Out of the Den

Wow, almost six weeks have passed since the last post.  Hold on a sec while I swipe the cobwebs and blow the dust off the old blog.  

(Reflection of backyard trees in the lid of a candle.)

Okay.  So where were we?  Looking back, there was the string baskets project, which has been in limbo, pretty much, since then.  I did receive a super nice squishy of solid scraps from Kevin the Quilter and made three more baskets with some pretty purples.

Other than that, though, the basket quilt has been temporarily sidelined.  I need to give some thought to layout (and I know I've been saying that but...squirrel!).  I'll get back to it soon, promise.

Meanwhile, around St. Patty's Day in March, I made a couple of four-leaf clover mug rugs as thank-you gifts.  And then, because they were just too cute and fun, I made one for myself!

The tutorial I followed can be found HERE.  Love the string pieced green leaves!

As many of you know, the Hands2Help Comfort Quilt Challenge is again in full swing.  I was inspired by Sarah's On-Line quilt and decided it would be the perfect quilt to make while simultaneously knocking down some of the scrap piles accumulating on flat surfaces in the sewing room.  Oh, all right, they're in drawers and bins, too.  Who am I kidding?

(Trimmings from On-Line)

Well, we quilters know how THAT goes!  Somehow, scraps and strings beget more scraps and strings.  I know I've made some headway, though, hard as it is to see visual proof in the scrap piles.  But there is visual proof of the resulting quilt top!  At 60 x 72, I have to have made a good dent, right?

(On-Line quilt top)

It's crazy how all those disparate strings can look just fine together when all is said and done.  I've banged together a backing as well, so this one is ready to baste and finish soon.

While sifting through the scrap piles, I unearthed some orphan blocks from a quilt-along that I petered out on last year.  Several sampler blocks in, the proposed layout was made available, and let's just say my fabric choices didn't seem to play well next to each other so much anymore.  And with that, my desire to finish the quilt-along fizzled.  Wah-wah-wah.

(Baby Quilt 1 from orphan blocks)

But looking at the orphan blocks in a new light this past week, I was able to assemble two decent baby quilts that I'll donate to one or more of the Hands2Help charities.  Woot!

(Baby Quilt 2 from a large orphan block, pin basted)

I'm in the process of quilting and binding them right now.  I'll post pics of the finishes shortly.

Friends, it's been a long, cold, and cruddy winter, and I feel like I'm coming out of hibernation here. This was our deck a few days after the last rain/ice/sleet/wind/snow/thunder/lightning storm (all within 24 hours).  The ice was blowing off the trees into millions of little shards on the snow.

(Buh-bye snow.  It's been real.)

Now the snow has melted and the robins are back.  I've been for more walks outside, versus the basement treadmill, and bike season is just around the corner.  I see the first new growth of green things, my chives, poking up in the flower bed.  

What has you excited for spring?

Linking to:  
Humble Quilts String-Along 
Confessions of a Fabric Addict Can I Get a Whoop-Whoop?