Sassy Bows

Sassy Bows

Wouldn't this make a great baby quilt? The size is 35” square, just right for snuggling up that little cutie. It could also hang on the wall of a nursery or kid's playroom. The 4” bow tie Accuquilt die made quick work of cutting, especially the small pieces. 

I chose random bright colors from my scrap bins, alternated with a mini-dot of white on light gray. I quilted diagonally with a swirling stitch in white thread. The binding and back is a colorful random stripe on white. Sassy Bows went together quickly...I finished it in two days.

I am having so much fun lately, designing and sewing new projects. My creative energy is off the charts. I'm glad I'm retired, but there still aren't enough hours in the day to sew like I want. That bothersome housework, cooking, and grocery shopping get in the way.

Speaking of housework, I did spend a day doing a little spring cleaning and freshening up. I moved a couple of pieces of furniture, changed a few decorative items, and bought colorful dish towels for the kitchen. I had to pick my daffodils because of last week's crazy snow and freezing temps, and they look lovely in vintage vases. 

Seeing all the spring things gave me even more inspiration, so back to the sewing room I go! Supper's in the crockpot.

Spring is the time

of plans and projects.

~Leo Tolstoy

Mesa Verde

Mesa Verde

Colors for this lap quilt were inspired by Mesa Verde  
National Park in Colorado. These rust solid, green print and black/rust prints remind me of the beautiful cliff dwellings and scrub pine trees found in the park. We were there on vacation years ago, but I'd like to go west again one day.

I designed in EQ8, alternating the 4” kite block with a plain corner block. Using Accuquilt dies made quick work of the cutting. I set the blocks diagonally, creating a flowing pattern that I followed when quilting in rust thread. The back of this 48” square is a black/rust print.  

Since Mesa Verde matches the colors in our camper, it will ride along when we head out later this spring. It might come in handy on a cool night by the lake.

By the way, I sewed this as a birthday gift for my sweet husband, but I caught Callie cat taking a nap on it last night. 

If you truly love nature,

you will find beauty everywhere.

~Vincent van Gogh

Nature always wears

the colors of the spirit.

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Snow Day In March

Snow Day

Well, isn't this a surprise? Two inches of snow this morning gave me an opportunity for a breakfast of snow cream. A fluffy, pretty snow stuck to the trees and grass but not much on our roads. Now the sun is melting it fast. Not too unusual for Tennessee, though, because I remember snow on St. Patrick's Day and on Easter.

This winter table runner is made from a batik snowflake print, using AccuQuilt wedge die. I whipped it up earlier this year on a snowy January day. 

The backing is pieced from two fat quarters. I used a decorative snowflake stitch for quilting. Snow Day is 21” x 25” size.

Now, forward to Saturday's holiday: St. Patrick's Day! With a last name of Ireland, you know I have to celebrate.

Citrus Mint Stars

I used my LeMoyne Star die to create this little quilt called Citrus Mint Stars. Little pieces, but easy to cut, sew, and piece with the die. Tan solids contrast nicely with two green prints framed by batik sashing. 

For the back, I combined a leftover block with green and cream half square triangles to make one large block. This one is 35” square, quilted with a wavy stitch in tan thread. It's hanging in my kitchen right now.

Gotta go, I need to add extra steps to my daily walk, after snow cream and the lemon pie I made for my husband's birthday.

“Spring is when you feel like whistling

even with a shoe full of slush.”

~Doug Larson

Spring Geese

Today's lap quilt is the result of saving scraps and remnants from other projects. I paired bright spring pastels in yellow, lavender, pink, peach, and aqua with colorful mini dots and a white on white triangle print for maximum contrast. The backing is a coordinating stripe. I quilted with white thread down and across the geese rows in straight lines, then outlined the center blocks. This girly Spring Geese quilt is 48” square.

I had already cut the pieces using the Accuquilt flying geese 3 1/2" x 6 1/2" die. I've been trying to keep up with cutting leftovers into sizes that I frequently use. I store them by size in plastic bins labeled with washi tape, so my stash stays neat and organized. As a bonus, when I want to sew something scrappy, I can just grab the pieces and start right away.

I like to use EQ8 to design, but this time I arranged the flying geese on my design wall as I sewed them. It's sort of like working a jigsaw puzzle. My design wall is simple: just a 40” x 60” piece of 3/4” foam board wrapped with white flannel, hanging on the wall beside my machine.