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March 27, 2023
Making Journals on Free Motion Mavericks from Quilting & Learning

Welcome! I can't believe that it's already time for Free Motion Mavericks! I doesn't help that I posted a day late last week. This week I'm on time but no FMQ (free motion quilting) to share. 

Upcycled Traveller's Journal 


This week there is an exciting free event going on - Sketchbook Revival 2023. There are loads for really cool teachers presenting various things related to art, sketchbooks, colour and creativity. Before the week began, Ali Manning of Vintage Page Designs and the Handmade Book Club (of which I'm a member!) showed us how to use ...

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February 22, 2023
One monthly goal finish February 2023 from Making A Lather

 I have a finish and a one monthly goal completion to celebrate. My circa 1880 quilt is finished. I used 225 swap blocks from my quilty friends to make the top and added a border fabric that was gifted to me from another quilty friend some time ago. I could not be more pleased. The photos are a little dark from an Indiana dreary winter day, but, the quilt is shiny to me. So much talent from other quilters are part of my quilt in each little block.


92 x 94 and 22 yards


I used a cotton sheet for ...

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February 1, 2023
one monthly goal - circa 1880 from Making A Lather

I am tiring of this quilt, again. It has been in time out 2 other times for various reasons. I will make this my February one monthly goal, hoping that the goal will inspire me to stick to it. It began as a swap. The blocks were my one monthly goal for January 2019

I have the border sewn. But it is too tight, so I will need to unpick it, and remeasure, and resew. A tiny set back that has me scratching my head. What happened? I want to quilt and bind by the end of february.



My January ...

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January 13, 2023
swap blocks and progress from Making A Lather

It is time to turn my attention to finishing this ufo on my 5 quilts list. I have the rows I need for a queen size quilt I want to make.


This quilt began as a swap between my quilty friends and me. I have been slowly adding the squares and strips. It stalled again, as, I wasn't sure how to finish the pesky ends. Yesterday, I laid it out on my bed, letting the ends fall over the end of the bed, and started pinning triangles, so, I can sew them into the end of the rows. I ...

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January 11, 2023
snails trail blocks from Making A Lather

 I was anxious to start another round for snails trail. I needed to cut more background muslin. I really like the go die for this block. The pieces fit so nicely together.




I have 51 blocks, now. I really like making them. Maybe, I just won't stop. I just work on them as therapy blocks. It helps me to relax to just piece sometimes. They are 8 inch blocks I would need 100 for a queen size quilt.

I  am linking to:


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December 26, 2022
boho heart finish and one monthly goal from Making A Lather

My boho heart quilt is finished in time for my one monthly goal for December 2022. I really like it, and I am glad to mark this off the list. Hidden in this quilt are a few vintage blocks, my orphan blocks that remind me of quilts past, and scraps from other quilters I admire.

72 x 74


12 yards of fabric

I used the top fabric in my backing pile. since it was colorful, and, I used the same fabrics as the background to bind it. I free formed swirls on the long arm for quilting. And thanks to ...

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December 2, 2022
one monthly goal - boho heart from Making A Lather

 Group 3 is finished of the boho heart quilt. It doesn't look much different than the last post. I did get the whole group together in one section. I am ready for group 4. I want to make finishing boho heart my December one monthly goal. I think it is doable. I have had a cortizone shot in my thumb, and, was fitted for a splint. It is awkward but feels much better. I feel like sewing again, with some adaptions.



I have had a fun start to the Christmas season. Sometimes, I can't get motivated, but, this ...

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November 15, 2022
going at a snails pace from Making A Lather

Everything here has stopped as we are covid positive. I did play with snail trails again before....


I went into the grocery store Friday morning, early, and, when I came out, I had a surprise. By the end of the day, we had several inches. It was pretty, but, the day before it was nearly 70 degrees.


I am linking:

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October 21, 2022
blue ridge beauty finish from Making A Lather

blue ridge beauty is finally a completed quilt. I have tried all year to make this a priority in finishing this huge quilt. It took several days to free motion swirls on my longarm. Binding was delayed because my trusty older bernina that I use for binding, stopped working, and, hubby had to spend a couple of days to uncover the problem. I knew he could do it, and, he did. I made blue ridge beauty my one monthly goal for October...again. And this is my 12th ufo finish for PHD 2022.

98x107

27 yards


It has some great ...

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October 7, 2022
circa rows and more rows from Making A Lather

I have been sewing rows for my version of circa 1880 quilt. I believe I have used many blocks from each of the swappers already for this quilt. I am pretty sure I have many more than I will need, maybe enough for another quilt of some sort.

I lost count on one row haha

This looks about the size I want, but, I won't know until I actually sew them together. I have to figure out how to finish the ends.


So far, the rescue itty bitty is doing great. And seems to be attached to my hubby ...

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October 3, 2022
one monthly goal October from Making A Lather

 I am going to try making blue ridge beauty quilt my one monthly goal again for October. I really would like to see it done by the end of this year, and October would be better. This a quiltville pattern in her book adventures with leaders and enders. I made mine with shirt fabrics included.

I need to make a monster back and decide on binding. Surely, I can finish it this month. Most of the garden is willing to wait for me to get to it.

However, we do have a new adventure. We found this little bitty shivering ...

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September 17, 2022
blossom time from Making A Lather

I am using leftover strips from my maple leaves quilt for the new light blue blossoms for the rainbow scrap challenge at so scrappy. I made more stems and leaves and 4 patches. I think I will need to carry this project over to next year, to get all the blocks I will need.


We have seen our weather turn cooler, and, then, return to hot. Most of the garden is sputtering. I still have a few blossoms around the house. Nasturtiums are still blooming. Petunias and pansies are still blooming. Our old old apple trees are dropping apples. Hubby ...

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September 10, 2022
hole and candy from Making A Lather

I have all the blocks I need to make this rainbow project into a top. I have really enjoyed making this. I liked using my smallest pieces to make the string rectangles into something useful. By using the rainbow scrap challenge at so scrappy. the colors are bright and happy. I have moved them to a box of their own and plan to take them with me to open sews for assembly.


I was one block short of having all the blocks I need for the candy quilt. I felt I needed a chocolate in there someplace.



This block has ...

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September 7, 2022
snails a plenty from Making A Lather

After working on my 5 quilts, even the parts that have languished. It was time out for fun sewing. I am starting another round of snails trail. I need to cut some more, which I find meditative, and then, I get to line up the triangles which is nice and tidy, then, I have the challenge of making the colors turn which is good for mental acuity, then, I get to wind bobbins which is satisfying, then, I get to chain sew which is efficient, then, I get to iron it flat which is just like Christmas morning surprises, then ...

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August 27, 2022
hole in my scraps from Making A Lather

I am barely finishing these hole in the barn blocks for the month of August and the rainbow scrap challenge at so scrappy.



I think I have nearly all of them that I need for the quilt.

I have a few zipper blocks ready to go. I just don't have many orange scraps. I like orange in quilts, but it isn't an often used color.


still canning from the garden
I am linking to:

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August 20, 2022
candy from Making A Lather

 I have orange cream candy ready for the rainbow scrap challenge at so scrappy. They look yummy. I think I am nearly done with these blocks. I still need a bit of licorice and chocolate. I have certainly enjoyed making these this year, and I had PLENTY of strings I needed to use. I am looking for a string project for next year or maybe 100.



This tiny little squash plant taking over the garden was a volunteer from outside the garden, and we weren't sure what the frankensquash would be. It looks to be a regular zucchini. We ...

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August 10, 2022
blocks found from Making A Lather

My Granddaughter was here for a visit and decided to reorganize my extra room. I had no idea what she was doing, until it was too late. I use that room for a holding cell of blocks ready to make into tops and tops ready to be quilted, and unfortunately, as storage for whatever I don't know where to home them. I knew that this little set back, for me, was probably the reason I had lost my rhododendron mystery blocks. This week, when it was raining, I asked my hubby to accompany me to that room and make ...

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July 29, 2022
guild meeting from Making A Lather

We had a great quilter at our guild meeting this week. I feel bad that I didn't catch her first name but her last name was Roach from Bloomfield Indiana. She has had quilts in Houston and Paducah and has won awards. I can see why  I don't think my pictures are great but still worth sharing.















BY the time she was done, I was wondering why I have been quilting. I am usually a little intimidated with fancy quilting. But, I do it because I love to piece. She works as hard at the design process as ...

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July 23, 2022
sweet tooth from Making A Lather

Every color of candy is my favorite after I make them. All the purple sweet tooth blocks are finished for the rainbow scrap challenge at so scrappy. I am thinking that I have too many rainbow scrap projects. I am struggling at the end of the month to get them all done. But, I really like them all. Maybe next year I will exercise a little more sense.



This is one of the planters by our back door. I planted the yarrow and the little pansy. The rest of what is growing are volunteers from last year. I didn't ...

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June 5, 2022
stash report June 5, 2022 from Making A Lather

I found this in a box on my desk, and, I don't know if I have counted it in yet. I don't think so.


There is orange and purple batiks and a white jelly roll and lots of surprises.

 Stash report  May 29, 2022

fabric added: 5 yards 

fabric added year to date: 60 3/4 yards  

fabric used: 0 yards 

fabric used year to date: 130 yards 

70 1/4 yards used more than bought. 

I sewed 4 days last week. And I made a little progress

I have some hand stitching to do on my friendsheep ...

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