So much purple!

I don't often work in purple, but I asked a special friend what color her quilt should be and she requested a light purple. It was so much fun working with this color range - and I think I needed to get out of a creative rut.

Again I am using my favorite "workbook", Scrap-Basket Beauties.  I have made most of the quilts in this book and I am considering a second round!  The directions make piecing easy and the blocks fall into rows that make pressing a breeze. 

All of those triangles are made from folded corner units, so the pattern looks complicated but the construction is actually simple.

And, no.  I did NOT keep the tiny triangles that were left over from the folded-corner units.  I like to use scraps but, sheesh, they are small.

I even pressed in purple.

I have border and backing fabric in the closet, so I hope to post a photo of the finished top next week.  

Happy sewing!

For Katie

I wanted to make a quilt to celebrate a sweet girl's high school graduation. She is headed for college in August and her colors will be purple and yellow. 

I hope she loves it!  I used the patten "Flowers for Nana Girl" from my favorite quilt workbook "Scrapbasket Sensations".

I would have finished it weeks ago, but my quilt advisors helped me decide to enlarge it from my originally planned size. It's good to have company in the sewing room!

My son and his girl Katie. I adore these two. 

Happy Sewing. 

A break from quilting

Well, to be honest, I took a break from just about everything and it was WONDERFUL!!

My husband and I took a trip in honor of our upcoming 25th anniversary.  The big day is actually in June, but since June is lovely where we live, we traveled a little early to get some bonus good weather.  The weather was perfect and so were the food, the water, the fresh air, the staff at our resort, etc.

This may have been the first vacation in a decade where I wasn't eager to get back to sewing.  There was so much beauty and relaxation.

And now, back to regular life.  Which I'll admit - is pretty darn good. 

Happy sewing!

Spring Flowers

Spring is trying to arrive in the Midwest. It has been gray and rainy this week. And we all know what April showers bring. 

These flowers will be blooming in a quilt by next month. I'll be sewing some leaves today. This quilt will be a graduation gift for a sweet young lady. 

Happy sewing!

Sewing with some sanity

Over the past few months, I have been sewing some strips on to rectangles to make simple blocks.  I had a pretty pile of fabrics that I wanted to use up.  Also, I was working on curvy seams and often needed to do some simple sewing to either warm up or settle down.

I used this pattern http://www.maryquilts.com/new-forest-bricks/ from one of my favorite "go to" sites.  Mollie's use of stash has been an inspiration to me (I am sure my husband appreciates her philosophy too!)

Lots of 2" x 6.5" blue pieces sewn to 3.5" x 6.5" bricks.

I'll bind with the same blue.  I'm sure if I dig in to the closet, I can find a few pieces to use for a backing.

Now to start another project.  Next on my list is Round & Round.  I plan to use sea glass batiks.  I can't wait to start cutting.

I'm doing a happy dance!

I finally assembled my Winding Ways quilt.  I'd like to thank my husband, my sewing friends and also my blogging friends for their encouragement.

Now for a little easy piecing.  I'm going to play with squares and rectangles for a week or so.  Then I think I'll do a Mariner's Compass. Or a Drunkard's Path. Oh, my mind swirls with possibilities!!

Finally!

Sixty-six blocks with blue backgrounds and sixty-six with white backgrounds.

I whined so much as I began these blocks. I'm so thankful that I have had so much encouragement to keep sewing!  I made peace with curved piecing. I caught myself wondering if the next one will be red and white or black and scrappy. Yes, I said it. The next one. Of course I want to make another!