September is National Sewing Month

How will you celebrate?
Visit the National Sewing Month website
Check out Barbara Brackman's Quilt 1812: War & Piecing blog
Dream about the arrival of Rouenneries Deux
Participate in the Moda Country Fair blog hop
Solve the Mystery - Quilting is Murder

Fabulous Free Finds:
Another idea to celebrate sewing ~ make a scrap quilt based on value. It's remarkably liberating to forego all rules and place fabric only according to whether it's light or dark. C'mon, give it a try! Here are a few patterns centered on that principle:

Cindy Carter's Scrappy Maple Leaf
Log Cabin (and Courthouse Steps, a variation)
Curved Log Cabin
Any of Bonnie K. Hunter's patterns (Scroll down, patterns are listed on the right side of the page)

Aren't they lovely? Most importantly, enjoy the process.
~~Lisa

Restrictions

It's been years since I have been 'on restriction' but that's what I am dealing with now. Limit 'repetitive use of right hand' and no pushing, pulling or lifting over 25 pounds. It's all related to tendonitis and an irritated ulnar nerve. You likely know that the 'funny bone' is not really a bone, but the ulnar nerve. Please don't rest your elbow on a hard surface repetitively when typing or on the telephone for example because that is what is the most likely cause (at least in my case). That said, I am doing well and certainly on the mend.

All the while I have been limiting typing and such, but I cannot help myself from blog hopping or searching for quilty inspiration elsewhere even though I have not been as productive in the sewing loft. My itch to stitch has been satisfied by looking at pictures like these log cabin quilts on Barbara Brackman's blog, this streak of lightning log cabin and I gasped when I saw this barn raising log cabin. Lovely.

~~Lisa

Sidelined

Not much sewing going on here lately. I managed to get some of Joanne at Thread Head's blocks sewn...

and to sew several scrappy log cabin blocks with some fabrics left from other projects...

Scrappy log cabin block
1.5 inch strips, 3.5 inch center (measurements before sewing).
I think I will add another round to these.

before I was sidelined. Unfortunately, I have recently done more typing and minutes-taking than my body could handle (mind is still willing!). It's all in a day's work for an executive assistant. I don't like to be out of commission, but I am afraid it's what the doctor ordered for now. If I comply I will have many more years of pain-free sewing ahead.





Meanwhile I am dreaming of starting this Irish Cabins quilt from American Patchwork and Quilting, April 2006. I am collecting fabrics for it (I can't sew much, but I can plan and collect!). I just fell in love with it when I saw Laurie Simpson's version here.

Lots of planning!

Have you heard about Denise Russart's sew along, Granny's Hankie?

There are so many sew alongs going on, I had to share another.

Happy stitching!
~~Lisa