Spring Break - Day One!

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

I wish I could say that I took a lot of time for this - I should have taken more!

Yesterday was my first day of Spring Break - I've been longing for these two weeks in-between retreat groups and yesterday did not disappoint!

The rain and mist and more rain from the day and night before did not reappear.

Instead there were cattle grazing down below the back porch and I set about cleaning the porch and getting things ready for porch season to actually and truly begin.

Click to Play:

I should have stayed on the porch longer - but I wouldn't have gotten anything done.

But I love this so much!

These babies have peaked in our front garden bed.
And what's that I see between the bushes?

Hyacinths!  And they smell delicious!
I hosed things off, wiped things down, made things ready - it just felt so good to spend some time actually outside enjoying some sunshine.

This gave me an opportunity to put the new fatigue mats in the kitchen - they've got 2 weeks to uncurl.

And then I headed back to the studio for some of this:

I finished quilting the cross-hatching in the border of my Ladder Star quilt - that meant it was time for a good trim up, and a binding application!

It is important to me that borders are straight and the corners are square before putting the binding on for a quilt that hangs straight and square.

Trimming doesn't trim off much, but you can see by the snips coming away with the batting that things were not straight before trimming.

I chose this warm brown stripe from the stash - using all of the 1/2 yard I had.  That's one more piece GONE from the stash.  YAY!

I LOVE the Sew Q Laser for joining strips of binding on the diagonal. Works like a charm.  Every time.  No drawing of lines, no cutting angles and trying to overlap ends to make it ome out right.

Works so great for stitch-n-flip corners, too!

Adding a label to the bottom corner.

I believe this is a 7'' square of lesser-loved white on white folded on the diagonal.

You know the kind - the white on white that has more paint than fabric?  It makes a good label to write on!

Binding on!

I got a good start on hand stitching the binding down last night while watching Designated Survivor.

I don't know how I didn't see this show when it originally aired - but I'm so hooked!  It's my guilty pleasure while Hubster Dave is out for corn hole night or archery night with the guys.

As soon as the binding is done and the hanging sleeve and label stitched down, I'll get back to hand quilting the center.

I have to say that I am LOVING this project and am so glad I have extra time to spend beneath it during the hand quilting process.

There is something so sustainable when working with recycled fabrics. It's the complete opposite of the push and pull and rush rush rush to get the newest latest greatest fabrics on the market because STYLE.

Working with recycled fabrics is timeless.  And sustainable.  And lovely in every way.

Lola.  In my lunch basket.
We were eating dinner last night when I looked over my shoulder to see Lola in the basket that goes off to the QPO studio with me every day.
I make my lunch at home, and this little basket fits my lunch, and anything else that needs to go back and forth for the day and sits in the feet area in the passenger seat when I drive.
I love baskets more than I love bags.  And that's saying a lot.
She was just too cute curled up in there.
Today I'm off to Winston for my appointment with the eye doc to check on my prescription.  If that needs tweaking beyond what these glasses are I'll be stopping by Costco to order up a new pair.
Which means that I'll be wandering around Costo unsupervised.  LOL!
It's been a long while since a Costco run - we live over 2 hours away from the nearest one.
Watch out world - here she comes!

The PDF patterns for Big String Quartet  and  Kiss Me, Kiwi! are currently 25% off in the digital pattern section of the Quiltville Store. No coupon needed.

Pricing good through this Sunday 3/31/24.

I'll be drawing for 2 lucky winners to each win a PDF copy of Big String Quartet from me, AND a Rolling in Color rainbow roll from Cotton to Quilts!

Color rolls contain 20 fabrics measuring approximately 8 1/2'' X 21''. Perfect for enhancing your scrap stash and brightening up your own string collection.

Enter to win on the Big String Quartet Gift-Away Post. Drawing happens SATURDAY!

Yesterday we started another Gift-Away for Bruce Leonards newest Hadley Carroll Quilt City Mystery 'Quilt City - Proving a Negative.' Get your entry in on that Gift-Away Post. 

I love Bruce's books and the continuing adventures of Hadley and the Paducah crew.  

The big release date of Proving A Negative happens on April 2nd - 

But for my readers, we are going to do a Gift-Away of FIVE signed advance paper back copies - right here from my blog.  They will be drawn for ON April 1st. 

The book hits Amazon in both Kindle and paperback format on April 2nd.

You'll be able to find all of Bruce's titles HERE. 

And I think that's it for now!

Quiltville Quote of the Day -

Every word matters. Speak kindly and give encouragement!

⁣

Vintage Anvil quilt found in North Carolina.

⁣

I love the pink!

⁣

Playing With Jacks tutorial found under the Free Patterns tab.

Have a wonderful Thursday, everyone!