For the past week I’ve found myself in the kind of funk that makes walking into the sewing room a struggle, and creating anything an impossible task.  I have no idea what brought it on, but it had to go.  I think the best way to get r

I drove up to Ann Arbor with a friend today to hear Nancy Eha speak at the Greater Ann Arbor Quilt Guild.  Nancy creates beautiful beaded images on her quilts.  After the lecture we went up on stage to see her work close up. 

My son and I dropped off six more quilts for the Children’s Hospital yesterday.  That makes 31 quilts total.              A few ladies still have quilts to turn in, but for the most pa

I finished quilting and binding one more baby quilt for the children’s hospital.           I don’t have any more in process or in need of quilting.  Time to move on to other projects.

I didn’t buy any fabric this week.  I used 3/8 yard for the journal cover and half a yard for the back of another baby quilt.  I didn’t make this top either, but I did agree to quilt it.  These charity baby quilts have been

I finished quilting and binding the baby quilt that covered the design bed a few weeks ago.          I also started gathering supplies and cutting fabric for the journal challenge in my art quilt group. &n

I finished piecing my son’s quilt.  I can’t wait to drop it off at the quilter’s and get it off the design bed.                 Now the design bed also

My son had an appointment today near the hospital where my quilt group chose to donate the baby quilts.  The women really outdid themselves and finished 25 quilts for the first drop off.  With several more quilts in the works, I’ll dr

I finished the second premie quilt for one yard out.  I also bought this half yard of fabric for the May Applewood Farms BOM.  Every time I look at these numbers I can’t believe how far in the hole I am.  No regrets, just surpris

With a few twists and deletions, this border pattern from the pattern pack purchased in Chicago turned into this continuous line quilting design. Quilting has never been my favorite part of the process.  At one point I had eight tops stacke

I finished the first happy quilt last week.  I figure you’re as tired of seeing these as I am of photographing them, but I wanted to make some points on the quilting.    This quilt needed a panto with swirls and butterflies, so I

I finished turning the binding on this quilt that one of the ladies left at quilt group last week.                A different member of the same group donated this one.  I love how

At quilt group Monday night, everyone brought in their happy blocks to trade.  Imagine my surprise when I walked in and saw three tables covered with blocks and another three tables covered with quilt tops.  The ladies outdid themselves aga

I made another set of happy blocks to swap at the next quilt group meeting.  This way we’ll all have a better variety for our quilts.  The fish batik has enough color variation to make each block a little different.   I can&

I didn’t post a stash report last week because I had no activity to report.  This week I sewed all the happy blocks together using a quilt as you go technique.  I can see how the technique would work on some quilts, but I swear it too

I’ve heard a lot about happy blocks around the web lately, so I did a search and found directions on MaryQuilts.  I thought my quilt group would have fun with these on workday so I made a few to try out the pattern.These may not be the hap

I reviewed Creating With Paint by Sherrill Kahn yesterday for help with the salting technique.  After reading what she included in the book, I think I need to use even more water and I’m going to try multiple kinds of salt.  Watch for

I honestly don’t know how I’d get anything done if I didn’t go to retreats.  I took all my pieces for the Quilt of Valor with me thinking I’d have it finished or ready for the last border by the Friday night.  I sewe

EQ quilt design in hand, I started going through my stash looking for sashing and border fabric for the QOV.  As I laid out fabric, I got to thinking that the blocks looked too big to finish at nine inches.  I never did measure them. 

I went to the QOV meeting last night for the first time since May.  In June I had a conflict and in July I couldn’t find the energy to haul my sewing machine and all my supplies out for the night.  Some nights a girl has to just sit i

I did!  I put together one side of the border on the round robin.   I sewed two more strippy blocks for quilt group.   The ladies have enjoyed making these blocks so much that they don’t want to stop.  This will ma

I got my sewing act together and finished the last four flying geese blocks.  I also sewed the two strippy blocks I need for the next quilt group meeting in a couple weeks.   The next time you see those flying geese, they’ll be a

I spent Sunday afternoon with one of my quilt groups sewing strippy blocks.  Everyone brought strips from their stash that we combined into a community pile.  We all grabbed a handful and started sewing.  The group used up all my found

 I finished eight more flying geese blocks this week, leaving four more to go.  I’m excited to see what the quilt will look like with the next border attached.  We’ll see if this motivates me to get those las

 I never know what will inspire me.  Inspiration often comes out of nowhere, like a soft breeze on a calm summer day, swirling around me and bringing me a smile.  The most unusual things will catch my attention and have me muttering &l