Monday Musings - April Showers Challenge!

Last week, Mike and I took a little vacation for ourselves, and the blog took a break. Next week's blog will be all about the unexpected souvenirs that we found in fabric stores in Arizona and Nevada - both new to me.  I left knowing that the challenge would be due the week I returned, and that I would get to play with the beautiful Splash Collection which was in my spring Ambassador's box.Splash is a bright, happy, fun pallette - it makes me think of summertime. I am sure you'll see several more projects from me using this fabric later this year.Here's April, my April Showers piece. I brought some English Paper Piecing materials with me on the plane, and tried something new to keep me occupied. (I also brought my sketchpad - that will need to see another trip).  It turns out that I (along with so many other quilters) love the portability of EPP, and I'm happy that this has been added to my techniques.This piece also had me stretching my creative wings a bit in other ways as well, which is the point of a challenge!I used glue basting to position the hexies in position. had recently been introduced to the benefits of using glue by a guild mate, who told me that it had changed her life. I was a bit skeptical, but I couldn't imagine an easier way to get the hexies into position.  With so many lucite rulers, I was beginning to feel a bit like Downton's Carson with his measuring rod, but it worked.  This piece will be expanded on in the future.I also wanted to try something new as a binding; this piece is bound using a 'magic binding' technique done via machine that gives you the look of piping (no, I haven't crossed that boundary yet!), and then there's the quilting. I'm actually quite happy with the little pop of color that breaks up the border treatment.I quilted it last night, then put the piece up on the design wall. I was less than happy this morning - but I couldn't figure out why at first. I finally realized that the quilting wasn't done densely enough on the first pass.This month's challenge allowed each of us to create our own pieces, and publish on our own schedule.  I'll be editing this post shortly with the links to their posts.  Until then, enjoy this.  I never thought I'd be getting on the hexie bandwagon...but now I get what the fuss is about!