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Tuesday, February 9, 2016

I Heart February

February is the month of paradoxes. Groundhog day silliness. Signs of spring. Slushy icy on Payette Lake. Gorgeous seed catalogs and dreams of gardens. Mud. Days getting longer. Teaser warm days followed by surprise snow storms. Cold winds.  Lots of time in the sewing studio. Relaxed resolutions and lots of new project starts.

I pieced my wonky churn dash quilt top. The blocks were gifts from my stash bee honeys. I chose the pattern and colors, they sent me the blocks. I love the coral border. It is  "Charlevoix = Summer...Beach...Rural Americana 1910-1935 By Minick and Simpson for Moda." The surprise was how many of the blocks contain my favorite fabrics, prints I assumed were obscure. This is a quilt top I am finishing for myself.

In other cheerful news, I have started making myself a Christmas quilt. The color challenge is red and black, a combination I have never cared for. I am making ugly sweater quilt blocks, in a quilt along offered by Sew Fresh Quilts.

I am falling in love with the color combination. There are going to be 20 different ugly sweaters in all. Each sweater will have a different quilt block in the center. Two blocks a week, stay tuned for more homeliness.

The next photo is a lovely tiny quilt I finished for a friend who was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. My intention is to send her love and happiness, which I believe is the secret to healing energy. Pineapples are the symbol of hospitality and welcome. I did a lot of Free Motion Quilting (FMQ) and was pleased with the results. Yay for my new Brother sewing machine. The binding is striped Kaffe.

The tiny disc says, "handmade." 
Now I return to my secret Valentine sewing.... do you heart February?

6 comments:

  1. Jane, I loved seeing your beautiful stashbee quilt! Did you know that I loved your colors so much that I am using them for my stashbee quilt this year?

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    1. Thanks for your sweet comment. I wanted to share it with last year's bees, but hadn't done that yet. I was tickled when I saw your post with one of Carla's wonky churn dashes. I am going to have to gate crash and make you a block, the colors are so cheerful. And an original block! wow!

      I am happy with the way my top turned out, and have 2 more blocks to use on the back.

      Happy sewing! Jane

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    2. Are you in a hive this year? If you make me a block then I simply must make one for you. If you are not in a hive then let me know what I can make for you.

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    3. Thanks, Deana! I am in hive 5 and my month is March. Isn't this so fun?

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  2. I still love the colours of your stash bee blocks. They look great all sewn together.
    I have just picked up mine from the long-arm quilter. I am really happy with it. Just the binding to go now!

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  3. I love all of your creative sewing! You are such an inspiration to think outside the box (and outside the blocks!). Maybe I will give quilting another try this spring if I can put the knitting needles down. ;)

    <3

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