Fabulous Fabric Friday

There's nothing like coming home tired from work and finding a couple of packages of fabric on the front porch!  

I was instantly energized!

I knew the larger package would contain these lovely fabrics by David Butler (Curious Nature)

but I just couldn't imagine what Cindy (Live a Colorful Life) would be sending me!

A beautiful yard of Sis Boom fabric

 because she knows I love Jennifer Paganelli (and cool colors).  

Cindy -- Thank you so, so much!  I am touched that you would think of me, and I think you know that this fabric has found a good home.  It will be admired and petted until the day I cut into it for the perfect project.  I think I have one in mind already!

Last night I had the fun of shopping at Fabric Depot with Monica and Heather.  

One is crazy and the other is crazier.  I'll let you decide which is which.  

I decided to add some solids to my Swoon-along blocks.

And I couldn't stop myself from starting a collection of reds and whites for a Christmas quilt.

Heather teased me about buying too much fabric (what with Curious Nature on it's way to my house at that point), but it seemed to me like a classic case of the pot calling the kettle black, so I just ignored her.

 Don't expect to see this quilt started any time soon.   I'm going to do Christmas in July at a sewing retreat this summer with friends and I'm just getting an early start.  

With wishes, true and kind -- Joan

Q & A

Q:  Are you swooning?

Why yes I am.

I decided to join Katy's Swoon-along, but have had a slow start.  

I changed my mind about colors/fabrics, but finally chose these.

I could hardly wait to start my block so I could use my beautiful new smart iron.

It's amazing!

Perhaps it was my haste, or perhaps it was the still poor lighting in my work-in-progress sewing studio, but I made an unusual (for me) cutting error.

I cut out background squares in Kona White (on the right) instead of Snow (on the left) and had to start all over.   On the bright side, I now have white background squares for the red and white Christmas quilt I keep thinking about.

 Sammy didn't lose a wink of sleep over my problem.

 Q: How is the progress on your sewing studio?

I can't stress enough that this will be an all year project. 

Recent activity includes folding fabrics to reorganize.

 But Sammy kept walking through the piles.

 Most of my fabrics are now temporarily stuffed into drawers since my neck and back got tired from all the folding.  

Q:  How is your recovery from surgery going? 

Today was my first day neck brace free.  It's about a week early, but this morning I just couldn't face putting it on any more.  The cervical fusions will still be growing/fusing till November 2012 and my spinal cord may not be completely "back to normal" until May 2013.  

So basically I still have pain and other symptoms in my neck and left arm and leg; however, less than before surgery, AND

I am getting better every day.  

Thank you for your thoughts and prayers!!  They are much appreciated!!

 In other news, I'm taking a wonderful class with a special friend, 

and -- oh yeah -- I finished that first Swoon block (24" square).

Of course, some people have already finished their entire quilt tops.

I may not be fast,

but I'm slow :D.

With wishes, true and kind -- Joan