a few final blocks

It looks like I am almost finished making the blocks for the paper pieced Cat quilt. Whenever the quilt project I work on nears this stage, the work turns into what might be missing, what might need correcting and then trying to figure out what comes next.

I've had it laid out so it made sense to me and have finished 5 more blocks with more to join. I like the addition of the blue/ pink in the top corner. And it seems like the block construction will get finished this weekend, so the next step is in joining them. After that is done, I'll get fabric for the borders.

The other project is to catch up on the House Block swap. My partner for this one-to-one swap lives in Australia so with the cost of postage, it makes sense to send more than one block in a package. This represents April (lilacs), May (yellow roses) and June (Cali vacation sites). I just need to add the grass bottom pieces, trim loose threads and square them up. Its going to be a scrappy looking quilt that will need perhaps an off-white for side borders. If we both make 12, that means it will be a 24-block layout and a generous lap quilt size. 

As I look at these projects and others I have going, I realize that I am always looking for the connecting component not only for my eye, but as a way for the finished quilt to fit in someone's life.

One of my friends in Minnesota shops the thrift stores and brags about her quilt collection. She just has them all folded up and sitting together in a stack. What about those quilt-makers? What about their former owners? Did they love the quilts to pieces and then decide to pass them on rather than toss them? I don't know what happens to mine once I ship them off. I don't know what makes a good quilt or a good gift.

What I do know is that I make this piece of fabric art pleasing to my own eye and then release it. That's it. That's what works for me.  And speaking of work, I am going back to it.