February Finishes

     Stacked Squares is done.  I usually prefer traditional quilts, but this pattern really appealed to me.  I love the illusion of depth in it.  These fabrics are also so out of the box for me. 

 A few months ago, my husband told me that all my quilts looked the same.  After thinking about it, I realized he was right.  They are always dark traditional fabrics or Civil War repros.  So, to prove that I can use a different palette, I bought these fabrics.  Most are Sweetwater by Moda.  They were fun to work with, but the dilemma is, I have no place to use the quilt.  Our house has a definite primitive look with antiques and dark traditional colors.  Go figure...I guess thats why I make quilts in those colors.

I quilted it with the walking foot in diagonal lines.

  I recently traveled to my LQS, Sew Sweet, in Brunswick, MO, for my block of the month get together. They had recently added scrap bags and I just had to buy one.  I do love me a good scrap bag and this was a dandy.

It took all of the willpower I could muster to avoid starting a red quilt.  There is even some St. Louis Cardinal baseball fabric in there.  I did put it away after petting it and sorting it.  Now if the RSC scrap challenge will just choose red for the March color, I will have an excuse to get it out again.  

     Here is my other February finish.  

     I have loved this Snowman Gatherings collection since it hit the shops.  I finally gave in and bought a charm pack and some yardage while I was in Florida.  Some Broken Dishes blocks and a little quilting and we have new winter placemats.  The charm pack made six placemats by making a few charms from the yardage.  The HST's are made from the 5" charms by the diagonal line method.  A 2-1/2" border on top and bottom makes a 12-1/2" X 16-1/2" placemat.  I quilted them with an edge to edge swirl.  

     We have a great-niece graduating from high school this Spring and I've been thinking about a quilt for her.  She has been active in choir and theatre, so I've been looking for inspiration in fabrics on this theme.  I think I have found the perfect fabric. 

That wide ribbon in the print is actually a dark red.  The school colors are black and red, so with some black, reds and creams, this should come together nicely.  I will do some embroidered blocks too.  Here are some of the other fabrics I'll be using.

Two of the black fabrics have music notes and instruments. 

      I have three tops which need quilted before I can start on this.  They were all layered and basted this afternoon, so hopefully I'll have them to the binding stage soon. This will be the carrot that keeps me moving along. 

   I hope your day included some stitching.

Judy