It's FRIDAY! :-)

Hi, all!!

Last night I went out and bought background / sashing / border fabric for the new project I'm starting (my first time buying an entire uncut bolt of fabric!). I should have sufficient stuff in my stash for the scrappy part... even then there are some FQs I just can't cut into right now! How bad am I? I may have to dig deeper later as I'll need 96 squares, but I've got a good start washed up and pressed and ready to cut. I have scraps from my rose quilt that might work, and leftovers from my round robin quilt that I might not use in coordinating pillows and such, so there are definitely "backup" fabrics before I start cutting into stash yardage. I cut off 3 yards of the background to wash and play with, so I have stuff to keep myself busy for a while. I might not even have to take my machine to Girls Night Out - I'll be cutting and cutting and cutting! Though I probably will get some prep cutting and a couple Flying Geese made up this weekend to get into the rhythm and get the 3-yard piece into a more managable size. I have instructions and a spcial ruler that helps me make flying geese (Eleanor Burns), but I also found a method online that my friend Kelli was taught that is a no-waste method so I'd use less fabric. That method also makes any size, where the rulers I have limit me to four sizes (though one of them will work just fine and I'll use that size regarless of the method I choose). I'm going to try that no-waste method and see if I think I can do that 96 times. ;-) Oh, and that 96 number isn't counting an outer border of geese, either, so there are actually more than just in the blocks. But at least the blocks aren't going to be on point and it's scrappy, so I'm not going to be tearing apart blocks to make them go in the right place like I have been (and continue to do) with the rose quilt.

I've also decided that I'm going to sign up for a quilt retreat for the end of April, so I'm looking forward to that dedicated time and ability to spread out a little more (i.e., use the floor) and I should be able to finish my rose quilt there. :-) I'm also thinking I might be able to get a bedskirt or two made (or started) as well. I've had the fabric for that forever. I usually take more than I know I'll work on in case I get brain dead or bored, so I might throw in another UFO for good measure. Goodness knows I have a few. :-p

I was thinking this week (as I was sitting at a park and ride waiting to get Bill off the bus) that I need to have a handwork project to carry with me in the car. I tend to string errands and appointments together, and often end up waiting for the next activity without a planned activity to take up the time. Something that's small and uncomplicated and portable. A crochet project would be ideal, but what? Hmmmm..... I need to figure this out by Tuesday as I have two doctor appointments and of course I couldn't schedule them back-to-back. What to do, what to do....? Maybe I could start working on my sweater to match the sleeveless top that I have yet to post a picture of, but I think that it will require too much concentration since there's a slanted shell stitch in the sweater that wasn't in the top. Maybe I could start another sleeveless top - that was just straight DC and I'd only have to pay attention to measuring rather than stitching. I was going to try to conquer the boucle and make SOMETHING out of it, but I haven't thought of anything yet. One thought was a shawl made of granny squares, but I haven't tried that yet. I think something that I can work in the open spaces is going to be my only hope for crocheting with that stuff. Maybe I'll try that this weekend and see if I get anywhere. It's supposed to rain all weekend and we have no other plans besides church, so it'll be a good craft weekend.

I think that's all the news I have... thanks for reading along as I think out loud. :-)

Enjoy your weekend!!!

Blessings,
Kristin