Seems I can't resist

A craft shop in a neighbouring town is closing down, and we have visited several times to see if there are things that we really need.  Or want.  And while I have done a great job of using up a lot of my samples, it seems I cannot resist the lure of even more, especially when they are discounted.

Pretty batiks.

Older reds and greens. I just love the variety that they add to my stash, and I usually have no hesitation to cut them up and include them in a project. Some of these were from 2011, and that's getting to be old these days.

But to prove how useful they are, I've nearly finished my blue Square Within Square top, made almost entirely from my samples.

I snowballed the corners of the blocks, which added a considerable amount of time and angst, because I kept doing it wrong, but I really like the effect of those tipsy little Hourglass shapes that occur. I'm deciding whether it needs a border or not; I like it just as it is, but I think a border would finish it off, hold the edges of the blocks more securely, and increase the size. It's 50" x 60" at the moment, which is OK, but a little extra in both directions wouldn't hurt.

And as well as shopping and sewing and debating my choices, I've been quilting. I'm doing a series of heart quilts for a long time customer. She makes these quilts to give away to friends and family, and they are so pretty. When this one comes off the machine I'll take a full photo. This one was just to admire the effect of the quilting after a long day.

And my small garden is giving me flowers to appreciate; zinneas, gerberas and geraniums. So pretty and uncomplicated, which is needed in these complicated times.