What I've Been Up To.....

I've been pretty quiet this week....at least here in Blogland.  But that doesn't mean I haven't been busy!  When I was little, my mother did not like it at all when I was too quiet.  It usually meant I was doing something "inappropriate".....and with scissors.

I was the "scissor child".....I cut off the straps of my Mary Jane's because I wanted flats like my big sister; I cut off the sashes from my sister's dresses because I was mad at her.  I cut out a big motif from the lace tablecloth in the dining room because I thought it was "pretty"....and I cut out a whole square from my mother's crocheted granny square afghan because I wanted to see how it was put together.  Frankly, I don't know why I could always find the scissors when I wanted them......I would have locked them (or me) up tight!

I'm still doing "inappropriate" things with scissors, but at least my fascination seems to have found some direction.  Although these days, I can do twice as much damage twice as fast with my handy-dandy rotary cutter! 

When Deanne Moore Quill of  Creative Sewlutions came to visit me this spring, she let me pick this Shenandoah pattern from her stash:

I had a beautiful piece of Hoffmann fabric in my "orientals" box......it was the challenge fabric from 1999 or so.  I've kept it all these years searching for just the right pattern to cut it up for, and this seemed to be it.  I'm pretty happy I played with my scissors on this one:

"A Little East of Shenandoah"

It was a challenge keeping all those narrow sashings straight, but it will pay off when Guy gets around to quilting it.

I continued my little exercise with Dresdens this week.  Here's what I have so far:

I have three more to piece from the sections I cut out, and my background fabric came last week, so I can get my blocks cut and start working on the applique.  I love to do these by hand; it's so satisfying when they're finished.

While I was cleaning up my studio (when aren't I cleaning up my studio?), I came across a pack of 1930s-style applique blocks that I won in a silent auction a few months ago.  I've decided I really didn't like the patterns, and was sorting the pre-cut fabrics to add to my "retro" bin when I got inspired.....the sizes were perfect for more "little monkey" blocks.....so, a little scrappy work got started, too:

I'm going to work with a more controlled palette this time, and I'm putting those little white 1 1/2-inch squares in every block for continuity.  You can blame this one on Bonnie Hunter (again.....!)

Were you ever just a little "too quiet" as a kid?  Come on, you can 'fess up!  Let me know what got you in trouble....time and again.  I sometimes wish my Mom was still around to say,  "Kathleen Ann, where are you and what are you doing?"

Have a great weekend......Nationals are in Boston this weekend, so we'll have lots of baseball to keep our evenings exciting....

Kathy