Trail Mix

Trail Mix

What a fun quilt to make! These Snail's Trail blocks are made up with old fashioned red prints and bright yellow batiks, along with a neutral gray mini dot.

The small pieces were super easy to chain sew on my Featherweight. I added a 2” red border to frame it up. For backing, I stitched a few extra blocks to use with a long strip of dots plus one of the red prints.

I quilted with a medium red/orange variegated thread. It's just the right contrast to showcase those stitches. Ruler quilting on the Janome with the curvy Elvira ruler creates a nice symmetric design. Trail Mix finished at 52” square.

Accuquilt dies used:
55196 Snail's Trail 8” BOB
55017 Strips 2½”

Colors speak louder than words

Third Chance Triangles

Third Chance Triangles

Some of these fabrics may look familiar if you've been following my blog for a while. I dipped way down into my scrap baskets for these adorable triangles and stitched them up on Annie, my sweet little Singer Featherweight 221.

Those bright colors really shine on a natural muslin background. The Pine Island die from Blue Wren normally has the triangles tilted in a square. For this project I turned the finished blocks on point, flipping every other one. Sides and corners are filled in with 6" half square triangles. I added borders and binding in black and cream dots.

I quilted diagonally across the quilt, using natural thread and a scallop stitch on my Janome MC9450. Third Chance Triangles finished out at 50” x 54” size. I love the modern look! 

Dies used:
Blue Wren
6555 Pine Island 6” finished
6720 Magic Strips (borders & binding)

Accuquilt 55001 Half Square Triangle 6” finished

Crossways

Crossways

More remnants? 
Oh yeah!

I'm still using my dies to cut scraps into the shapes and sizes I use most often. This 48” quilt features rectangles with half square triangles on one end, and flying geese.

Light peach solid combines nicely with lots of bright colored prints in a lattice or trellis pattern.  For the backing, I stacked a row of rectangles in peach colored prints on the edge of a length of gingham. I quilted with peach thread in a serpentine stitch.

Crossways went together quickly with the medium sized pieces sewed into 12” blocks. I finished it just after Christmas. 

It's very cold and snowing here in Tennessee and should continue until tomorrow. I love snow and we don't get it as often as when I was a kid. I can't wait to see if it gets deep enough to make snow cream! 

Accuquilt dies used:
55436 Flying Geese 3” x 6” finished
55411 Rectangles 3” x 6” finished
55017 Strips 2½” for binding

Snuggle up in a quilt

and watch it snow

Pineapple Tidbits

In my spare time I've been sorting and cutting remnants left from all those quilts I finished last year. These little narrow bits were perfect for the Pineapple block.

Using natural muslin made the colorful prints seem even brighter. The nine blocks went pretty quickly considering there are lots of pieces in there. I added a 4” border of aqua to finish this wall hanging at 40” square.

Natural thread was used to channel quilt in straight stitch 1” apart. Pineapple Tidbits is so pretty hanging in my hallway. I can see using this die often for scrap busting those pieces I just can't seem to toss. I'm already working on it!

Accuquilt dies used:
55485 Pineapple BOB 10” finished
55054 Strips 4” finished
55017 Strips 2” finished

BE YOURSELF.

People don't have to like you,

and you don't have to care.

Ready For A Reset

Happy New Year, everyone!

Taking a look back at 2023, it seems I was a busy lady with lots going on. After checking my lists and inventory, here's a summary of last year's work:

• Quilts & projects finished: 54
• Quilts donated or gifted: 21
• Fabric acquired: 647 yards (purchases + gifts)
• Fabric used: 253 yards
• Fabric left (not including scrap boxes): 2651 yards

So, I have plenty left to stitch. It's difficult to turn down free or low cost quilting material. I'm thankful for my friends who generously share fabric and sewing machines with me, and for my sweet husband, who actively encourages me to get whatever I want, from fabric to sewing machines and quilting supplies.

Quilting is my passion! I design and sew for pleasure and to keep my brain active. I don't take custom orders, publish or sell quilt patterns. I know I could earn money selling, but that would take the fun out of it and cut into my sewing time. I just want to enjoy my hobby, not run a business. Been there, done that.

Thanks for reading and sharing my blog. Although people have asked for videos and more content, it will remain the same weekly post for now. That takes up quite a bit of time already and I don't want to expand.  

So, I've reset the counters, made a few resolutions, cleaned my studio, and started off the year sewing.

Hope you all have a fabulous 2024. Take time for yourself, and do what makes you happy!