A new month brings a new color

April has found its way which means a new color for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge! March did not go out like a lamb around here so I'm very happy April arrived! We are finally seeing a few warmer days (still below average) but sights of Spring have been spied ~ robins, buds on trees, some early Spring flowers pushing up through the soil and aqua blue!

Here is my 1st block of aqua blues. This is my Reverse Star block. 

Here are the 1st 4 blocks together! 

Each block will finish at 17"

I also got to cut into by blue stash fabrics that I pulled for the Optical Illusion quilt I planned to make. These are paper pieced churn dash blocks. The size change to create the illusion. 

I was debating on how to finish this quilt...borders? What kind? Then my daughter suggested making a giant churn dash block as the border. What a great idea! I had plenty of fabric left in my stash so I got to work. 

I love how it frames the optical illusion blocks. I used a 1/4" Kona Snow inner border as a break between the middle and the border. I sewed the big churn dash as the border with the corner HSTs being 8".  This pattern is from Heleen Pinkster Quilt Design. 

I'm linking to Scrap Happy Saturday at SoScrappy, Can I get a Whoop Whoop at Confessions of a Fabric Addict, Finished or Not at Busy Hands Quilts, Friday Foto Fun at Powered by Quilting, and Free Motion Mavericks at Lizzie Lenard Vintage Sewing. 

Bitter cold but a finish warms my heart

There is no doubt about it...IT IS COLD here in Chicagoland! 

This morning we woke to -22ºF temperature with windchills -50ºF. 

Schools are closed for the 2nd time this week  

and will be closed tomorrow also. 

(Monday for snow, Wednesday and Thursday for cold)

Tomorrow's temperatures are expected to be as cold or colder than today!

It does allow for some extra time to spend in my sewing room with projects. 

For me, 2019 began with 5 WIP left over from 2018. I'm happy to report that I completed my 3rd finish. All 3 were from my WIP pile! 

I do have 2019 WIP almost ready! Gotta get 2018 cleared out first!

This is one of my RSC quilts from 2018. You can see the other one here. I'm calling this quilt Heading North. 

Living in Chicagoland, we often are 'heading north' to WI for excursions, trips, vacations, & camping.

The backing is from my stash and the binding was left over from another project. Love using up stash!

I quilted in a chevron pattern following the outline of the geese. I also quilting the border in the ditch following the HST. 

The quilt finishes at 38.5" x 51"

Today, besides working a bit in my sewing room on my medallion quilt, I sandwiched this 2018 WIP.

I'm linking to Midweek Makers at Quilt Fabication, Linky Tuesday at Freemotion by the River, and To Do Tuesday at Stitch All the Things.

This will be the 4th 2018 WIP. This churn dash has been finished and waiting some attention since September. The pattern is called churn link. I found it on pinterest.  Now to decide how to quilt it!

I whipped up this cute fabric ball for my new grandson. 

He looks so cute under his Foxy Baby quilt I made for him.