What Are Quilters Blogging About Today?

    Every year I make members of my family flannel pillowcases. I used to buy woodland themed fabric in the Adirondacks on vacation from a store in Inlet, NY. They sadly retired, closed, sold the building and a great tradition vaporized. I have searched for another source for a while and was able to get a bunch of it from Hancock's of Paducah and equilter. Some even on sale. I used to love the quality I bought- it was mostly Moda and Northcott, but they don't seem to be making it much anymore. I like to feel the fabric ...

Sadly, I didn’t get any of my scrappy HSTs this week. I went to go see if I could find any big gray scraps and I got sidetracked by Mount Flannel.

I have received a lot of flannel bits and I have just been piling them on a table in my sewing room. 

I guess I was in the mood to deal with a few of them.

I'm back home today, even though the rest of the group is still at the retreat house. Based on my and DH's schedules, it made sense for me to come home. I have two days to regroup while he's traveling, and then I'm off again. Only three more weeks and the travel for the year will be done! Yeah!! Thankfully, none of the trips are long, but it means coordination because of the girls. If we didn't have dogs? Well, we'd probably never be home!

I'm sorry to miss the last two days ...

      Two more tops were finished. I shopped at Joann's for the border fabric for the flannel batik squares quilt. I could not find batik flannel anywhere, so I bought a mottled lighter blue and a dark blue solid for the borders. After washing it, I cut and sewed the borders on and it is a big size about 70 x 76 now. I have to just accept it as it is instead of what it could be with the right fabric. It is soft and cuddly. When I was at Joann's, I was able to buy 5 yards ...

     I found a free pattern from Riley Blake called Beach Towels that worked with the pieces of batik flannel that I was given. The blocks are 10 1/2" unfinished. However, I do not have flannel for the border, which it needs to be a good comfort quilt. I looked all over online for flannel that would work (not pastels or cutesy prints). I can't find anything. If you have any idea of where else I could find some flannel to finish this quilt with, let me know. I am not going to dye flannel to finish this. The ...

 last report june 23, 2023

I try to work on these 5 quilts until they are done. Their turn in the UFO closet is over, and, they need to be finished one way or another. I decided that for 2023, rather than work a little on each one at a time, I would concentrate on just one. I still use the list to plan and look ahead. 

I feel like I have cheated on the 5 quilts, and, dabbled too much with new shiny projects. I played with my hsts drawer for sugar grove, I played with fractured squares ...

I have a finish for Friday. My trip a around the world baby quilt for charity is quilted and bound. I taught a workshop for this quilt for my guild.

45 x 64 = 12 yards

I am linking to:

 last report May 29 2023

I try to work on these 5 quilts until they are done. Their turn in the UFO closet is over, and, they need to be finished one way or another. I decided that for 2023, rather than work a little on each one at a time, I would concentrate on just one. I still use the list to plan and look ahead. 

I have made more progress than I thought I had this last month on my 5 quilts. Progress seems small, as there are so many steps to each one, and I may ...

 last report April 28, 2023

I try to work on these 5 quilts until they are done. Their turn in the UFO closet is over, and, they need to be finished one way or another. I decided that for 2023, rather than work a little on each one at a time, I would concentrate on just one. I still use the list to plan and look ahead. 

Ok, confession, I have not stuck to my 5 quilts very well, I have continued to work on them, but my resolve to stick to them only has not worked. I have ...

 I have had a trip around the world quilt on my bucket list for a long time. I had tried the Bonnie Hunter free pattern, but, I did not like the outcome. She had promised that any scrappy combination would work, and, I took her at her word. I managed to have scrappy fabrics that did not work. But, I have still admired all of them I have seen. I started investigating the colors and movement, watching and reading and you tube.  I was determined to try again. I think the key is to have color groups together in the ...

last report April 17, 2023

I try to work on these 5 quilts until they are done. Their turn in the UFO closet is over, and, they need to be finished one way or another. I decided that for 2023, rather than work a little on each one at a time, I would concentrate on just one. I still use the list to plan and look ahead. 

This group of 5 quilts has a lot of cutting involved. Which is not my favorite part, so, there has been a few distractions. One of them, is cleaning my sewing room ...

My guild has asked me to teach a trip around the world quilt workshop. I agreed, if, I could use what I had on hand. Of course, I would need samples of how to make it. I had a whole bucket of flannel 3 1/2 inch strips, yippee. I am not sure the colors will be a stand out, but, that is the magic of TAW quilts. They seem to do their own thing, no matter what the fabric is. I have the strip sets made, and, it is time to subcut and start laying them out.

 last report march 29, 2023

I try to work on these 5 quilts until they are done. Their turn in the UFO closet is over, and, they need to be finished one way or another. I decided that for 2023, rather than work a little on each one at a time, I would concentrate on just one. I still use the list to plan and look ahead. 

 This set shows finishes that seemed to take forever to finish. The new ones look more interesting to me as a set. I will be able to jump back and forth when I ...

 I turned a mistake into a new pillow.

It measures 16" by 16" with an envelope back.

This star was originally made as the center for my Flannel Plaid Star Quilt. However, I seriously miscalculated and this star was way too small for the center of the quilt. I just threw into a bin and made a correct sized center star for the quilt. When I was cleaning my office recently I found this block and decided to turn it into a new pillow for my house. All that was required was a little simple quilting and making the envelope ...

 Rail Fence Blocks have been filling my mailbox every day.  I have been sewing like mad to keep up.  I should have a couple finishes to share soon.

But I have a few other finishes to share - thanks to some friends too!

A while back, I think I had shared that I made up some donation quilt kits with fabric, a pattern and backing material.  Well, a good friend came over for a play date and sewed one of them up for me.

The last day of any retreat is bittersweet. While we are excited to go home, it's time to leave, and no one wants to go home. This retreat house is several hours away, so I had plans to leave at 1 PM, and it was exactly 1 PM when I drove out of the driveway. 

However, I managed to get a lot accomplished before I left. All in all, this was probably one of the most productive retreats EVER! I've no idea how that happened. 

This was my last day to take a walk to the lake, so ...

 I'm so sorry to be an enabler, but it's not often that a pattern comes along that I NEED to make, so I'll see how we can work those Elizabeth Hartman patterns into the schedule. Remember -- if you are pressed for time, make the SMALL version of the quilt. It's all about choices and making priorities. And if you can't do the sew along with me, there'll be another super cute pattern next year!

I'm so excited -- I was showing the short Amazon tour video to the retreat group, and then I decided ...

WOW  --- it appears that flannel is on the way out! Two people commented that they got rid of their flannel. I mean -- there comes the point when you just say, "why are we keeping all this stuff?" More on my flannel in a minute. 

And YES --- I am taking care of my feet, and I'm taking care of me. But after NINE hours of laying in bed, my back was NOT happy! So there has to be a balance. For those who know me, I'm a slug these days, and while I can live with that for a ...