CAT PAGE FOR STITCH BOOK

 I made a cat page for my 100 day project Stitch Book with Ann Wood.

And this is our cat Coco, (she likes to sleep amongst the flowers).

APRIL BOM MADE

 I got the this month's instructions for the SeaMQGBom2026 and made the blocks from strip sets we made in a previous month.

Here is my interpretation of the two big blocks:

DENIM BAG FINISHED

 I got the black web strapping for the denim bag I started last Friday and was able to finish it.

The denim was much more difficult to finish because of the density of the fabrics when everything come together.  I even broke a needle.  But I got it done.  I was thinking I'd make more from old denim, but now I'm reconsidering that!

I had made a simple little flower to sew onto the front flap.  

This will also be donated to Sew Powerful.

Did you know you can also donate fabric to Sew Powerful?

A SECOND BAG

 It was so satisfying to make the bag for Sew Powerful yesterday, I made another today.  I used the same type of fabrics, this time in different colorways.  The outside is pink and orange and the inside liner was made from a batik fabric with sunflowers in yellow, orange and burgandy.  I made a pocket for the outside of the front because the pink plaid had a small discoloration there.

A BAG FOR THE GIRLS

 I started making a bag from old denim yesterday for Sew Powerful, who send reusable hygiene products to young girls in Africa.  They are asking volunteers to make bags to include with the pads.  I didn't have the webbing for the bag's strap, so I set it aside until I could get some.

Today I made another one, this time making the strap from fabric.  I used some orange woven plaid fabric for the outside and a blue fabric for the inside.

FINISH #8 FOR THE YEAR

 Here's another little quilt I made from a charm pack called "Once Upon a Time".

I quilted a pantograph on it, made some binding and sewed it on and now it's finished.

Finish #8 Once Upon a Time, 32" by 40" with a white flannel backing.

MAKING TRIVETS

 I started weaving the flat cotton cord into the warp threads I strung the other day on the hoop for the trivet.  It was fiddly, trying to keep the cord flat as I strung that long 'thread' through the spokes of the warp.

This little bit took me over an hour and a half.  So it stopped for the day.

ANOTHER BASKET FOR ME

I needed something simple to do today.  I realized I really needed a basket to contain my scraps from my Improv That Block project.  I found some cotton clothesline and made a big basket for them.

 

STRINGS WORKSHOP

 This morning was the next Improv That Block workshop with Sherri Lynn Wood.  This month we are exploring String blocks.

I made two sets of strings, one dark and one light in value.  Then after the workshop I made this.  It's another Friendship Star block using those string sets.

I think it's moderately successful.  But, the good news is I have leftovers from the string sets to play with another time.

PIANO HINGE BOOK

I've been working on making a Handmade Book based on an Australian Piano Hinge with instructions from Sarah Matthews on Sketchbook Revival 2026. 

Held together with accordian hinges.

Covers made with some Batik fabric

Book block with accordian hinges.

ONCE UPON A TIME TOP

This morning I finished trimming the HST blocks to 4-1/2" and put them up onto the design wall.  These were made from a charm pack called Once Upon a Time with some Kona solids added to make the Half Square Triangle (HST) blocks.

After lunch I started sewing the rows together.  Then I sewed the rows to each other.  It is now a finished top, ready to be quilted, after I make a backing for it.

 

MUD CLOTH TABLE MAT

 I started with a piece of black fabric 24" by 36".  I cut randomly sized pieces from my collection of African Mud Cloth and fit them onto the black backing.  Then I zigzagged them down onto the backing, connecting them to each other also.

I cut some wide binding from the black Kona and bound it by machine.

It will now reside on our dining room table for a while.

ANOTHER HANDMADE BOOK

 Here's the second handmade book I made from a cookie box covered with some painted papers.  The signatures inside this one are made from mixed media papers.  The seven signatures are stitched in with a mixture of an 'X' stitch and Saddle stitches and beads. 

COOKIE BOX BOOK

 I stitched together the signatures made from leftover papers into a cover made from a cookie box.  The box was covered with paper I had painted and printed.  The closure uses some silk sari ribbon and an old button from my Grandma's Button Jar.

HAPPY PI DAY

It's Pi Day.  I've made several Pi quilts.

Here's my Pi quilt, Nine-Patch Pi. 

Okay, start at the upper left and count the colored squares...

MONTH 3 BOM

 They uploaded the instructions for this month's SeaMQGbom2026 and I was on it right away assembling some blocks.

CHANGES

 My design wall is oriented horizontally.  I like quilts that are vertical, so I end up putting them up on the design wall sideways when designing.  Sometimes it's bothersome.  

I've been having this problem with my current project, Improv That Block 2026.

Today I wasn't satisfied with way the Fan blocks were and wanted to change them, so I put them up, took a photo, then reoriented the photo to vertical then decided if it was looking how I wanted or not.

I went through several iterations.  Here they are:

Lots of work to do now.

FINISH NUMBER SEVEN

 I found a fabric that would work for the binding, made it and sewed it onto the quilt I just finished quilting.  It is done.

Finish number seven for the year!

"Clouds" 50" by 50".

Last night was the change to Daylight Saving Time.  We moved the clocks ahead an hour.  We basically lost an hour. I really don't like this.  I didn't sleep well and didn't feel like doing anything today.  But, I am very happy I at least got this project done.

QUILTED WITH RAIN DROPS

 The little (50" x 50") quilt called Clouds is finished being quilted with a pantograph of rain drops.

It is off the longarm awaiting binding.

CLOUDS ON THE LONGARM

 I loaded the small quilt top, Clouds, onto the longarm today.

This top was made from six wide selvedge to selvedge strips with the same print of clouds but in different colorways sewn together side by side and bordered with some black fabric.  I believe I picked up this collection from a fabric distributor back in the day.  I never knew what to do with them.  The top has been languishing around for a long while now.

It is on my list of UFOs to finish this year.

MADE A BAD CHOICE

I got out a charm pack, Roses and Arrows, and picked a  fabric for the other half of the half square triangles.  I cut the squares and marked the sewing lines on the backs of them. 

 I thought it best to cut a few and see how they'd look before sewing them all together.  

Good thing I did.  I did not think they were a good match after all.  So I took them apart and looked for a better match.  I settled on a light grey, Kona Lighthouse, and started over.

IMPROV THAT FRIENDSHIP STAR

 Today was Sherri Lynn Wood's Improv That Block Squad workshop on her BravePatch channel.  We were exploring the multitude of possibilities making a Friendship Star block.

Here is mine at the end of the day.  I put them up with my previous Block Squad work.  I think I'll be making more stars tomorrow to fill in some blanks.  And maybe even sew some of this together.  But, I'm not going to finish it until we've explored other blocks in the next few months.

FINISH #6

 I made the binding out of the same background fabric for the Seattle Modern Quilt Guild's Block of the Month 2024 quilt, "Like Totally", yesterday.

Today I sewed it on.  And I lost the game of binding length.  It was less than 6" short and I had to stop and cut a strip and sew it on to the binding end.  [notice that beautiful backing]

This quilt is done.  It is Finish #6 for the year.  It is 64" by 80"

QUILTED SEAMQGBOM2024

 I finished the quilting on the Seattle Modern Quilt Guild's Block of the Month for 2024 today.  It's off the longarm and ready for the next step to get it finished.

QUILTING SEATTLE BOM 2024

 I finished this top at the end of 2024.  It is the Seattle Modern Quilt Guild's Block of the Month for 2024 called "Like Totally".  Pattern by @imfeelingcrafty.  I had bought a Tula Pink sateen backing fabric for it but am now just getting to quilting it.  I set it up with a wave pantograph using varigated green and white thread.  I got it loaded and started today but didn't finish it.

FINISH #5

 I had made and quilted this quilt in 2022 and then put it away and forgot about it.  It just needed binding to be able to call it finished.  So I did.  "Bears and Pears" is 46" by 33".

It's done, it's Finish #5 of the year.

FINISH #4

 I sewed the binding down on the front of the big Garden Club quilt.  It is done!  

This is Finish #4 for the year.  

Too big to fit on my design wall.

Then I picked out fabrics for the new SeaMQGBOM2026 and made the first set of strip sets.  I need a project box for it all.  Hmmm.

I couldn't decide whether to use the vibrant African fabric or go with the plain brown at first, but decided to be bold, I hope I have enough of that African fabric.