Weekly update: Easter, two finishes, and a six-part challenge

Easter Sunday was cool but the sunshine was abundant. 

 I went to church in the morning and had a nice long walk at Van Patten Woods in the afternoon.  

Sumac, fungus, mullein.  The place names Des Plaines and O'Plaine are corruptions of "eau pleine" meaning "full of water," which is how the early French explorers saw the river in flood. You can see why.

I had to work off some of the gustatory delights of the day.  I made a half-batch of pancakes, our customary holiday breakfast.  The pancake mix (Christmas 2024 gift) still had enough baking powder oomph to cook up nicely.   I'm a dinner traditionalist -- roast lamb, roasted new potatoes, asparagus, and cheesecake.  I'll have some leftovers this week and freeze the rest for later. 

(I was invited to celebrate the day with friends but decided not to.)  

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In the studio:   

I made Aunt Vina's Favorite in 2024.  Barb quilted it and brought it to me at last week's guild meeting.  I bound it last evening.

Villa Rosa Designs announced a Six Quilts in Six Weeks challenge.   Finish a UFO or start and finish something new and post photos to the VRD FB group each week . Any size, but all must be from Villa Rosa patterns.   I can do this!  

#1     I had one VRD flimsy in the box --  Sky Dancer from the April 2025 top-along.   I call my version Garden Path.   Now it's quilted and bound.  

 It will be just right for the raffle at the upcoming Zion Woman's Club Bunco party. 

The back is a Laura Ashley sheet.   Twin fitted and flat set, $1.00 at the church rummage sale.

That leaves five quilts to start and finish by early May.  I decided I'd make the five flimsies first, then quilt them all.  I perused patterns on the VRD website and splurged on a few that might be good for the challenge.   I'm going to use what's on hand (stash, of course, but also units from the parts department if possible). 

Yes, many VRD designs are easy to copy from the photos.  I'm respecting copyright and purchasing those I'm using in the challenge.   (Just $2.00 each, after all.)

Before I reshelved the remainder of the sheet (there was a lot left) I realized it would be just right for Turnkey, the April top-along pattern.   [Remember that the top-along patterns are all Villa Rosa.]

So here is VRD Challenge #2.   The common fabric in each block is that bed sheet.  (And there is still a lot left.)

The pattern has 24 blocks (10.5" finished).  I made an additional column. 

VRD Challenge #3.  

Rachelle (Rachelle Handmade) is a VRD designer who lives in Wisconsin.  Many of her patterns have Wisconsin place names.   Here's my version of Boscobel.  

The pattern uses 3.5" finished HSTs set 9 x 10.  I had a box of 4.5" unfinished homespun HSTs on hand. I added a row and a column (10 x 11).  This is a good wheelchair size.

I'm on a roll!   I have strips cut for the next VRD and hope to have a flimsy for Wednesday's post.

Linking up with  Design Wall Monday  Sew and Tell  Monday Musings

P.S.  I won a Hobbs wool batt from the SAHRR sponsors!