No longer discouraged!

Jo-Anns has a huge sale this week. I went to the big Etc. store by the mall, as it has more selection than my just-up-the-street location. I went straight to the half off the red dot fabrics and found this wonderful green fabric that matches my Christmas sampler blocks beautifully! I will use this for the sashing. Hip Hip
I have been looking for a creamy color to use in my fall leaves quilt. I searched at two local quilt stores, at Pacific Fabrics and Crafts, and at two Jo-Anns, and I could not find just what I wanted. But at this big Jo-Anns Etc. I found just the right fabric! It is hard to see in the picture, but it has leaves all over it, tone on tone. I will make up a couple of blocks, and maybe then the pictures will show up the fabric.

My greatest find is this print called Oil Slick Red. I fell in love with this fabric when it first hit the shelves at Jo-Anns. But I did not buy any because I had no plans for it. Well, I was thinking about my Christmas Sampler Quilt, wondering if I could use it for sashing or a border or something. I found it - - - in the half off red dot area!!! It was $1.50 a yard. GASP. I bought all 2.861 yards of it. (I just looked at my receipt...they charged me $2.50 a yard. Grr.) I am sure it will be used in something, for I love love love this fabric!

I am discouraged no longer. In fact, I think I will go do some cutting and sewing... :)

Discouraged

I am feeling somewhat discouraged with my Christmas Sampler Quilt. I am finished with all the blocks, and now is the time to decide on sashing and borders. When I lay the blocks out, I see a strong difference between the blocks with bright green and red and the blocks with darker greens and reds. Do I go with light sashing or dark sashing? Can't decide.
So I thought maybe I should make two quilts, one with lighter fabrics, one with the darker fabrics. So I made another block with the lighter fabrics.

It turns out that I really don't have enough fabric left to make more blocks. So I decided I could put the darker blocks in the corners and the lighter blocks on the inside. Great! How about auditioning some sashing colors.

Here is yellow...

I have a very fun red and green stripe...

I bought some green just to see how it looked....

Or how about no sashing?

I have always liked sampler quilts with sashing, for each block is unique and needs to stand on its own. I may just put this one away for a while. It won't be done for Christmas anyways.

Times like these requires some chocolate. But guess what I found in my cupboard? A jar of Kalamata Olives! Oh, boy, do they taste good and I am feeling so much better now!!!

Doing some machine applique!

I got out my old sewing machine to make a costume for daughter. It is fun to see the two machines, side by side!
The older machine has a zigzag stitch, so I decided to work on the Christmas quilt applique blocks. This is the first time I have done machine applique. I had to go very slow; it took patience to stitch around all the curves and tight angles. But I don't think I did half bad!

I thought I wouldn't like the precision work, but it was actually relaxing to do. Still, I am glad there are only six applique blocks in this quilt!