Friday, February 10, 2023

I'm Still a Quilter

 

Bellamy

I was beginning to think I might need to send out a search party to find myself.  The past few years has been a bit crazy with life changes and job changes and job position changes. Quilting had fallen to the back burner.  I found a new me.  A stronger more vocal me but something is still missing and I'm off kilter.   That is because the quilting me has been silent.  I need creativity and the quilting community.  So, I'd like to think I'm back.  

Oliver

I've lost one of my quilting companions, sweet tuxedo kitty, Oliver, but have gained new ones as well.  Bellamy (Bartholomew Benjamin Buttons), my step kitty, has been laying on my works in progress for almost a year now.  And in December we welcomed a sweet ginger girl, Carmella.

Carmella

Both Bellamy and Carmella understand their quilting rolls and take the job seriously.  Stealing marking pens, empty Aurifil spools, grabbing my seat two seconds after I get up and laying on projects as soon as I set them down are just a few of the services they provide.  

So what have these purrfect little helpers been  helping me create?  Why, more UFO's of course.  


I stumbled upon this quilt along from 2016 while surfing Pinterest and fell in love.  Called the Aqua Umbrella QAL, it features a sampler of blocks in an asymmetrical layout.  So basically, love at first sight for me.  You can find the details for this free quilt along here.


This beauty called to me from Instagram @sarah_made and is called Hello Summer.  I loved the colors in her quilt kit and ordered it from her online shop here.  I made one minor tweak to the quilt kit.  I substituted the light mint fabric in the largest and smallest star points for a white on white because I loved how it popped.  That just gives me extra fabric for the binding once it's quilted.


This is another quilt pattern that found me on Instagram.  What can I say I'm easily distracted.  The pattern is called Balderdash by Emma Jean Jansen.  I had a stash of fun Halloween prints and nothing to do with them so this pattern worked great for showing them off.  You can find this pattern and many more at Emma Jean's online store here.


I started piecing this quilt in late fall of 2021 for a co-worker's son.  Well, young Crosby turned one at the end of November and I finally finished piecing the quilt.  I feel confident that I can finish this one before he graduates High School...fingers crossed.  It's actually basted and I've taken a few stitches so, definitely by his 2nd birthday...probably.  The pattern is Dinosaurs by Elizabeth Hartman and you can find it here.  I paired it with Lorna at Sew Fresh Quilt's Alphabet pattern to add Crosby's name to the top of the quilt.  Her lettering is super easy and perfect for any quilt.  You can find it here.


And then Christmas rolls around and I felt like I needed to make something seasonal to sooth my soul.  I have tons of charms around the house, so Fat Quarter Shop's Charming Christmas seemed like a perfect choice...and it was.  But what I learned was the pattern is so easy and goes together so fast that why not make a second one bigger??

And so I did!  The smaller one measures 26.5" square and the larger one 59" square.  The best part is that it is a free pattern on their website.


I'm in love with these juicy little berries!  I've seen similar quilts while surfing the internet but decided to just wing it and make my own.  I do not have a shortage of reds in my stash, so there was plenty of prints to choose from.  I've worked on this one off and on over the last year.  My only regret is I kind of wish I used a slightly lighter gray as the background, but I love it just the same!

I may have been painfully quiet over the past few months, but I have been busy behind the scenes.  I still have a few finished quilts to share with you...two of which are UFO's.  And some quilt alongs that I have participated in.  

So I leave you with one last non-quilty picture.


When you ask for a new cat tree for Christmas, but all you get is a stupid sister.


3 comments:

Marti said...

I could have written that, minus all the beautiful quilt tops. I hope we both find what we need this year as we get back to quilting.

Sandra Walker said...

Wonderful post. So glad you're BACK!! May your life settle down so that you have lots of time to get these tops quilted! :-)

Kathleen said...

Its so good to see you back! I love the work you have been doing - such pretty quilts. The seasonal stuff is always fun and I do bet you can get that baby quilt to Crosby soon. It is a delightful bunch of dinos! Love seeing the kitties....so sorry about your loss. We lost our 14 year old dog this fall and it is hard, but so glad you have new quilting companions and that is great.

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