Sharing Some April Finishes

I worked in the office today, and after that I did some merchandising, and when I was finally on the way home at 7:30, I stopped to pick up a prescription only to find out that they had sent it back into stock because I hadn't picked it up sooner, so I've got to sit and wait for that. Obviously, when I got home, I really needed to do something fun to take the edge off the day, so I made this pincushion. A bunch of circles to cut out, a little hand stitching and it's assembled with a glue gun. Two hours with the tv on. Not bad. I like it. (And now that I look at it, this is what I should have made for the 'Bloomin'' challenge!)

This is the challenge quilt that went in on Friday. String piecing on muslin, piping, piano key, a little applique, thread painting, used a template and a pouncer for the first time. Not exactly my cup of tea, but it's done. I'm sure we'll find a home for it.

Next we have my favorite so far of the Aurifil Designers 2012 Blocks. April Showers (clearly). I'm really enjoying the embroidery experience (I think it's solely due to the Aurifil 28 wt thread I'm using. It would most definitely not be so much fun if I was separating strands of floss.

The long in-process Drunkard's Path with the decorative stitched fabric also went off to the show. It was renamed 'Broken Records'. There's a lot of different ways to view this...negative space, positive space, pinwheels, curves. I should have named it 'Introspective Stoner Quilt'.

Last week I caught a sale at JoAnn online and bought a holiday cartridge for the Slice Fabrique (it has an alphabet on it), and a circle die for the Accuquilt. Notice anything different about this die? I was excited when I took it out of the package. They've started using two colors of foam on the die so you no longer have to Sharpie around the shapes so you know where to lay your fabric. Way to go Accuquilt!

And when I was at Mimi's class last weekend, I picked up some batiks to use on my first mystery quilt. I'm going to do a Merry Mayhem mystery (it's already started) that's being played out on the MidAppalachian Quilters site. I figured as long as I was going to attend the conference and take two classes, I should also do the mystery. Maybe tomorrow night I'll start cutting. While I'm not entirely confident, I'm pretty sure I've represented a light, a medium and 2 darks with the stack of fabric above.

Along with this I've got a wholecloth project that I need to sandwich and get quilted and then have at with some metallic fabric paint--another first for me. I'll be sure to share all the gory details of that project with you.

Of course, it might be nice if I got those last few blocks prepped for one of the Baltimore Album quilts. Next class is in 2 weeks, I think. And I've got to figure out how to get pencil out of fabric. Any ideas?

This Weekend's Shopping...A Giveaway for May

The fabric above is the reason I went back to the shop on Saturday. I saw it while I was in my one on one Smith Street Designs lecture  and I didn't buy it. It was not a case of out of sight, out of mind, and I decided that since I was out that way on Saturday for the wedding 'tasting' that I'd swing by and satisfy my craving. I tried to find some other fabrics to go with it and in the end just decided that it was time to up my stash building from half yards to full yards (I know, I know, I fully expect to one day be buying 3-4 yards, baby steps....baby steps...) and purchased this with no specific project in mind. (Oh the horror!).

So the very helpful cutting lady gives me a sly glance and says..."did you happen to notice that we have those prints in blue as well"?

Put me down for 2 more yards.

And I had picked the print on the bottom to go with the red/butter prints above, but then I saw the maroon/gold and decided that this also had to join us (but only half yards of these...they'll more than likely be something other than a quilt.

My daughter mentioned liking paisley, so when I saw a few that went together well, the quest was on to find every paisley in the shop that might work together (fortunately, this is a rather small shop). A couple of them were half price, so I got full yards. I've now got 4 yards of paisley, so I think I can put it together somehow to make a suitable TV quilt.

I'm going to try to stay away from the fabric shops until G Street's Memorial Day sale.

When I stopped in Michaels to pick up the last of the drawer dividers, I found  a bunch of these cute, bright fabric flowers in little pots on display inside the front door. Just the happy type of display to catch your eye.

Being the quiltaholic that I am, I skipped right over most of them and my eyes locked on one that was was a stuffed flower. Light bulb moment.... PINCUSHIONS!

Don't you just love them? I do, and for that very reason, this is what is going to be May's Follower Appreciation Giveaway prize.  As always,  as long as you're a follower of this blog (and you are listed in the sidebar as one), you'll get one entry into the drawing for each comment you post during the month of May.  Good idea? Does anyone out there collect pincushions? What's your favorite?