Spring is "sprung-ing"

Despite yesterday's snow flurries and a low of 27 degrees

 My peonies declare that winter is ending.

 Along with the lilacs and hydrangea.

 Yard work has commenced with clearing of the north 40

and most of the west 40.  I still have to rake and burn the south west corner where the tall grass and volunteer pine trees now reside. 

As soon as weather permits, we'll burn the front briar patch.  You may recall I've been fighting this battle for several years.  It must be done before it turns warm.  Hopefully next week I'll be able to put the greenhouse up.

How are your spring plans coming along?  Would anyone in the USA like to exchange a few seeds?  I'm particularly interested in trying some new herbs and flowers.  There are cantaloupe and pepper seeds in my fridge to exchange.

Until then, keep stitchin' . . .

The "finish" line.

With an overcast sky,

 perhaps the colors seem dull.

 However the pale yellow binding shows up well enough,

 as well as the baptist fan stitching.

In the background you can see just a bit of the vast yard work waiting for me.  Vines, briar patches, and leaves must be burned before it turns any warmer. 

Unfortunately, my bronchitis is back with increased congestion and more rest is required.  Thankfully there are seed catalogs to look through in anticipation of this year's garden.

Until then, keep stitchin' . . . 

What a beautiful Spring day

In about 40 days Easter will be here.  Can you believe it?

I've done some updating on my Pinterest site, just in case you need a bit more inspiration.

Until then, keep stitchin' . . .

The conundrum, and a question . . .

 Quilting on the big one patch is underway.

Unfortunately, with big quilts come tiny wrinkles in the backing.  Fabric which is folded slightly and caught up in the stitching when 3 layers don't play nice and glide along smoothly.

I'm tempted to undo the stitching, carry the whole thing downstairs, re-pin the layers well, and quilt each wrinkled area again. 

This quilt is for me so a tuck or two is permitted; however, what could happen in the long run with use and repeated washing?  Will the fabric folds, no matter how small, cause friction, holes, increased wear?

Dolly is thinking over the problem also. 

What's your opinion?

Until then, keep stitchin' . . .

Rainy day Saturday

A good day for ducks,

geese,

as well as quilt pinning,

while puppy chews on her Xmas gift from Aunt Fran. 

After some very crazy work days, today's rest time is appreciated even more.

The quiet of winter rain allows us to gather our energy and rejuvenate in preparation for Spring's garden chores.  Soon it will be time to switch from fabric selection to choosing seeds.  I'm planning on putting my green house back up this year. 

How about you?  Have you gotten your first garden catalog yet?

Until then, keep stitchin' . . .