New fabric!!!................

I ordered the new Kaffe collective fabric from 2 places, pre-ordering from one of them 5 weeks ago.  It is rare that you find a store with all of the choices of the new season's line so I checked around.

So, which ones did I buy?  I knew I wanted all of the colors of the Button Mosaic because they are more singular in color with value changes rather than having lots of colors in the print.

Moss Flower was my second choice for the same reason.

Most people pass on the light colors but I try to buy all of them (bottom piece-Hydrangea).  The Pebble Mosaic is in a nice new orange and gold.  The Sharks Teeth is black and white.  In Brandon's original offering of this print it was navy and white.  Philip's Cactus Flower is one of my favorites so I got it in green.

I wasn't sure about this Banana Tree print because it is HUGE.  The blue print can just be chopped into triangles and work well but the black background has a high contrast so I'll need to think about how to use that one.

I made 2 new Hattie's Choice blocks with the 4th different black print.  I knew any new blocks needed to be warm colors and this is one of my favorite pink mottled batiks.

I added in the 2 blocks I showed yesterday plus the 2 new pink blocks and moved a couple other blocks.  After I took this photo I also changed the first block in the 3rd row down with the second block in the 4th row.  The values work better in the new position.  Now I need to choose one more color and make one more block.

  
 

View from my sewing chair..............

 Yesterday was a day of contemplating where I go from here.  On the left, top block is the one block that was leftover after making this layout 2 days ago, bottom block I sewed last night.  The strip of fabric is one more piece cut the width I need for cutting with the die.

Maybe one more row on the bottom and then a narrow white with gray border and a wider border of some mottled batik.  That is where I stalled yesterday.

The new Kaffe collective line of fabrics is being shipped now.  With any luck I might have some in the mail today, unless of course the package decides to travel around the country first.

Re-sorted blocks.................

I made 6 new blocks and then took all of the blocks off the design wall and put them back up loosely grouped by color.  I don't see the grid over the top as strong as my first layout but I like this one.  With the attention span of a kindegartener I'm ready to charge off in a different direction.  I need to do a cleanup again on the tables in the basement so that will give me a little break.  The blocks are 8" finished so this would only be 40" x 48" as it is now.

The second bud has opened on this Amaryllis.  

The snow is melting fast but half of the backyard still has about a 4" covering.  The north side of the house is always the last to melt.  I have had very few birds to my feeders all winter but they are back now.  I will need to put on my boots and go fill the feeders today. 

Crazy piecing project..............

A friend was doing some de-stashing and I was the lucky recipient of some new yellows to continue this yellow/black/white crazy pieced project.  I had run out of any variety in the yellows so the project stalled.  Here is a post where I showed some progress with it.  This post shows the blocks on the design wall.

The white cactus is blooming again.  I think it bloomed about 5 times last winter.

I have played with this panel and the leftover blocks several times and I think I should work on it now.  If I trim the center panel I can pull the blocks together.  It would be 32" x 40" so I could play with some border ideas.

I have a question for anyone who is working with digitally printed fabric.  I have seen on 2 blogs that the colors ran when washed.  I'm wondering if anyone has washed a finished quilt made with the digitally printed fabrics and if the fabric print is still very bright and clear like when it was new.

 

First finish for March and a shipment on the way.........

I didn't have a table cleaned off to lay the table runner on, like I ever have a table cleaned off!  It is getting its portrait taken on the design wall.  It is about 18" x 53"

This fabric that I used on the back was a long leftover piece from cutting borders and was exactly the right size.  Binding hand stitched.  

Yesterday afternoon the "fixer" at Accuquilt called me and there is a replacement die on the way to me.  Success!! (back story on the die on yesterday's post).

I made 10 more Hattie's choice blocks last night and have the black/white section sewn for 8 more blocks.

I have used up 2 different black batik prints so far so I will be looking through my stash for a third one to add.  I have used 3 different white/gray prints and have a 4th one ready to cut for future blocks.  Click on the photo for a closer view if you want to see the different fabrics.

The waxed Amaryllis is finally blooming.  The sunshine faded out the red but what I really wanted to show was how short it is and that there are 4 more buds to open.
 

Some new blocks, and other things..............

 I pressed a bunch of the mottled type batiks for my new blocks.  I only got 2 of them sewn.  Tonight is a 3 hour TV night so I'll probably get the rest of them sewn.

I'm working on a hand finished binding between other projects.  I hope to finish it today and then I'll show you the project.

There was a beautiful blue and intense pink/red sunset on Sunday night.  I took 9 photos and this is the best but not as intense as the real life colors.

An update on the die problem and Accuquilt's response to it.

(If you didn't read the original post last week click here.)

First of all, the die was a $39.99 die and I could have just purchased another on sale with free shipping but I decided to contact them so they could fix the problem and then I could tell all of my readers what a great company they are.  Well that didn't work, did it.  After many back and forth emails explaining that it isn't a warranty problem but instead a packaging problem, their answer was "by the rule book" over and over.  It makes me wonder if they settle with the customer will the cost of the die be subtracted from their pay.

As we have stated previously we offer a 1yr warranty on our dies. Without proof of purchase, we are unable to verify when and where the item was purchased. We understand how upsetting, or frustrating this can be but as a company we do need to be provided the requested information. 

Since I didn't have a receipt (from a store that is now closed) to provide to them I'm out of luck.  Taking care of my health (stress free living) is more important at this time of my life than fighting a huge corporation. In one of my emails to them I said:

 The most successful companies are built on 2 principles, the customer is always right and A satisfied happy customer is the best free advertising we can ever get.

1:30 p.m.  Good news!!!  I just received a 30 minute phone call from the "fixer" at Accuquilt and they have taken care of the problem.  I will be getting a new die.  

Monthly recap for February 2021.........

Two finishes for the shortest month of the year.  Rectangles and Daisies is 46" x 64.5" and is Kaffe collective fabrics.  It was started last summer.  Kansas Dugout is 59" x 72" and is all Marcia Derse fabric.  It was also started last summer.

I also made 2 new quilt tops.  They are both Kaffe Fassett collective fabrics, nice bright spots for a cold snowy month.  Crossed Canoes quilt top on the left is 56" x 64".  The Trip Around the World quilt top is 58.5" x 77.5".

Hopefully I can begin a new trend next month finishing more quilts than I start (or continue as in the case of a UFO).  That is a goal, not a promise.