Simple Spools

What better wall art for a sewing room than this bright, inspiring quilt?

I love to display my quilts so I rotate them often. This one has sixteen 8” blocks, made with four-patch squares and half square triangles. The background fabric is a cream and black Moda print scattered with positive words. I chose a different bright color for each spool. On two corners, I set squares of grape with white dots, creating a secondary design.

Simple Spools is 32” square and bound with a black swirl print. The backing is a colorful crazy quilt print in purple, black and yellow. Cutting and piecing was quick and easy with the Accuquilt value die. With this one, It's important to stack the fabric so that the words face the same way in each block. I quilted in cream thread, swirling across the center of each spool, about a half inch apart. 

Putting together a quilt is kind of like working a puzzle...all the pieces have their place and have to fit together in the end. Of course, puzzles have a set design and you have to have all the pieces to finish it. Quilts give you more leeway because pieces can go together many different ways to make unique designs. If one doesn't fit or doesn't look right, you can just make another or rotate the block. That's why I like designing in EQ8 software or manually on my design wall. It is fun and challenging to create new arrangements with the same basic pieces.

If you don't like 

the rules,

make new ones

Travel Day

Yesterday was a travel day for us, so I didn't get to post.  We drove home from a two week stay at Defeated Creek Campground, then picked up mail and retrieved the cat from boarding.  

It was an interesting trip.  The weather was strange even for April in Tennessee.  Blowing rain, 40 with chilly wind, 79 and sunny, lows in the 30's, snow flurries on my birthday, then more rain. Luckily rain held off for both camp setup and tear down. We didn't walk or sit outside as much as we usually do because it was just too darn cold and wet.

Thank goodness we like each other, since we spent a lot of time inside.  Even though cell service is horrible north of Carthage, Jerold's custom external antenna gave us enough bars to access the internet a little bit each day. (I think it was a nice change to be mostly offline, though.)  We had books, magazines, music, movies, and a good DTV signal.  

We had fun despite the weather.  He worked on some electronic projects and I chain sewed 2" squares together on my little Singer machine.  I finished a crochet cat blanket and whipped up several dish cloths.  We made the usual Walmart and Dollar Store run, and ate fabulous Mexican food in Gordonsville twice.  We cooked several nice meals in the camper.  

Life is what you make it.  

Life is good.  

Making Time

Recently I was in between projects, but needed a little sewing therapy. I grabbed a stack of 2” scrap strips and a box of 3 ½” half square triangles and started making blocks. I made hourglass and strip blocks at random, then laid them out on my design wall as I finished each one. I added a border of colorful dots, and quilted with white thread in a wavy design, stitched ¾” apart. The result is Making Time, a 32” by 35” mat for table or wall hanging, or maybe for the cat.

As I stitched, I thought about how much I enjoyed just sewing. Not following any pattern or design. Just playing, doing something I love. I believe it's important to make time for yourself. It is therapy, whether you're creating art, reading a book, listening to music, walking, doing yoga or meditation.

Recharge your batteries! Take a day off to play. Feed your spirit. That's what I'm doing today.

ALWAYS FIND TIME

FOR THE THINGS

THAT MAKE YOU

FEEL ALIVE

It's Spring, Right?

Remember back in February, when it was 75 degrees here in Tennessee? Well, now it is April; the high Saturday was 35 with snow flurries, and the low dropped to 25. Good grief! Mother Nature is playing tricks on us. I had azaleas budding, early iris blooming, hosta leafed out and apple trees blossoming. I picked the iris, covered the rest with sheets; hopefully they will survive.

We've been preparing the camper for a spring trek. I don't know whether to pack coats or shorts. Probably both. There are definitely quilts in there. With our unpredictable weather, it could be freezing in June. We always load too much stuff anyway, but I like to be prepared. We are not minimalists and prefer to be comfortable. The basics stay in all season, until we winterize for storage. 

Sewing at the campground? Absolutely. I have a little Singer machine, shoe boxes of cut scraps, a mini iron, and a kit of everything I need to stitch away on small projects. I also use our time away to design new quilts on my laptop. Inspiration is abundant in nature, whatever the weather.

Despite the forecast,

live like it's spring.

~Lily Pulitzer

Orange Beach

Orange Beach

For this rainy Monday I have a bright and cheerful quilt to show you. A sunset orange and aquamarine print from my stash combined beautifully with a sensational aqua, orange and yellow batik that I bought last November while visiting Orange Beach, Alabama. These medium large prints work great with the 12” flowering snowball block from Accuquilt.

Orange Beach finished out at 58” square. I quilted around the edges of each piece in orange and aqua thread. The backing is aqua and white circles that look like bubbles. 

I think it would be fabulous hanging as wall art in a beach house, or used to snuggle for cool nights on the sand. Either way, it says beach to me and I'm ready to go back right now!

By the way, I found the batik at Fabrics By The Pound in Summerdale, Alabama. Go see them if you're ever in the area and need a nice variety of good quality fabric at excellent prices.

I think this is my favorite quilt yet, but I say that all the time, don't I?

If you can't be at the beach,

then surround yourself

with colorful memories

of sand, sun, and sky.

~me