Flamingo Road

I am back from my visit to New Hampshire, and I could not be happier to be back in my studio.  I love my Mom, and I am pleased I was spend time to give her a hand when she needed it, but I am a home body.
I have made some more progress on my Flamingo quilt.  It is going to be so cool.
Some things I have noted with this pattern:

1. Accurate cutting and piecing is soooo important when working with these tiny pieces.
2. Spray starch helps seams lie nice and flat, now matter how many layers there are.
3. Checking measurements on finished units and trimming if necessary is worth the time.
4. Alison Glass fabric makes me look like a design genius.  Thank you, Alison.
5. Involving my Mom has made it even more fun.  I was going to give all of the flamingos “F” names, except for the yellow one, which I was going to name “Todd”. Her plastic surgeon is named Todd (and he is cute and sweet), so now Todd will be assigned to a handsome blue flamingo.  All of the others will also receive doctor names.  (For the record, it is post-mastectomy breast reconstruction.  My mom isn’t a casual plastic surgeon lady.)  Also, Dr. Todd is a fan of needlework and has beautiful little stitches.  I’m glad the most slippery thing I ever stitch is silk.
6. I used to balk at spending money on quilt patterns.  Now I wonder if the $10 price tag is enough.  I hope Elizabeth Hartman is selling thousands of patterns.  As much work as it is to put these guys together, it must be a huge challenge to design them.   Then she puts it all together with illustrations and directions so that anyone can make their own.  I’ve written out one simple block pattern.  It is real work.

This is the third flamingo in progress.  I put all of the cut pieces up on my wall, taking each unit down as I come to it.  I love seeing the pieces sort themselves out into an image!
Okay.  I’m heading back into my studio.  Have a great Friday!