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A tutorial for a different way to do a square in a square block popped up while browsing Pinterest one day and I thought I’d give it a try. Place two squares of equal size on top of each other, right sides together. Then sew all four edges using a 1/4″ seam. Mark from corner to opposite corner then the next corner to corner. Carefully cut the “x” being sure to not cut into the seam. Fold out each cut section, press, and voila! there’s your block! It’s not a true square in a square as ...

At the April retreat, participants put together this simple block.

One of the retreaters suggested I put the blocks together this way so as to not have to match seams. Great idea!

I found this layout boring, so I decided to have some fun with slashing the blocks.

Four of the slashed blocks made this cool design:

Here are all the blocks put together. Note that there is a secondary design.

It now needed something more and it wasn’t wide enough. Back into my bin of donated fabrics to add two side borders.

A Hospice flimsy – yeah! It is ...

The first donation of this year of Hospice quilts have been picked up! The effort of hanging all these quilts together outside is so worth it.

There were twelve quilts in this batch. Some were donated quilt tops that I quilted and bound. A couple I did from start to finish. Two were quilted by Laurie and then I added the binding. Three were donated by Dolores – I posted about those here.

There are a few flimsies for Hospice in my closet waiting to be quilted. It will probably be a while before I get to those. In the meantime ...

The generosity of quilters amazingly continues. An excellent quilter, Dolores, recently brought me three quilts to be donated to Hospice. The patients and their families that receive these will be so fortunate!

Each quilts is a “scrappy” quilt but the patterns chosen make them so special. This first one also has such a pretty backing. It’s a soft and warm fleece and oh so happy!

The varied direction of the pattern below makes this such an interesting quilt. And the backing is a bonus second quilt!

The third scrappy donation is a true labor of generosity – little log cabins ...

Or maybe a serial sewer? Add generosity to that and you get eleven (11) Hospice quilts!!

Laurie moved to another town some time ago, but we do have fun keeping in touch with texts. There was a week or two that she was maniacally sewing – in a good way! She finished a few of her own projects, made quilts for teens aging out of the foster care system, made quilts for the Community Pregnancy Center, and made quilts for Hospice. Eleven of them! I never tire of hanging them all out on the clothes line and taking a pic. Pretty ...

I found myself floundering the past week as I was working through emotions on the loss of my sister. She had been sick for a while and although her passing was imminent, it somehow doesn’t seem real when it actually happens. To help clear my mind, I went to my 2 1/2″ strip box and began to sew. Mindless sewing can be so very therapeutic!

A few hours of sewing resulted in this scrappy Hospice quilt. I cut a backing from a pretty printed fleece and hung both in my flimsy closet to be quilted another time. Of ...

One of my favorite things to do with quilts – take a pic of them hanging on the line together before they get sent off! There are eight quilts this time round, all going to Hospice. All are lap quilts, varying sizes and one is a wheelchair quilt. There are five Hospice flimsies with backings hanging in the closet. Not sure when I’ll get them quilted – just waiting for inspiration to hit!

The list of Works in Progress is still doable for me. I no longer want 20 projects in the wings that are half sewn. There was a time ...

Early July, I pulled my orphan blocks out and began playing with them on the design wall. I found a few more and there has been SO much rearranging. I’m thinking this is going to be the final layout – maybe. Every so often when i walk by it, I change something. I know that has to stop so I finally committed and sewed a few blocks together. Now all I need do is decide how to tie it all together. I’m in the process of pulling filler fabrics. This, my Foundling quilt, is definitely a challenge and that ...

Woo Hoo! Two more Hospice finishes. The first one was made with some orphan blocks I found from another Hospice quilt finished last year. There was just enough to make a wheelchair quilt. I really like these little quilts. They’re small so they go quickly, and they’re very practical for those in wheelchairs. As you can see, the corners are cut to avoid getting caught in the wheels. On this one I had enough to add a pocket. It’s lined with the same fleece I used for the backing. The pocket can hold tissues, cell phone, etc ...

So happy to have completed two more quilts for Hospice. These will be the last of my finishes for a while as I will be concentrating on a few of my personal quilts.

The first is a quilt with triangle blocks that were cut on the Sizzix and sewn together by attendees at a retreat in 2019. Seems forever ago, especially since there weren’t any retreats in 2020. I’ve been going through my donation bin lately and pulled these out – put them together – quilted – sewed the binding and done!!

Next was a quilt that was donated quite some ...

On Friday, the volunteer coordinator for the local Hospice came to my home to pick up nine quilts. It was a wonderful bonus to have her visit me and talk about donated quilts. It was especially awesome to hear about the comfort and joy they give to Hospice patients. And here there all are:

This quilt was put together with blocks a reader sent to me about a year and a half ago. Oh the colors – so happy! I had been so enthused about this quilt once put together, it was quickly quilted and bound.

The quilt below was made ...

Another Scrappy Finish and soon to be another quilt to go to Hospice! I began piecing this quite some time ago and a few blocks sat on the design wall for much too long. In a moment of boredom, a few more blocks were added. Finally, last week, I got a bit annoyed with myself for having let it go for so long, so…I sewed!

I really got into it and by the end of the day all the blocks were together, a pieced border added, and it was a flimsy. was just the sewing therapy I needed. It ...

Recently I heard from “JP” in Florida asking if I would be interested in receiving a quilt for the Hospice ministry.  Of course I was! Imagine when the box arrived stuffed to the brim with not one quilt top – but several with the added bonus of fabric for a border and backing for one of the quilt tops.

These quilt tops are perfect in both size and design for Hospice.  I especially love that more than one could be for a male patient. I’m especially blown away by the amount of time, effort and resources that went into these ...

Happy Mother’s Day! For all mothers, I hope your day is blessed with pampering.  For all, may sweet memories of your mother fill your day. Thanks to hubby for starting my day with a yummy breakfast. Cooking a full breakfast is so out of his comfort zone – a true act of love!

Two more Hospice quilts have been put together and quilted. I have really been on a roll with these and it feels so good. The blocks for this blue quilt were pieced at a retreat. I then pieced the blocks. My friend Laurie took the flimsy home ...

String quilts – I love doing them! They’re pretty easy, quick and so satisfying. When I look at each individual block as I’m sewing and pressing, there doesn’t seem to be much to them. But…once all put together – wonderful!

A friend recently shared some Hawaiian shirt leftovers from memory quilts she made. Cutting strips maximized the amount of the fabric I could use. I pulled a few batik scraps, using a neutral as the center strip for each block. The flimsy was completed in just two days! Such a great way to take a break from other ...

A friend of mine who also happens to be an amazing quilter, will be soon moving to another part of the state.  She will be sorely missed, but we will still be bound by friendship and our passion for quilting. As part of her move, she did a cleanout! Look what came to live here until Hospice donation time:

This leaf deer head is so full of life – sure to give comfort to a patient and their loved ones.

This picnic quilt screams “Fun!” My hubby got a kick out of the watermelon fabric and especially the picnic ants!

All ...

Like everyone else, I have extra time at home because we are truly isolating.  This has led to accomplishments! First, I cut ALL my scraps.  Yowza! It was a lot!! Below are just the 1 1/2″ strips.

Then, I completed ten face masks. There’s a thread out there that we may be required to wear them out soon, so I made one for each of my family.  I plan to make more for family, friends and neighbors. Honestly, I found these somewhat tedious to make, but also important to do. I did have a couple of 1,000 ...

Purging and reorganizing have consumed me the last couple of months.  Last week I went through the two donation bins of fabric, blocks and quilt tops I have.  Some I passed on to other worthy causes.  I pulled a couple of quilt tops ready to be quilted. Then I found a panel of bird blocks. I immediately cut them and paired with two solid fabrics.  Two days later a completed Hospice quilt top was on my design wall!

This was such an easy and gratifying sew.  As soon as the fleece I ordered for the backing comes in, I’ll ...

My year was not as productive as some, but it was enjoyable. It is the process, not the progress that I now focus on.  There was still a lot of thread used! Each year I post a pic of my empty spools.  Not as many as last year, but I also had less partial spools when the year began.  It continues to amaze me how much thread quilters go through!

What are my plans for 2020? I will continue to minimize the contents of my studio.  I have been cleaning out my craft bins, tossing, gifting and rearranging as I ...

Thirty very creative and talented women gathered in Blowing Rock, NC this past week for a very productive and fun-filled retreat!

We played games:

Made stunning quilts:

Charity blocks were sewn by all to make Hospice quilts:

There really was some serious work going on!

Show and Tell – always the main highlight of the retreat. SO MUCH talent!!

(There are a few pics missing that I will post soon.  Unfortunately I was taking pics from my I-pad and not my phone which was not a good thing!)

Thank you to our host site, The Meadowbrook Inn ...