These Sugar Loaf blocks have captured my interest -
They are nearly all I can think about.
I tried to find my photos of the original vintage quilt that first inspired these blocks – but it was a photo from within an antique shop maybe 4 years ago – I can’t even remember where!
The cropped photo was used as as background for THIS Quiltville Quote of the Day and I wrote more about this project in yesterday’s post.
With only that much to go on – I started experimenting. And I’ve got it down to a formula of a certain number of strips in each strip set, the length of each strip determined to give me the least amount of waste with just enough “wiggle room” to re-trim the strip set should a cut go awry. I am on a veritable roll!
Are there other things I could be sewing? YES! Those tulip blocks on my design wall seem to be languishing. I need to do more block cutting for those.
This year’s Shoo Fly Shoo Leader & Ender project is still marching forward (As seen under my needle!) at quite a good clip – if I end up with enough blocks for two twin-sized quilts for Quiltville Inn I will be a happy camper. I’m thinking of two alternate ways of setting them just to keep things interesting.
And I’m starting to think about July and the release of our NEXT Leader & Ender challenge. Whatever it might be. Maybe something with ZERO triangles?
Dresden – keeping the packages from flying off of the counter!
A full load of mail order went out yesterday. It was my main focus for the day and I am happy to say that only those orders that came in through the weekend are left to get out today. It took Saturday and yesterday to get to this point. I am determined to keep Sunday to myself on days that I am not on the road teaching.
Why am I mentioning that? Because I think we all need to constantly reevaluate our boundaries and priorities. Things tend to shift as we go through life.
I came across this great quote this morning:
Does this resonate with anyone else out there?
I loved my Super Sew Sunday this past weekend! I need to leave myself more Sundays just to “BE”. Whole, broken, imperfect, striving, becoming, me.
And there are some big shifts happening in the next week!!
The local Quilts of Valor group is coming to sew at Quiltville Inn on Friday. YAY! I am so looking forward to welcoming them. I hope this will also help me meet more locals and build a sense of community in this far away, Boonie-land place.
There is also a basketball game at the local Oak Hill Academy tomorrow evening – and that might be fun to go support the kids. This private school is KNOWN for their basketball program. Rooting for the home team is another way to get out and meet people and find ourselves a place in this community.
NEXT WEEK – The Pieceful Hearts group is coming up from North Augusta, SC/ Augusta, GA for our first OFFICIAL retreat weekend. This is really happening!
Measuring for borders is extremely interesting with these two around!
Borders are on!
Quilting today, maybe?
This was the alternate green that I was thinking of using for my Frolic Mystery quilt. But I didn’t like the black in it – it just didn’t sing. So I set it aside.
Luckily there was enough yardage at the Quiltville Post Office that I could find a way to border the quilt with just these two fabrics to calm things down a bit. That center is a bit riotous!
And yes, there are riotously cut off and mismatched points included!
But I must say that I like it. I do.
Green has always calmed me. I love green in a quilt. But perhaps this one needs a scrappy binding to bring the color back to the outside edge? We shall see.
More green progress.
There are only the 4 blocks in the center remaining. Wintertime is perfect for curled up evenings of hand quilting. Once those four center blocks are filled, I HOPE I have decided on something to do for the outer border! Currently leaning toward clam shells…
Someone had asked why they hadn’t seen me hand quilting Jason’s hexagon quilt lately – and the simple reason is that I had one hand quilting project in Wallburg, and one here. Now that I am here 90% of the time, the other quilt has been put away until I finish this one and then it will move back into play.
While it seems I can machine piece on multiple projects – I can only make myself hand quilt on one thing at a time. Go figure!
Spring 2020 Free Motion Quilting Academy registration is in full swing– the course starts February 17th, with registration only available now through the 15th, so don’t delay!
I understand there was a problem with my previous link (which has been fixed) and it had the page jumping around. Who knows why – I think it was a bad copy/paste job on my end. Sorry!
Module 1 went live yesterday – there is still time to catch up if you want to know what the course is all about. There is so much info you can glean from just this free introduction alone!
Let this be the year that you learn to quilt your own projects with confidence.
You will find the information you need on Saturday’s post which also includes our Quiltmaker Gift-Away, still going on! (Did you enter to win yet?)
Okay. Time to kick myself into gear and get moving. There is a quilt backing to prepare, a quilt to load, a quilt to quilt – there is a very quilty day ahead!
Quiltville Quote of the Day -
It's important to have confidence in the knowledge that we can even learn from our mistakes and that they don't define us.
Happy Tuesday, everyone!.
16 comments:
Love your cat helpers! Sunday as a “Me” day is a great way to feel revived, glad you are taking that for yourself. I love the small black border on your quilt, frames it up so nicely. I really look forward to reading your blog every morning. Feels like we are friends!
I absolutely LOVE the Shifting quote!
Your Jack's Delight quilt turned out so cute! The green finishes it off very nicely. I was happy to get the block pattern in this issue of Quiltmaker. Of course I'll be trying to figure out the math to sew those HST from strips, like I'm sure you did :-) Here's to hoping the Sugar Loaf block pattern will be coming our way soon, too. Thanks for all the inspiration and skill you lend to the quilting world.
Oh! I like how your Sugar Loaf blocks look laid out as a partial giant hexie in that first photo. Sort of Lone Star but with different proportions. However you set them will be awesome. The green border on Jack's Delight is just right, looks great.
Oh yes, shifting is a good way to express the process. I think of it as "becoming", as we grow and age we become someone different from the person we were when we were younger. Someone better, more confident, less afraid to make mistakes. I made the big shift a year ago to retire (at age 70) and devote my time to quilting and patriotism. After 50+ years as a nurse and nurse practitioner, it was a huge shift, but I'm having a wonderful time. Making your quilts has been so far out of my comfort zone it's exhilarating. Thanks for being my inspiration.
Quiltmaker in mail but more fun to see your top. Also field trip to "Mary's Quilt Shop in Bedford PA, she is looking forward to your visit this year and fun class time. Had to share hand cozies with her as snow was coming down.
Love the two green borders on this quilt and I think you're right, it needs scrappy binding!
I'm so excited to see your Sugar Loaf come together. That design has always intrigued me, I can't wait to see how you Bonnie-fy it and make it easier! Love your skill!
I remembered the Sugar loaf post, December 17, 2011, because I had never heard of that block until that day. Looked interesting. On your current quilt, I really like the green border with the inner border to the edges and I'm curious to see how you finish it. Have a great day!
It's not a quilt until it has cat hair!
And, yes, I understand about "Shifting". Becoming a cancer survivor gives one that perspective.
I love reading your posts daily. Had a health issue the month of January so had some catch-up to do but am up to date. Didn't know for a while which was worse, the health issue or missing my 'Bonnie' fix for the day!! Thanks for all you do!
I am interested in the mechanics of how you advance a quilting pattern across a large quilt top like you are working on. I am always challenged by the best location to start, how many directions to proceed from etc. to make things work out. Can you show how you position borders in hoops for hand quilting. Maybe this would be a fun quiltcam topic.
Really rolling with my Garden Party can't believe it's only been a little over a week since I was in your class! Can't wait until next time. I am making a big plea for the next leader ender challenge w/O triangles.
Your boy Dresden could be a twin to my "soul kitty" son Toby. My feline son crossed the Rainbow Bridge at the age of 17-1/2 on December 12, 2019. It's hard to put into words how much I miss my baby boy. Seeing pictures of Dresden is such a beautiful gift. It gives me another chance to imagine my Toby back with me again exploring what project his mama is working on. Oh such beautiful memories ................ thank you so very much.
Bonnie, good for you in taking Sundays for yourself! As women, we are so busy “doing” we often don’t take the time to replenish ourselves and rest. You have such a wonderful creative mind! God bless you!
Jack's delight looks like a quilt of gemstones. It's rapidly becoming one of my favorites!
I am not a quilter but my wife is: big time fan and follower. She told me about this quote and being a "quote collector," I had to have it. My wife and I had been talking about this a couple days ago. Thanks. Marvin Dittfurth
https://milesofthejourney.blogspot.com/2020/02/25th-week-training-for-ironman-texas.html
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