Sew Busy

I really wanted to have a post up last weekend for International Quilting Day but found myself sew busy that I never found time to show what I was up to.  Before I show you let me show you what Barbara received from me as her little surprise in the last giveaway.

Not the additional fabric...this little owl just seemed to like perching on it...but the little owl pincushion.  She said he certainly did put a smile on her face. I need to find time to make one for me now.  He is a cutie patootie!!!  Although he does kind of have a face saying don't stick me again please.

I spent last Saturday working on the quilt laying in the background in the picture above.  I still need to buy border fabric and would have taken a better pic to show it off but the weather isn't cooperating around here.  Lots of gray skies and rain.  The cherry trees are starting to bloom and I would love to get a picture of it with one of those if the sun would just make an appearance.

On my sidebar you might have noticed I have decided to join another QAL.  This one (Forest QAL) needs intermediate paper piecing skills per its creators Julianna and Joanna.  You find them at Sewing Under Rainbow (Julianna) or Shape Moth (Joanna).  This promises to be outstanding.  If you have the skills or want to stretch yourselves you should definitely check it out.  Next block is two feathers and the third one is a kick ass Aspen Grove that I just saw a moment ago for the first time when I created these links and I am astounded at its beauty!!!   I bought the fabric for the first block this weekend to celebrate Quilting Day.  Did I ever celebrate too,  I ended up buying  28 fat quarters, 2 third yard cuts and a 1/2 yard cut.  Wahoo!!!  Boardwalk Quilts in Long Beach, WA had a special on fat quarters... buy 20 and get them for $1.69 a piece and they had tons to choose from.  It was worth the drive put a big happy smile on my face. 

First I should show you what they mean by intermediate paper piecing skills needed.  Here is what the pieces look like that needed to be put together again.
 

 Problem is you can't even see a bird in all those pieces...now add in that they are all mirror imaged of what you are creating and it was a little messy to figure out what colors go where.  Luckily they had a colored diagram representation of the block that I kept referring back to a lot.
 

I love how he turned out though.  I used unconventional colors for him but love how he looks.  I love how the designer added a shadow for him. The picture probably doesn't do him justice.  The crown at the top of his head and throat are a vibrant purple and I love that color with the turquoise and teal.

Lastly I have spent some time this week starting to piece together my fontastic blocks into the baby quilt that I have planned for my daughter's baby due in September.  Here is a pic of the first section only and I love how this is turning out so far.

Now it's time to get started on my fun day. I have the day off work and my daughter and I are going to the first quilt show of the year in our area in Milwaukie today.  Last year I was pleasantly surprised at this show and look forward to what  I may find there today.  Not only did the small show have lots of great quilts but an excellent garage sale of guild member cast offs and I picked up some great stuff so I look forward to the treasure hunt today!!!

Keep Stitchin'