New Projects

I'm fascinated with kaleidoscopic blocks! I'm working on a quilt for my daughter Laura using blues and browns. The main block uses 8 diamonds all cut with the exact same pattern.  

This picture does not do justice to the colors - there are only two background colors at this point, but more may be added as I go along. Each block is currently 12 inches by 12 inches. I haven't added the borders yet.

Traditional 9-patch blocks in the corners of the borders will connect the larger blocks. I'm still working on the final design - it's kind of a design-as-I-go since I'm not sure how far each of the fabric pieces will stretch or if I'll have to add more fabric to make the quilt large enough. I was just lucky the main piece had 8 repeats!

I decided to use the flower baskets for pillow shams so I'm working on a second basket.

Watercolor Picture Quilt

The piecing for my Watercolor Quilt is finished. Now I have to decide how (or if) to quilt it. It will eventually be framed and hang in our bedroom.

Of course, if I make another like it, I could use them to make oversized pillow shams to go with the new quilt I made. Hmmmmm...

My Hanging Baskets

My newest challenge has been to build a watercolor picture quilt. I decided to try a basket of flowers using material from my most recent quilt and several added fat quarters. Every time I get near it, I rearrange some of the small 2-inch by 2-inch squares. Bill suggested that instead of building the basket with small squares, that I actually weave the rows. That's what I'm working on now.

My inspiration was this once-beautiful hanging basket that hangs outside our kitchen window.

Yesterday, we had a terrible storm here in Colorado Springs, and this basket, as well as all the rest of our flowers, was pummeled with golf ball-sized hail. Only the side of the basket deep under the eaves survived.

Bill took this picture early in the storm. The hail grew in size from here - and lasted 2 hours.

Ping Pong balls everywhere!

Bill has taken over my cutting table and is building a new plane.

He took this picture of his new sea plane just before the storm. Notice how lush the gardens around the pond look. They don't anymore. Today we have stems.

I saw this Robin on one of our walks in Palmer Park. We had to replace one of our geocaches.

Lots of Magpie's in the park as well.