Playing

Start with the easy ones, follow the directions. Yes, that's good advice, and No, I didn't take it. But I took the more important advice that seems to be coming at me from all directions: Play! Quiltdivajulie has a wonderful post about about mindful moodling, Lazy Gal Tonya is constantly urging us to more liberated quilting, Wanda plays with color every day, and I -- well, I am starting to get the hang of it. When I saw the blocks Wanda was playing with yesterday I wanted to play with some, too!

Of course, I couldn't try the more straight-forward squares because the pinwheels are so much more whimsical, and I couldn't cut the strips all the same size because it occurred to me it might be fun not to, and I got a little too carefree about cutting the blocks and some of them ended up not playing nicely with the rest. (I'll find some friends for that lonely triangle later).

They say that playing is the work of childhood because it's what children must do to learn about the world. I think that continues to be true for things you learn at whatever age you are.

Other quilty things this week: I smiled whenever I saw my color words on my design wall. I have cut back on the few things I will change about them, and then I'll put the top together!

I also braved the borders of my the I Spy I finished piecing a month or two ago. Putting on borders is my least favorite thing about making a quilt, and this has borders on the front AND on the map on the back. Here it is on the dining room table, getting pinned for quilting!