Signs of Spring

I'm still wearing a coat, but I didn't need my hat or gloves over the past couple days -- either in the midwest or in DC. I spent a long weekend in Chicago and Ann Arbor, catching up with friends, taking care of a few things, and watching Stanford's women's gymnastics team eek out a win at Michigan. Go Card!

A little over a week ago, I sent this quilt across the country to California. While it was still cold over here, the quilt makes me think of spring. I made it last spring, out of some of the scraps and pieces from this quilt. "Signs of spring" refer less to the time of creation and more to how the bits of color offset the gray -- the "it" solid in quilting and home decor for the past few years.

I alternated between larger color blocks and smaller ones swimming in gray, offset with a little white. Other than the solids, I didn't add any other fabrics; it was fun figuring out what I could make with a set pile of fabric. I don't recall the exact dimensions, but it turned out to be something like 40" x 60".  It turns out a lot can emerge from a small pile of scraps.

The frogs and tiny mushrooms are some of my favorite little pieces in this quilt. I used lavender thread to quilt and created wavy lines every couple of inches -- all with a standard piecing foot.

A little Echino found its way into the quilt. I find the the warm pinks, oranges, and yellow striking against the cooler gray. I backed it with a layer of colorful flannel, the same flannel I used to back this quilt. This quilt stayed with me for about 9 months before its recipient materialized. I rather liked pulling it out and looking at it during that time, often thinking I should have made it just a touch bigger so I could keep it for myself.

But sometimes you meet friends of friends and they're just awesome. And these days, even if you don't see people all that often, facebook allows for staying in touch and knowing what's going on in other people's lives. I actually think the biggest benefit of facebook is staying connected with people who might otherwise fade away because of distance or business. And when Sadie was born, I just knew this quilt was for her; while I don't yet know her, I know her parents are fantastic, interesting, and engaging people who will raise a really cool daughter.