Gone To The Beach: 04.29.2016

Friday, April 29, 2016

Quilty 365 April Dots

Hi! I sewed my last April Dot this morning, yes I cheated, I'm a day early. Actually I kind of lost track....

Bright green because the first tiny leaves have appeared on the ugly locust tree outside my window here.

It is Dot number 177. At the end of next week I will be at the halfway point if I do 365, later this coming month if I make 400 Dots.

Here's the April batch. Approx. 10-12 hours of work.

I'm filling my pretty box nicely!

A few weeks ago I dug out a neglected fabric bin, searching for cute fabric for upcoming Dots. The box was awesome. It was filled with tropical prints in black & white and shades of brown, neutrals [yes there's another bin with the brilliant Margaritaville shirt prints], and also quilt a few black and white batiks, and brown/ neutral seashell prints. These would make an amazing quilt like the Hawaiian quilts shown on Wonkyworld. Kalakoa quilts, HERE Maybe a freestyle Log Cabin? Or Kaleidoscope?Something fun to slap together on a rainy day?

I also finished the first blocks off Where [When?] the Wild Geese Fly. here Here are the Pumpkins, I love them. Next I plan to do the moons and stars though that cute turkey is wanting my attention too.

It seems a bit odd to be working on an autumn quilt, doesn't it? But then I've been seeing so many big Vs of geese flying overhead, it seems appropriate.
The Vs are not Canada geese; they are here and nesting. babies will emerge for Mothers Day! No, the migrating geese are Brants, a smaller version of Canada geese. They migrate through in the spring on their way to their nesting grounds in the tundra of Canada and Alaska.

This project will be machine appliqued, mostly. The ''artistry'' will be in making the 200 odd Flying Geese blocks.

And Pokeberry is already back from the quilter!

Look what the postal service did to the box, isn't this scary! Even the inner plastic bag was shredded open. But all was okay.

My quilter did such a nice job, and so fast! This quilt still has a lot of work to be done---binding of course, plus bead and button eyes and flower centers, a bumblebee and a lady bug or two?; label. Then I think I'll have it dry cleaned. After that, I'm not sure how I will accomplish the magic of the cotton batting puffing and shrinking. I'm afraid to machine wash, it has bits of velvet and wool, and even silk. I think I'll spritz the back with water in a squirty bottle, and run it through the dryer? [or quit while I'm ahead?]