Lots of cutting, some piecing

Another month flew by!  How can that be?  I was very busy in April and along with some home dec sewing, hemming a wedding dress with 5 layers, and a lot of cutting of projects.  I had groupings of fabric and I cut 8 projects!  I still have a big mess, but I have made progress. For home dec, I couldn't find the valance I wanted for the dining room, but I found fabric and then decided to do new valances for the family room.  Along with that I made some chair cushion covers for a chair that belonged to my MIL.  My daughter wanted the chair and I had already purchased fabric so I made the covers, complete with zipper plackets. Now I have not been able to find a chair I like to replace it!  I will keep looking.

I went to a quilt retreat this past weekend and made a little progress with some piecing.  For quite some time I have had the pattern Rhubard Pie by Madison Cottage Design.  The pattern showed the quilt and variations made in green and pink.  I LOVE turquoise and black and whites and started cutting.  I ended up with more quilt blocks than I planned (and have strips leftover) and as is this quilt would have finished at 72 X 80 without borders.  I didn't need a quilt that size so I took some of the blocks off.  Here are all the blocks together.

Rhubarb Pie diagonal layout

 This size is better, it would finish at 56 X 72 without borders.

 I chose a couple different layouts for the remaining blocks.  I like the second option best.

My quilt guild is small, but does a lot of charity quilt work. Someone was moving and giving away fabric.  I was given a couple sets of panels of tool fabrics.  I cut them apart and adding a sashing and now have a nice lap/throw quilt for a care center resident whenever it gets quilted!  I have backing for it as well.

I trimmed the panels as well as I could to get a smidgen of black around the panel blocks.  I think it adds a lot to the quilt top.

Several years ago I made a couple Canyon Dance quilts.  I have an exorbitant amount of batiks and these quilt blocks are so easy to piece and are cut with acrylic templates.  I cut up 55 batik FQ's and will have a total of 110 blocks when I am done for a king size quilt.  I have 30 pieced.  I will donate this to charity.... maybe...  I already have one.  The link to it is HERE.   I also made two in earth tones and gifted them and got one back when the friend passed away.  I then used it as a prize in my blog giveaway last year.  Link is HERE. 

That is my excitement for now!