the dino quilts

I've been slacking again.  I say that a lot.  Maybe I should just stop slacking?

Anyways, I got motivated this weekend and started working on the dinosaur quilts for my nephews.

First I made some dino tracks:

Some of you may know this block by it's lesser known name: Bear's Paw.

I made 72 of them.  Because to go around the panel, I needed 6 on two sides and 7 on the other two.  That adds up to 36, right?  So double that for 2 quilts and I need 72.

They're all made from my scraps.  I used up a lot of browns.  I'm okay with that.  I like brown in my quilts, but I also like buying new fabric for quilts, which is facilitated by using up scraps!

So I finished them and went to figure out where to place everybody, using my design floor (with much, much help from Lexie), and realized I had too many.

I used to be good at math.

(I already have an idea for the extras, so no worries!)

Then, the hubby had an allergic reaction to something and took two Benadryl.  And then a 5-hour nap.  He felt better when he woke up, but I sewed the whole time.  If he'd been up, I probably wouldn't have gotten anything done.

Here's a peek of one corner of one quilt.  I still need to do a black crackled print border and some dino teeth (prairie points set into the binding like a flange), but the hardest part is done.  I think.  I hope!  (Prairie points are new for me.)

I would give you a better photo, but it's getting dark already and starting to rain besides.  I promise a photo of the finished projects!

The backs will be dino prints - two different ones so the boys can tell them apart.

I haven't made any more doll quilts. Or finished sewing the binding down on the quilt that will be donated to the local VA hospital.  But I'm at least in the sewing room, and I am doing stuff that needs to be done.  (If I could just keep myself from starting new stuff...)

A part of my motivation is that Bonnie Hunter announced her color scheme for her mystery quilt.  Every year I think maybe I'll do it.  And then I see how much fabric it takes (which really isn't unreasonable).  And then I think about how little scraps I have in each color family and think I probably don't have enough.  And I talk myself right out of it.  And then I see the gorgeous, wonderful, amazing quilts that come out of it and kick myself.

This year, if I get both of the dinosaur quilts finished.  Like bound and labelled finished.  And if I get the VA quilt finished (it's due in just a few weeks).  And if I have enough fabric in my stash to pull it off.  Then I can do it.  But only if all those conditions are met.  Wish me luck!  (Because I need another project like I need a hole in the head!)

Time to go make myself some dinner.  The hubby is on second shift, so I'm not cooking real meals much, but it's okay.  I end up eating less and getting more done of my own stuff when he's not around in the evenings!

Happy quilting,

Katie