Pollen

More In Bloom

I haven't gotten much quilting done in the past 2 weeks.  First we had spring break.  Then I came down with my son's cold and my husband's GI bug.  I thought I was feeling better today, but I'm not really. I'll spare you the details!  I did get a little yard work done this weekend.  A few more things are in bloom too.

 

I had at least 2 bleeding hearts, but only one came back.

 

 

Last year I had an overabundance of irises.  I split them and kept less than half.  They multiply quickly, so I'll have that many again soon. In the meantime, I'll see them in my neighbors' yards too. I attempted to grow some from seeds but didn't have any luck with that last year.

 

 

This is when I miss my camera!  My phone just can't capture how pink and pretty this red bud tree is in real life.

 

 

Flower Progress

My yellow daffodils (Ice Follies and February Gold) are on the way out.  They lasted a long time because the weather was so cool in March.  I have a few big white daffodils still blooming (Mt. Hood).

 

My white Thalia daffodils started blooming in the backyard a week and a half ago and out front this week.  I like the shape and size of the Thalias, but they always seem a little sad with their heads pointed down.

 

 

I had a bumper crop of grape hyacinths this year.  I am not sure why.  Maybe because of the cold weather?  Some years I barely have any. 

 

 

Last year the irises started blooming on March 23.  I just have a few buds right now. 

 

 

Last year the azaleas and pincushion flowers were already in bloom by March 27.  I'm still waiting for them.  It looks like one of the bleeding heats I planted survived the winter, but it is itty bitty. 

 

 

 

 

PoD for Charity

After I finally completed my Project of Doom quilt top on Friday, I cleaned up my sewing space.  Then I messed it up again by making these paper pieced blocks for  Jennifer Ofenstein's  PoD block drive.

 

I chose this book block because it was easy.

 

I chose the Bertie Botts Every Flavor Bean block because I have a bunch of jellybean fabric left over from my quilt.  I goofed on this block.  The books are supposed to be shorter than I made them, but they are already packed up and ready to go.  I don't think it is worth unpacking them to fix that mistake.

 

I chose the snitch block because the snitch's wings gave me fits the first time I pieced it.  This time was much smoother.  I think I'm really getting the hang of paper piecing.

 

 

 

Stash Report, Getting Organized

I completed a quilt top this week and rushed it off to the longarmers without measuring it, so I'll have to report the yards used when it gets back.  I'm guessing about 5, but I want to be sure.  I am sure about how many I bought this week: 3 yards to use as backing.

Used This Week: 0 yards

Used Year to Date: 28.75yards

Added this week: 3  yards

Added year to date: 36.25 yards

Net Added:  7.5 yards

 

I should break even or be in net used territory when the quilt comes back from the longarmer. To see more stash reports: http://www.patchworktimes.com/2013/03/31/stash-report-week-13-2013/

 

I spent yesterday evening trying to bring order to my sewing space, hoping I'd find my lost camera under a pile of scraps.  No such luck.  But I am feeling a little more organized and ready to start sewing again.  I did find one little book 'The Encyclopedia of Toadstools' that didn't make it into my P of D quilt.  I saved it, but I'm not sure what I'll do with it now.  Here's what it looked like before I worked on it:

 

After:

 

 

 

 

 

Project of Doom Top and PoD Quilt for Charity

Regular readers of my blog are probably sick to death of hearing about this quilt.  My goal was to finish the top and get it to the longarmer before spring break. I put the final border on it today and plan to take it to the longarmer this afternoon after I iron the backing.  Lots of happy dancing here!!!

There are so many things I would change about this quilt if I did it again: different  fabrics, motif placement, even the way I paper pieced the books. But I really don't see myself doing this again. And if I ever do make this quilt again, I will give myself more than 3 months to do it in.

 The last week has been a sweat shop around here, trying to finish the quilt.  The rest of my house is a mess, and my sewing space is littered with paper shreds, fabric scraps and threads.  Paper piecing, at least the way I do it, is a very messy, time consuming technique. I should probably take a class to learn how to be more efficient.  I feel like I waste a lot of fabric paper piecing.

But the good news is it is done, with enough time to spare that I shouldn't have to rush the binding.  The quilt needs to be done in time for a May graduation.

I want to encourage you to think about making just one of these blocks and sending it to Jennifer Ofenstein.  She is the creator of this free pattern and is coordinating a Project of Doom quilt for charity.  The book blocks are super simple, and if you've never paper pieced before, they are great ones to try.  I learned how to paper piece from a you tube video, so you know it can't be that hard.  Here's a link to her blog post with the project details: http://www.fandominstitches.com/2013/03/project-of-doom-block-drive.html

 The good news:  book titles are optional, so if you aren't up for all that handwork, don't worry about it. Making a block or two would be a good way for you to stick your toe in the water and see if The Project of Doom quilt is for you. 

March Ornament

I've let my cross stitching slide this month because I 've been doing so much quilting.  Last night I stayed up late to finish my March ornament.  This is a small ornament, but there is a lot of over-one stitching.  For you young cross stitchers, I suggest you do your over-one stitching before you are 45.  Even with magnification, I can't see the way I used to, and I need A LOT more light than before.

 

 

Again, I'm missing my camera, so my picture isn't great.  This is Jeannette Douglas Designs' 2010 Stamp ornament. 

 

http://stitchinglotus.ca/2013/03/ornament-sal-march-check-in/