Getting Stuck -- It's More Common Than You Think!!

 I get stuck on quilting projects more than you might realize.  You see me finishing, finishing, finishing but you don't see when I get stuck, stuck, stuck!

And I'm currently stuck . . . . 

. . . . . with two steps left to go to the finish line, I've caved into indecision last week!  When Step 9 of this project arrived in my inbox, I was still trying to figure out the colors and fabrics for Step 8. Up to this point, every fabric I've used has come out of the "stash" and I'd like to keep it that way.

But the color and fabric palette has taken on a life of it's own and I'm just following along.

So time for a pause!

I'm keeping it up on the design wall so I see it everyday while I work on other things and trusting my subconscious design brain to work things out for me -- 

that and I'm waiting for the final step (sort of cheating?).

I actually have a "watery" vision (as in vague) of how I want it to look but until I see the designer's final plan, I hesitate to go forward.

But I haven't stopped stitching!!

This very scrappy quilt top is laying on the guest bed (which needs to be cleared off STAT) and is the result of a week or so of clearing a stack of fabric remnants off the cutting table.  

My "go-to" scrap cut is a 2 1/2" strip but with the box burgeoning, I decided to revisit the 

Sakura Sun pattern I pieced back in January/February 2023 since it will use up between 3 and 3 1/2 yards of strips!!

You can visit the post I wrote about it HERE!

I checked and the link in my post to the free pattern still works.

This morning, I stitched together the third set of strips and decided what the heck, lay it out!

It's an overcast rainy day here so I was surprised when I took this picture that it looks pretty cheerful!  The first layout was random, in the order the strip sets were stacked.  I made a few adjustments to spread out the yellow and to separate duplicates (how do they always end up next to each other?).  I like to start my day with some stitching so tomorrow I'll start to stitch the strip sets to each other.

  I'm also hand-stitching the binding on this project.  I just looked back to see if I've posted anything about this project -- nope!

It's inspired by some Aussie quilters I follow on Instagram who use gorgeous big motif prints as background for appliqued English Paper Piecing motifs.

I fussy cut and stitched all these flower style motifs using pentagons during the spring and early summer.   There are about 35 all using my stash of 1800's reproduction fabrics.

Then I had the idea to quilt the top first (it's a simple diagonal grid) and then apply the flowers.  That sounded easier than figuring out how to quilt around the motifs!!

The top is a drapery fabric panel from the stash of a friend's mother or aunt so it dates back to the 1940's perhaps.  It's called Bird Watchers and is just too wonderful to cut up so my plan is to cover the borders and open areas with the flowers.

It will be fun!

By the time the last part of the hexagon mystery arrives, the Sakura Sun top will be pieced and I'll focus back in on the hexagons!  Yes, I'm stuck but I can't let it become a UFO!!

There is a fresh scone calling my name so I'll leave you here!!

Mary