Fun finds in fabric

I have a confession to make. You know that sacred Susan Winget Tea Time fabric I acquired (after much searching and the kindness of two readers) over the summer? I haven't settled on a pattern to use it yet. I've found several patterns that were contenders, but when I pulled out the fabric and my rotary cutter, I just couldn't do it. One of my life mottoes is "When in doubt, don't," so I didn't. But that hasn't stopped me from continuing to collect other fabric and patterns—or from sewing something else in the meantime! So here's what I've been up to. This pretty set of fat quarters by Whistler Studios for Windham Fabrics is so lovely, I had to order it from Missouri Star Quilt Company (and I have absolutely *loved* ordering from them because of their great customer service, witty communications, and speedy shipping).

So why was I so smitten by this fabric? Perhaps it was the name. 

This piece of fabric is my favorite in the bundle, and it seemed appropriate to seek something with fall hues at this time of year.

This one's great too, isn't it? The fabric arrived only the other day and I haven't even planned what to use it for yet, but I am learning that if I see a tea-themed fabric, I'd better get it now, because by the time I *finally* decide on a pattern, the fabric will no longer be available. Despite my slow-as-molasses approach to selecting a design, I have been sewing, but I've been using fabric that is so absolutely unlike me, I can't even explain why I love it so.

I've been making what they call "hexies," these English-paper-pieced discs in hexagon shapes, which are then sewn into flowers. (And okay, this Anglophile probably likes the fact that this is English paper piecing.) From what I've read, this pattern is also known as Grandmother's Flower Garden and was one of the most popular quilt patterns of the 1930s, which makes sense since Depression-era women could make it with fabric scraps. But wow, the colors in these Kaffe Fassett fabrics (found at a quilt shop in Rome) are wayyyy out of my comfort zone. They don't match a thing in my house. I can't imagine what I'll do with this throw/quilt/spread when I finally finish it, but I don't care. Making these is so fun, and when Alex and I have been binge-watching "24" with Kiefer Sutherland on the weekends (because we have pretty much forgotten the plots from watching the show the first time around), these are what I work on.

I originally thought that when I have enough of these stitched, I'd like to just sew them all together edge to edge like this, with no rhyme or reason to the psychedelic coloring.

But then I saw a Pinterest photo of such a quilt with white hexies surrounding each flower. This gives you an idea of what that would look like, and I do believe it would highlight the colorful fabrics even more.

So, crafty friends, what all are you working on this fall?