Swamp Hibiscus Update

I've had a small block of "alone" time so I was able to focus on my Swamp Hibiscus quilt for the last two days. It's still very much in the beginning stages, but I'm excited about how it MAY turn out. My husband, Smokey, is a great asset when it comes to giving honest opinions about my designs and choice of color. I have spent literally weeks looking for a certain kind of background fabric for this oval. Finally, at the AQS Show in Nashville, I found more or less what I was looking for. When I got home, I pinned it up on the design wall behind the flower. Smokey took one look at it and said, "No." We talked about why it wasn't good and then I pulled out the fabric that I had chosen almost a year ago when I first drew out the pattern. Wouldn't you know? It was the perfect fabric all along! And now, I start the process all over again as I work out from the center. People have asked me if I have the entire quilt in mind before I start . . .Are they kidding?

We enjoyed the show in Nashville. The vendors were great and I especially was interested in all of the different threads available. It's great to purchase small amounts, try them, and then you can order larger amounts if you like them. I think I bought thread from four different companies. We stayed at the Opryland Hotel. Unreal. BUT, we absolutely loved walking around in the evening through the lush greenery. We had planned on doing some sightseeing in Nashville but it was so hot (102 degrees) that we came on home a day early.