to have one, surely?
DeleteThanks for the info, Sylvia. I'll have to start looking for Classic and Heirloom Quilts. I'd love to find a used copy. I think I already have Barbara Brackman's work.
I think I'm in love with your Fly Away Home quilt!!
ReplyDeleteI think the blocks in the first photo look great but I can imagine it could be a challenge to find blocks that contrast a little without being too bold. Your other blocks look great, too.
ReplyDelete