Kiwi Mail & February Recap

I received this lovely package not ten minutes ago!

I have a finish to share today, but first,

the birdie and pulltoy fabrics are absolutely gorgeous, yes?

I participated this year in the Grow Your Blog linkup, and my name was selected for this wonderful giveaway by Wendy at Wendy's Quilts and More - I feel like I won the Lotto!

 

What great timing too, as I was just sitting down to post my February Finale Post:-)

 

Introducing: Purple Kisses!

A 2013 QAL by Christa at ChristaQuilts.

A perfect way to use scrap fabrics of all sorts, vintage and new...

Quilting:  Complete

Binding:  Complete

Finishing Purple Kisses was my goal when I linked up with A Year of Lovely Finishes back in January! When I did not reach the goal, it became my February goal, however when I mentioned that in my Feb. post, I did not link up to the party. I am thinking it is another month without qualifying for a prize, but I will get better at this & enjoy the party for it's purpose!

Anything that brings finishes about is good for me:-)

We are having some rare rain and dark conditions her in Nevada, along with normal desert winds, and I had to fore-go my usual outdoor photo shoot. I posted a flimsy shot here. I managed to capture quilting shots that are not too dark and blurry though.

I used no marking, and just very little scoring and free-motion quilted this on Mr. Juki with no walking foot. After some debate, I ended up doodling hearts at the intersections of the purple connectors and a simple grid for the round centers.

The back is one of my first scrappy backs:-)

The quilting is fairly heavy, so I blocked it prior to adding the scrappy binding.

 

Once all the hand stitching was complete, I was able to get back to my January NewFO, inspired by the BookIt Linkup that I never joined (How do ya'll do it all anyway?!). The book I selected is Jinny Beyer's Patchwork Balls. Here is my progress so far,

A bit slow, but it has moved anyway:-)

 

March is time for my annual Stashsweep. Honestly, I don't remember what month I did it in last year, but it seems right. I began re-arranging and deep corner cleaning yesterday, and fabric will be pulled and piled in utter chaos while I sort through the weekend. Hopefully I can finish by Monday and begin to reap the reward.

Thank you for reading today!

 

Linking up with

 AYOLF at Sew BitterSweet Designs

January New FOs at Cat Patches

TGIFF held at Mila + Cuatro this week

Can I get a Whoop Whoop at Confessions of a Fabric Addict

 

 

 

 

 

 

EPP Patchwork Puzzle Ball

Not too far along yet, but here is my most recent start!

I have been using this cute wooden box my sister gifted me to haul the project around.

It has a slide top that serves well when I need a firm surface.
I had several various appointments this week, but I never sat to wait more than a few minutes.
Darn, right?

The impulse to begin a new project was triggered recently by the Let's Book It Linkup held by Vrooman's Quilts. I thought her link up is such a great idea, and I pulled a book I have by Jinny Beyer, Patchwork Puzzle Balls.

Jinny provides instruction to piece her puzzle balls by hand,

but they are small pieces so I decided to paper piece mine.

Here is the ball I selected from her book:

 

And here is the layout I am working to complete:

 

 I have a good start on the puzzle ball, perfect timing for Hydee's In Hand EPP Linkup, however I dropped the ball on the Let's Book It linkup:-) Oh well, thought I would mention it anyway!

Linking up today as well with Kelly, and all the cool folks partyin' at Needle and Thread Thursday!

EPP Hexagon Block Update

The Completion of Flower Number 22

I am playing a bit of blogland catch-up today! It has not been easy to divide my time lately, so I am quite proud that I managed to complete a flower this month. Now I am qualified to link up to Hydee's In Hand EPP Party!

EPP or otherwise, this is actually the only block I have actually finished in some time so I will also share with Lyn for BOMsAway Linkup!

Here is a first-time OOPS:
I wonder if anyone else has ever done this?
I whip stitched two patches together - wrong sides together.
It was late at night, and I didn't even notice til morning. I thought of Hydee, and I knew that I would have to share this blunder with ya'll:

Can you see the stitching?
Actually, it is not very visible to the naked eye, but I can feel it, and the seam does not have the same indent as the others. Of course I didn't even consider taking it out. I use a super tiny whip stitch!

Way-back-when, before I knew anything much about sewing, I began my 1st flower, using a teeny-tiny whip stitch. Since I have made so many in this manner, I can's seem to let myself loosen up a bit. I know that no one will know the difference if the stitching varies, but I just keep whip stitching the same old way...
With 20 - 25 stitches per inch. Hmmm, I wonder what kind of thoughts that provokes?

 

Maybe, "No wonder it has taken her so long!!"

 

Actually, I have no idea what the 'norm' is, or the recommended rate.

And now I am very curious, and I hope you will share, what is your average stitch length for EPP?

 





In Hand EPP & a Giveaway

Last month I linked up with Hydeeann's Inaugural In Hand EPP Party, where I shared the fabrics chosen for my 21st Hexie Flower block. I am pleased to say it's now a finish!

Saturday night I pulled all 21 Flowers out and laid them on muslin. Since I have averaged only one block per year, I am hopeful that this monthly linkup will help me kick this project up a few notches - maybe I can actually finish the quilt in my lifetime:-) Over the years, my tastes in fabrics have changed a lot, and my stash too of course. Although I really do like my blocks, I felt fairly disappointed with them all laid out together. I arranged and re-arranged. Then I pulled three blocks out to get a more cohesive look. One of those pulled happened to be my new block, the one I just finished. Aghh...

Then I got to thinking. I have been quilting a long time now. I am a make-do quilter, and I love the story a quilt can tell by the fabrics included in it. This gives me a strong passion for scrap quilts... Scrap quilts that require a large 'palette' of fabrics to draw from...

These blocks do tell a bit of a story for me, and I decided I am not quite ready to give up on any of them yet. I will 'whip up' a few more blocks that could help bring them together. Still, I may end up culling a few (thanks for the chuckle Liz!)

And Liz has a point: It is best to choose a bit of a color-way to stick with prior to starting a quilt. Way-back-when I had no plan. I just stitched up a block one year. I stitched up another the next year... And so on. I knew a few years into it that it was a bit off, and I'd attempt colors for the next block that I thought might help it out. Now I guess I just can't quite give up on that concept.
So, back to my old ways, I quickly packed them back up and selected fabric for my next flower.

(honestly, that muslin looks gray doesn't it? Next month I will photograph them on white!)

All this leads me to a bit of advice for all those 'fabricaholics' who are discussing Detox:
Nonsense!! Be always on the lookout! Fabric is essential to feed your palette! It can take years to gather fabrics for some quilts, and these are usually the most sentimental ones.

That said, I am forever in destash mode as well. When I make a decision to part with fabric, I usually keep a tad bit of it. I can't say how many times I have used these bits for odd projects, like BOM or swaps. Tastes change over time too. (I was anti-floral/anti-calico when I started my garden quilt!)

Speaking of destash, it has been a LONG time since I offered a giveaway!

On Tuesday, the 12th, I am participating in the For the Boys Hop.  I prepared a BOY Bundle to give away in conjunction, but first I thought I would offer a GIRL Bundle:

Girls before boys ya know...

Art Gallery Spellbound FQ Collection

Just leave a comment if you want to be in the drawing for this bundle - sometime before midnight, PST,  Sunday Nov. 17th. No pond is too daunting for me to ship over, as long as I can contact you for an address ;-)

Linking up with gratitude for the hosts:

Hydeeanne at Splish Splash Stash for 'In Hand' EPP #2

 

Lyn at What a Hoot for BOM's Away

 

Shameless, I know, but if you would like a second chance to win, leave a second comment to let me know you took a stroll at my new Etsy shop (and follow me there if you are so inclined - I have not one follower yet!)  https://www.etsy.com/shop/RedLetterFabrics 

In an effort to de-clutter my original Etsy shop and focus on handmades there, I am clearing fabric out and posting new fabric into this new shop. I have a ton more to post there as time permits!

Block Talk with BOMs Away

I am really enjoying the Add a Border Group I joined, and finished another border, and can now mail off the two 18" blocks I have been sitting on. This one did not take nearly so long for me to figure out. I happened to have the same fabric for the corners, simply mimicked the HSTs, and used a fun rooster print to liven it up.
I had hoped to have the 12" done for the post as well, but I chose to do some handwork on it so it will be another week or two, and I will save the reveal for then. After all, it is best to save the best for last and it is really cute!
Hydee over at Splish Splash Stash launched a new linkup party this week to share EPP projects. Of course, I dug out my old(est?) UFO, a traditional Flower Garden. I counted 20 completed blocks. Hopefully the party commitment will help me get this project moving since that is about one per year maybe..  I know I should be doing the border hexies, but I have yet to decide the border plan. I will post my most recent border thoughts in a future post and maybe get some feedback from the partygoers:-)
For now, the party did get my butt in gear enough to fussy cut some hexies for the 21st block.

Linking up to In Hand EPP , and with Lyn of What a Hoot for BOMs Away