Boston Common

Hi all! As I write this, it is 63 degrees outside! It rained like crazy last night, but now it's sunny, and the weekend is supposed to be moderately nice. I've even been outside to do some garden cleanup. There are little green shoots everywhere. Spring is definitely here!

This week I finished the charm square Boston Common quilt:

Yes! All those charms are out of the closet and used up in a quilt!

This quilt used 130 charm squares and is about 56 by 72. I had to cut a few extra 5-inch squares because there were only 120 in the charm packs, but I don't think anyone can tell. The important part is that I did not buy anything for this quilt--it all came from things I had on hand.

As great as it is to use up those charms, it's also quite gratifying to use the border fabric. This border is the extra fabric that I cut from a backing from a quilt I made in 2009. It's from a line called Sunshine by April Cornell, and it could have been my favorite fabric ever. I'm so happy to use it here!  There are just a few little bits left over, which will get cut up and used as scraps.

I always intended this to be a donation quilt, and wouldn't it be terrific for Sarah's Hands to Help drive? I think it would be quite a cheerful break for someone undergoing chemo, so I'm pretty sure that's where this one will go.

I'm blaming the great weather for taking up some of my sewing time and keeping me from finishing other things this week, so here are a couple of sneak peeks for next week:

Tuesday is the next block for the Classic Stitches row quilt, and here's a peek a part of it:

Also, Wednesday will be a very special day here at the Academic Quilter--one year of blogging! I suspect there will be a small celebration of some sort. Here's a peek so you'll be sure to come back and check it out:

Hope everyone has a great weekend. If you celebrate Easter, I wish you a blessed and happy holiday. If you don't celebrate, I wish you a warm and happy weekend as well. We will be spending some time at church this weekend, and having Easter brunch together. And then Monday is Opening Day for baseball as well as the basketball championship game. Lots to be happy about right now!

Linking to Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict,  Link a Finish Friday and also Finish it up Friday. Happy sewing!

 

Little dresses

Happy Tuesday morning everyone! I hope you're already having a great day. Over the last few days we have had lots and lots of sunshine,which makes me really happy. We're supposed to get more snow today, though, and then the deep freeze. I'm starting to really be ready for spring.

I have been making a bunch more Paper Dolls blocks with my pink scraps.

Festive headwrap, and funky gray hair!

These are fun, and I have a lot more pink scraps than blue ones, so there are more choices. I must not like blue very much, because I really have very little of it. Never thought I had something against it, but somehow it doesn't show up in the sewing room much. Hmmm.

These used up some of the pink scraps, including some that had been hanging around here for a long time.  I actually had to stop myself from making more because there were more scraps to use up. I feel certain those other scraps will be showing up somewhere else.

Gosh, those dolls are fun to make!  As you can see, the hairstyles continue to be a challenge:

Strapless in the snow, with a flip!

My other project so far this week was somewhat related, but real dresses instead of doll dresses: 

Little dresses!

Okay, these don't look like much, but the backstory is good. In January, Kimberly of Kimberly's Quilting and Sewing had a great series of posts on your fabric stash (the first one is HERE) and many of her points hit home with me. The series is really worth reading, even if you don't think you'll find anything there.  One of Kimberly's points was about fabric that will never get used. This is true for me--I save everything, but will likely never use some of the leftover yardage or prints from many years ago. She suggests having a small project that makes up quickly to give to charity.

These little dresses are my charity project. They are made mostly from the leftover half and 3/4 yards from old projects. I don't want another quilt made with these florals, but what little girl wouldn't love one of those dresses?

These dresses will go to an organization called Little Dresses for Africa.  It's a great organization and they sew up really fast, as clothes go. Not "knock it out in half an hour" fast, but quick enough.  Seriously, there is almost no cutting involved. I got the free pattern at Nancy Zieman's charity page at Nancy's Notions. There are also a lot of other organizations listed there with a lot of other free patterns and ideas. Some good uses for old fabric. . .

So, I'm nearly done sorting and pulling out fabric for charity projects and having fun making little things. I hope to also make some little elephants for the Elephant Parade quilt later this week, and I'm working on Kaleidoscope blocks. A lot going on, but lots of progress!

Hope everybody gets some sewing in this week, and that there is very little snow to shovel to get in the way of that. Stay warm!

Linking to Linky Tuesday, Fabric Tuesday,  Let's Bee Social, and soscrappy.  Be sure to stop by!