April Showers and May Flowers

While April is still proving just how little my plans affect what actually happens, I am beginning to make strides toward reclaiming my life. Ideally, though those steps ought to have resulted in a load of laundry, or dishes, or even taking out the trash (all things I desperately need to do), but tonight I had the energy and the desire to do something fun. So I did.

I've been thinking about April showers. And how they're supposed to bring May flowers.

I'm not holding my breath for flowers - in my garden or unforeseen blessings - so I made my own.

It all started with a few bright charms that I got on clearance at Joann Fabrics, and the idea to try a disappearing nine patch.

Since I started with pre-cut squares, it took only a few minutes to create each nine square. That said, the charms were not as exact as I would have liked. Since I didn't take the time to square them up before I started sewing them together, it didn't take long to end up with slightly skewed squares.

After making the nine patch, I followed the general instructions in my hand-me-down quilting book and cut the nine patch square in half horizontally and vertically, resulting in four new squares from each nine patch. 

I spent a few minutes playing with possible layouts for the squares. This was by far the most time consuming step in the process. Once I had a layout that made me happy, I whipped up a quick mini quilt top.

Of course getting down on the floor with fabric means it's time to play - or take a nap.

If you can, ignore how blurry that picture is. I wanted to show that Momo isn't the only one who ends up on the quilt as I baste or pin. I also liked the contrast between my outfit (black and more black) and the quilt top - even the back side of the quilt top is riotous color!

A couple straight lines, a quick turn, and an edging stitch later and I'm almost finished. 

There are still a few finishing touches and a bit more quilting to go - but I feel like I'm meeting my determination to bringing something beautiful out of this month.