What brings you joy? Joy is different than happiness or gratitude. Joy is the spark that happens unexpectedly; it can’t really be planned and sometimes quickly passes. I have a lot for which I am grateful; overall I am a happy woman. But just watching thirty minutes of world and local news can depress anyone. It is a dumpster fire out there. That is why I think it is so important to recognize the sparks of joy we experience. Joy can be an act of resistance. Recognizing what is joyful to me helps me define myself rather than giving that power to someone else. Joy reminds me that I am in control of my emotions. I may react to another person’s actions with anger or sadness or hurt but I never want those reactions to crowd out moments of joy.

Quilting is my hobby, ministry, and therapy. I wouldn’t go to my sewing room if it wasn’t all those components and more. It is also the source of much joy. What has brought me joy lately?

The correct number of blocks for a top! I will count and re-count and sometimes count again my stack of finished blocks needed to complete a top. My last quilt top needed 150 small nine patch blocks to make 30 larger blocks. And what do you know, I had exactly the correct number. This is not a joy I often experience.

A similar situation is knowing you cut out X number of pieces of a certain fabric needed in the construction of a block. Finishing up the last block, you discover one piece is missing and there is absolutely no extra fabric to cut out a new piece. Panic!!! Ah, the joy of finding the missing piece hiding under your iPad or on the floor!

Learning an event was unexpectedly cancelled, freeing up a large block of time for sewing. Too often it is the opposite–something unexpectedly comes up and I must give up a sewing afternoon. So yes, surprise free time is a joy!

Discovering that a fat quarter or yardage I bought a long time ago just because I liked it, is the perfect print for the new project I am making out my stash. Joy because I will use it and joy because I know myself and what I like!

I have other joys–not quilting related–fresh sheets, fresh pjs and a shower, fresh coffee brewing when I return from walking the dog, an unexpected call from one of my children for no reason (if one of you are reading this, these calls do not happen often enough😘). I am trying to be more aware of those little and big things that bring me joy. Frustrations seem to slam you in the face, but joys are a quiet tap on the shoulder.

Most of us are at that stage where we are knee deep in a projects for the October Quilt Sale, but some items have been showing up.

Embroidered while binge watching The Pitt or The Madison—

A table runner that is “braided” in traditional Christmas prints. The back is a solid holiday print.

The holiday table runner is 13″ x 44″ and can be yours for $40. The quilting is a modified clam shell.

This pumpkin patch is surrounded with a bright “fence” of colors from the print. The backing is the same fall print. It is 21″ x 51″ and is $40.

This 60″ x 60″ quilt is a wonderful example of color value. The same color is used in the larger blocks, but on the bottom it starts out very saturated and the blocks transition to a lighter version on the top. An “Irish Chain” is formed with the lighter bubble or pebble prints. This design is so subtle that I had to step back away from the quilt to see it. It is custom quilted in a simple geometric pattern. $175

Today I endured my semi-annual dental visit. She made my next appointment for six months ahead. When she ask if October would be good, my first thought was –Wow, only six months to the Quilt Sale! So friends, I hope you will visit us October 15-17 at First United Methodist Church for the Quilts Etc. Sale—I will greet you with my sparkling smile!

Happy St. Patricks Day–or as it is known in our family, “the day before Navya’s (our only granddaughter) birthday! This holiday is short lived in home decorating. The valentine wall hangings and table runners have been put away for another year and the bunny rabbits and pastel colors for Easter and spring are out at my house. Sorry, St. Patrick. I didn’t do much decorating for your day. BUT, another very important “holiday” also occurs this week!

The day was to recognize the history of quilts that dates back centuries, the cultural importance of quilts the world over and the dedication of quilters!

Usually the day is observed with quilt shows, charity events featuring quilts–Quilts of Valor, Project Linus, ABC quilts– quilt workshops by guilds and SALES!!

Without fail, the third Saturday in March I am usually out of town and can’t participate in local happenings. Before retirement, the third week of March was spring break in the school district and there was a trip somewhere–grandchildren. Now, the third week usually is our trip to Arizona for baseball’s spring training. This year I will be on an excursion train from Flagstaff, Arizona to the Grand Canyon. But in honor of this very important day, I will explore some new shops in Flagstaff! And, as some folks always say about Valentine’s Day -“everyday is Valentine’s Day with you”, I say “every day is quilting day”!

Wednesday is “quilting day”at First United Methodist in Wichita. Here are some of our treasures from last week and this week.

The focus fabric in this 48″ x 62″ lap/throw quilt is tropical foliage and butterflies. The color combo of yellow and green would cheer one out of the winter blues. It is machine quilted. The binding copies the various shades of the green borders. $175

Winter time cozy–this quilt with its the evergreens and burgundy/gold nine patches is definitely made for cold winter nights. It measures 50″ X 61″– the right size to curl up with when reading a mystery! $175

We hung this beauty from the banister to photograph. The 55″ x 72″ quilt is a sophisticated combination of browns, teal and cream. Look at the machine quilting; it is similar to the print in the borders. The quilt has a calming mellow appeal. $200

This scrappy star quilt is a 2 for 1! The back of the quilt is pieced also! The fabrics are the dark greens, blues and reds made even more intense with the lighter background fabric. The machine quilting is very visible on the back. 54″ x 68″. $175.

A wonderful combination of browns and neutral batiks were used in this 62′ X 74″ quilt. I have joking called this “your African quilt” when Vicki was piecing this one. The rich colors and the complex design resulted in a striking quilt. It is machine quilted. $200

I finished my string quilt…very scrappy but cheerful. It would be a great picnic quilt, soccer watching quilt, deck quilt or for the person who likes “wild and crazy”. It is machine quilted and the binding is sewn on by hand. The backing is a neutral grey.

60″ x 80″. $150

Pinwheels in autumn prints were used to make this 26″ x 43″ table runner. I can imagine this lovely table runner with a large dried flower centerpiece with candles at each end. It is custom quilted. $50

This table runner features “string” pieced blocks. The soothing creams, beiges and winter white of the blocks are surrounded by a floral border.

The runner is machine quilted in straight parallel lines. 17″ x 38″. $40

These six placemats were made from Kaffe Fassett fabric. The fabric designer is known for his “glorious color”. One side is pieced and the other is a solid piece. The placemats measure 11″ x 17″. The binding, which is the same on each mat, is sewn on with a serpentine stitch. The 6 mats are $60. These mats were created and mailed to us by a friend of the quilt ministry. What a fun surprise to receive this package.

All styles of tea towels are being made. These two are $10 each.

I love these book markers! I think each member of my book club needs one!! $4 each

Bet you smiled when you saw these cuties. Crocheted veggies are great additions for adult Easter treats! $5 each.

Happy National Quilting Day! Hope you have an opportunity to have some “Quilty” fun.

Hopefully March is following the adage “In like a lion, out like a lamb”. We have had cold temps, cloudy days, strong winds and some rain. So, fingers crossed, in three or four weeks we should have warm breezes, sunny days and more rain. (Kansas always needs rain!). But signs of spring are popping up. The neighborhood lawns are greening up — I am taking bets on when our neighbor starts mowing. We have daffodils blooming and the pear tree is budding out. More estate sale and garage sales signs are out, although it is still very iffy to plan a garage sale in March in Kansas.

The Quilters at First have a St. Pat’s and a Spring Showcase on the first floor at Church. We have all sorts of green items for sale -some with rainbows and shamrocks and others that are just green. In the Spring showcase, pastels, bunnies, carrots, and soft florals are featured.

But do Quilters sew according to the season? Of course, we don’t! We sew what strikes our fancy or to use a new pattern or to use the jelly roll we found forgotten in our closet or to finish something we started a year ago! Thus we have Halloween and fall and Christmas items to show you.

Only batiks are used in this large table runner that would look great on your dinning table from late September to Thanksgiving. The colors truly glow.

New hand embroidered tea towels arrive weekly. All are on 100% cotton muslin. They are great for hostess gifts, gift wrapping and of course drying dishes and glass ware! $9 each.

Homespun plaids fit into “man caves”, cabins, or fall decor naturally. This 62″ x 74″ simple patchwork quilt is machine quilted in a geometric design–nothing floral or feminine about this large throw! The binding is a combination of several homespuns and is machine applied. The backing is a solid neutral cream. $125

The vivid colors of this table runner would be perfect for a Cinco de Mayo fiesta! But look what is on the flip side……

a scene straight from autumn! You are getting two for the price of one! The “two for one” measures 25″ x 46″. Machine quilted and hand bound, $50

Look carefully and you can see the magic that happens when a repeat print ( the top third of this photo) is cut into triangles and sewn into hexagons (the bottom two-thirds). There is a hanging sleeve on the back, so this holiday design could be a wall hanging or a table runner.

The hanging sleeve blends into so well that this side could also serve as a table topper. Measuring 25″ x 36″ , it is machine quilted and hand bound. $50.

I GOOFED! I discovered when I went to write this blog post that the last blog post did not get published. I am not sure why because I pushed all the right buttons–but there are two new posts today!

Good luck figuring out what to wear! This time of year requires your entire wardrobe….freezing in the morning and warm sunshine in the afternoon. I am anticipating “out like a lamb” weather.

I don’t have any finished quilts to show you, but I do have two quilts “getting there”. Some quilts tops just take more time to make. I am not a very patient person and I prefer quilts tops that are quickly pieced but STARLIGHT seemed the perfect pattern to use the blue with white print fabrics I had been collecting for a couple of years.

This is the Starlight pattern designed by Sherri McConnell of A Quilting Life Designs. She used one her fabric lines, which gives a very coordinated look. But I saw the pattern made up in a scrappy yellow version, so I gave myself permission to make it in scrappy blues.

The pattern is not difficult–just time consuming. Each block is composed of sixty-four 2.5″ squares! Sixteen blocks make up the top–that is a total of 1,024 two and one-half inch squares! Half of those blocks are “half-square triangles! For each half-square triangle, one must mark a diagonal line on a pair of three inch squares right side together, sew two seams along the diagonal line, cut along the line and trim each triangle to be exactly a two and one-half inch square and then press it open. So …half-square triangles take a lot of time but they are so versatile!

My next step was to sew the two and one half inch squares into rows. The block has eight rows but row #1 is the same as #8 just up side down. Same for the rest of the block, #2 and #7 are the same, etc. The rows are pieced but not pressed. Less thinking to do all of one row before starting on the next.

I listened to two audio books during these steps. Phone calls were made while trimming half square triangles.

I pin at each seam in the row so the seams match–aiming for perfect corners. After sewing the rows together I press again so the long seams all go the same way.

The block is not a perfect sixteen inch square but when it is assembled with sashing it will be great.

Of course, I will be showing off the top when it completely pieced and again when it is ready to sell. No promises when that will be –this is a test of my patience!

The hand quilters reached a mile post this week also. They have been hand quilting this top for approximately forty-five weeks and that is not counting marking the top using stencils, sandwiching the top, batting and backing, basting and loading it on the frame. The hand quilters only meet once a week from 9 am to 3 pm to quilt with plenty of stretching breaks and lunch.

Usually “whole cloth” quilts, such as this one, are made from one large piece of fabric and are designed to show off the quilting. The hand quilters at First have made several “white on white” whole cloth quilts and in fact won ribbons at the State Fairs for their excellent work. But on this quilt, they went one step further and used colored thread to hand quilt sunflowers and mockingbirds. (The Kansas state flower and bird–very appropriate!)

Colored thread on white is very brave! Each stitch stands out! Yellow, brown and blue threads were used. Some of the hand quilters chose not to work on this quilt–too stressful! (I apologize for the poor photos–I was in a hurry on a cloudy afternoon.)

This week they took it off the frame–a much anticipated event!

The basting threads will be pulled out and the binding sewn on. The binding will be white with a blue flange.

The quilt is a king size. It should become a family heirloom, especially if you have ties to Kansas! I will be showcasing this treasure when it is completely finished.

Often I won’t attempt a recipe, or write down a family story or piece a quilt top, because it will just take too much time. Maybe I should take to heart this quote by Earl Nightingale, a commentator and author in the 1950’s–

Don’t let the fear of the time it will take to accomplish something stand in the way of your doing it. The time will pass anyway; we might just as well put that passing time to the best possible use.

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What do we have new?

Placemats straight from a kitchen of the 60’s. Machine quilted and washable, these 12″ x 16″ retro placemats would add a touch of whimsy to your table. $40

Create a new family tradition–give the birthday person a special placemat on their day. Or you could hang it on the person’s door to remind the world why you are celebrating! The multi colored print letters are machine appliquéd. $30

Give yourself a valentine this week–give yourself permission to do something you would like to do but are afraid it would take too much time.

Brrr it is cold outside! Temperatures – not the “feels like wind chill numbers” were in the low single digits yesterday. We didn’t receive as much snow as predicted but the 6-7 inches we did get is beautiful. I say this as a retiree with no place I must go. Hats off to those who must go out–first responders, medical staff, service personnel, and those who will lose their job if they don’t show up. I am grateful I have a warm home, plenty of food and good company.

So what did I do with this mandated stay home time? Correct on the first guess–I sewed while listening to an audio book and watching the latest episode of Shetland. I am still on my quest to use up the tubs of fabric in my sewing room and closets. And even though I really wanted to start a new quilt, I am determined to take three scrappy tops to the long arm quilter this next week. The last one I need to finish is a string quilt I started last fall.

These are examples of string quilts (the photos are from on line). String quilts are scrap friendly and utilize leftover fabric strips an inch to 2.5″ wide. The strings are sewn on a foundation, either paper or muslin. The blocks are trimmed to a specific size and sewn together. The blocks often have a focal point, either the middle string is the same or in the same value or the corners are sewn with a similar fabric. This gives the quilt more of a pattern. The blocks can be “on point” (the photo on the right) or in straight rows (the photo on the left and in the middle).

I used 10.5 inch muslin squares. Bonus points in scrap busting, the muslin was clean, used fabric I had saved from curtains, etc

The block is trimmed to a 10″ square–I try to put the 90 degree angle (corner of square) in the middle of the focus strip. Trim from the muslin side, much easier.

I now have a stack of 48 squares and my strip tub is still full. But by using a foundation square and having several seams in a block, the pieced quilt top is heavier than a normal quilt top of the same size. So, I don’t think I want to make a full size quilt; it would be too heavy with the addition of batting and backing.

Which layout should I use?

The first photo looks more organized to me, so I will go with that layout.

The best part of this quilt is that I used scraps that I just couldn’t toss. I am a craftsperson, not an artist, so I appreciate methods that are quick and easy.

Watch for the finished quilt this spring. Machine quilting and binding always add to appeal of a quilt. Recognizing this quilt will not be everyone’s choice, I look forward to meeting the new owner, who ever you are!

What new projects came to the quilting room this past week?

I Spy a Unicorn and a puppy and a teddy bear. This child’s quilt is a learning tool as well as a fun nap quilt. “I Spy” quilts keep children occupied on long car trips and when they need quiet time on their own. The quilt, 46″ x 48″, is the perfect size for tummy time. The quilt is machine quilted, with a machine sewn binding making it very washable. $75

Batiks are a special group in the fabric world. This 46″ x 60″ lap quilt is all batiks–even the backing. The neutral batiks used in the sashing allowed all the vibrant colors to shine. The binding is hand sewn. $150.

Stay warm and make sure your chocolate supply is adequate!

Just since the holidays, I have had three opportunities to help someone learn to quilt or sew. The director of the agency where I volunteer is having a new grand baby and wants to make it a quilt. A young Church member has quit her full time job and has time on Wednesday to join us at quilting. My precocious great niece reminded me that I promised to help her learn to sew last summer so I really must this summer. And after decades of teaching sewing/quilting to high school students you would think this would be a breeze. But I am a bit apprehensive about each situation. Helping a peer is very different than the teacher/student role of a formal classroom. My very smart great niece is still very young and I am not sure she can even reach the pedal on my machine and I certainly will wait a few years before introducing her to the rotary cutter! So how do I start? After many dog walks–I do my best thinking then–I came up with six guidelines.

1. Discover what the person knows and go from there. In the formal classes I taught, we had to all start at the very beginning no matter the experiences or skill level. Twenty four students in a classroom required conformity at first–so I had some bored students and some students struggling to complete the first assignments. Our new quilting member has sewn costumes before so I start with the differences between sewing garments and patchwork, for example, using 1/4 inch seam allowances instead of 5/8″. My niece will start with “safety” first!
2. Provide tools that help make the process go smoothly. Dull scissors–cheap ones or heaven forbid, paper scissors will cause the most motivated person to throw in the towel. I would rather loan my tools than have a want-to-be sewer/quilter purchased new but cheap ones that will ultimately frustrate them. I have hundreds of dollars in rulers, shears, rotary cutter and mats etc, but one really only needs four or five items to start–shears, pins, acrylic ruler, rotary cutter and a mat. One of the advantages of joining an established group is that most established quilters have multiples they are willing to share.
3. Start with a goal–making a quilt or bag–but something real. Again, in public school classes all the students had to make a “learn to sew” bag which was met with huge differences in enthusiasm. Personally, I am willing to re-do and perhaps re-do again on something I will gift or plan to use than on something that is just a practice piece.
4. I am a firm believer in “She believed she could, so she did”. Attitude is everything! I had a student who created the pattern for a Parisian theme quilt as her second or third project. I really had my doubts when it was presented to me as her Senior project, but she was confident she could do it in nine weeks. Granted she was a very talented person with an artistic eye but all these years later, I believe she made the quilt as planned because she had faith in herself.
   

This the quilt at the Prairie Quilt Guild Show in June, 2010. (I really appreciated the Prairie Quilt Guild leadership that year–they recognized and encouraged high school quilters.)…..and as a side note, this young lady has traveled all over the world; to all those places she dreamed about in high school.

For the instructor, it is a balancing act between being realistic and letting the student dream. Dreams shouldn’t be squashed but as the saying goes, “don’t bite off more than you can chew” which can discourage one from ever trying again.

5. Both mentor and mentee should have fun…sewing/quilting allows creativity , creates a sense of pride, a feeling of accomplishment and overall it is a stress reliever. Now, that is not to say, occasionally, sewing can be so frustrating that bags of M&Ms are consumed and naughty words are used. But oh, when you have conquered that curved seam or your points match, what a feeling! Also, sewing/quilting takes your mind off some of those world issues that you have little control over–a mental health breather.

6. Most importantly, your passion may not become their passion. Just because one wants to make a baby quilt for a new family member does not mean that they want a new hobby or interest that consumes their free time! If my niece learns to operate a sewing machine and sew straight seams it might just be one more ability she adds to her arsenal of life skills. At another point in someone’s life, sewing may again become an interest or it may not. Either way, sewing is there for them and you both were successful.

These guidelines could be used for almost any new venture–learning to cook or gardening, using oil paints or photography. It is a new year , a perfect time to learn a new skill or share one of your skills.

❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️

We had a full house at quilting Wednesday but very few finished projects to share.

Since we all are busy getting quilts ready for the long arm quilter or sewing on bindings, I thought I would re-introduce you to one of the quilts we have hanging on our walls, ready to go home with someone.

Muted floral and geometric prints from one layer cake (forty 10 inch squares from one fabric line) were used to piece this “plus + square” quilt. It measures 68″ x 68″ and is $160. The soft colors would fit right in many color schemes. The binding is a black and white stripe with the slightest hint of blue, but it too has a muted feel which is perfect for the over all quilt.

Stay warm and enjoy your passions.

I look forward to January as much as I do to the holidays–just in a different way. January is a time to catch your breath, finish a few tasks and re-group. This past week I have been playing catch up so I can start enjoying these brief weeks of January and February.

I put away –in a mostly organized matter, the Christmas decorations. And we bravely put the wobbly reindeer and faded sled in the trash. I boxed up half a dozen mugs so I no longer play Jenga with them when emptying the dishwasher. They are boxed and ready to go to Re- Store with some other treasures. After receiving more reading glasses for Christmas- my family’s go to gift for me, I took a bag full of glasses with “what was I thinking?” frames to my volunteer site and they were gone in an hour!`And this morning we filled a trash can full of expired over the counter medicines and first aide supplies. This afternoon I catch myself going to the cabinet to admire how organized it looks! Now if I can just keep up this momentum.

We had our first Wednesday together in the Quilting room. We did get some sewing although it had been almost a month since we had been together and there was a lot of news and photos to share! Best of all, we welcomed a new member!

We always report on any new quilt/fabric shops we have visited–here in Kansas or where ever our travels take us. I shared photos of Quilt Mayhem. My Washington daughter in law had heard of this shop from a patient. For Christmas she gave me bit of cash to spend at the shop (remembering my fabric diet) and the promise to explore it together. She caught the bug we were passing around so my husband and I went to Snohomish, WA one morning and “oh my goodness!” It is biggest quilt shop I have been to excluding Missouri Star Quilt Co. which is an entire town and Hancocks of Paducah, KY.

This entire building is Quilt Mayhem. The fabric store is about a third of the building. There is a huge show room full of long arm quilting machines, embroidery machines, sergers and high end Bernina and Baby Lock machines. Plus there were six or more large retreat rooms, of which most were full of quilters happily sewing. They also had long arm machines to rent. A service center and professional machine quilting services is available They have all the quilting bases covered! The fabric shop was full of customers spending their Christmas gift certificates and retreat members looking for the fabric they forgot to bring with them.

Most of the Quilters at First were busy with holiday events since we last meet or haven’t finished their projects completely in order to show them off. Shirley did have one “show- and- tell” for us.

This 66″ x 66″ quilt is so fun! Pinwheels spinning through space–but should it go this way? Or this way?

I believe I like this way best. The bold machine quilting adds to the feeling of strong movement. We have nothing else like this in our collections. It is for sale for $200.

Shirley also brought this quilt in early December and in the excitement of sharing our monies with the TV Ministry and the Religious Nurture Center, I forgot to show it off.

The quilt is a mix of traditional and modern. The small floral prints are usually used in more traditional quilts. But this pattern took the fabric to a different level–not your grandma’s quilt style, but a very modern look. The machine quilting is geometric which complements the pattern theme. It is 54″ x 68″ and $150.

We also received two pre-owned table runners from a former quilt group member who is down sizing.

I really appreciate the opportunities I have to sew and to bring order to a pile of scrap fabrics. When the world out there is crazy, there is something so soothing about creating and sharing the results with you. So thank you, you make the entire process more rewarding.