I am focusing on kaleidoscope quilts lately.  Something about those isosceles triangles, the octagons and the secondary patterns I am finding intriguing.  This quilt is a from a free pattern on the Moda web site called 2wenty-Thr3e .  I am using a huge fat quarter pack that has been languishing in my stash for a few year.  It’s a Moda line called ‘Mama said sew’.  The prints are red, black and grey with white, it is a nice assortment of pattern names, quilt blocks and graphic patterns. I added in the white and gray from my solid stash for the (right) triangles that make the octagons square.  I think I have enough to do  border or two.  I’m also using the Marti Mitchell Kaleidoscope ruler, so strips are quickly transformed into triangles.  Yay geometry!  Chain stitching these blocks four at a time, pressing and then pining them to the design board is calming to me.  I was going to say cathartic, but that word seems too serious and overstating the feeling.

The weather here has been rainy and cold, very unlike May in California usually is.  I’m itching to do things outside, gardening and outdoor maintenance, but have to fit it in between the storms.  The weeds are much easier to pull now and the soil is easier to plant in.  Once the summer really gets here, everything dries up and waits for the fall rain.  The good thing is that I don’t have to turn on the drip systems yet, the bad thing is that I haven’t been able to see if they are still in working order.  My container veggies are growing nicely, and I planted some peas in my raised beds that I should go pick.  Staying dry in the sewing room is better though.

I finished quilting three quilts this week.   The photo below is of “Curls for Mother” a Wasatch panto.  After this quilt was done, I loaded a long piece of backing on to the frame and I am now quilting four quilts on it.  I feel like I am getting my moneys worth out of this backing.  Using the same pre-wound bobbin color for all four, as it matches the back, plus not having to load four quilts separately has its perks.  I’m on the third quilt, it’s an Irish chain, I have a bunch of roses in the center of the chain and I am trying to figure out how to fit trailing leaves into the chain parts.  The digital pattern I have is made for 2 inch squares and my squares are smaller, 1 ½ inches.  I thought about it for a while yesterday, and I have a few things to try today.  Keeps it interesting, I must admit.

Linking up with Judy at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts for Design Wall Monday today.