Thank you for the compliment. Sorry to hear about your bathroom backup.

Iceblossom, so sorry to hear about your plumbing issues. I hope it is an easy fix. My mother had to deal with a leak also recently. Squirrels got up under her house and found a way in between her kitchen and laundry room/bathroom wall and bit a hole in the rubber hose that went to the dishwasher. What a mess. The leak went on forever until they found the source of the problem. Don't the squirrels know, that they belong outside!! Cost her about 4,000.00.

RT09, I like both of your quilts you shared. So pretty.

Well I jumped off the wagon and bought fabric to keep and give away. I was looking for a few colors to start a new QAL weekly and 10 - FQ's to swap for our guild BD swap. Those will be gone in 10 days. Did I tell you I went on 2 Shop hops. So much fun. I won 3-4 Free FG's, a stack of 5" material, two bags of scraps, one of the bags had full length 1/4 yards. About 5-7 yards. Free = several patterns and small notions. And 3 pieces of yardage. Not too bad for 2 days. Then one of my GFs gave me a large sewing quilt kit she didn't like. So I get to finish and decide what I will do with it. I'll make it for her, or will I decide what to do with it later. And lots of driving. 1st day visited 10 shops the second day visited 4 shops. It was nice to see the river and area start to turn green. At least I had fun being off the wagon. LOL Now no buying for a while.

Glad you enjoyed the hops, Happylab... ..sounds like you got some fun stuff!! I love hops....so.....get your little patooty back up here...:p

yesterday, the guild had a workshop with Fern Royce on string quilts. She was very encouraging. Participants started using narrow strips in lots of different ways and fully enjoying the process.

I collected, from my stash, small pieces of fabric- smallest 8"x5". Cut into strips from 3/4" to 1 3/4" wide. Then just started sewing them together in a pleasing manner. Because I'm the program chair, I've got lots of business work to take care of and didn't have much sewing time. Still I enjoyed myself and the banter amoungst the participants. What a great way to use up small pieces.

Didn't need to buy a thing. Now afterwards, I went to the sewing machine store and bought a new machine. Turned in my "travel to class" machine as trade in....I do not collect machines. So this machine doesn't have a home in my quilt studio, it's for class/group sewing. What was needed is quilting small quilts, the harp is 9". It's metal, 26#, not light. It will stay in a travel case, just add my project. It's a brand I'm not familiar with Nicchi at ~$900. It has a table, knee lift, needle up/down, thread cutter. Decided it my birthday present to myself-yep April birthday. Can't take $ with me, so use it up and enjoy.

Connie when you look at this from a distance those brighter pieces add a little spark to the quilt...at least I think so. We are always so hard on ourselves!

happylab I haven't been on a hop for a while. It's always fun to see what each shop brings to the quilt table.

pet..you will enjoy your new little gem..enjoy! String quilts do get rid of those little narrow bits, don't they?

I went to a beautiful quilt show today and, although I looked at the vendors' wares, I didn't buy any. I got a free fat quarter with my admission to the show and shopped in the guild's boutique. Bought some books and patterns and one little yard of repro fabric for a quilt I'm planning.

Retired teacher, I think your leader/ender quilt is fantastic! It's beautiful and sure to be treasured by the lucky person who gets it. To think that you made something so beautiful out of tiny scraps that I throw away... amazing!!

I spent today using up a pile of ugly-to-me fabric from stash... some old solids... a few flowered flat sheets... just stuff that's hung around for a long time that I had no ideas to use in quilts... I cut them into 15 crib sheets. They are now stacked neatly next to the sewing machine all ready to be sewn. And, the fabric is finally off the middle of the floor! :)

I finished my Bonnie Hunter Good Fortune mystery quilt top— used all scraps. then i sent away (7) large flat rate priority boxes of scraps and orphans and had a lady come over and take a large trash bag full of scraps. Whew! Cleared out a Lot of scraps. Emptied a really big tote and about 7 shoe box sized boxes. Of course I’ve created more but at least they are not over taking the studio anymore. I’m guessing about 20 yards of fabric. I have a stack of tops to quilt and am going to see what backs I can come up with from my shelves. I think I’m going to spend some time making smaller projects over the next couple months to use more stash fabrics. The shelves are still pretty full, but not much in large yardage anymore. I am getting a little tired of ( scrappy) quilts- smaller projects won’t have to be scrappy. I have 2 niece’s having babies this summer so that will use up some stash too. I still have over flowing baskets of strips. I need to start working on those too- maybe a couple new rugs. Always so much to do. I’ve been productive without spending any money, which is of course our goal but have also been fortunate enough to win a couple shop hop prizes and receive gift cards so I’ve been able to satisfy that urge to get something new. I try to use them for thread, tools, rulers etc. no fabric.