Forsaken Goals

There are weeks when I look at my goals and ask, "What happened?". This was one of those weeks.

I made no new name quilts for my daughter's office buddies. No cute little house blocks have been added to the pile. I spent money on fabric, too.

I could beat my head agains the wall, or I could remind myself that goals are just that. Something one would strive to achieve, but they aren't self made laws that must not be broken. Plus, there is no one demanding that I put in a certain number of hours a week before I can get a paycheck. I do this all for fun. It's a hobby, not a job.

I did accomplish some things, so all is not lost. I made the April quilt along blocks and the Easter mug rug, wrote up the pattern and posted it so everyone who wanted to would have time to make something for Easter. That was totally unplanned and spontaneous, brought on by a sudden flash of an idea, and it used up several days of my week.

I've also put some time into developing a pattern for that fat quarter quilt. There have been enough requests for it on Craftsy that I decided to go ahead and make the pattern. This kind of pattern takes a lot of time to write, and of course, that means stitching up another one in different fabrics. That explains the fabric purchase. I happened upon this fat quarter set, "Wildflower Meadow" by Riley Blake, and I couldn't resist these cheerful colors and cute little critters. I also got enough of the dark blue for the sashings and back of the new quilt. The switch from white to dark blue should give the quilt a totally different look. Then folks will have choices. I may add another row of blocks at the bottom as well to make it large enough for a lap quilt.

Then, this morning I hung a new thread rack and organized my thread. I had totally run out of space for all of my thread. I have old thread, new thread, double spools of the same thread, and threads of different weights and fiber content. Now I have a bit of breathing room.

So, all in all, it wasn't such a non productive week.

And now I'm going for a walk in this glorious, unprecedented summer weather. We Nebraskans are all in shock at the temperatures in the seventies and the brilliant sunshine. We also know that this is not to be trusted. I can't recall a year when we didn't have a snowfall in March or early April. Summer is just playing with us. Winter will return.

I hope your weather is fabulous, too! Have a lovely weekend.

Early Quilt Along Block for April

Whew! It's done!!

I've been hurrying to get Blocks 6 and 7 for the 2015 quilt along finished up and published this week. If you recall, there are two little 5"x5" blocks that fit above the wheelbarrow in this little quilt. I'd originally planned to put a watering can in one of them, but I had no idea what might fit in the other.

Then I looked out of my window a few days ago. A brazen bunny was looking in at me! What am I? An exhibit for the entertainment of cute lagomorphs? (Not rodents. I had to look it up to be sure.)

Well, that was it. My garden has no shortage of bunnies. There are bunnies hopping through my yard in any of the four seasons. In fact, I finally gave up on planting strawberries because I couldn't keep the bunnies out of them. Between the bunnies and the birds there were never any berries left for the people.

Well, then, that finalized the choice for the second of the pair of blocks. Strawberries! There are two watering cans in last year's quilt along, so I've already done that. I put my strawberries into a basket. I like baskets filled with yummies, don't you?

So this is where the 2015 quilt is now.

And then, it connected. Bunnies, baskets ... Easter on the way ...

That explains the rush to get this pattern out early. Someone may want to sew up something cute for Easter. Like a mug rug.

So there are two baskets. Mix and match at will. Make a mug rug, make the blocks, make both.

I have to admit it. I adore these new bunnies!!

Do I have a new favorite block this time around, too.
You bet! Move over wheelbarrow. It's all about bunnies and baskets today!


Happy stitching!!