Tulip Swirl Check In!

October is our quarter-year check-in on our one year long Leader & Ender challenge!

This year's challenge is called Tulip Swirl and I know many of you were off to a great start on it.

When it comes to Leader & Ender challenges, I kind of poke along building units on the side and it is usually sometime after January when I finally have enough units to start thinking about layouts.

The one thing to remember about Leader & Ender challenges is that it is not a race. Take your time. Build units on the side in between the lines of chain piecing on your main projects, and just see what you can build over time.

My bin was pretty full, so I started setting things in fours just to see if I could build some momentum for this project.

Most of these units have been built between the lines while working on this year's Quiltville Winter Mystery - YES! That intro post is coming out on Halloween!  It's getting so close now!

One of the fours from the front.  

I'm really using up EVERYTHING in this quilt.

If the hunk or chunk is big enough to get at least 2 triangles and a square - in it goes.

I'm looking at that pale baby pink floral I'm using as the background of the corner purple block.

I know I bought that in the late 80s.  I was making stuffed bear and bunny doll outfits in cute calicos back then.

Pressing from the back -

Every seam gets a swirl so things will nest no matter how I turn these.

Points are "mostly" matching.

Little paw print. Little heart print.

It all works in here!

You really think so, mom?!

That blue on grey background in the upper right block -

VIP. 1982. Fabricland in Tri-Cities, Washington.

Isn't it crazy how we can remember where and when? It feels like someone else's lifetime ago. Was it really mine?

Well, since the bin is empty now....

I've got a really good start for our quarter-year check in.

I definitely need more.

I am cutting now for more color variety.  I had plenty of blue blocks, and quite a lot of pink but I'm going to several in other colors for the next round of fours.  I cut and cut and cut while watching out the window for the Brown Bird Bee ladies to pull into retreat.

Some green should liven things up!

And likely some purple.

I'm just cutting enough to get me started on the next round of Leaders & Enders as I work on other things.

I think the reason I'm maybe further behind is that I've thrown in a lot of string piecing and foundation paper piecing which doesn't use Leaders & Enders as much....but I'm back in the groove now.

But Hazel - can I please have my bin back? Please?

Over at retreat - everything's just a bit quilty.

Even the new fatigue style mats to replace the old ones!

If it looks like a quilt, it's for me.

These are from Wayfair and the price was right and the delivery was fast.

Fresh from Susan's Garden!
I love it when housekeeper Susan brings produce fresh from her garden, or eggs fresh from the coop!
I'm thinking this weekend there will be pork chops, a big green salad and baked butternut squash for dinner.  Perfect for fall!
Today:  The Brown Bird Bee ladies are all settled in and I'm excited to see what they will be working on and what their plan is for while they are here.
I'll also be at my desk finishing up the writing of Festival - it releases Monday!  Yes, there will be a gift-away, so you know the drill.  Don't miss Monday's post where you can sign up and win!
And the kite quilt.  I'll be back to that as soon as I can, with new Leader & Ender Tulip Swirl blocks to sew between the seams.
How about your own Thursday? Any plans for something fun? Has fall touched your area?

Quiltville Quote of the Day -

Life is not a race. Each day is different. ⁣

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Don't gauge what you should accomplish today by what you accomplished yesterday or last week. ⁣

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Just do what you can to the best of your ability. ⁣

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And don't forget to listen to the birds singing.⁣

Boxy Stars PDF pattern available in the digital pattern section of the Quiltville Store at Quiltville.com