...I had blocks trailing on the floor for this quilt...
I'd forgotten about these blocks that I started 2 years ago. How bad is that!? I found them at the bottom of my stash cupboard under a mass of fabric. I once described myself as a kangaroo on a pogo stick when it comes to jumping from project to project, I guess this one just got lost in the hops. 

I felt so bad about neglecting the blocks I figured the only way to make it up to them was to make them up...

Luckily I'd kept some of the fabrics with them because I decided to make another 40 blocks. A few new fabrics got thrown in too. The finished top is fit for a queen at 90x90 inches. I took these photos late at night so the colours look duller than in real life. One day it'll get a nice outdoorsy, natural light photo shoot.


Usually when I sew my quilts a name will come to me, but I still I haven't thought of a name for this one. 
Any suggestions are very welcome!


The reason I was rummaging through the bottom shelf of my stash cupboard was I've been going through and washing my fabrics. I used to prewash when I started quilting but somewhere along the line I stopped. I guess I was impatient, waiting for fabric to wash takes up valuable sewing time. And I know lots of people who don't. So what's changed my mind? I recently read a great blog post about why we should wash before sewing here at Piece of Cake blog.
 I'm not so fussed about shrinkage because I quite like the crinkly look, but what I don't like is the idea of all the chemicals used on fabrics, insecticides and sizings. The other reason that persuaded me was that fabric without the smooth sizing and finishes will hold together better when piecing.  Interesting... 
I should add whether to wash or not is a personal choice, like so many things with quilting, there's lots of ways to do things and it just a matter of picking what suits you.
 Anyway my plan is to wash a load very few days and soon my stash will be soft, clean and hopefully safe from colours running. I don't put them in the dryer, because I don't have one, so they just air dry.
 It's fun bundling up washing loads by colour, as I type a load of purples are dancing in the suds.
 It's been a good stock take. Discovering fabrics I'd forgotten about, pairing them up with newer fabrics. Realising I do actually have quite a lot of fabric, ahem... there's always room for more though...
Ironing is the best part, seeing a favourite fabric all fresh, flat, and nicely folded. I've been using the time to catch up on old podcasts of Alex Andersns Quilt Connection and Pat Sloan on American Patchwork and Quilting Radio podcasts.

One more bit of show and tell... This was Valentine's in Daisyland. I gave Gbf a pair of pink flamingos for the garden and he bought us ukeleles so we could play music together. It's hard to tell from the photo but my ukelele is pink and sparkly. It doesn't get much better than that! Rock and Roll!!!