Dear Readers,
I have been on a real finishing streak lately, seems like there is nothing like wanting to work on some new projects to inspire completing some old projects! (I have a lovely custom storage cabinet gifted to me by my Dearest, but 8 bins of started projects is enough) [ok there are some in bags too, shhh ;) ]
But more importantly, I have been exploring my creativity with less judgement, and that has really taken the brakes off of wanting to make beautiful things!

Another thing that has helped is getting the EQ7 software in July 2014. It's totally better for me than graph paper. I love being able to adjust sizes to fit the fabric I have on hand, and creating my own quilting templates and labels.

A few quilts DID get done in the last four years, and I will write about those eventually, but I'm going to start with the recently finished ones first, and to heck with the chronological order!


A QUILT FOR A FRIEND'S FIRST GRANDCHILD
Flannel front and fleece back, made from an adorable large panel and a matching border print. I'm just crazy about mitered corners lately, and trust me, use your ruler to mark a good line, don't try to 'eyeball' it!
I outline quilted the printed blocks and did my own design [also drawn in EQ7] in the two outer borders. I am really happy with how it turned out!  It was good practice on free motion quilting.




"Made With Love", finished October 2014

Dandelions Fear Me!

[A note to my gentle readers: This post was drafted in April 2011 but my feelings are the same. After a lengthy absence I would like to resume my writing practice, so welcome back everyone!]
Ah, Spring...when a quilter's thoughts turn to her garden...

The first sign of Spring in my house is the arrival of the Burpee Seed Catalog [www.Burpee.com].  They are a local company with a long history of providing wonderful seeds and plants to agricultural giants [like my wonderful father-in-law who feeds his family all year from what he grows] and to amateur dirt scratchers [like myself  ;) ].

Sometimes I think I garden because I like to have an excuse to be outside listening to the birds singing!

After 7 years now of planting, my small garden is starting to really shine.  I love seeing the perennials reappear, it's like meeting friends who have been away for a while,  or like emotional encouragement that the cold seasons do end and life goes on...  And when the bulbs start multiplying, like my own family grown now from 2 to 3, I like to think they are happy and thriving here outside our home as we people are inside it.

I love all the different colors and shapes and scents and sizes - A long time ago, in another home, before meeting that sweet fellow who would become my Dear Husband, I wanted an all white garden.  All different flowers, but all white.  A symbol perhaps, of the pale shroud of my life at that time?  An attempt to control my environment when I couldn't control much else?  Maybe...but now the entire rainbow is invited to the garden party and it's so beautiful [even if I have a harder time narrowing down my catalog choices!]