CQ

As promised, here's some of what I've been working on.

13 hexes pieced. From the top to the bottom, each hex measures 5.5 inches and I used 6 or more fabrics in each one. And still that pile of fabrics in my room seems just as large as it was before I started. I actually have 21 pieced now, but this is the first group. Do you like the peacock center on the blue one in the center of the grouping?

Then after all that piecing comes embellishment:

Pink one

Green one (some people see green, some see gold -- it is green, trust me).

Back to work.

New Project

Over the Labor Day weekend, I got the urge to start a new project. On one of my Yahoo groups, a challenge was put out to have a large crazy quilt completed by 2012. The battle cry is "CQ by 2-0-1-2" (it rhymes). I started out with one idea, a CQ I had been working on off and on (mostly off). But it just wasn't calling my name. Then an idea popped in my head and I thought about it and then I took off full blast.

Here's what one corner of the sewing room looks like when inspiration strikes:

Boxes of fancy fabrics and a big tub of vintage kimono and obi fabric. These guys are finally going to see the light of day and no longer be cooped up in boxes and plastic bins. I worked and worked for 2 days piecing blocks and you know what? The piles don't look any smaller -- they still look the same size. How can that be? How many blocks do I have to make before I notice a dent in the stash? Sheesh!

My little friend got all "hyper" with all the activity going on -- pieces of fabric thrown to the wind, lots of strings to play with, the iron cord whipping back and forth.

So far I have 19 blocks. I'll show them next time.

I won!

Several weeks ago, I was one of the lucky winners of a lace jackpot from Cathy at Crazy by Design. As you can see from the pic above, there is a lot of lace here. And there was even more, but I already used some -- couldn't wait! Thanks Cathy! I have only won one other time in a blog giveaway so it was great to be the recipient of your generosity.

The lace pieces in the lower right -- those were dyed with some wild indigo I have that's growing in my yard. Somewhere in my internet browsings, I saw where someone had used indigo leaves to dye yarn. I tried the leaves, but mine didn't work. So I ground up the seed pods (which are a beautiful dark purple/blue color) and the seed pods did the job. I only used a couple of the pods because I was just experimenting, but I think when I have some time (yeah right!) I will pick a whole bunch of the pods, lose the leaves, and try this again.

Craft show season starts this weekend so at least now I'll have an excuse as to why I don't blog that often.