Strip Surprise

I assume you have discovered Quiltville, Bonnie Hunter's website. I find lots of inspiration there, as well as anywhere I can find it. After seeing all that Bonnie does with Strips, Crumbs and other small dabs of fabric, I saw somewhere else about strip piecing on a foundation. So I made a lot of squares (also here) Now I am putting them together. I am planning a surprise quilt - unless the surprise-ee is watching my blog. (I don't think so, I think she will be very surprised!) Anyway, I sewed sixteen of the strip blocks into this piece. Wow, I have impressed myself!



I am planning to do this "quilt as you go" style. I will make this the WIDTH of the quilt then add backing and batting and quilt it. I am thinking that this will be the UPPER MIDDLE of the quilt to make a big band of diagonal motion there.

I have more of the diagonal strip blocks left so they will work in there somehow. I also have the crumb blocks I posted earlier.


I have a number of them made now also - not enough but I have more "scraps" to keep on making them. Those will go into this quilt too. This will be a very scrappy and colorful quilt. (imagine that! Ha ha, I don't know how to do muted) I am hoping it comes together into a lovely, artsy quilt for someone very special.

Update-The secret revealed

Okay. I am ready to tell you "why" I was being quiet. Are you ready for this? I have slipped the secret to a couple of friends, I confess. BUT---- most of you are still wondering (or maybe couldn't care less ha ha)

I went on an excursion. A trip. An adventure. My friend, Dave, and I have been looking forward to retirement and making a few plans. One place that has our serious consideration is Merida, Yucatan, Mexico. It is tropical -and our old bones don't like the cold. It is less expensive than Florida- we will both have to watch pennies to survive if we live long. The people are mostly friendly and accepting.

This was our second trip to the Yucatan. We stayed in the same place as on the last trip. It is a lovely little guesthouse called Las Arecas (the palms.) On this trip we had the one room that has a small refrigerator. However, we had access to the kitchen and could have used the refrigerator there as we did last trip. It was nice to have the place to keep some water cold and not have to walk out of the room for it.

We made a day trip to Celestun to go on an eco tour; because even though this was a scouting expedition, it was also a vacation. I will be posting pictures later.

After a "delightful" two and a half hours (or more) negotiating the Atlanta airport (customs, TSA, and having to reclaim baggage twice --yes not just once but twice!) We got in last night about 11:30 p.m. A hard day of travel left us exhausted. It was over 3 hours driving to the airport, then 2 hours in the terminal (including a screening for influenza), slightly over two hours flight and then the absurdity of the airport and a two hour drive home.

I am still tired!