No Spring Finish For Me

Unfortunately, I was not able to complete anything for Jacquie's April Spring Finish Challenge. I have so many projects in progress and had a hard time trying to focus on just one. But no finishes does not mean that nothing was accomplished. I was able to bring quite a few projects forward to their next phase. And as Jacquie noted, the work started in April can continue into May to accumulate more (or for me the first) finishes.

For the basket quilt talked about two posts ago I did get the batik fabric for the back (although it took two tries to get just the right one) and now the back is finished. I'm hoping to make a run to Michael's for some batting (I've got a coupon) so I can get this one layered, basted and (hopefully) quilted. I'm so glad the new fabric goes well with the original setting triangle fabric since I will be using it to bind the quilt too so needed them to be similar.

Some other accomplishments: I layered and basted the Stashbuster quilt and was able to get fabric for the binding so now I just need to decide how to quilt it. When I ordered the (second) batik, I was also able to get backing fabric for my Crumb quilt. I had decided that it would be easier to add the bead border after quilting the center so now that I have backing, I can layer and baste that one and also move it along to the quilting phase. And I've prepared the flannel back for the Dino Sports quilt so now the label needs to be attached and it too can be layered and basted for quilting.

After the challenge ended and May began, I was also anxious to work on the next blocks in the "Vintage Treasurers" BOM I've been working on since the start of the year. With the blocks this month I was able to start constructing the center of the top. I have another BOM I want to do in the second half of the year, so I've been doing this one two blocks a month in the hopes of completing the top in June.

On The Design Wall:

Joann "Vintage Treasures" BOM

This BOM was issued by the Joann Craft Store chain although I bought the kits on Ebay. I was only able to get five of the monthly kits, the Setting Kit and an accessory booklet. I went to one of the stores and was able to get more of most of the fabrics used and subsititutes for all but two. With that I have drafted the remaining blocks (in Quilt-Pro). The hardest fabric to replace was the light blue fabric in the picture. After many tries elesewhere, I eventually found what I needed at Connecting Threads in their "Country Essentials-Fall" line (which I see is now down to only a few fabrics on closeout).

"Vintage Treasurers" is is my second BOM and neither of them were made one block, a month at a time! The first one was Debbie Mumm's "Christmas Wish" (2008 BOM Sampler) which was made at a rate of two blocks a week between October and December of last year.

Although I consider this a 2008 finish, it is also on the goal list for this year because I only had time to outline quilt it just enough to be able to hang it up for the holidays. This year, I want to add more detail quilting. I found a cute "Holly and Berries" motif in the Alex Anderson's "Beautifully Quilted" book that I hope to add to it along with the words "A Christmas Wish for A Happy Holiday".

So now to spring ahead so I can have some finishes before it's officially summer!