The Wearin' of the Green

I know there is a lot of talk around blog land about celebrating National Quilting Day, but around our family this weekend is all about St. Patrick's Day and DD#1's birthday. I FINALLY finished up this little table topper that I started last year to help add to the festivities. It is from a free APQ pattern and I named it Irish Clover. There are many decorations around the house, but this is the only quilty one. So last night, while watching one of our three favorite movies for the holiday week,     and cutting up squares from my just arrived Homestead Hearth scrap bags for this project by Kathie Holland (which I am making in miniature),

I also pulled out my Primitive Gatherings Tiny Tumbler template, along with some greens, golds and neutrals, and cut out this. I'm calling it Coins in the Clover. It won't be ready for this year, obviously, but hopefully next year my one green table topper won't be alone on St, Patrick's Day.

I had no idea how large I was going to make this, so I just cut until I'd made tumblers from a strip of each fabric in the pile. I sat with the design board in my lap and arranged the tumblers until I thought it was finished.

And speaking of finished, Abundance finally got completed. I do love how it turned out. I don't hand quilt much anymore, but this was a nice little project to take along in the car or pull out in the evening when I was too tired to sit at my machine.

This little Willow Tree angel seemed to express well my feelings about the abundance in my life.

When I got my new cutting station recently it necessitated the rearranging of my sewing room. I have been trying to create my wall of little quilts, but I don't have enough of them finished to make an entire wall. I have created my quilt corner, for now, and most of them have special meaning, thanks to my quilt blog friends.

Top left is one of Lori D.'s AAQI quilts that I was lucky enough to get before it was snatched by someone else. Below that is a lovely purple churndash that was a b'day gift from my sweet friend, Doniene. She knows I love that color and that block! What a treasure. Bottom left is the piece I shared last post made from leftovers of one of Kathie's quilts. The top of the next column has the latest addition to my wall--tiny purple flying geese obtained in a very lopsided swap from Barb. (Can you believe how itty bitty they are?) I still owe her. Below that is another AAQI quilt. This one was a collaborative effort between Kathie H. and Lori D. You have to be fast to get in on these. Bottom of that column has the lovely fall colored piece that came from Doniene early on in our friendship. She is such a thoughtful woman! I have given away most of the minis I have made, but the three quiltlets on the right are still with me.

I love this corner--it makes me smile! Someday maybe I will have a wall of little quilts. I have so many in varies stages of unfinished. I have told myself that I can't start another new mini unless I finish two WIP minis. We'll see how long that lasts. (Do you love the conviction I demonstrate?) I have one I have been wanting to start, so with these two finishes I have now given myself permission! : )

I am plugging along on Easy Street and Scrappy Trips (two free Bonnie Hunter patterns), but I have another large quilt I will be starting soon (from one of Judy L.'s books). I promised my Mom, so I need to get working on it. It isn't for her, but we were together when I bought the fabric and she can't understand why I haven't made it yet. This is the woman who makes one or two quilts a year (hand quilted), and doesn't start another until the last one is finished! I did not inherit those qualities from her, but I'd probably be a lot more content if I had.

Have a very productive National Quilting Day tomorrow!

Janet O.