Churnstile Quilt Blocks

I have to admit that I've really enjoyed having a project in the works that is already cut and ready to go. For our Modern Patchwork Treffen in February, I ended up cutting almost all of the fabrics for my Churnstile quilt blocks... so when we met again in March, all I had to do was just sit down and sew! Ok, ok... so I think it's safe to say that this will not be my bee block, which is ok since it seems as if I've developed very specific ideas about the colors and fabrics.  I thought that I needed to add a few blocks with softer tones to give this a little more balance... this shade of periwinkle is just perfect! For a lack of a better word, I've also been making a few "cornerstone"...

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Farm Girl Vintage Finish!

Finishing my Farm Girl Vintage quilt means that I get to check the last thing of my quarterly goals list for the 2016 Finish-A-Long. When I first started this, the blocks actually came together pretty quickly, but waiting for sashing fabric meant getting pushed to the backburner... then there was, of course, the issue of how to quilt it? I really had to think long and hard about how I wanted to quilt this since this was my first border quilt, and I only quilt with my walking foot. I had originally thought about an all over pattern, but decided that it was not the best solution for this quilt. I eventually ended up quilting in the ditch around each motif, then addressed each block individually....

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(Almost) Quarterly Status

I've been whittling away at my 2016 goals list, slow and steady like a carpenter, and I have to admit that I am pleasantly surprised (an amazed) how much I've accomplished this quarter! These past weeks have been whirlwinds of colds, sniffles, birthday parties, and anything and everything but time at my sewing machine. With a little luck, and some concentrated time, I hope to finish up my Farm Girl Vintage quilt, which is the last thing to be completed for my quarterly goals! Hmm... still contemplating that border! I'm right on track with my bi- monthly goal of finishing my bee blocks early instead of waiting until the last minute. I have to admit that what I have enjoyed the most is...

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Mini Foliage Grows

I'm finding that I am enjoying having several of my handmade things peppered throughout the house. I haven't always sewn with myself in mind, but find that I love being greeted by this table runner in the hallway, this pickledish table cover in the living room, and this mini mini gone super size adorning my favorite chair.  In the evenings before I go to bed, I usually take up a glass of water with me. I guess this is the part where I shamefully admit that for far too long, I had simply put a towel on my nightstand to protect it from any water damage. But as my Mom always says... if you want to get your house in order, then invite company! And a recent visit pushed me to do something...

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From Audition to Center Stage

Well, it would appear that I've gone just a little beyond auditioning blocks to slipping into a completely new project... but not without good reason! This past weekend was our Modern Patchwork Treffen (quilting group) here in Hamburg, and I needed something to work on. While I'm coming close to the end of quilting my Farm Girl Vintage quilt, I am now in the process of considering quilting options for the border... and I need to have a little more concentration (and space) for actual quilting. Not really the best take it with you project. But I have to admit that it was reassuring that I wasn't the only one with a new project in the works... in fact we all had new projects that we were working...

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