April showers bring .... a belated post?

(I started this post back in April - hence the title).

So. I am up to my eyeballs in projects right now. (Have I written about this before?) I have picked up yet another couple of projects along my way (yes indee-dee it's true) and I find I've had to buy more project boxes to stash them all in an orderly fashion. (I'm now resorting to baggies).

I joined the "Pretty in Patchwork - Holidays Sew Along" on Threadbias a while ago just to follow along (ya right) and the next thing I knew I had bought the book and was scrambling to get the March project done. I started on the 29th. No pressure there. This was to be a "not one red penny" project - aka "stash buster" and aside from the fusible backing that I required- I managed to hold firm.

The March Sew Along was the "Harvest Vine Table Runner".  I wasn't really feeling the love for an autumn theme (it was March after all) but someone else posted a bright happy version... and needless to say I was off to my stash.

I am a sucker for bright fabrics. I also love the flowery stuff. I seem to purchase it by the metric ton - and then it sits forever while I try to figure out what the heck to do with it. (I do paw it alot however).

So here (left) is my final selection using 6 Kaffe Fassett fabrics from a fat quarter bundle I purchased around Christmas.

I spent a goodly amount of time learning how to piece curves. Turns out it's really pretty easy once you have a handy little video tutorial to show you how!

It took a leap of faith to just "let it happen" because it just looked too easy to be true. But it worked  like a charm and before I knew it all 24 curved petal bits were done.

I also wanted to try my hand at designing a "Creative Quilt Back". I'd taken a free Craftsy tutorial (of the same name) and using scraps from my quilt top this is what I ultimately came up with.

Next came the quilting! This is something I really love - the free motion bits. I'm not very disciplined at staying with a plan - so this little project was perfect for exploring techniques, threads etc. I used a transparent Mylar thread on top for two reasons: 1. I had a lot of colour and activity taking place on the top already and  2. if I screwed up I didn't want to see it.  A basic off-white machine quilting thread was used in the bobbin. This worked out well because I could see my quilting stitches on the backside. It was a good way to see where things went well and other areas... meh!

And finally a finished project!

Enjoy every making moment of your day!