I woke up this morning greeted by our daily snow shower and said to myself, “Be the Sunshine you want to see in the world!” Yes, the weather has not improved, but I forced myself to keep sewing last week, and pretty much faked it till I maked it.

When last we spoke, I was about to launch into a new project– instead, I pulled out BRIO. My memory is not what it used to be, so after two weeks in the closet, it was pretty new to me anyway. Thank goodness I wrote detailed sticky notes on where I was with this thing. So after a few nights of sewing– BAM! I now have enough to complete my years long vision of a table runner and placemat set for my picnic table this summer.

Just thinking of summer and those bright cheery colors really filled my night this past week. I’m hoping to get the eight blocks done this week– you can see what they’re supposed to look like in the top row.

This is #6 of my #12 Frivol kits I bought from eBay a few years ago. You might remember them– Moda sold these things in tins to showcase some of their designers. I’m a sucker for a TIN! Want to sell me a snow cone right about now? TIN IT.

I missed out on the original release on these– I thought they were too expensive– but a couple of years later, I enjoyed myself immensely picking them up one by one on eBay. After having some buyer’s remorse, I lamented to a friend, “Why did I do this? When am I ever going to get these made?” and as a true friend, she expressed to me that she was sure I would. “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.” I so remember her saying that, and here I am still working to fulfill her prophecy. So in lieu of any other progress this week, I’m going to show you where I stand.

The first one I made was a French General in about 2016– I wrote about this a few weeks ago, and just got the binding on! the quilting was a bit of a debacle, but it now sits on a credenza by my bookshelves downstairs and it looks beautiful. I don’t have great pictures of this– I need to get one.

Next up, this was Brenda Riddles fabric and the project was named “Windermere.” It was just about my favorite. There it is on the back deck of my previous house– oh, the sun is out on a lovely spring day, and it’s giving me pangs just seeing it, so let’s move on. This exists in the exact same state– it is patiently (or not) waiting to be quilted.

Do you recognize a Minick and Simpson project when you see one? Another favorite– this is finished, quilted by me, and sits on the table in Quiltopia, even as we speak. Don’t laugh– but I liked this one so much, I bought another underpriced tin on eBay– but then I gave it to a friend. What a nut I am. xox

Another finish! This is the only one not in my possession– it belongs to a little girl, five now, who was born to a neighbor in 2020. She was their first baby, and Dad could not even be in the hospital with her as the lockdowns had just started. It was my way of giving them a hug!

Now we are down to no picture at all– but I did finish Kit #12 which featured Editya Sitar. This one fit a table my daughter has perfectly, and now lives a few steps away at the cabin. I swiped this picture off the web.

Now these are the ones I have left. If you haven’t figured it out, I wasn’t going in order, so they progressively descend into ones I don’t like as much. Pictures are swiped from Etsy– yes, you too can have a complete set of twelve, even ten years later!

SO the question is, do I finish them– OR- start a NEW set! Did you hear there is a new TIN in town?

Again, by Moda– these are the “Collector’s Series Tins”– they had me at Tin– and the first one out is due in July. I took these pictures from Fat Quarter Shop, so in recompense, I will say they are the cheapest I have found the so far. (Unless I wait a couple years and snag them on eBay!) They are $85 with free shipping.

They seem to contain a bit more than the Frivols– I spy scissors and two metal tags– but what’s in them may vary from tin to tin, so there aren’t’ too many details on that yet.

And, of course the project–

They’re all pretty cute– but all the overthinking has already happened– would I buy just the ones I like, or just collect ’em all?

So these are my happy, quilt-y thoughts as I sit here freezing while our daily snow shower has turned to rain. Thank you for sharing them with me. Tomorrow is supposed to be– GASP– 56 degrees and sunny. Maybe I’ll treat myself and go out to grocery shop!

I spied this little guy not minding the snow and mud at all– the first one this spring, which really gives me hope.

xox
Carol