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My grand parents had a smallish cherry tree in the corner of their garden and every Spring it would ‘dress itself in a pink fluffy ballgown’ and it would sprinkle pink leaves with every little breeze. I loved that tree and I told myself that I wanted one of those in my garden when I grew up. I haven’t made that come true yet, but there are plenty of other brightly colored flowers, bushes and trees in my garden. I can’t resist a bright bloom!

A Journey into Deep Colors, Scrappy Quilts and Wonky Hexagons

Welcome quilting friends! A few weeks back I shared with you my newest pattern, the Inflorescences Quilt. Today, I’m excited to take you on a whimsical journey as we unveil the back of that quilt. A creation that boasts deep, dark colors reminiscent of a starry night and mysterious galaxies, made with fabric scraps. How is this scrappy quilt possible you might ask? With a Wonky Half Hexagon template.

Let’s break the quilt down into three different half hexagons and talk about using templates ...

This past week, my quilting attention went mostly to this lovely Optical Illusions quilt that I am quilting for a client. She made it for her 16 year old grandson. I felt a little intimidated by it at first, but this has actually turned out to be so much fun to work on. The center… Continue reading Sunday Funday Catching Up

This quilt started as an experiment with fat quarters. I had seen a few similar quilts and wanted to give it a try.

This version uses 9 fat quarters. Three prints and 6 solids. The quilt finishes at 40″ x 48″. Each block has a center cut at 4-1/2″ x 4-1/2″, some plain squares, and some created as hourglass blocks made of two squares starting at 5-1/2″ x 5-1/2″. The outside of the blocks is two rectangles 2-1/2″ x 4-1/2″ and two rectangles 2-1/2″ x 8-1/2″.

It went together quickly and is ...

Hello again, my friends. Well...I have time this morning, so let's just get to this. I visited Poppy Quilt 'n Sew yesterday. I'd already scoped it out on Google, but then it came recommended by several of you. So, okay...let's go.

Hello again, my friends. Well...I have time this morning, so let's just get to this. I visited Poppy Quilt 'n Sew yesterday. I'd already scoped it out on Google, but then it came recommended by several of you. So, okay...let's go.

In the Netherlands we have saying about the month of April being fickle: ‘April doet wat hij wil’. Strong winds yesterday, pouring rain today and forecasts indicate that we will get a taste of Summer this weekend.

To celebrate sunny weather on the horizon, let’s fill our fabrics with flowers! This weeks design ‘Finnish Flowers’ is inspired by fabric designs by the Finnish company Marimekko. Their bright and bold designs always brings a smile to my face. I have two pieces of Marimekko fabric in my collection that I have found while thrifting.

The Finnish Flower free motion design ...

Good morning, my friends. Be careful out there today. A prankster is lurking around every corner. Who would ever think the first full month of spring would be so full of danger? 

As I mentioned in yesterday's post, we had a day off for Easter Sunday. The kitties got into the swing of it right away. They spent their morning in synchronized napping.

Good morning, my friends. Be careful out there today. A prankster is lurking around every corner. Who would ever think the first full month of spring would be so full of danger? 

As I mentioned in yesterday's post, we had a day off for Easter Sunday. The kitties got into the swing of it right away. They spent their morning in synchronized napping.

There is still time to join me for a One Block Wonder Retreat at the fabulous Strong House Inn, Vergennes, Vermont! Not only will you be papmered by the great food and staff at the Strong House Inn, but you will learn:

• Identifying and cutting your repeats.
• Aligning repeats including difficult fabrics.
• Choosing a ruler and understanding the difference between pointed & blunt tip rulers.
• Deciding what strip widths to cut.
• And of course, cutting all your equilateral triangles.
• Designing with the hexagons.
• Integrating stars & cubes. What you can make with thr Star 60 Tool.
• Designing around a panel.

Make ...

I went to the ranch to check on Cookie, my very pregnant cow, due any time to have her first calf. She was happily grazing with the rest of the herd, which belongs to my cousin. While there, I got some pics of this finished Strip Mirage quilt I made for my great-nephew. The pattern… Continue reading Finished Strip Mirage Quilt

Well, after being down with a bad headache all day yesterday, I felt much better today and made up for lost time. I even had to keep my two youngest grandsons from 3:45 yesterday afternoon until their parents and older brother got home from his track meet last night. I’m usually a pretty fun grandma,… Continue reading Whirlwind Wednesday

I’m trying to get into a better time management routine between my housework, my quilting business, and my personal quilting time. I used to subscribe to Flylady years ago, and I’m giving that another whirl. After the required morning caffeination, I get myself ready and then tend some household chores before I start my quilting… Continue reading Busy Monday

Any quilt with 100 blocks is going to take a while, and this one did.

But, it was worth it! Every block uses a unique fabric for the “dash” and a unique fabric for the center. The backgrounds and sashings have some duplication, but all came from the scrap boxes. These blocks are based on 2-1/2″ squares, and the borders started at 1-1/2″, giving 7″( finished) blocks.

I love the alternating borders around each block.

And the pieced (not perfectly, but fun) sashing.

A tutorial for the block, in ANY SIZE coming soon. So, dust off that box ...

I was at a quilt retreat this weekend with my quilting buddies. I brought plenty of projects to work on, but a local quilt shop had a sale going on so I bought some beautiful fabric.

Shadow Play by Maywood fabrics had a nice light, medium, dark and a great green for a backgound, everyting I needed for Hollow Cube 60’s. I had an idea and wanted to see if it would work.

I love my Star 60 tool by Deb Tucker and I love Hollow Cubes using the Hollow Cube 60 Technique Sheet. I wanted to see if ...

Last Friday was World Water Day and this next Friday is Mermaid Day, so this week’s free motion design just fits in!

The Mermaid’s Tail design is based on the clamshell grid. This design can be quilted pretty densely, but stitch it out as big as you want. You could even use a ruler to help you create the semicircular arcs. The clamshell gird is used upside down, making it look like scales. Scales on a mermaid’s tail!

Fill the clamshells with teardrops that fan out from the centre. Use as many teardrops as you like.

There ...

I am hand finishing the binding on one of the quilts I’m currently working on, so it went along on the trip to the ranch Thursday so I could stitch during the drive. It’s a commission for a dear friend, pieced from her late father’s shirts, and a neutral fabric I purchased for the sashing.… Continue reading Memorial Quilt in the Wild

Hand quilting a wool eighteenth century quilt in a flat frame.

Mikayla’s Grace is a wonderful charity in my area of Wisconsin that supports families with a baby in the NICU (neonatal ICU) and those who experience the death of a child or pregnancy loss at hospitals in the Dane County area.

Crafters from all over make beautiful handmade baby items that they sew, knit or crochet and send to Mikayla’s Grace — from gowns, hats, and booties, to baby blankets and quilts. Several times a year volunteers meet to assemble these donations into care packages and deliver them to local hospitals to distribute.

Melissa recently sent out an email ...

I have never had great success making bread. Except for quick breads, like pumpkin, banana, etc. I tried making a whole wheat sourdough yesterday from some starter gifted to me by a fellow quilt guild member, and it’s the best bread turnout I’ve ever had. Not that I have tried very much. I was always… Continue reading Bread and Headed to the Ranch