I can stipple...hurrah!

Here is a wall hanging which I pieced together, a "Mini Star Quilt" from Edyta Sitar's book, Scrappy Firework Quilts.  It has been sitting in the closet waiting to be quilted for a long, long while.  I have avoided free-hand machine quilting completely until now, although I have books on the subject, researched tutorials on the internet, and even signed up for Craftsy classes. But it's time; time to stipple, Calico Quilter!  I did what all the teachers say to do, "practice, practice, practice."  I did that and now I understand why; I get it.  In fact, it is almost enjoyable; come on...really, CQ?  On the back side of my work, there are threads that need cleaning up, i.e., pull through and out of site.  I have read that we each have unique stippling signatures. Is this mine?  Like cursive penmanship, I imagine that my stippling "signature" will improve over time and with lots and lots of practice.

Calico Quilter gets organized

http://www.aquiltinglife.com/2016/01/quilt-your-stash-week-one.html

I found this great article on www.aquiltinglife.com, which prompted me to give thought to what I was going to accomplish this year with quilting.  That includes finishing unfinished projects, organizing my stash of fabrics, and selecting new projects with projected deadlines.  Here's my list so far:

PROPOSED WORKBOARD

1. Ongoing projects to finish within 6 months
2. Long-term projects currently in progress
3. List of quilts that need making for family members, including the dogs
4. 2016 make a quilt from a quilt kit
5. Make lap quilts for around the house
6. Stashbuster small projects, i.e., potholders, mug rugs, table runners
7. Mini quilt wall hangings, for the fun of it

Tiny Tumblers

I have found a perfect quilt shop very near to where I live.  Hurray!!!  Primitive Gatherings is located at 26855 Jefferson Avenue, Murrieta, CA 92592.  If you live around here or are in the vicinity, go there; you will not be disappointed.  It's a huge shop with so many fabric offerings, including a large selection of wool fabric.  On my very first visit, I happened upon this pattern which includes a sturdy plastic template; Tiny Tumblers.  Teeny tiny blocks to piece together. "Only you, Calico Quilter," says me to myself.  With this one, I am using up more bits and pieces from my fabric stash.  The finished quilt will measure about 13-1/2 x 13-1/2 inches.  

Parsley and Posies

Flat-leaf parsley, white violas, Iceland poppies; these do well

February 2016; late winter, early spring.  I grow herbs and posies in containers.  We have had cool nights, warm days this past week; in the 40s at night, mid-70s during the day.  I know!!!  The Temecula sun beats down heavy in any season, and so I use small umbrellas to shade those plants and seedlings that wilt and wither in extreme heat.

Happy Calico Quilter

It's quilting time for this Calico Quilter.  There's a couple of quilt tops that I'm currently working on, but I still take time to do small projects, just for the fun of it.  My sis wanted a Mary Engelbreit mug rug (pictured), just like one I made for myself.  And then there are potholders, one of my favorite quick turnaround projects; can't have too many potholders in the kitchen drawer.  In the foreground is an Amish star quilted potholder which I found on YouTube; so much fun to put together and not terribly difficult to make.  With these small projects, I am working my way through my scrap bag. Feels like springtime and I'm a happy quilter.