I've been busily piecing away with the quilt along. I started with a plan and stitched half of the setting blocks accordingly. Now I'm wondering if I'm on the right path. Let me know what you think.



(I have been dabbling with the mosaic maker rather start on remaking the setting blocks, just imagine that the B&W ones are a darker colour)

Should I go with the original random prints for the setting blocks?



Or should I go with the patterned centre and use a darker print for all of the smaller squares? (I did warn you that you might need to imagine)

I have a morning this weekend set aside for stitching and was hoping to get everything in order for then. Sticking with the status quo would be easier, no remaking but I'm wondering if the other option is better.

Note also - neither option involves buying more fabric.

I have been reading about stash busting and I love the idea of just opening up the pink drawer and using every last bit there. In reality I would be more inclined to open the drawer, see that my pinks were a bit blah and feel justified in getting some more. Sometimes, I have all the resolve of a piece of cooked spaghetti.

Along with the stash busting ideas, I am trying to set a crafting budget. I really does get a bit scary when I add it all up. So I'm trying to stick to $15 a week. I have been very ordered in the first 4 weeks. I need to buy a jelly roll for the class so that was 4 weeks of saving. Then I got to the class, read the instructions and to make the quilt really big, I needed 2 rolls. So, then it was no more fabric for 4 further weeks.

The following day we found ourselves in Palmerston North. There is a chain fabric store there that gets remaindered quilting fabric. While the other branches have some remaindered fabric, this one has the most. So I had to get this:

In all honesty I had been eying up this fabric for a while at full price (3 x the reduced price) and I would have regretted not getting it. In fact, I would have done more than regret it, I would have dragged my whole family to the store on subsequent trips and lamented the fabric I didn't buy, loudly.

So now it's no more fabric until August 18. This might be a little tough but I'm sure I can do it because, really, I would have regretted not buying the fabric more.

note: That doesn't count the sewing books I picked up and the wool I just had to have yesterday.

Last weekend we headed out of town for the day to pass on the love. Remember this quilt?

As I had mentioned earlier, it's not quite my colours. However it is my cousin's. I rang him up and asked if he wanted a quilt and there was a resounding yes.

Jacob has recently moved home. At an age when everyone expects you to be forging a career, sometimes there are more important things to do and more important places to be. Jacob's father was diagnosed with Motor Neuron disease a few years ago. Right now there is no better place to be than at home, helping.

As the pattern is a variation of Jacob's ladder, it seems only fitting that my cousin Jacob should have it.