Lately in April

Today is a random assortment of things I’ve been working on or doing this month.  I’m trying to make these end of the month posts a habit.  I like to reflect on what all I achieved or not achieved so that I don’t feel time has blown by and nothing has happened.  I want to remember.  Find all my Lately posts so far right here.

April has blown by quickly and I’ve been moody through most of it.  I don’t feel like much was accomplished.  I’ve been moving in slow motion and all the goals on this month’s to-do list are mostly left unfinished.

I do have a few good things on the horizon to share though and I’m staying positive despite my need to curl up under a pile of quilts and mope.  I also have gone full blown planting mode and have so many potted plants on my porch and deck that I’m starting to feel a little obsessed.  I created this pinterest board to feed that obsession.

Tell me about you in the comments below!

 

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I thought it might be cool to take a monthly picture of my design wall.  It really shows what’s front and center on what I’ve been doing each month.

First, let’s talk about that Frida Kahlo print.

I discussed this in full in my stories on Instagram, but if you don’t follow me there, I’ll tell it here too.  One of my goals for the year was to make a mini quilt or more of a wall tapestry type quilt to go above my fireplace and mantle.  When I pictured it it was almost completely hand work and I thought it could be one of my big projects for this year.  It would have trees and flowers of course, lots of embroidery.  I created a board of inspiration here.

Then I started thinking about Frida Kahlo and how much I loved her and how easily she could be included with the flowers.  My first idea was to buy this book, and make Frida that way, but then I saw this panel.  Then I purchased it and so we are set.  Find the panel here.

My idea is to cut Frida from her background, applique her to a patchwork background, and then embroider all over her, add flowers, trees, birds, all my favorite things.  Most of this besides the background would be hand work.  Something I can do slowly and spend a lot of time with.

I just don’t know if I want the whole Frida or cut her off just below her shoulders which is how I pictured the tapestry to begin with.  Do you have any thoughts?

Emerge Circle

The arrow blocks are a part of Emerge Circle.  I’m lead quilter this month and had all my circle mates make two arrow blocks.  I’m re-doing my Follow Your Arrow quilt pattern (releasing soon) and thought I’d double duty to get this one done.  More blocks are coming soon.

Modern Sewcialites BOM

This was April’s block for the Modern Sewcialites.  I wrote a post about it here.

This upcoming month I’ll be joining in on a blog hop and this is the block I’ll be making, but much bigger for a whole quilt.  You’ll get to hear more about this soon, but it’s what I was sent these fabrics for.

I also got some really sweet thread out of the deal that I’m going to be telling you more about it very soon.

 

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Product Spotlight

The Panorama Sunshine fabric collection

Panorama Sunshine – fabric bundles in eighth yard, fat eighths, fat quarters, quarter yards, or half yards
Complete quilting cotton collection with 11 prints
Designed by Rashida Coleman-Hale
Manufactured by Cotton + Steel
100% woven quilting-weight cotton

Each bundle contains 1 piece of each print with 11 total pieces.

Purchase here.

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Gypsy Skies Quilt

I’m also still working on my Gypsy Skies quilt (pattern releasing this summer).  I finally finished the hand work.  I really enjoy the quick sewing mixed in with the slow.  It really breaks things up from sitting in front of my sewing machine to sitting on my porch swing with needle in hand.  I like it!

 

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WIP update

Since my Work in Progress update this past February, I don’t think I’ve finished a single thing from that list except the Anthologie quilt, but I have added to them.  Oh, yes!  Counter productivity happening here.

I am still thinking a lot about the lot of them though.  Particularly, my Priscilla quilt.  I’m thinking about setting a day to make one block and making it kinda a laid back sew along.  This would be for selfish reasons of course!  I’m completely trying to force myself to work on it and when people are counting on me I usually ended up getting serious, not so much when left on my own.  I’m still pondering this, but more soon.

Goals for May:

• Still working on a beginner quilter page to replace the one I currently have.  This would be very detailed and similar to the Dresden page.
• Still working on two quilt patterns, but the end is in sight for these, just took a bit longer than expected.
• I want to start on my Priscilla quilt again.  Very, very much.
• Two blog hop events, one that’s not been announced yet, one with the Modern Sewcialites.
• I’m working on a pattern for a big quilt along even this Fall with Havel’s Sewing.  It will be officially announced soon, but if you joined in the Bari J quilt along, you are definitely going to like this one too!  This one is also going to be geared toward choosing and mixing fabrics, but also different skills quilters have.
• I’d like to make at least one dress for the Me Made May event happening.  One dress, surely I can squeeze that out.
• I’m joining in the quilt along by Nicole here.  We are making the Marcelle Medallion quilt.