mr. monkeysuit

quilt blocks / packed lunches

Over a month late.

But finished and hopefully in the post on Monday.

These are for Ashley from Film in the Fridge. Next up Nettie's quilt blocks....also overdue. 

I'm getting ready for Floyd to start full time school. School; complete with 5 full day weeks, reading lists, supply lists, snack days and packed lunches.
It's the packed lunches I'm all about right now. I found this great blog, lunch in a box, for lunch ideas. And I found a reasonably cheap lunch bag here which I though he and/or I could decorate. But then I stumbled across this set at kids konserve. Cute, right?

At $42 for the set it isn't cheap but I wondered if it would be worth it. Has anyone tried it?
And then there are these tins (trying to avoid plastic) by lunch bots

Any thoughts on this kind of stuff?
And what about thermoses with soup...recipe for disaster or nice warm belly lunch idea?
Who knew there would be so much to consider!
I could use some help from all you veteran packed lunch makers.

I'm loving...

...Floyd's art. He is a prolific artist at the moment and it is such a joy to watch. These are his drawings from the kids ATC swap. Dinosaurs, castles, pirate ships and houses, all good stuff.

...my new stack of freshly washed Liberty fabrics.

...our spring table.

...and remembering to have a snack ready when the kids wake up/ get back from school.

...seeing the back of this commission.

...baking with my new bowls (you knew that was going to happen).

...a rainbow of felt for a new project.

...finished blocks for Block Party.

...sorting through our photos from London.

...the expression of concentration on these little faces.

...and the fact that it is the last day of March.

Spidey

At the beginning of the month I received my next installment in the Block Party quilting bee. A beautiful selection of fabrics all neatly cut up into strips and a little note on how to make spiderweb quilts.

(photo by Ashley at dogged )

Spiderwebs. I have loved these quilts from afar ever since Amandajean mentioned them but to actually make one...well, I had gotten that far in my thinking. Nothing like a push out of your comfort zone and into the lap of paper piecing.

BFF Claire came to spend a whole lovely week with me and together we busted them out. Do you know how much quicker it is when two of you work on a project? Not to mention so much more gossipy and fun. It took Claire and I two hours to make these two blocks and I just love them. Claire loved them too and now we are both contemplating the commitment to a whole quilt of them.

So, just in time the quilting bee is done and now I can look forward the next challenge.

Claire and I had a super crafty week, and I've got lots of fun stuff to post about soon. But first, we are heading back to London for a week on Monday...so very excited...to see friends and family, go shopping, show the kids some sights. Hopefully I'll have lots to share when I get back.

Keep well.

quilt blocks....check

I had quite a productive morning yesterday and managed to complete my first task for the Block Party quilting bee. I love the fabrics Alissa sent and it was fun to play around with a new-to-me color scheme.

the first block

The assignment was wonky log cabins. I hope they are the right amount of wonky.

the second block

(The fabric in the background is a chair I recently had re-upholstered. My friend found this amazing mid-century chair in a thrift store for $3 but it was in pretty bad shape so off it the shop it went and $150 later I have a very nice chair....that better last me a VERY long time.)

This quilting project really got me thinking about how I use color in my own quilts or rather how I don't use enough of it. It has inspired me to mix things up in my sewing room this week. I hope I'll have some fun things to show you over the next few weeks.