The First Block

I haven't made a Resolution and I haven't taken a Solemn Vow, but I've decided it is time to finish up some of the vast myriad of odds and ends that are here and there down in my studio. My thought is that it would be a good idea not to buy any fabric until the retreat at the end of April, but instead to work with what I have and if I should somehow manage to finish everything that is in progress or in plan, then I'll work from Scraps. Then, when retreat comes, I'll have enhanced joy in buying new fabric after so long.

So far, so good. I dug out those platypuses and finished that top. I went into my great big basket of Bill and pieced all of the blocks for a queen quilt (assembly of which will be my first retreat project). Then I hesitantly opened a pack of fat quarters that I've had since 2000 when we first went to Hyannis and Bonnie told me to be sure to check out a "really great quilt shop" there. Heartbeat Quilts (which has since closed its brick and mortar store but I believe will continue on lie) turned out to be as great as Bonnie'd said and while I was there I bought a few things including one of my first packs of fat quarters. The fabrics come from at least three different lines/ manufacturers; it is impossible to tell precisely because of the lack of selvedges. All these years; I still don't know why I couldn't bring myself to break into them earlier!

But, once again, I saw a picture on the internet and liked it and figured out how to make the block. I don't know what the block's name is; I don't even care. I just like it. And it's a good thing, because there are ultimately going to be at least a dozen of 'em.

Don't you just love that feeling that comes when you finish the first block of a new project?

I do.