Here's the thing................

The problem with blog exchanges, if you aren't a super productive over-acheiver, and I'm not, is that no matter how badly you want to show your exchange item, for encouragement, or a possible thumbs down, you can't. No matter what. This means, if you haven't done this before, that you are spending your sewing time creating something you can't blog about, and that is rough for me. I do almost all my work by hand, and it's slow going. This is my reason (excuse) for not posting for so long.  If I succumb to the desire to show my "thing", I'll ruin the surprise for somebody.........you know who you are. So, that said, here is block #9 in the yellow quilt, which in spite of Kathy's experience, was most definitely NOT "painless" for me. That drippy pot rim was a trial. I did like how it turned out, though, and that's the main thing.

I have fallen in love with a Dresden plate done by Piece O'Cake in their book Quilts With A Spin, and have been stockpiling fabric for it. I am not generally a floral fabric person. I think it's pretty, but I haven't been able to work it into my last few projects, other than the Broidery Perse in Phebe. I needed that look, not pastel, but soft, and here is what I've accumulated so far:

What do you think? I will add more from my stash, as needed, but this is the new stuff. I think it's really pretty, and feminine. I just remembered some woven plaids, and stripes, that were stowed away out of sight (and out of mind, apparently). So I pulled them out, and discovered these, which add a nice dimension to the softness of the flowers.  If memory serves, most of these are by Roberta Horton, and have been in my stash for a very long time.

If you all have any suggestions, I'd like to hear them. I know once I get going on the quilt, some fabrics will be discarded and others added, because that's just how it goes. I never really know what will work, until I see it cut to the proper size and placed on my design wall. I do love the way Piece O'Cake mixes all the geometrics, and florals, and comes up with that fresh look that is their trademark.

Before I close, I want to share with you a quilt that means a great deal to me. It was made by Bonnie Tooze, a Canadian quilter, and was inspired by my quilt Houston County Elegance. She saw my quilt in Quilt Mania, a couple of years ago, and wanted to re-create it for herself. It was only a small photo, so she had to do a lot  of her own designing, and the result is really beautiful.

You see it here, basted for hand quilting. Bonnie, I just want to say that it means a great deal to know that my work inspired you. Since the first quilt magazine I bought, I've been inspired by so many other quilters, but I guess I never thought that I might have the pleasure of inspiring someone else. Thank you more than I can say for this lovely knowledge. Thanks also for continuing to look for me, when it wasn't easy. Bonnie doesn't have a blog (yet) but maybe she'll join us all one of these days.

I hope you all have a wonderful, safe, Memorial Day weekend. Go ahead and eat too much, I give you permission, if you need it.  Michele