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This is the year of potholders, this time a String Pieced set.

I don’t know who these belong to yet, but it is good to have such presents on hand.

It's DONE, and I had a small ceremony as I removed this project from the Visual To-Do List. I LOVE that list, and it's so motivating to me!!! 

One project is removed from the Visual To-Do list.

YES -- this is the quilt that I was going to make for someone, and we decided to abandon the project for several reasons. Making quilts for others is the largest category on that list with NINE quilts. One down, and eight to go! 

But getting to the point of removing the project from the list involved dealing with everything in the ...

Thanks for the information on the cadaver tendon use!!!! Apparently, the medical field has been using that technique for years!!! Who knew? And yes -- a lot is missing from the story of the man with the broken tibia/fibia. He's in bad shape, and I don't remember all the details - tendons pulled away from the knee and the broken bones (right at the knee cap) or something equally horrible. I must remember to ask his mother again. 

Another day - another project!!! And I managed to get through another item on that paperwork list, although a new one came ...

Looking for a way to use up surplus Half Square Triangles (HST)? This might be just the thing you are looking for. Gather up all the HST you have laying around, pick a size, add some low volume scraps, and, before you know it, you have a beautiful quilt to share.

I built my quilt without sashing, and the quilt sizes below assume that. You will likely come up with variations, and I would love to see them all.

NOTE: The quilt above is a 2-1/2″ HST variation using 36 blocks and finishing at 72″x72″.

I LOVE hearing all your stories of repurposing projects, prepping for upcoming surgeries (good luck), and ideas for my Prince challenge. It's a process to be sure, but when you have a plan, or whatever you want to call it, life is good. I know the times I find hardest are when I have something (or multiple things) to do and no plan. Sometimes that is as simple as writing things down. 

I had several computer tasks to do, and I kept reviewing them in my head. That was taking up a lot of energy to keep track of ...

This started off as a little bundle of three floral print fat quarters. I found some friends for them and, using my favorite Heart Block Pattern, started sewing.

The 6″ size made best use of the fabric I had available. When trimmed to 2-1/2″ the HST cut-offs became the border.

The backing matches beautifully and came from stash, where it had been for a long time. Don’t you just love it when fabric finds its purpose?!

I have another heart quilt in mind and hope to start it in the next few weeks. I need to get the ...

I had seen something similar (without a pattern I could identify) on Pinterest . It turned out to be a good idea that didn’t work.

I am very pleased with the solid flying geese blocks. But, the background…If it had all been the flowers, or the other bright print. But, mixing the two with some leftover scraps…Not successful.

That said, I am going to try again with a single print. The idea deserves a second chance.

ps–I have been calling it the Ugly Geese Quilt, which isn’t fair, because the geese aren’t ugly at all.

I tried to get into my sewing room every day this week and managed to get lots done.  First up, I finished the rest of my green blocks for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.  I have to look and see if there are enough darker green scraps to make a 5x5 HST block.  I don't have a lot of dark green fabric in my stash.  

Next up-- I shortened a pair of jeans for my husband.  He received them as a Christmas gift and, now, he can wear them.  I also added a hanging sleeve to my little sashiko wall ...

It's good to hear from all of you, and I hear you about not knowing what the spring/summer will bring for those who are lacking in moisture this winter. I grew up in the prairies in Saskatchewan, and that winter snow was essential for growing crops! Fingers crossed that any further snow that wishes to fall will fall in your area, not ours! I'm done with shoveling! 

Although the anal part of me was out with a shovel yesterday, tidying up parts of the driveway. I know -- I must look crazy, but I hate when the snow ...

They are so much fun, you can’t make just one.

So, I made 27. I pulled an assortment of cool color 2-1/2″ squares and warm color 2-1/2″ squares from my precut scraps bin. The black and white borders came from the black print scraps bin. (Yes, I have a lot of bins).

Ta-dah, before I knew it there were blocks ready to mail off to  Many Hands and Many Hearts. You still have time to join in. They are accepting blocks until the end of February.

I learned about Many Hands and Many Hearts from Quilting JetGirl. She recently featured their current project: Black and White Framed Charity Blocks.

Yep, I’m on board. And cutting scraps. And gathering squares. I hope to have a good number (maybe between 20-30) to send in by the deadline (end of February).

If you have scraps, why don’t you join us? It is fun to have fun, but you have to know how…

I am slowly working my way through the projects inherited from Susan Nixon. It is bittersweet–glad they are finished, sorry she isn’t here to finish them…

This one is another variation of a Log Cabin, her favorite block. Here is a link to the less-than-traditional one I finished earlier in 2025.

About 60% of the blocks are Susan’s, and the rest are built by me. Some use strips that were included with the blocks, and I added some fabrics from my own (considerable) scrap stash.

The quilt is 72″x 88″. Not sure what to do with ...

I don’t use patterns very often, but I saw the Starlets pattern and knew it was just what I wanted for a patriotic couch quilt.

I did modify by replacing some of the stars with solid pieces of mostly larger print fabrics that wouldn’t work well for the small, pieced blocks. As built, it is 72″x72″.

The bandana print background has been in my stash for a long time. I believe I bought it on clearance at a local quilt shop for $2.99/yard. (Ah, those were the days…)

Husband helped to pick out the binding ...

I love to make potholders. But I haven’t much lately. So, one of my quilting goals for this year is to make at least one a month. For January, I have two (so far).

These sewn together 2-1/2″ squares came in a scrap bag. What a perfect starting point!

In a single day (January 1), 16-patch blocks were created, layered, quilted and bound (while watching a football game). Ta-dah!

TIPS:

–You can make something similar using any 16 2-1/2″ squares. If you have a mini charm pack, you can make two, or, by adding 6 coordinating squares ...

"Quiet Time" is coming together; slowly, methodically, a row at a time. There's no rush, this one has been waiting, patiently, as I begin, and complete, other projects. Maybe I should reassign "QT" the name of "Patience" instead. This one was inspired by a quilt show that I attended in the Fall in New Hampshire. It's made entirely from scraps that I had  on hand from my precut 3.5" bin. The

"Quiet Time" is coming together; slowly, methodically, a row at a time. There's no rush, this one has been waiting, patiently, as I begin, and complete, other projects. Maybe I should reassign "QT" the name of "Patience" instead. This one was inspired by a quilt show that I attended in the Fall in New Hampshire. It's made entirely from scraps that I had  on hand from my precut 3.5" bin. The

In a scrap bag were small pieces of some super cute farm fabric–chickens, sunflowers and text. They aren’t the kind of prints where cutting them smaller would be a good solution. But they could be combined with something else.

I added the gold geometric print in the 4-1/2″ squares and built 4-patchesout of 2-1/2″ squares using coordinating fabrics.

I even had some matching sunflower fabric for the back.

It is even cuter in person, but this at least gives you an idea. Cheap and cheerful, but it will go in the donation pile for next year ...

The blocks for my model quilt are complete, and I am working on layout.

Finish and tutorial coming soon!