Rainbow Connection

I'm cutting background fabric for my next quilt and it's not my usual neutral/cream mix of fabrics. It's a cheerful green. Like Kermit the Frog. So, naturally, Rainbow Connection is playing nonstop in my head. I can deal with that!

Here are my fabrics, I can't wait to see how they play together. 

Rainbow Connection, you are singing it now too, right?  Rainbow Connection, enjoy!!

A new start

I did lots of finishing last week. That can only mean one thing. I'm cutting for a new quilt. I love starting. Picking fabrics and cutting them into quilt seeds is so much fun. 

I haven't forgotten this unfinished project. 

It just requires some calm concentration. That happens occasionally around here. But I'm still plugging away. Stay tuned!

Happy sewing!

Summertime sewing

Summer is so full of activity and sometimes sewing is last on the "to do" list.  But I have been able to do a little prep work each day during the week so that I can have a weekend of productivity.

I'm working on the "Bloom" quilt from Scrapbasket Beauties which is my current favorite book.  I'm using my box of 2.5" strips and matching them to border fabric from my closet.

I have ordered more of the striped fabric from the inner border to use as the back.  I have used so much fabric from the closet in the past year that I don't really have enough for backings in there.  Well, that's not true if I'm are talking about Christmas fabric, but I'm not talking about the Christmas fabric situation.

As soon as the backing fabric arrives, I'll wash and prep and this sweet top can be sent to the quilter.  And now, maybe I should go and plan something with my stash of Christmas fabric.  I've got to use it if I ever want to see an Empty Closet.

Why didn't I try this sooner?

Ok, I'm stubborn.  I'm set in my ways.  I am working hard never to turn into a member of the quilt police.  But whenever I see posts about machine binding, I think "but I bind by hand, I always have."

Um, not anymore!!

I tried binding by machine and I'm hooked.  I love to finish projects - this is going to be so amazingly helpful!

There are lots of great tutorials in blogland.  I'm just so embarrassed that read them so many times before trying them.  Live and learn!

success without shopping

I am happy to have made real progress this weekend.  I finished piecing the baby quilt top, got it pinned and machine quilted.  So satisfying!

Here's the awesome part, I found everything I needed to do this project in my own closet.  I had some backing left over from a quilt that I made for my mom and binding left over from my appliqued heart quilt.  Yes, the batting was in there too.

Now here is something I never expected to see.  An empty spot in the closet.  Yes!  The consistent use of what I already own is starting to make a noticeable difference.

Now to attach that binding.  Then maybe I'll start planning another quilt. Happy Sewing!

A baby quilt

I love to make baby quilts. The size is easy to work with and the colors are cheerful. 

A coworker is expecting a little girl in the fall. I made a bunch of pink and yellow blocks, laid them out and was unimpressed. Then I remembered that the mama likes bright green. Of course I had green and pink in the closet. I whipped up a few more blocks and I'm pretty happy with them now. 

I have rows assembled. Tomorrow I will assemble the top and do some simple quilting. I'm not much of a machine quilter, I send most of my quilts to be done by someone who is great at it (Jan the Quilter), but I'm just planning some diagonal lines to hold things together. I hope it gets used and loved until it falls apart, then I can replace it with a big girl quilt.

Not much sewing lately

The past few weeks have been an exciting blur.  My son turned 18, had his senior prom, played in end of the year concerts, etc, etc, etc and is now preparing for finals and graduation.  Then he will start getting ready to head to college in the fall.  So, since I know that big changes are coming, I have been trying to enjoy his presence.  I only have one kid, so I will become an empty nester overnight.  I'm excited for the new phases of life for me, my husband and especially the boy - but I really want to savor right now.  So I come out of the sewing room a little more often, I scan quilt blogs at the dining room table while he does homework, we make sure to have family dinners most nights.

All of the fabric in closet will wait for me.