I have had a lot of fun using traditional quilt blocks in ways that are not traditional, including Irish Chains.

Love both these designs, but I think there are a lot of applique blocks which would work better than those I am using in this project file.

"The times they are a-changin..." Bob Dylan

The library underwent upgrading last summer and huge new windows were installed. This was the view a couple of weeks ago out one of them. It struck me it could have been taken in so many small towns all over America with a church squarely in view. This is the Zion-Memorial United Church which would have been my church in the old days. This one is holding on but one of the other especially beautiful stone churches has been turned into apartments.  

It’s hard to believe but I had never had crumpet. I may have seen them but if I did, I don’t remember and didn’t pay any attention. The other day I was watching a video and someone was making crumpets. I wanted to try them. I didn’t take pictures but this is the recipe I...

Welcome to Needle and Thread Thursday, friends!  I'm still on my mission to bust through my stash, and as I was evaluating what I have left, it became very apparent that my aquas/teals are my most plentiful.  I have a ton of prints in this color but also, when a friend was destashing, I ended up with a fat quarter bundle of solids as well.  Since aqua/teal is one of my favorite colors, it seems like a logical choice to put them all together in a single-color quilt.

So, I pulled all those solids, and then paired ...

I just finished a 3-day juice cleanse and will be happy to NOT see juice for a while.

Why did I decide to do it? There were a couple of reasons. I have been working out 3 days a week since December and have not lost any weight; I have gained weight. I have heard muscle weighs more than fat, and I am building muscle, but I also think menopause has a lot to do with it.

I also wanted to reset my gut. I have stomach issues and always feel like I ...

Yesterday was month #9 of Barb M's estate sale and I couldn't NOT go.   Paula and her helpers have become friends over the months.  Several quilting friends were among the shoppers.  The proceeds benefit a different charity each month, this time Kenosha food pantries.  From September to April they've given away $15,500 after expenses (storage unit, hotel meeting room, laundering).   Of course I don't *need* any more fabric!  

40 yards by weight, $2.00 per yard.

Also, two packages of printer fabric for $5.00.

In the world of quilting, having sharp tools is essential for achieving precise and clean cuts. One tool that quilters rely on heavily is the rotary cutter.

Over time, the blade on your rotary cutter will dull, making it difficult to cut through fabric smoothly.

Changing your rotary cutter blade regularly is a simple task that can significantly improve your quilting experience.

Let’s check out why it’s important to change your rotary cutter blade, how often you should do it, and provide a step-by-step guide to replacing the blade.

Keeping your rotary cutter blade sharp will help you ...

Oscar has turned into a picky eater. I think he likes variety. A few months ago, he wanted Cooper’s puppy food and Cooper was wanting Oscar’s food. I figured Oscar was getting tired of the same food every day so I bought a different food for him and have been mixing them. At first, he...

 I did get a steroid injection in my shoulder yesterday although I don't think the doc was too enthusiastic about it. He confirmed that I have a tear in my rotator cuff of my right shoulder but he also confirmed what I thought from the beginning: The bulk of the pain derives from damaged tendons in the deltoid and bicep insertions rather than the rotator cuff. He was not entirely clear on what the prognosis or protocol might be but seemed to think that physical therapy would do the trick.

I am not a big fan of physical therapy ...

Good morning, my friends. We visited Garden of the Gods yesterday, which was our whole reason for visiting Colorado Springs this time around. When we left the RV, we left Smitty in his catio. But where is Sadie?

Everyone seemed in fine fettle, and so we headed north about 11 miles to the park. We could see the red rocks on our approach from the highway.

It was a little confusing figuring out how to get to the visitor center because of some road ...

Good morning, my friends. We visited Garden of the Gods yesterday, which was our whole reason for visiting Colorado Springs this time around. When we left the RV, we left Smitty in his catio. But where is Sadie?

Everyone seemed in fine fettle, and so we headed north about 11 miles to the park. We could see the red rocks on our approach from the highway.

It was a little confusing figuring out how to get to the visitor center because of some road ...

There is a beautiful Hindi song - Gulabi. 

Although Gulab (in Hindi language) means rose, the word Gulabi can mean rosy or pink. Watch this video and notice all the pinks. It is a visual delight. Lyrics Translated in English here.

That is how I feel today. Everything is rosy.

Dogflowers/Snapdragons

The nature is bursting with gorgeous pink blooms.

Peonies

Roses

There is a new season of Bridgerton, celebrating all things romantic.

Close-up of a White Peony with Fuchsia Center

I am working on my Rainbow Scrap Challenge blocks for May. 

All fabrics are Island Batik. It is good to ...

Today is our last day at the retreat (Springhouse Retreat), and then I'm home for 3 1/2 weeks before I need to go anywhere. I'm almost giddy knowing that! The vertigo is still there but very mild. I can feel it on the periphery of my brain, if that makes sense. So, I'll look at those exercises when I'm home to try and get rid of it completely. 

Yesterday was one of those days! I was having an issue with a tool that I needed to finish my blog posts, and my ingenuity solved it ...

I love this quilt so much and I am excited to be releasing the pattern today!

It's called The Forest and is in my shop now!

The quilt was made with fabric from the Island Batik Fabric line called The Grove, a signature line by Kathy Engle for Quilters’ Treasure Chest.

How fun are these greens mixed with crystal blues.  When I saw these fabrics I immediately thought of a tree lined creek stream and and had to come up with a way to get that into fabric.

Welcome to Wednesday Wait Loss! WWL is a place where you can share photos of quilts you’re working on and get encouragement to finish them from our Wednesday Wait Loss group!

First let me tell you what I've been up to

On Wednesday I hosted a Mini Quilt Swap meeting for my quilting membership. We are making small quilts and swapping them with a partner! What a great way to get to know each other.

Here’s a mini quilt I swapped with a partner years ago. That was such fun!

On Saturday, I ...