Mesa Valley

Have you heard of Fat Quarter Shop's Sew Sampler subscription?  For about $26 a month, you receive a box filled with fabric, a pattern, notions and coupons. I started my subscription last September and have loved nearly every box. My favorite so far has been the October 2017 box. The fabric, quilt pattern and notions delighted me. Some of the subscribers did not like the Tula Pink modern fabric included that month (according to the FQS blog), but you just can't please everyone. My fabric stash has a lot of traditional-style prints, so it was fun to work with a modern print for a change. In fact, I may have ordered a couple fat quarter collections with more modern style fabrics....

Check out this Mesa Valley quilt using the Tula Pink Spirit Animal prints. It was included in my Sew Sampler box from October. The pattern was very easy and quick to assemble. I decided to use a light tan "sandy" fabric for the background rather than white.  If you make this pattern, you can safely reduce the background fabric by 3/4 yard. Also, I recommend pressing the block seams open (even the flying geese piece) to reduce bulk.  I pressed to the side only for between the blocks and for the borders.

Also I finished the green RSC 18 blocks for March. Here are the blocks for January, February and March:

On a higher note, I flew last weekend with an instructor for my biennial review. Private pilots like me are required to meet with a flight instructor every two years to make sure we are still operating safely.  We spent some time reviewing charts and regulations, and swapping a few stories. Then it was time for my flight review.  We took off and headed out to practice some flight maneuvers.  It was a rather bumpy flight because the winds were changing directions due to a cold front that was passing through later that evening. In fact, I discovered the winds switched to a completely opposite direction after my takeoff. After circling to land in the right direction, my landing was thankfully smooth and uneventful.  So with a fresh signature in my logbook, I am ready to explore the skies once again.

Green Light

Green light or light green?  The Rainbow Scrap Challenge color for March is green. The color my grass will soon be.  The color that means "Go".

Here is my green block, the first of three needed for my version of RSC 18.  My January and February blocks each have a center featuring a special print, so I decided to follow the same concept for the little Shoo-Fly block in the middle of this block.

I am also pleased to report progress on another UFO, a disappearing 4-patch project begun in 2012. All 42 of the blocks I had planned to make are made plus 1 extra. Each block is a different red print with a white-on-white print as contrast. Now let's figure out how to arrange them.

Which layout do you prefer?

UFO Progress

Hallelujah!  My UFO pile is finally decreasing!  Progress so far in 2018:

1. Jamestown Landing - DONE
2. Big Star Country - DONE
3. Magnolia Mystery - DONE
4. Grand Illusion - being longarmed.
[You can find these on my 2018 Quilts page.]

5. Sapphire Stars - Need to add final border; backing has arrived.

6. Baby Fox - sandwiched and ready to quilt.

7. RSC15 Sampler - Three rows complete; need to finish the remaining four rows.

8. Red/white Disappearing 4-patch - 14 more blocks to cut and reassemble, then arrange all blocks into a 48-block flimsy. Need to figure out backing.

I have started only one new quilt in 2018 - the RSC sampler for 2018. But I'm collecting fabric for others....gotta finish more UFOs first!

I hope you are progressing on your own UFOs, too!