And then, out from the depths of the UFO pile.....

Sonnet from April Cornell, man I just love these colors!

So several years ago I bought some yardage and several charm packs, most of which were homespuns. Then I started cutting everything up and stitching. Maybe it was a different time in my quilting life, but the wonkiness of the homespuns drove me crazy and away it went to UFO pile.

Today I am in a finish it, use it or move it along kind of period and I pulled this back out. Still in love with the fabrics....its not their fault they are stretchy, I am ok with wonky right now so I am just trying to finish as quickly and easily as I can so i am using what i had precut and I need an inner border so that I can just do more rail fence blocks around the outside and show a definite change. So what do you all think? #1 #2 #3 or #4?

Something new

Most recent completion, a wall hanging from homespuns and wool. Used a Pat Sloan pattern as a jumping off point.

Current projects

This is just a little wool welcome banner I am working on for my own front door. Using mostly wool from thrift store sweaters and skirts. I have a few more leaves to sew on the branch and it will be time to back quilt and bind it. I initially planned to hand quilt it, but the more I think about it, a tight stipple might make it pop out a little more. And I am trying to get this quilted to take with me back to PA this coming weekend. My grandfather passed away and his memorial is this weekend and I'd like to get this to my sister who chose the fabrics last summer when we vacationed in TN together.

Projects from retreat

A scrappy something or other made from swap blocks. Not a whole lot more going to happen to this, just a nice red border. Great reversible oilcloth bag kit found on shopping trip. Really retro and cool!
Kit from shopping trip, so easy and quick, now just a border and be done!


Pattern and fabric selected by DH about 3 years ago, I was petrified at the paper piecing, but I think I kinda won the battle.

So, am I ready to get back to sewing?

Where have I been? Well not sewing that's for sure. But now I am ready to talk about sewing and maybe that will bet me to thinking about sewing and hopefully that will actually get me sewing again.

I did go to retreat a couple weekends ago. It was juts what I needed to get the creativity flowing again. Can you believe that before i left I seriously considered taking my fishing pole? That's how much I have been out of the quilty loop.

A few pics of retreat:

I will post what I managed to get accomplished later on.

Other retreat doings

This is an adorable little purse made from a pattern that Alison had...I actually made three of these, two were intended for my friend Jamie's mom and sister, but Jamie's daughters confiscated them as they were pulled from the bag :-) Forgive the long skinny pic, I didn't think you needed to see all the coats that have been hanging on the coat hooks since last spring! This is the top for my sister Amy. These are the fabrics picked by her when we vacationed in Tennessee a few months ago. I really played with the geese, this way and that, and the general consensus at the retreat was that it looked much more exciting and moving all jumbled up.

Guess what! I won!

I won this awesome cow block from Rhonda aka Ravelly1

How lucky am I? You cannot live in IN without seeing at least a few of these on the way to anywhere! LOL To see how its made, she has shared an awesome shadow tutorial, that can be adapted to any subject check it out! I'm so excited! Rhonda makes it look easier than it probably is, but I'm going to try one!

Home from retreat!

This is for anyone out there who has thought about going to a quilting retreat but has been too apprehensive to go.....GO!!!!!!! I know everyone thinks they're shy or that they wont fit in, but look at it this way, how can you go wrong with a room full of other women who share the same passions as yourself? I always have a wonderful time with old and new friends at retreat. There is so much experience to draw from, if you have a question or a technique that has been a problem in the past, chances are there will be someone there who is proficient and will take the time to show you one on one. Best of all is the friends you make. I have always been one of the guys, having very few female friends. But when I am at retreat surrounded by women, older and younger I feel....(searching for a not too overly sappy term)....belonging, kinship, centered.

Anyhoo....next time a retreat presents itself to you please just go for it! Take your open mind and you desire to learn and share and just jump in head first!

This is the cottage we stay at taken from the dock out on the lake a couple of May retreats ago. Gifties made for Liz who is the Retreat Mom who keeps us all in check with her whip and wit and the other for Alison, quilter, chef and friend extraordinaire.

Pumpkin blocks for a swap completed at retreat.

Christmasy Delectable Mountain blocks for an upcoming swap. (I LOVE! LOVE! LOVE! this pattern, have already made 36 half blocks, going to make more for sure!)



For the rest of you woolenators to drool over, purchased at Lolly's and Yoder's in Shipshewana.



More pics to come when my quilt hanger gets home from work :-)

Wool Tissue holders

I thought these little tissue holders were just adorable. One of my favorite online shops QuiltersQuarter seems to be clearing its shelves of lots of great stuff, and I found this little kit for a wool tissue holder for 65% off!

Of course they were so easy and simple to make I had to make a few to help me make a dent in my wool. Aren't they great?

Retreat Prep

I am fortunate enough to be able to go to two retreats a year in North Webster, IN. The fall retreat is only 8 days away!!! As always I'm psyched to get away and meet with my quilty buddies but this time I am SUPER PSYCHED that my bestest buddy Jamie is going with me!

Jamie has just jumped into this whole quilting adventure with both feet, each time I talk to her she has just come back from a fabric store!

I have been gathering projects to work on during the five days I'll be away. I have so very many UFOs to choose from and I'm fighting off the urge to take new potential projects just so I can whittle down the UFO pile a bit. I have been pre-cutting everything so that when I get there I can just put the pedal to the metal and sew! I'm hoping to return home with enough tops to keep the frame and I busy for months!