Lots to Do

I have been cross stitching this piece for a gift.  It's done in the nick of time.  Graduation is next week.

I have been appliqueing these blocks and I put them together for the first time this afternoon.  One block is completely done, one almost finished and the other 3 are only glued and pinned together.  I wanted them on point, which meant that I needed a center block.  I used the same tulips and turquoise bias and made a design, but now it needs something in the setting triangles...  

I started the alphabet snowmen winter embroidery blocks by Crabapple Hill.  I don't know what I'll do with them yet, but I like having embroidery when my hands hurt from appliqueing and/or hand quilting.   I am hand quilting on the red flowers quilt.  I finally marked my baptist fan pattern, I don't know why I was procrastinating, but I really was...  and got it basted (with the long arm) last weekend.  Now I just need callouses again.

I am also going to basket class again on Thursday evenings, well not next Thursday or the week after, but again soon...  I made this last week.  It turned out well.  Next time, I'm doing a ribbed potato basket, but with a 12 or 14" hoop instead of the 10" that I usually use.  I need it big enough to take that 5# bag of onions...

You can also see that spring has finally shown up here in mid Michigan.  It took it's sweet time this year.  The crocus, hellebores, and forsythia came out last week...  daffs and hyacinths this week.

I finished this string star quilt last month.  I quilted it with the long arm and it has a wonderful knobby texture that I love.  I also love how the turquoise sashing and the orange cornerstones make the stars on the navy batik background just shine.  I took it to guild for show and tell and people either loved this one or hated it...  it's wild colors for sure and the back is a mess of quilting stitches because I didn't want to spend much money on backing and used white Kona muslin.  You can see every navy colored stitch on the white.