Irons in the Fire

My quilting style, I guess you would call it, is to have a "bunch of irons in the fire" at once! Sometimes, I drive myself crazy. Anyone else have that problem? 

Here's what I'm working on this week...

First up, I'm close to being ready to finally quilt this hexagon table topper that was started way back in 2010!

 Yesterday, I spent about 7 hours in a car, riding to and from Lincoln, Nebraska with two good friends. We were on our way to visit another close friend, Kathy, who suffered a stroke back in November and is staying at a rehabilitation hospital there. Between coffees, diet cokes and waiting for my turn to talk, I got quite a bit sewn. This cake carrier is a favorite of mine, for storing and transporting projects....$5 at Walmart. Love 'em!

 Back home, I've been busy putting twelve purple star sampler blocks together....

 Determined to use what I have in my stash, the sashing is light grey Heath with purple Tents coupled with an old "mystery" fabric for the posts. (I think it might be a Civil War reproduction.) I may have to break down and shop for something as a border...we will have to wait and see...maybe it won't need one.

 Last week I ordered some fun Kona solids in natural, coal, curry and rich red from Marmalade Fabrics. They arrived so fast and beautifully packaged. You should check out Tammy's shop, if you haven't already. I've been sewing fast and furiously on a secret project with these fun fabrics and it is already at the quilter's. Why can't I always have such great follow through? .....Oh, ya. It's called a Deadline, that's it!

 Today is Make Farmer's Wife Sampler Blocks Day. Sigh. These are the four six inch blocks  that I made last week....and there are another four to complete before I go to bed tonight. Come back tomorrow for that!

 As always, I've been using leaders and enders as I sew on other things. Here's a basket full of them ready to be pressed into blocks for making a colorful charity quilt. You can find the pattern that I'm using here.

 Most of you know that I worked at my local public library for fourteen years. In those days, I always had a big stack of books that I'd carry back and forth from there to home. I've slowed down on that, but recently ran across this premier book by Kaffe Fassett. This one was published in 1997, before he started designing his, now famous, line of fabrics. It is kind of fun to look at the pretty pictures and imagine them made up in his fabrics. The one on the cover is my favorite. I really, really would like to add this to the irons in my fire!

There's another iron heating up in my head, as well. There always is, it seems. I hear Bernie the Bernina calling. Gotta run!