Another Sarah Jane Quilt

My last Children at Play quilt is a plus/cross quilt.  In addition to the CAP prints, I also used some Jewel prints from Andover.  I really really like them.  I'm using Pezzy Prints, the last of my cross weaves.  I'm bummed that Moda isn't going to be making these anymore.  I love them.  Right now I only have the rows paired.  I sure do wish I could figure out chain piecing.  I'm doing it square by square, row by row.  When I even try to do the rows 2 squares at a time, I forget which way is up.  I have to do a lot of unsewing, so for now, I'll just do it the long way.  I hadn't planned on posting it, but Ada insisted on inspecting the progress, so I decided to snap a quick pick on the iPad.  I have the Parade Panel from this line to be used in the back, and I've seen some great scalloped quilts like this one.  I want to try it!  I'm not sure my sewing level is high enough. I wonder if I could talk my LQS into doing a class.

Not very interesting, but here are the other rows- on my handy TV table. And there's my new pinnie from Bee a [modern] swapper- in use!

So- that's it. I still have lots of WIPs I haven't thought of in months! This quilt will be Ada's birthday quilt. It's coming up in May. So it's pretty high on my list, as is finishing the back of Willa's quilt and getting it sent to Angela.

This week I need to work on some liberated churn dash blocks for a wonky bee. I don't know why, but I'm terrified of doing this block.  I'm also getting set this weekend to swap partners for the Pot Holder Swap.  It'll be a busy day of cutting and pasting from the google doc.  I sure do love google docs though!

About an hour ago, I got my swapped blocks back from Kari's Scrap Busting Group. We did wacky bentos. I made- a lot- of blocks. When I counted them out, it was about a dozen more than I thought I'd made. I'm dense like that. These are quartered blocks, so for each of my own blocks, I have 3 more to complete 1 16 in block. I decided to put 1 of my blocks in each of the completed blocks, and distribute the rest randomly. This one will go together quickly, but I guess technically, I've added another project. It will be the biggest quilt I've made to date.  We're doing Herringbone blocks this time.  Go sign up!

Preview:

Completed Project:
none

New Projects:

(2) Sarah Jane Cross Quilt, Wacky Bentos

Projects in the Workbox:
1. Houndstooth Tubes 

2. Love You to the Moon Word Quilt

3. Shot Cottons Wonky Log Cabin 

4. Spiderweb

5. Rainbow Diamond

6 & 7. Sarah Jane Family Panels (Waiting on the embroidery fairy)

Bees:

-Sew Bee Wonky- liberated churn dash to be completed

-heal.do.good stitches- pinwheels complete

- Bee a {modern} swapper- It's my month, and I'm getting some great blocks!

Bee a {modern} swapper

Cathedral window pincushion staying with me., a photo by stayathomelibrarian on Flickr.

Katherine at Honeyhill designs asked me to help moderate a new sort of bee over at Flickr. Being the total follower that I am, I agreed. Her idea was to have a year long bee for as many people the two of us felt comfortable enough to handle. The participants would be split into groups we call honeycombs. Those groups would function like a traditional bee, but only be required to make blocks every other month. On the off months, there would be the optional swaps. Her idea is brilliant, and is working marvelously. We capped our membership at 36 for this year. She called it Bee a {modern} swapper.  If I were a good co-moderator, I'd have a little button to share here.  But, a sippy cup of juice, a toddler, and a smoking lap-top have prohibited my construction of said button.

Our first month was a swap month. While I have sewn a total of two dresses in my life, I am no sewer. The idea of crafting something as small as a pincushion was rather frightening. But, I did it. Three times in fact.  I used a wonderful tutorial from Kim at My Go-Go Life. The first had some construction issues. This is the second. I didnt fall in love with the color scheme I'd chosen. I decided to keep it.   I did have the perfect spot for it.  When my grandmother died, I got this pincushion chair from her night stand. She'd already given away and bequeathed everything she owned, which wasn't much- mementos really.  She'd made each of her grandchildren quilts in which she said her goodbyes. She lived a minimalist life as long as I knew her. This gaudy little chair had been a prop in  my childhood, and it was still there, useful to her at the end of her life. If my grandmother had been a rich woman, no greater gift could have been given to me.  The pincushion fits perfectly.  The more I look at it, the less I dislike the pincushion.  I am in love with the third pincushion, which is the one I'm swapping.  I hope my secret swap partner digs it as much as I do.

And thanks for Kaki for making me step outside my comfort zone in more ways than one.