Tuesday, December 03, 2024

Happiness is - a long term quilt finished at last!

 November skipped by in a most pleasant way!  In the midst of cooking, cleaning and endless home projects I have finally finished my Farmer's Wife quilt!  My goal was to get it done and on my bed on Thanksgiving weekend, and I accomplished it.


I really can't express how gratifying it is to have this quilt finished!  I know I've been working on this since at least 2014, so it took me a long time to get through all of these blocks.  I altered the setting from the book, because I know that I tend to prefer a queen size quilt that is more square than rectangular.  This way I have enough width to cover the sides of the mattress without having a lot of extra fabric to tuck around the pillows.  I plan to make pillowcases out of my leftover backing fabric to match.


I struggled at times with this quilt.  About halfway through I doubted the wisdom of using all those busy Christmas fabrics, especially the background print from the 80's.  It all seemed too chaotic and busy to make a quilt that would ever look unified.  Some of the blocks made me want to pull my hair out - and dealing with templates...I have to say that I love the freedom of rotary cutting!


I kept at it, though.  Knowing that these fabrics, so many with sentimental memories of making dresses for my girls and fun holiday projects, weren't meant to be a work of art - they are a work from my heart.  A way of preserving the joy of Christmas past, preserving it for future remembrance of raising children and the joy of the holidays.  The blocks were made to enhance and challenge my piecing skills, giving me a sense of accomplishment.  



Isn't it wonderful how a quilt can warm you both physically and emotionally?  This quilt definitely checks all the boxes for me!  It makes me look forward to my next long term project, from enjoying the planning and dreaming, to the challenge in the making, and then the satisfaction of finishing!  I hope you have a project like this in progress.  If not, I would encourage you to find one!  Something that challenges your skills, and fills your senses, and brings you satisfaction.  It might make you feel frustrated and even afraid, and it could very well sit in the closet for a time.  But you will love it enough to go back to it, and you will always be glad you did!

Sunday, November 10, 2024

Dresden Plate Blog Hop - Week 2

 Week one of the blog hop was really terrific, I loved the variety of quilts!  I really appreciated all the wonderful comments that were left on my post - I've been trying to reply, but most of them are coming up as no-reply addresses, but know that I am truly appreciative of all your wonderful words of encouragement!  I will draw for the giveaway on Friday, so if you missed my post, go check it out and comment now.


The blog hop will resume on Tuesday the 12th with this beautiful collection designed by Jerry Khiev, who took this beautiful picture of my quilt for the Island Batik Catalog!  This is my new pattern, Midnight Dance, using the Midnight Garden collection.  You can see it features beautiful blue and brown florals!  I love it!

Purchase Midnight Dance on Etsy!

I thought it would be fun to play with the design in Christmas fabrics, so I tried it using Once Upon a Christmas from Moda - I love this one, too!


So tempting to buy fabric to actually make this!

Back to the blog hop - here is the schedule for this week:

November 12:

November 13:

November 14:

November 15:

Blog Hop Round-Up Week 2 and Giveaway


There is a giveaway from Island Batik and you can win one of these beautiful bundles of fabric!  You definitely want to get your name in for this one!  




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Wednesday, November 06, 2024

Don't miss the Dresden Plate Blog Hop!

 Now that I've shown you my project, I want to encourage you to visit the rest of the Island Batik Ambassadors on their days - I would have written this post earlier, but I was busy making my quilt for yesterday!


It's going to be a super fun blog hop, and from the glimpses I've seen, there will be some really creative Dresden Plate quilts to enjoy.  Plus, many opportunities to win some free fabric! Here is the schedule for the hop, with the different collections:

WEEK 1

November 4:

November 5:

November 6:

November 7:

November 8:

Blog Hop Round-Up Week 1 and Giveaway

WEEK 2

November 12:

November 13:

November 14:

November 15:

Blog Hop Round-Up Week 2 and Giveaway

WEEK 3

November 18:

November 19:

November 20:

November 21:

November 22:

Blog Hop Round-Up Week 3 and Final Giveaway

WEEK 4

November 25:

November 26:

End of Blog Hop + Final Round Up


You still have a few days left to enter to win a bundle of these gorgeous fabrics, so make sure you do that!




a Rafflecopter giveaway