WIP update 1-8-14

I continue to make slow, steady progress on hand quilting the USA quilt.

It's fun to remember things about these blocks as I do each one.  This is Corn & Beans for Iowa.  We pulled off the freeway in Elk Horn Iowa on a cross country road trip to find a quilt shop.  We opted for the scenic route past plenty of farm land to the next exit East, just for fun.

When I finish this block, I'll have 20 done.

I've put myself on a serious budget busting fabric diet this year.  The stash-busting I was working on last year, but buying nothing unless it's necessary to finish a WIP or UFO.

I wish I didn't have such expensive taste in needles.
$9!  Maybe this is offset by the fact I like $1 thimbles.

The black gold needles are so lovely for applique.  And since I added the Biggs BOM to my list of WIPs to round it out to an even 20, I might as well have nice tools.

The size 10 Bohin Applique needles are fantastic for making long joining stitches for these hand pieced blocks I continue to work on.

And the 4th WIP I worked on this week is practicing doodling feather as fill.  Next round of FMQ feathers that I try will be narrower than than the previous.