A Finished Top...Woohoo!....

I'm a very slow and easily distracted quilter. Or maybe it's just that I like to take the scenic route! Yes, that's it!

I started this top five years ago and had no plans for it to end up so big, but it kind of had a mind of its own. I've worked on it, put it away, pulled it out again, set it aside, and finally decided to ignore all my other machine-stitched projects, and push through to finish it. So I did, at 4 a.m. Sunday morning. Yippee! Not sure if I'll have it quilted, or handquilt it myself. So, for now, it'll go onto my "pondering" pile.

Now to continue with my Indian Feathers (see March 20 post), and my next "get it done" machine-pieced project, a partially-assembled queensize-plus top in pink and brown 19th century prints. This next one I definitely will be hand-quilting, and would love to have it finished and in use this year.

A peek:

Three projects...

Three of the projects I'm currently working on are hand-pieced, using 19th century reproduction prints.

The priority project is my Indian Feathers. I need 36 of these "feather" triangles. I've just finished the 26th one. Yeah! Down to the final 10 countdown! The blocks will be finished with unbleached muslin, sashings and borders will be a dark brown wavy "bark-like" print. I'm also going to add some beading--most likely using carved bone, or shells. I'm so excited about this one!
Next is Tumbling Blocks. Another project I have a hard time putting down! Plans are for this to be a very generous queensize, when it's done. Here are the blocks I have made so far....



And when I need a little break from the other two, I sneak in a few stitches on my Martha Washington's Flower Garden, which I'm English Paper Piecing. I was always intimidated by that technique, but WOW how much fun it is! And so easy! Another one that will end up a generous queensize.

These will all be hand-quilted so, between these three and a couple more machine-pieced queensize tops I have almost assembled (which will also be hand-quilted), these will keep me busy for a couple years.

Trust me, I have plenty of other projects--I love that term "WISPS" (Works in slow progress)--waiting for some attention, too. If unfinished projects give us a reason to keep going, I'm set to live to at least 147.

New dishcloth...

I felt like being creative and productive tonight, but didn't feel like doing any quilty stuff. So I brought out my cotton yarn and made a new dishcloth. I've made several over the years, but have kept only one for myself, it's about 15 years old and looking pretty ratty. I just love using these, especially after they've been used and washed a few times.

I used to crochet almost every evening--before I took up quilting--but I haven't done any in several years. It felt great to make this, and I'll be making several more. I have stacks and stacks of "regular" dishcloths, but there's just something about these crocheted ones that is irresistible.

**And now, after having written about this and looking at the title, I'm getting quite a giggle from the thought that something as mundane and ordinary as a new dishcloth is exciting enough to share with the world! hehehe. Then again, what got me even thinking about making one, is having seen so many people sharing homemade socks, so I guess I'm hanging out with the right crowd! :-)