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Hexagons, Grief, and Jazz
We went on a jazz cruise in January, obviously John’s. I would like points for not taking my sewing machine. However, I did take along a stack of big hexagons, some left from previous projects and...
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Houston, we have a problem…
These are all recently-finished quilt tops. And I want to hand quilt each of them. But it’s getting warm - not the time of the year to be sitting under quilts as I stitch. This old yellow and black...
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Fabric Crushes
I have had four distinct fabric crushes, and I’m always surprised when I find something I love so much. The first was from a Bonnie .Christine AGF line, “Hello, Bear.” The second was fabrics from...
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Scraps, Purses, New/Old Projects
So much sewing. But space has been limited. The studio has been housing some overnight guests, one for two weeks, but all is back to normal again. Because space was limited I worked with what I...
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A New Fika Tote
Is this bag sweet or what? It is a Fika Tote by Noodlehead. It's 18' wide and 15' deep. One side has two patch pockets. The other side has a large zippered pocket, perfect for a notebook or papers....
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An Ending and a Beginning - with some purses and some meanwhiles
Sometimes the backs of my quilts are as pretty as the fronts. As I put the last of the hand quilting stitches into my Seth Apter quilt, I marveled at how much I enjoyed working on this quilt, both...
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What’s amusing me…
Is this gorgeous or what? The quilt top above was such a fun one to put together. And it was a free pattern from Art Gallery Studios - Pacifica. I used my current fabric line crush from Seth Apter...
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Ch-ch-ch-changes…
Scraps! Outliving my stash! What was I thinking? A color shift!I do have so many scraps. And they get to me. I’ve got to use them. The above quilt? All leftovers from some precut...
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75th Birthday Gratitude and What Makes Me Happy
Today I am 75. This morning’s 4 mile walk was great. The weather is gorgeous - we’re heading into my favorite time of the year. Next week we’re taking a river cruise out of NYC up the Hudson River....
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Hudson River Cruise - a Quilting Diversion
Our Fall Foliage Hudson River cruise was pretty terrific. We did indeed hit peak color on a lovely small ship with mostly nice people. John’s smile pretty much says it all....
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Projects in Process
Why do I think I need an even number of purses to mail to Sew Powerful? I have 18 completed and think I need two more before mailing. But I’ve been distracted by the lure of other projects....
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Changing gears again - a finish, a start, and the germ of an idea
At the risk of sounding dorkier than I usually do, this quilt has been a joy to work on. AGF has free patterns, and this one is Pacific. And look - I still have some Seth Apter fabrics! I love these...
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Incoming: a new baby and a dancer with too many shoes
My former neighbor and valued dear friend Cristina is having her second baby boy. At her request I used the same palette for this quilt as I did for her son Enzo. See it here. But I made too many...
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The Winter Season - and John
Last year I prayed for one more winter, one more Christmas, and my prayer has been answered. My prayer will be the same this year. And Christmas with John? There is nothing like it. This man loves...
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2024: The Year of Seth Apter
It doesn’t happen often - in fact, this is the third time - that I have fallen in love with a fabric designer. The first was Marcia Derse back in 2014. The second was with an Art Gallery fabric,...
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In Love With Every Aspect of This Glam Clam Quilt
This quilt is such a departure from what I usually do. These colors and fabrics are a part of my new favorite palette. And there are no straight lines. These clams all had to be cut by hand, not by...
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Changing up my dining room
For several years this quilt has been on my dining room wall. It’s the absolute last of. Janet Clare line of fabrics called Wordsmith, and none of it is available any more. I had just enough left to...
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Enlarging A Favorite Quilt for a Favorite Grandson
Grandson Sam is renting a house in Lombard along with his brother Jack and a third roommate. Just because they are living close to us doesn’t mean we will see them with greater frequency. Sam went...
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Inherit the Wind - No, Wait. It’s actually…
Inheriting draperies from Gone With the Wind! Friend Cecilia is redecorating and offered me the drapery panel that covered one whole window wall of her dining room. What a lot of fabric! Let me...
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Purses and Plans
In January I made a commitment to make 12 Sew Powerful purses a month. And here are mine for February. Notice the top row, 2nd one. I’m used the curtain material for the flap and strap, I think...
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More from Cecilia’s drapes…
Former Hyde Park High School student Bridgette, she who conducts monthly physical challenges and keeps me honest with my workouts, said she is ready for a new travel bag and even knew exactly she...
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A Dozen Sew Powerful Purses for March
I am trying to be more consistent with my Sew Powerful purses efforts. One dozen a month seems a doable goal. And although it’s early days in 2025, so far so good. The March purses will be shipped...
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Brandon’s Quilt
It’s a definite work in process. Grandson Brandon moved to Atlanta with his mom. They painted his bedroom green and burgundy and sent me the paint chips, so I found these great fabrics, a lot of...
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A Tote Bag for a Giantess
QuiltCon 2025 has come and gone. Many of my quilty buddies went to Phoenix. And before you feel sorry for me that I didn’t go, I made a conscious decision to not go. My current life’s rhythm has...
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Generations and Talents
I have always loved books that span generations. And here I am, part of the oldest generation and able to see three generations after me. I was so lucky to have a mother who sewed and encouraged me...
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