MId March Catch Up

     On Monday morning I was feeling really happy.  I find that often I don't realize how much of a funk I've been in until I get out of it and feel joy.  It's been a difficult winter and to add to that my sewing machine was acting up.  There were a lot of skipped stitches.  I took it in for a tuneup, got it back and the problem was still happening.  So last Friday, I took it in again and this time I went in with it.  Reza (the repair man)  opened things up and had me sew with it until the problems started up again. He then made adjustments as I sewed along.  He did this while helping  another customer choose a machine. It seems that the tension was adjusted a bit too tight on my machine.  He gave me some trouble shooting tips as well. So it was a good experience after all.  It's amazing how much happiness having a well functioning sewing machine can bring to a quilter.

    Here's the project I was working on to test out the machine when it came back the first time.   I'm going to float these blocks in negative space for a simple but cheerful quilt, for my local Guild's charity projects.

     My friend Laura won this charm pack from Andover fabrics at Quilt Con.  She figured she wouldn't use it so I took it to make the donation quilt. It's a noble quilter who knows her quilting style so well that she can pass on such beautiful fabric. I tend to be more of a hoarder but I am trying to rectify this problem. 

The next thing I tackled was this Star Block for Lee, the Queen Bee of Stash Bee Hive 3.  She requested any star block .  As I'm the Queen next month and have to prepare a tutorial this month, I chose a simple 8 pointed star.

     I didn't realize until I got this done, that the eight pointed star is one of the blocks for the Honey Pot Bee.  I've been far too busy to work on Honey Pot but I'm itching to  make that tiara bonus block.  Now that the 30 quilt design challenge for 2017 is drawing to an end as well as the Meadow Mystery I just might have some time to participate in the Honey Pot Bee.  Fingers crossed.

     Speaking of the 30 quilt designs challenge I am pleased to say that I only have one more design to reach the 30.  I have to submit it today but that's totally do able.   Designing 30 quilts in 60 odd days has been very intense indeed.   I like some of the designs more than others, but it's taught me to look around my world for inspiration.  Another interesting thing is that sometimes I've thought a particular design is pretty darn awful and someone else will comment that they love it.

     I'm using one of my earlier designs as my block for Stash Bee.   I won't share it until April when the Stash Bee tutorial is live....but here is a peak at some of the fabrics I'm using in my samples.  The colours are chosen for the person I'm planning the quilt for.

          Today is March 15th and it's Gabriel's 1st Birthday!  Oh Happy Day.   I'll be calling his parents later today and Dwight and I are on for babysitting on Friday.  He's so much fun at this stage.  He recently learned to walk and to clap his hands.
One of my goals for this year was to spend more time with him and it's working out.  You would think this would be an easy goal, but with their family living in a neighbouring city and trying to work out our schedules with his parents schedules it's been a bit harder than you would think. 

      I'm linking my post up with Let's Bee Social at Sew Fresh Quilts and then I'm practising my renditions of "The Wheels on the Bus" and "5 Little Monkeys".  Being a Grand Parent is so much fun!