Basket Blocks

Temecula Quilt Company is hosting quilt along, Blessing Baskets. Here is my basket block in progress. The little enameled tray helps me take block components from the cutting mat to the sewing machine and then to the ironing board quickly and easily. My little helper, Bozley, is always nearby as well.

For those of us who make the change, Daylight Saving Time is upon us Sunday, March 11!
~~Lisa

Uninspired?

17 Comfort from Civil War Quilts

Autumn scarf

Today Taryn blogged about a lack of inspiration and I truly admire her authenticity. She's surfing the web for pictures in search of inspiration. I have been there too, and once I thought about not sewing for a month. Then I got scared ~ I don't like to make rules about / set limitations on my sewing. It's supposed to be fun and I strive to keep it that way! Her post encouraged me to think on what I have done to overcome a lack of inspiration, what inspires my creativity...and what stifles my creativity.

Stifling: lack of sleep; feeling overwhelmed by too many obligations; stress; same old projects that seem to never get finished; an untidy sewing room.

Inspiring: photos of reproduction and antique quilts (Quilt Index); dresdens; tiny pieces; my little quilt book library; starting a new project; improvisational piecing; changing to a project with different colors; going to quilt shows (Seven Sisters 2011 is April 30-May1); the show and tell part of a guild meeting; Yahoo! groups photos of finished quilts.

Renewing: visit the local library and pour over their books for a few hours (in subjects such as: nature, home decor, architecture, traditional textiles from other cultures, traditional and heritage quilts, state documentation project books); see a movie; spend an afternoon at the park, county fair, beach, lake; see an exhibit; travel (near or far).

Have you ever been uninspired? What worked for you?

~~Lisa

Spring is Here

Happy Spring! I have sewn a little wallhanging in honor of the occasion. It began with the floral focus fabric and initially I planned to pair it with a lovely bright pink and yellow with small flowers in a nine patch on point. Once I laid it out I knew the plan needed a little tweak.

These nine patches will find a place in another quilt ~ they didn't seem to suit this one.

...and this is what it evolved into...the darker pink (Pantone's honeysuckle?) and a deep, dark green.

This is the revised Spring wallhanging

Given that we have had rain since Friday ~ this may be the only Spring I see today!

I have also been working on the Civil War Quilts blocks lately. I have a few blocks to catch up on and yesterday there were a couple of hours to sew. They have each been lovely and some more challenging than expected. I enjoy making them and learning more about piecing and Civil War history as I sew. Once next week's block is released I believe we will be one quarter of the way finished sewing the blocks. Hard to believe, just one block per week and we will have a lovely commemorative quilt.

~~Lisa

merry and bright

First things first. I did include the fly fabric in my string blocks! I have been sewing along and keeping up (for the most part) with the mystery. I've also been anticipating each clue for the Quiltville mystery, next one comes out early tomorrow morning...and I can't wait!




So in between steps I have been...



Working...and doing a little shopping, baking and wrapping of course!



Winning. Thanks to Angie and Allison I won a machine quilting book and some lovely charm squares. The book is an excellent resource and will help me along the free motion quilting journey. The charms are a really fun assortment ~ see how Allison sewed them up into a quilt here. These gifts are so inspiring. Thank you ladies.



Beginning. In honor of the 150th Anniversary of the American Civil War I have started the Thread Head Quilt Along in civil war fabrics. The blocks are not necessarily from the CW era. I may do a few substitutions. This is a way I have chosen to commemorate it, there are so many ways! Perhaps make a red, green and white quilt? You could sew CW era blocks from scraps or yardage of CW era fabric, use CW fabrics to sew up something that catches your eye, or sew a quilt that somehow connects 2011 to 1861 for you. Maybe a sashed sampler with one block each from the 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, and so on?

Thread Head's block #2 squared up and ready to sew together

Reading blogs. Incredible ~ see this story ~ a woman sold her crazy quilt for a tidy sum. Congratulations to her and many thanks for educating those who don't sew and don't know what goes into doing what we do.

May your days be merry and bright! My wish is you have some time to relax, slow down and reflect...and put a little needle and thread to fabric if you please.

~~Lisa