I think the changing seasons is getting me into a manic hyper drive mode.  I have lots of projects I want to start and finish and I find that I enjoy having several going at the same time on my tables.  Variety is always good and I can easily pick up something and get a few minutes done until ‘they’ discover I’m gone from their immediate vicinity.  “They” being my 4 and 5 year olds.

So – what’s new?  Well,… thanks to Sinta and her blog post from yesterday … I went on a hunt for a pattern called Yoyoville by Bunny Hill Designs.  Sinta is making hers from Whimsy fabric (Fig Tree).  I love the picture in the photo on the pattern (made with Simple Abundance by Bonnie & Camille)

… but I thought it would look great in Tapestry!  So … I have never made a yoyo before and the pattern strongly suggests that you get the Clover large yoyo tool.  So, with a coupon and a few dollars in hand, I picked one up on the way home yesterday from Jo Ann’s fabric store.  My only reservation is that I hate to see that extra corner fabric fall away and know I can’t really use it.  But the tool is perfect for charm packs, which I happen to have one of Tapestry already.  I’ll probaby bring in some Mill House and Patiesserie to make it extra scrappy.  First I’ll see if I can get all of these made before I buy the pattern and coordinating fabric (although I’m sure I can find some already in my house).  These little gems shrink down to 1 3/4″ in diameter when you are done.  The pattern calls for about 120 of them.

While I was at Jo Ann’s, I thought – … I wonder if I can crochet?  There is a Fusion Crochet thing happening on some blogs and I thought that it would be interesting to try one or two blocks to see how I like it.  I figured that it would be easy to do, but I haven’t learned that craft before.  I had a crochet needle, just needed some yarn, … and a book.  You can see my attempt to practice the single crochet and slip stitch on my little sample in the picture below.

I’m not sure I’m ready to start this yet.  I may have to do something like 3×3 charm blocks and join those larger ones together with crochet instead of the individual 5″ blocks.  To be determined…

Finally, a progress report on my Away From Home BOM, using Mill Girls fabric.  Still on the first block and finally got the main factory building done.  It was reverse applique to make the fabric appear like windows in the building.  That took me a VERY long time I think, compared to traditional piecing.  I had not really tried needle turn applique before and I’ll probably try converting to machine applique before I’m done with this block.  But – I’m proud of my results so far and ready to finish the factory building and do the sun and moon shape.

So – there you have it for this week.  Working on Birdie Stitches #11 (November/Thanksgiving theme) and worked a little more on the MIL stars and stripes quilt.  Really looking forward to a weekend at home with no duties or places to go.  Wish everyone a wonderful Thursday!

Jennifer