FO: Plaid Big Log Cabin

You might remember this big log cabin that I finished last year (or maybe you don't. that's okay!). Well, soon after finishing, I wanted to make another version.

I had most of a Kona jelly roll and I just loved how the bright colors paired with this Denyse Schmidt plaid. Of course, said plaid was one of her exclusives at Joann, and was virtually impossible to find.

Luckily, Jenny came to the rescue and sent me some of her precious stash. It was so wonderful of her, especially since I only know her virtually (hi, Jenny!).

I used three favorite prints on the back (I especially love that Nordika print from Jeni!).

I quilted it very densely in a crosshatch and the texture is really amazing. Several times, I questioned my sanity as I was quilting. But I'm so glad I kept going. I bound the quilt in this, and I love that it softly frames the quilt without competing. Finishes at 54" square.

April recap, vacation photos

Well, let's be honest. I'm not doing so hot with my goal of one post a week. I'm going to try and get back on track with that, and today I'm going to share a quick recap of April finishes, fabric/yarn totals and a few photos from our anniversary trip to Yosemite and Monterey.

My April stash update:

Fabric: +5.75 yards
Yarn: -374 yards

Fabric total 2018: -39.125 yards
Yarn total 2018: -4,326 yards

This was my first month to net a gain in fabric, so I need to do better in May (which is made challenging since I've already got a few purchases under my belt!).

I only managed to try one new recipe in April, but it was a winner: Swirled Sesame Tea Cake. I've already tried one this month, so again, I'm hoping to do better. I finished a book, The Golden Compass, which I loved. I intend to read the second book of the trilogy soon.

So, Elliott and I just celebrated our sixth wedding anniversary, and we decided to go back to Yosemite and Monterey.

I know some people may not enjoy returning to a vacation spot. But when we visited Yosemite two years ago, it was a brief visit, and we left already wanting to return. I'm so glad we did, and we explored further into Yosemite Valley, as well as the Hetch Hetchy area. We hiked a ton, saw countless waterfalls and just enjoyed being together.

We finished with a couple of days on the Monterey peninsula. There are a few more photos on flickr, if you're interested.

I've got a few finished quilts to share, so I'll be back with some FO posts soon!