CURRENT PROJECTS

This could be called "what am I doing?" After being gone much of March and early April I hit the ground running when I came home.

First, it was two Teeny Tiny Two For One quilts, made as gifts. Each time I teach Two For One, I want to come home and make another one. I don't need another bed quilt so I made Teeny Tiny ones:

Those squares are 1/2" finished

Mug Rugs, each about 11" square

I can honestly say I am "over" the urge for now. The squares are 1/2" finished. How long can these small things take to make? Far longer than I thought, especially when I occasionally sewed the wrong thing to the wrong thing. They are on their way to their new homes, all fabrics are returned to the closet and I am on to the next task.

The 2025 Block of the Month quilt for TheQuiltShow.com is Laurel Ridge, designed by Lynn Wilder. Not as far along as I should be by now, but it's getting there. I made a Feathered Star as a possible substitute middle block. The jury is still out on that, there is another large block I will make to see if I prefer it:

While working on these two projects, I have been sewing the adorable Old Italian blocks I showed a few weeks ago--they are the perfect Leader/Ender blocks. YES, there WILL BE A SUMMER SEW A LONG for you! I will provide instructions for this great block in 3 sizes, your choice, Here are a few of my 3" ones:

The other night I was able to attend my local guild, the Heritage Quilters of Huntsville. I don't get to attend very often due to my teaching travels but I wanted to be at this one. My friend, Dr. Jan Davis, an astronaut who has flown in space on 3 missions, including being the Payload Commander of her third flight in 1997, talked about her journey as a quilter and an astronaut. She has the distinction of being the first quilter in space. She gave a great talk, the large crowd was very enthusiastic:

Recently I got a new "techno toy". An Apple Watch. I have to be dragged kicking and screaming into new technology as it takes me a while to learn what's what. I don't like feeling that I don't know how to do things. But this was EASY! Everything syncs from my phone. I LOVE using it to track my outdoor daily walk, 2 hours, 8 miles/7 days a week. My husband has been urging me to get one for a few years. Honey, you were RIGHT:

Speaking of my husband, earlier this month we celebrated 49 years of marriage. In some ways it seems like time has flown and other ways it seems like a long journey together. I wonder what we will do for 50:

Today is Easter Sunday for us and we are happy to be celebrating with our son's family. There will be 10 of us at the table, including 3 children, who always make it a fun day. My contribution to the menu was easy, GUACAMOLE ATX and two Key Lime pies. The guac recipe I got from a great friend in Austin and I love it. Recipe linked above:

The Key Lime Pie recipe comes from the bottle of Nellie and Joe's Key West Lime Juice, easily found in the supermarket:

Happy Spring to everyone. Let's quilt.

Barbara