Into my cups

I meant to post last night, but my email program was choking to death, so I spent from the time I got home from work until the time I went to bed cleaning it up and fixing it. Now it’s back to where it was before – barely adequate. Oh, I miss my Eudora. This morning I started sewing a new clutch, but after I finished the free motion quilting, I thought of a better way to do it (meaning, I hated the way it looked and will be picking it all out when I have a few minutes to spare). Believe me, it’ll look much nicer after I’ve redone it.

But I did finish these! Finally. Not only did I finish the binding, but I actually washed them! I’m always terrified that my sewing will fall apart in the washing machine. Didn’t happen. Good thing, because there are going to be coffee cups  sitting on the runner and it’s going to get dirty. This pattern is Cup, Cup, Cups! by Karla Alexander and it was a lot of fun to put together. And it used up lots of fiddly little scraps that were lying around. It was a good opportunity for me to experiment with colour and pattern combinations. Some of them worked and some of them didn’t. Just like the FMQ – some of it worked and some of it didn’t.

I have a bad habit of trying to get away with using as little fabric as I can, and sometimes I come up short. There’s a bit of selvedge showing on the upper left side of the square wall hanging. Oh well. I can live with it

I highly recommend Karla’s pattern, but you can also find free cup and saucer patterns at Piece by Number and Kate Spain’s In From the Cold. I still have to add a couple of hanging tabs or a mini sleeve to the back of the wall hanging. Forgot that while I was putting it together.

Yesterday in the wee hours of the morning the Moon began another new cycle with a New Moon at 20 Aries. The sign of Aries is very appropriate to the new beginnings signalled by a New Moon because Aries is known as the pioneer of the Zodiac. The Ram. Always moving forward, meeting every challenge, throwing caution to the wind. Fearless. Also able to get by with just the bare basics when that’s all that’s available. Joining the Sun and Moon in Aries at the time of the New Moon were Mars and Venus. Fearless and passionate. “Love conquers all” would sum up that group of planets nicely. In the world of quilting, look for great productivity this month. Meetings with other quilters who are passionate about what they do. Lots of wedding quilts. Time to try out that primitive pattern you have tucked away with all of that prim fabric you bought on a whim last year. Be creative and don’t worry about what anyone else thinks of your work. See how many different shades of red you can use! Have fun.

Until next time,