Bentos and Templates and Dragons, Oh My!

I sure hope you don’t all get sick of these projects, because they’re going to consume me for the next couple of months!

The South Bay Area Modern Quilt Guild retreat is the first weekend of November, and I’m trying to get things lined up to take advantage of having extra room to work on projects. I’m normally wedged into a section of the kitchen table, which has its moments to be sure. Especially when you have a dog waiting to get anything that drops on the floor stuck to her jowls.

Anyway, the point is, extra room is a serious treat, so I’m trying to get blocks done and prepped for the retreat. I finished cutting all my bento boxes this weekend, and put a few up on my design wall and it is absolutely thrilling to see it start coming together after working on it for the last year and a half!

I also found some 12×12″ scrapbook paper and drew out the 30 paper-piecing templates for the urban lattice quilt. My dad doesn’t like sports, but I still thought the scrapbook paper I found was fitting for a dad quilt! This is a slightly different approach to paper piecing, because you can’t see through the paper. Instead you use the lines to line up the edges of your piece, and sew 1/4″ away from it. I love all things paper-piecing, so I’m intrigued and excited to give it a try.

Finally, I’m still sketching dragons. Yes, partially because I’m avoiding working on the actual quilt because new stuff is scary, y’all. But it’s also because I’m still not happy with the style. I figure if I keep sketching, I’ll work it out. They have wings now, that definitely helped some. I know I need to be careful not to get them too complicated, though, since appliqué is more difficult with lots of fiddly bits.

I’m getting more and more of an idea of what the design is going to be, which is relieving.

Lots to do, let’s get sewing!