April is my favorite month in Florida. The weather is usually wonderful and I can get a bunch of gardening done.

Travel

Having stated that….we went to North Dakota to visit family for eight days.

It was a little chilly for April and patches of snow and ice remained. We plan on spending more time there this summer to get out of the Florida heat and humidity. (Oh, and the other H–Hurricanes!) We spent some time setting up the house we will be staying in. Went thrifting for furniture but came out with nothing. But there is a bed, couch, TV, and table in the house. What more could we need?

In My Creative Cave

I had a really productive month in my sewing room. Finished the Dinosaurs Quilt plus started another quilting project. Made two Sandhill slings and one beer bag.

I’ve been trying to use up my fabric stash and only buying more for projects that I am actively working on. Happy to say that I only purchased one fat quarter and that was for the quilt a friend has asked me to make her.

I did some fussy cutting for EPP hexies to use up small pieces. I usually take along some hand sewing when I go out of town and this time it was hexies. I’m not sure what I’ll be using these pieces for–they are several different sizes and fabrics. Maybe pouches? Or eventually a giant scrappy quilt?

My other stash buster is this heart strings quilt.

I love all these happy colors. I make these blocks at our “Sew Cool & Crafty” Workshop. They are easy-peasy and I can chat away with all of the other women and not mess them up too badly! (Although I have put those white corners on backwards during the workshop!) I have one green left to do and also think I need some more pinks and yellows. It has outgrown my small design board and will move to my temporary design wall as soon as the quilt that’s up there now is finished.

It’s #MeMadeMay over on Instagram. Last May I decided that I would take part in that project this year. I really thought I’d have a bunch of cute outfits ready to go. Didn’t happen. The idea is to wear your hand made or mended clothes for the month–not to make new clothes. Last year I made one dress, a t-shirt, and two tunics. Oh wait–I did make two pirate costumes for Gasparilla and a vest and a skirt for Halloween. Wonder how I can work that into my “MeMadeMay wardrobe!

Anyhow, while #MeMadeMay is not about making new clothes, that’s what I’ll be doing. Starting with a free t-shirt pattern from ClosetCorePatterns. I started that t-shirt on May 1st with my Babylock serger.

And one last sewing note. I finally got my Babylock Unity into the spa and she is ready to go! I haven’t tried her out yet–I just picked her up–but I have a goal to get the quilt I just started for my friend finished and delivered before Memorial Day!

Reading

I read two books in April. “The Love Songs of W.E.B DuBois” by Honoree Fanonne Jeffers and “And the “The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek” by Kim Michele Richardson. I recommend them both and my thoughts on each book are over there in my Reading Widget.

Gardening

I’m closing with some flower snaps I took in April. Because April is the best month of the year in Florida! The flowers are blooming, the butterflies are fluttering and the hummingbirds are humming. But the heat and humidity and hurricanes are not here het.

I have three daylily gardens. Here’s the first lily bloom from each one.

This Don Juan Rose is an overachiever this year. I have two but the other is still about 2 foot tall and has no blooms. Don’t know what’s going on with it.

One of my favorites. Jasmine. This one has taken over a Live Oak and smells divine.

So my favorite month is over. Heavy sigh. But I’m looking forward to May and all the possibilities.