Fantabulous

I'm not sure who coined such an all emcompassing word, but "fantabulous" is the best way I know to describe the lovely Christmas table runner that Pam C sent me all the way from Canada. We were part of Chookyblue's now famous xmas gift swap. No doubt customs inspectors were shaking their heads at all of the boxes marked "fabric" crossing our borders.

And my present was just perfect. It fits on mom's table exactly right. The colors are scrumptious and the way she did the accented binding astounds me. She also included a hand made cosmetics bag and a box of chocolate. Imagine that, she knows I love chocolate. Thank you so very much Pam!

And for your viewing pleasure, the now assembled Amish Boston Commons, named "Firecrackers." It's hard to see the hand-dyed fabrics I know, but trust me, they're in there.

Until then, keep stitchin' . . . .

My favorite crayons

Here's just a glimpse of my newest collaboration of Amish solids and hand-dyed fabrics. Winter seems the best time to work on bright and bold combinations. The days may be gray and dreary outside, but in the studio, firecrackers of color bounce off the wall.

I think that will be a good name for this quilt upon completion, Firecrackers. What do you think?

Until then, keep stitchin' . . . . .

Seasons Greetings

Wishing you and yours the very best of holidays.

How to build a kitchen sink.

I've decided that I need a bed size kitchen sink for me. Working primarily in units of 2 (one 4-patch and one square), I began by placing them on my design wall. This allows me to verify placement of brights, whites, and very darks. Of course, I could work in a totally random fashion and just sew them together without a plan. However, after a long work week, it's nice to simply play with color. And notice how the stripes and checks add movement to an already chaotic background. I love looking at those really odd and otherwise unusable fabrics. Stash busting indeed!
Until then, keep stitchin' . . . .

Pretty in pink

Yes, there is one fabric in the above photo that goes back almost 30 years. How do I know? Well, I remember where I was living at the time I bought it. This is known as a geographic textile memory. Some folks memorize recipes, but of course I have to be different. And no, you don't need 30 years worth of pinks to make this quilt. Just a bunch of favorites.

Notice how the dark pink setting triangles look like the dog tooth border so popular on applique quilts. I love that effect and will have to remember to use it more often. All I did was cut a square in fourths diagonally so the bias was on the inside. If you're about to be a new grandmom, this is a quick quilt to work up for the next lil' darlin' coming your way.

Until then, keep stitchin' . . . .