Happy Easter!

I wish each and every one of you a Happy Easter.  The weather is gorgeous.  My grandchildren were able to go on their backyard Easter Egg hunt without any problems from the weather.  All eggs were eventually found, as well as some chocolate bunnnies and some "prizes" that were left for them by the Easter bunny.

This weekend was also the BA Modern Quilt Guild meeting.  We did not meet in March, so we had 2 challenges that were due for this meeting.  The first challenge was to make something for yourself from Echo fabric (you can see the results of this challenge on the BA Modern Quilt Guild web site).

The second challenge was to make a pillow for an unknown person who provided you with a bag of scraps.  It was a challenge to decide on what I should make with the scraps that I was provided, especially considering that I did not know who I was making the pillow for. 

Here is my finished pillow.  I used Amy Badskirt's X and + pattern for the blocks:

 For the back, I added some trim and covered buttons.  The pillow is 20 inches, so it's generous.

 We all brought our pillows to the meeting and during Show and Tell, each person who participated showed the pillow she made.  Then the recipient had to recognize their fabric (or Amanda, who organized the swap used her "cheat sheet").  It was amazing to see what the guild members made (You can see the photos on the guild web site:  www.bamodernquiltquild.ning.com)

Next, I wanted to tell you about a project for my grandson Connor that's in the works.  I have been gathering fabric to make him a comforter for his toddler bed with his favorite heros - the Avengers!  He is absolutely besotted over the Avengers.  He has a Captain America costume and an Iron Man costume.  Every day when he comes home from preschool, he puts on one of his costumes for the rest of the day and evening.  So, it seemed only natural that I make him a comforter for his bed.  Then, I'll make one for Mason, who is only 2-1/2.  He loves Avengers because he loves his big brother Connor and wants to do everything that Connor does.

Here are some of the fabrics I have pulled.  The yellow is actually bright yellow, very much like IronMan's face...

And I bought myself a couple of presents.  Don't you like this "art shot" of Denyse's book?  I put it on a credenza in my living room where I have my orchids and a ponytail plant.  Seemed like a perfect place for the shot. 

 I love that Denyse focused this book on traditional quilt patterns made with modern fabrics and placed with a modern asthetic, a view I share. She went into detail about the history of the blocks and then placed them in a very modern quilt.  Over the last year and half, I have been making samplers with traditional blocks utilizing modern fabrics and feel validated by someone like Denyse Schmidt writing a book with a similar focus.  Traditional blocks can look very modern when placed with a modern asthetic and using modern fabrics.   Next, I'll think about making a non-sampler quilt with a traditional block in modern fabrics ala Denyse Schmidt...as soon as I finish the samplers! I really like the wagonwheel block - very striking.

My second present is Suzuko Koseki's book "Natural Patchwork".  It is chock full of little projects to work on.  Plus the book is very artful in the way she tells her story.

It's time to get dinner ready.  I promised my brother and sister-in-law that I would make them a berry pie, so I better get cracking.

Aaaanyway, that's everything from the Robertson household on this Easter Sunday.