Snow has continued to surprise our little island life on occasion this month--nothing serious, except: it's just wrong in April (now if I was still in Flagstaff it would be business as usual!). These last two weeks, though, feel like spring has taken root, and--my favorite part--the daylight hours are really sttreettcchhing out. It's almost as if you can see the ever-warmer orb in the sky pausing a little more each day. I find this such a hopeful time. The grass is growing like crazy, my favorite spring flowers have made quite a show and the rhodies are gearing up big time! It has been an odd spring, though. The Tulip Festival (in nearby Skagit County) came & went with no tulip fields in bloom--they just now have come & almost gone (very late for them). It's still all relative, though. Any day involves at least three microclimate changes or shifts--and therefore at least three layers available accordingly. The Olympic Mountains made quite a show of themselves today, and one or two glimpses make all the rest seem so much less important somehow.
The quilting guild I belong to is gearing up for the big quilt show in August--an every other year event. It's at the Greenbank Farm (outdoors) and will be entertaining. There's no judging, no pressure. It's just a fun community event. Right about now everyone is thinking: what were the things I thought I could enter? will this be finished in time to enter? could I possibly have this finisned in time to enter? Let the games begin!
Along a similar train of thought, I had a new first this month. I submitted an entry for the APNQ quilt show, also in August. (APNQ=Association of Pacific Northwest Quilters) APNQ includes Washington, Alaska, Idaho plus some participation from Oregon & beyond, and has a juried show--Quiltfest--every other year in Seattle (this year it's at the Convention Center).
I've known many folks that have submitted & been rejected--and several that have submitted and been accepted. (And I know one that actually won a very prestigious award there; a professional Whidbey Islander quilter.) It felt like a big (small) step to think I could even try. I carefully filled out my form, wrote my check, included my two-photo CD and sent my application on it's way. No response is expected until June--even though you want them to notify you right away that your application has been received & the world is all the better for it! That word 'juried' is daunting; thrilling & terrorizing all at once. You have to pass the first accept/reject just to get there--with many options for accept/reject thereafter. Either way, I'm glad I took a chance & I'm thinking the first time is the hardest (I hope!). From here on, it won't feel quite as scarey & hopefully I'll learn much in the process.
Another first this spring: my round-robin quilting group (about 12 of us) decided to take a break from the 'usual' projects and work through a quilt art workbook together this year. More about that soon.
Meanwhile, here are two UFO's for March & April. Have been working away on many others on the 'list of 41' but they haven't become FO's yet!
The batik sampler is almost a twin size quilt. This picture was taken before it was quilted and bound--but it's currently 'on loan' for awhile, so this will have to suffice. Which block do you like best? My opinion changes from time to time.
The 'Autumn Star' is a lap size quilt--and yes is very similar to the 'Winter Star' previously viewed. This one has a great paisley pattern on the back as just a little surprise. More soon!