Stripes and Plaids It Is

Well, a decision on which scraps to use for the Scrappy Lil’ Doll Quilt Challenge has been made.

Stripes and plaids.  It was so much fun pulling these out and going through them!  When I first started to get serious about quilting, around fifteen years ago, the two fabrics types that first won my heart were 19th century reproductions (anyone remember those first Smithsonian collections?) and stripes and plaids.   Roberta Horton had published her inspirational book on stripes and plaids and, at the time, the stores were full of them.  It’s just possible I bought a little of each and every one.

I still love my reproductions but somehow the plaids fell by the wayside – I. E. all my scraps got stuffed in a bin and stacked in the closet.  It’s been a while since I really went through them and pulling them out was a little like greeting an old friend. 

When it came to this challenge, I thought, “What’s scrappier than a charm quilt?”  I actually wondered if I’d have enough.  Uh, yeah.  And then some.  But, since I was wondering, I started out by cutting two of each patch, just in case I was going to have to abandon the idea of a charm quilt.  So, dear readers, I have a spare set. 

The day of the Scrap Challenge Reveal, I’ll do a giveaway for that set.  If you have a copy of Miniatures in Minutes and are interested in a scrappy plaid charm quilt (pattern to be revealed the day of the giveaway), I’ve got a set I’m giving away.

I pretty much am keeping this blog limited to quilt stuff but I can’t resist this.

A new chair for the office.  Love those clearance sales at Laz-y-boy!  There was a time in my life when the idea of buying a big honker clearly built for comfort kind of chair like this would have horrified me, but I’ve mellowed with age.  It rocks without tilting to the side and making horrible squeaking and clanking noises.  That puts it way ahead of the chair we just got rid of!    I’m sitting in it  happily typing away at this very moment.  And, just to keep this tangentially related to quilting, notice how it color coordinates with my book cover!  (It’s the little things . . .)