The first line-jumper of the year

During Shug's & my busy holiday visit to the midlands, there was one day that my Mother-in-law & I took a little time & had an outing -- we had lunch, finished up some grocery shopping & she offered to take me to Fabric Recycles.  I NEVER turn down an opportunity to visit this store! I found some stars from their "started, not finished" table, a brown calico, a bit of cat fabric & 2 yardages of 60s-70s era fabrics. After returning home, my purchases moved into my sewing room & sat on top of things until I could get around to putting them away.

As I was working away at a couple of scrappy projects, the blue-lavender-olive fabric began speaking to me.

"Excuse me. Excuse me.
Don't my colors remind you of those in your stack of Liberty fat quarters?
Don't you think we might look very nice together?"

"Why, yes, blue-lavender-olive fabric, I think you might be right.
I'll get the Libertys out as soon as I finish a few things."

"Nooooooo!
Get them out now!
I was cut from the bolt back in the Nixon administration &
have been sitting on a shelf ever since.
I want to BE something! I want to be something NOW!"

"OK, OK, settle down. Here they are.
Hey, you're right, you all look really good together.
Good, um, eye?, blue-lavender-olive fabric. Do you have any suggestions?
What do you want to "be"?"

"Well, I was meant for decorating, so something with me in big pieces
would best show off my natural, large-scale beauty."

"Hmmm, bossy & vain, but I think you're right.
Maybe some sort of strippy, geese-y, tree everlasting-y kind of thing?
Would that suit you?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about, but it sounds fun. Let's start now!
But, I wonder if all the florals might be a bit flower-y, all the blues a bit too blue?
Do you have any stripes or dots or plaids to mix in?
And what about just a touch of complementary colors -- just a touch.
I've waited so long, I want to be awesome!"

"Alright & right again, blue-lavender-olive fabric.
Don't get your hopes too high. But this does sounds like fun, let's see where it takes us."

"By the way, you really are beautiful, blue-lavender-olive fabric."

"Yes, I know."

Repurposing

A while back, I was going through the mountains of stuff in my sewing room -- a Sisyphus-ian task -- and came across a large stack of vintage, printed tablecloths. They are bright & cheery; I have some that belonged to my Mom & Grandmas, some my Mom bought for me, some I bought myself. Back in my denim-skirts-and-vests days (don't judge -- though I'm sure I looked a pretty frumpy), I made clothing with them. I have a shirt & a vest or two & had plans for more, but never got them made.

Last year, HMQG had a garage swap day. We brought in our unwanted fabric, notions, patterns, books & other craft supplies, let our friends pick through our piles & take what they wanted. (I brought home less than I took to the meeting! Yay me!) As I was making my pile to give away, I added several of my old tablecloths.
Then I took them out.
Then I put them back in.
Then I took them out again.

So I *still* have that large stack of tablecloths -- now, what do I do with them? Well, as I was piecing my pine trees, I was wondering what I could use for the back. With all the white, I wanted something light in color, maybe something with green & red. Then a lightbulb come on. I pulled out a cowboy print tablecloth that was a good size, but I didn't like the cowboys with the pine trees; none of the florals nor the plaids quite did it either. Then I found a smallish, square green & white one -- my search was over! I added some bands of leftover Christmas prints, a back was born & a quilt was finished!