May Happenings Underway

April was hijacked by health issues. Nothing serious...getting older...not fun sometimes

The biggest bummer was I missed my retreat. I could have done a daytime retreat but prepping and packing for a long weekend away from home was just too much.

The good news is I have a daytime retreat at my local quilt shop the last week of May. Can't wait!

I did manage to work on a variety of projects...I wasn't bed ridden so I felt well enough to do something!

I am trying soooo hard to focus on my extensive stash because it is extensive and full of very lovely fabrics. 

I had a stack of batik fat quarters in bright and warm colors I got at a great price several years ago. I saw a free pattern on Connecting Threads for, "Weekend Fun."

I have all the blocks made. It will be a great little throw for one of my granddaughters. 

Finishes at 56 1/2 x 72 1/2.

My primary health issue is cervical discs in my neck. Bending over my quilting long arm is a little uncomfortable so making sure to only do short sessions. I just started working again on my long arm last week. Thankfully, I had loaded a small quilt after my last finish and planned a very simple quilting design.

Most of April I spent organizing my stash of finished tops. I should have a little contest. How many quilt tops do you think I have waiting to be quilted?

I'll give you a hint. Go with a pretty big number. 

I'll reveal that number at the end of this post. 

Anyway! My biggest obstacle, is deciding what to quilt next. And usually, once I decide on a top to quilt...I then realize I don't have a backing fabric, batting  or the right colors of thread. Feels like there is always something that delays me.

So I made sure I had a picture of every top. Then I filled out a project sheet with as much information as I knew about that top with the finished size and if there was a backing fabric already in my stash. 

Just a little example of my file for each project.

I have the next quilt top I will quilt ready and waiting once I finish my current quilt in the frame.

So with limited time spent quilting...the last thing I was wanting to stitch was another quilt...I decided to get several of the blouses made that I cut out last fall.

My favorite was my first finish...it looks great with jeans. So comfy. All the tops are made with rayon batiks.

When I made the next top, the automatic button hole maker on my machine stopped working. The programming feature is connected with the reverse button and the button stopped working. Well...since I was not moving around much at that point, I just went ahead and made three tops...that need button holes. 

The great news is it only took the Bernina shop one day to turn my machine around and it is back home with me now. It is super easy to make button holes when the machine is working properly so I will get that done this weekend. 

I like working on cross stitch projects for the current season which means my last finish was done after Easter. I'm still working on the final finish. After much internet searching and local shopping I gave up on a purchased framing option and decided to make my first flat fold. 

I love YouTube! Great tutorial from Vonna Pfeiffer has gotten me to the base being finished. Now I'm waiting on some pompom trims to reach me through the mail to go around the actual, "Scatter Eggs," board. This is a chart from Shepherd's Bush. I'm always drawn to charts with cute buttons from Just Another Button Company. I can't resist them...want them all. 

I had a major fail on my next cross stitch project. I started the Blooming Tiny Town chart, using the DMC color option. I soon hated it and stopped. 

So, based on the photo, I then made my own DMC color choices..

The top fabric strip...hated.

Middle strip is the chart.

Bottom strip is the finish that looks pretty much like the chart but oddly...I don't like it. 

It needs purple. Too much red and brown for my taste.

So...below is my next attempt. The fabric is actually a little brighter blue color.

I am trying to teach myself to use my left hand more often so I am now mostly doing my cross stitch with my left hand. I'm getting faster every night. That cervical disc issue in my neck is causing some nerve pain down my right arm...hence the decision to try and do more with my left hand.

Well...I always like to end on an animal encounter. This big brown bear photo was taken from a visit to our local zoo mid April. Brown bears, which are coastal, are bigger than our neighborhood grizzlies.

Gardening season is here...though I still have a little patch of snow in my yard and we woke up to snow on the ground three mornings this week. A little chilly still. But I was trimming a shrub yesterday...trying to use mostly my left hand! 

I almost forgot!

 I have 46 quilt tops waiting to be quilted! 

Please let me know how many you have...especially if you have more. I do read several bloggers who make a tremendous number of charity quilts so maybe someone will beat me!