My September OMG was to finish the challenge quilt, which I called Still Life. The photo doesn’t do justice to the background fabric.

Except for the veins in the leaves, I either dyed or painted all the fabrics. I learned the free form piecing technique at a class I took at Guild several years ago. The quilt is the size of a cutting mat.

The inspiration for the next challenge is hanging on my design wall, where I can listen to what it has to say.

Visit Stories From the Sewing Room for all the other OMG finishes.

Good morning, my friends. I'm happy to tell you that we checked off a big bucket list item yesterday morning. When we traveled to Colorado/Arizona in 2021, we'd planned to do this hike as we ended our trip. But then, the weather turned cold, and snow started to fall. We cut short the last leg of our trip and headed for home. Still, there is much in this southwest part of Utah that I want to see, and this hike was at the tippy-top of my list.

We drove about 16 miles north of Kanab to reach ...

Good morning, my friends. I'm happy to tell you that we checked off a big bucket list item yesterday morning. When we traveled to Colorado/Arizona in 2021, we'd planned to do this hike as we ended our trip. But then, the weather turned cold, and snow started to fall. We cut short the last leg of our trip and headed for home. Still, there is much in this southwest part of Utah that I want to see, and this hike was at the tippy-top of my list.

We drove about 16 miles north of Kanab to reach ...

Scrappy Yellow Placemat

August was a calmer month, but we attended a lot of weekend events that took advantage of the last of summer. I finished two projects, my sister’s quilt and Words of Joy Tree.

That created spots for new things on the list.

I started The Short List many years ago to create goals to work toward and a way to focus. I change things up as my goals and interests change.

Project 1 (stitching): Gather & Give Thanks, pattern by Diane Arthurs of Imaginating. I started it last night.

Project 2 (UFO): I’m quilting the next challenge, due this ...

Good morning, my friends. I don't know about you guys, but I'm pretty happy to have reached the month when Fall starts. We've had a good summer here with just a few hot days. We've been delighted by a nice soaking rain from yesterday. It rained most of the day, and by the time we went to bed, we had a half-inch accumulation. Many of you have suffered through brutal heat, and so I feel fairly certain you're going to be happy to see the end of summer. And for those of you in the ...

Good morning, my friends. I don't know about you guys, but I'm pretty happy to have reached the month when Fall starts. We've had a good summer here with just a few hot days. We've been delighted by a nice soaking rain from yesterday. It rained most of the day, and by the time we went to bed, we had a half-inch accumulation. Many of you have suffered through brutal heat, and so I feel fairly certain you're going to be happy to see the end of summer. And for those of you in the ...

My August OMG was to finish the quilt my sister started before she passed away in July.

I finished the binding last night.

The top was partially quilted. Fortunately, I had thread close to the same color and my machine’s serpentine stitch looked similar enough. I had stash fabric in the same color family to use for the binding.

This is the first of a handful of projects I will be finishing for the family, although this is the only quilt.

You can see all the other finishes at Elm Street Quilts.

Good morning, my friends. We're expecting another hot day today, but then cooling fairly quickly overnight. I'll be happy to turn off the A/C, if we can. I was out early yesterday to water the flower pots and harvest vegetables. While I was out, I found Sadie sleeping in the house on her catio.

Good morning, my friends. We're expecting another hot day today, but then cooling fairly quickly overnight. I'll be happy to turn off the A/C, if we can. I was out early yesterday to water the flower pots and harvest vegetables. While I was out, I found Sadie sleeping in the house on her catio.

A lot of life happened here in July, but I managed to finish two projects. One wasn’t on the list and I forgot to post it. The other was Wallflower (the challenge quilt).

The list isn’t changing much for August.

I started The Short List many years ago to create goals to work toward and a way to focus. I change things up as my goals and interests change.

Project 1 (stitching): Words of Joy Tree, pattern by Ursula Michael. I’m stitching this on red 14 count aida with DMC white, all from stash.

Project 2 (UFO ...

 "And into the garden I shall go

To lose my mind and find my soul"

My garden is overblown these days...all the beds have so many interlopers I don't know where to start with the weeding. I actually enjoy a chaotic garden so this isn't bothering me that much. I did pull out the Wild Grape Vine that had wound its way through the daisies. But even that has pretty leaves to my eye. 

Above is a Cedar Waxwing with its gorgeous lemon belly I captured down by the pond a few years back. The sun is ...

Good morning, my friends! We have some catching up to do. Since yesterday's post was the reveal post for August's art quilt, I have two days worth of activities for you today. You might want to fill your coffee cup, and then we'll get started. Go ahead. I'll wait.

My morning slow-stitching had me filling up the first hoop on the Fall Harvest piece.

So, I've decided to designate finishing this piece (minus ...

Good morning, my friends! We have some catching up to do. Since yesterday's post was the reveal post for August's art quilt, I have two days worth of activities for you today. You might want to fill your coffee cup, and then we'll get started. Go ahead. I'll wait.

My morning slow-stitching had me filling up the first hoop on the Fall Harvest piece.

So, I've decided to designate finishing this piece (minus ...

Good morning, my friends, and a happy weekend to you! We're back from our little boating trip over to Starbuck, Washington. I've spent the past half hour (at least) sorting through pictures and trying to pick out the best ones for editing. My Photoshop Elements editor has been giving me grief during this process. It seems I can only load so many pictures for editing at a time. Three times, I've selected one picture over another and then deleted the first one from my editor. When I do that, it takes me back to a much, much ...

Good morning, my friends, and a happy weekend to you! We're back from our little boating trip over to Starbuck, Washington. I've spent the past half hour (at least) sorting through pictures and trying to pick out the best ones for editing. My Photoshop Elements editor has been giving me grief during this process. It seems I can only load so many pictures for editing at a time. Three times, I've selected one picture over another and then deleted the first one from my editor. When I do that, it takes me back to a much, much ...

June was a productive month. I finished two stitches, Floral Butterfly and the star ornament. The ornament wasn’t on my June list.

I started The Short List many years ago to create goals to work toward and a way to focus. I change things up as my goals and interests change.

Project 1 (stitching): Words of Joy Tree, pattern by Ursula Michael. I’m stitching this on red 14 count aida with DMC white, all from stash.

Project 2 (UFO): The membership quilt. The two sections are complete and ready to quilt.

Project 3 (original): The challenge due in ...

Good morning, my friends. Doncha just love it when I make up words like that? And you read them and say, "Huh? What the heck is wrong with her spell checker?"

It was a hurry scurry morning yesterday. We're having some new neighbors up for a get-acquainted dinner on Saturday, and so I'm trying to get some stuff done ahead of time. Those sorts of things stress me out a little. The more I can get done ahead, the better off I am. And all of that to say that I hurried through my to-do list yesterday morning ...