Done beats perfect

I finished two quilts a little earlier this month, got labels on them and binding done.

One was a Saturday Sampler from a LQS called Cotton and Chocolate (yes, they sell both!).  It was made with Asian prints on a gold background.  I didn't care for their borders (which were just gold strips 5" wide) so I designed my own.   I call the quilt "Kanji Corners" because I put paper-pieced kanji in the four corners of the borders.  The different kanji mean 'mother', 'home', 'love' and 'kitty', all of which are meaningful to me, but they just make pretty designs too.

Kanji Corners

I love the way Stovers quilted it, with the fans and butterflies.  So glad they found a motif that would work with the quilt.  I asked for something with an Asian feel to it and they sounded doubtful that they actually had something that would work... but they did!

My second finish is called 'Ryokan'.  Ryokan are Japanese inns.  The quilt was designed by Joe Wood of Thimblecreek Quilts.  I thought the quilt was amazing, so I arranged for my minigroup to make this quilt as a block exchange.  Six of us each made 6 copies of two of the blocks, then we traded so everyone had one of each.  I was so thrilled to find good sashing and border fabrics for this languishing in my stash.

Ryokan

My virtual retreat is almost over.  I have been participating all week, since last Friday.  Today, which also happens to be, coincidentally, National Quilting Day, I have done very little quilting.  This morning, I did a little embroidery on the borders of my Woodland Creatures quilt.  I put antennae on all the insects, but didn't get to putting eyes on them, or on the snakes, nor stamen on the flowers.  That will come in time - hopefully before the fabrics arrive for the horizontal borders.  I hope to have those ready to take to my real retreat at the beach in early April. 

I spent the rest of today playing Dungeons and Dragons with my DH, and some friends.  We culminated a campaign that has been running for several years with a 'wedding', a celebration over the defeat of a major dragon opponent and a powerful foe, and the breaking of a siege.  It was a good day of gaming. 

After the game, I played on the computer a little, and mostly sat on the sofa and felt miserable - sore throat and headache.  I hope I'm not coming down with something! 

DH and I had Thai food for dinner, but I mostly had soup... but it was very good wonton soup. 

Stay well...