Life Resumes its Usual Path

 The Mister is recovering and getting back into some of his projects, as he feels the stamina to pursue. them. 

I'm back in my sewing room, juggling projects. I'm working on Lupine & Laughter, the mystery quilt I started in November. I'm using pieces I've made for the border as 'Leaders and Enders' as I sew the next step on my paper piecing project...and while I'm at it, the long arm is stitching away on a quilt for my BFF. Oh...and I'm listening to a "Meet the Candidates" meeting for folks on the ballot for joining our board of property owners in the community, and occasionally taking notes. 

Yesterday I went to lunch with my Piecemakers group.

 We also visited Sew Yours, a shop in Dunellon, FL that focuses on purse making, having all kinds of vinyl, canvas, fabric, straps, fasteners, etc. While I was there some fabric jumped into my cart! 

The shop is going to focus on purse making and the owner's own fabric designs. Almost all of their other fabrics are 40% off. These fabrics literally jumped in my cart. I know not how!  I did apologize to some of them and put them back on the shelf. But, then a few more hopped in to take their places! What's a lady to do in this case?

They came home with me. I have been cogitating on just what I might do with them in the future, and the kernel of an idea is beginning to form! 

Several years ago I visited the New England Quilt Museum  in Lowell, MA with my BFF. While perusing the quilts, and discussing what we liked about this one, or that one, a woman and her friend happened by. We chatted for a bit. The woman was Marianne Hatton, the author of "Simply Dynamic Sampler Quilts". Of course, I had to buy the book - it's no longer in print, as it was published in 2010, so that was a bit of a challenge. But I was instantly enamored with the content. Marianne's view of contemporary sampler quilts puts a new spin on a time honored practice of learning about quilting by piecing together block after block using traditional patterns. Marianne suggests a more unusual approach where the quilt not only demonstrates different historical blocks, but showcases different techniques, and different sizes, perhaps with an overarching theme, in a balanced quilt unified through color. Here's an image from her book that illustrates my description. 

Sew, now, it's time to stare at the fabric and think. And think some more. And see if the fabric evokes a theme, or if I come up with some other idea!

And, besides that, it is time to focus on dinner!