Whoooa - July, tomorrow? already???

It's hard to imagine that it's the middle of 'summer' here on the Oregon coast.  Even on days that it's sunny [not that many full days!!] it's in the 60s.  And we've really had our share of grey or fog lately too.  A friend commented it was 'cozy' in the fog ... maybe I'll use that as my mantra!!

An UFO finish!!  Start up the celebration!  Presenting "Bento Box Meets Broken Dishes"!!

I gave up trying to take a picture outside!! You can just see a corner of the livingroom chair in the lower right corner of the picture.  Proof that this quilt DOES match the couch!!  LOL!

Bento Box meets Broken Dishes was started at a Quilters Night Out, celebrating Natl Quilting Day, March 2010. It's inspiration was "Sliced Bread" a free internet pattern at Willmington Fabrics. http://www.wilmingtonprints.com/projects.aspx The projects are alphabetical down the left side of the page.

I saw the quilt at our retreat and there was homework to do before the workshop. I didn't remember correctly and started it out wrong right from the beginning!! Typical!!

I made all my HST with black fabric and the black was supposed to be the outer strips to calm the whole thing down. Oh well!! It was patch, patch, patch from the very beginning! Finally, last summer, a visiting friend and the best consultant available for a cup of coffee, and I came up with this alternate version. Of course, I needed more blocks - but luckily, it was all sitting there, still together, hoping for a finish!!

It's funny how you use all your own fabrics; right from your favorite part of your stash and it doesn't look like 'you' at the end!! This is the closest quilt I will ever make that 'matches the couch!' [High on DH's want-list!]

To keep it from being too hodge-podge, I made two block variations - one block is red/blue and the other is yellow/green and there are two of each in a larger block. It was both fun and maddeningly to work on. I do love how it turned out.

I quilted it myself on the rental LA at our local quilt shop. But 'la-machine' and I weren't getting along that day - I had TWENTY thread breaks!!! BUT worth it at the end - when it's finished and I don't have to 'fight' it any more.

It's 54 x 75 and manages to get up to DH's chin while still tucking in under his feet!! Very important at the Oregon coast!!!

Meanwhile I'm working on a kid's strippie quilt from Maryquilts.com.  Our new great-nephew baby snuck up on me!! [I don't dare mention that to the new mom!!]

I had all the fabrics and couldn't choose a quilt pattern for them. The problem was my favorite fabric was just too big and had 'patchwork' boxes of different sizes and shapes and it just didn't look like it would cut up well. So once I decided to use the smaller print backing I bought for the front and piece the cute large animal print together to make the back - all was well and fast!! It's turning out darn cute.

In fact, I have some cars fabric I'm going to use for the next one!

Isn't that always the way. You have this long and involved list of projects to make/finish and then a good idea comes to you and it butts right into your plan!!

Well, I guess I honestly have to say I LOVE that about this hobby! It's just the bottom of my list that doesn't love it!!  But that EUREKA! moment is what keeps us going and going and going ...

So off to sew - til next time.