Swap score and new projects

I've set a goal with my quilting to break through my seemingly endless thinking loop into action. I've collected loads of fabric and books, many of which carry post-its and bits of paper as testament to my dreaming. I'm still trying to improve my sewing before I do the wall quilts I have in my imagination, so I've started grabbing a palette and saying "Just Sew It!" May not be much of an athlete, but I can apply that attitude to a creative marathon.

The pastel quilt and quiltlet are both almost ready to quilt, but to finish those would be much too linear for my tastes; instead, I cut the Flora quilt over the last few days. The pattern called for over a yard of a lead fabric and I wanted one of these, neither of which I had in the required yardage, so they're co-chairing the lead spot.

I opened the running to any and all fabrics, but as time when on it became an all-Rowan quilt. I give them credit - they do a great job with blending their colorways across designers and over years of collections.

I've been trying to loosen up on my stingy nature with cutting, so I let myself cut some fabrics that I wasn't 100% sure about. These were eventually rejected. Some hung on valiantly until the last minute.

These were the dark horses that overtook them:

I'm sewing these strips today, so a full shot will be coming forthwith. In the meantime, because things really should be grouped in threes for balance, I started pulling fabric for my next project. (I'm choosing to ignore quilt tops already finished in this count.) During September I joined the Scrap Swap and was so lucky to get Corrie in Australia as my partner. We traded a few emails to suss out what we each liked and she answered my wish list with a neat collection of Japanese storybook prints plus other fabrics I can't find here (there's much more under the pile). I had been considering a pattern that uses this type of focal fabric and here's a collection! Corrie sells these fabrics, so pop over to her website Retro Mummy if you're looking for Japanese fabric and craft books.

Knitting is picking up around here now that my hands don't sweat at the sight of yarn. I've got a scarf in Koigu over a foot long and five swatches going. Books and mags are lying around in every room. Trying to get some content on my Ravely page, but I keep getting sucked into the vortex of other people's projects. All you Ravely types know just what I mean.

I've shown my nice little swatch blocks before, so attractively piled in a basket. Pretty, but not practical. I'd put little sticky notes on them with the gauge listed, most of which had fallen off or stuck to the wrong one after too many rifling's through the basket. Took an hour last week to remeasure each swatch and record the gauge and any other info I had on tags. I've already used this several times already to match up gauge to potential pattern, so I'm happy with the effort.

My husband insinuates that my doodlings with reorganizing my yarn and fabric are "make work"; no dear, this is my idea of having work made for me:

Comments

[Jade]

Lucky you with the japanese fairytale fabric! I know Corrie and she's a really nice gal. Love all the Kaffe Fassett fabric that you're using...I also love Rowan fabrics. BTW this lurker is just popping out of hiding. :-)

[Octopus Knits]

Pretty! My favorite fabric is the fruit and vegie fabric.

That last picture is priceless...

[corrie]

yeah your parcel arrived and I adore it! thank you so much...now I've gone and spent way too much money on kaffe fabrics because I adore them all! you have wonderful taste and that afternoon I started and finished a quilt top and am now handstitching all over it! I just adore everything and feel so lucky you spoilt me as everything was so beautiful and I'm going to make some lovely log cabin cushions with the leftovers!!!!!!!!! thanks for being such a fabulous swap partner!

love your knitting swatches too!!!! I really need to start making swatches as I'm a cheater!!!!

[Chapin]

Make love, not war!.
I am from Samoa and bad know English, give true I wrote the following sentence: "People in braiding bird think for oily auras, which think painting of horse and proportion process, to be acquainted and tested at least uniform."

Thanks for the help 8-), Chapin.