KatyQuilts

Progress is being made! I have one row of fans done on three outside edges.

They show up best on the back. I normally prefer much closer quilting, but I think it works on this utility quilt.

I was asked about the thread and needles I’m using here.

That is number 5 DMC perle cotton in Ecru. The needles are the correct size and type, but I wouldn’t recommend this brand.

Have a great day!

I was feeling rather unsettled about some things last week. After running some errands, I headed toward the mountains. Turns out that was just what I needed.

It’s a place where I can listen and learn.

The beauty is unmistakable, thorns and all.

It is a place of resilience.

It is ancient.

There is life and death, and beauty in both.

I hope today that you will be able to find a place that restores your soul. A place where you can listen and hear the whisper of God.

Time for another Throwback Thursday post! The following post was originally published on February 28th, 2010. Enjoy!

Dear Jane……I’m sorry, but……

I just don’t think I can follow your rules. I know you worked hard on all those 4 1/2″ blocks and I tried to follow the book, really I did. But it just isn’t going to happen. Love and admiration, Katy

A number of years ago, my local guild makde a Dear Jane raffle quilt. There were a lot of leftover photocopies of pages and someone gave them to me.  I was quite fascinated and  decided to make some of the blocks. I got kind of hooked on it and yet I had other blocks that I liked that were not in the book. I made them anyway. I invented more blocks with things that are important to me: a school house, my family members’ initials, scissors, a cross etc. I made 100 blocks and put them together into this:

This picture is washed out but most of the prints are repros or things that just look old to me. You can’t tell but the border is quilted with feathers. I won a ribbon at a local show with this for Best Traditional. I love this quilt and had a lot of fun making it my way and my own.

Fast forward a few years and I am again thinking I should do the Dear Jane thing. I bought the book. I made patterns. I made some blocks. This past week I discovered the 25 or so I had done and decided to make more. Some of these are really fussy to make. I thought about simplifying a few blocks but the very thought made me feel like a criminal or at least a serious slacker….

I remembered this quilt I finished earlier and got it out of the closet. I am going to put a sleeve on it and hang it in my front room.  I remembered how much I loved this and how fun it was to make without being married to the pattern.

Once again, I decided to ditch Jane. I will still make plenty of blocks from the book but I will change them with wild abandon. I will add and subtract to my hearts content. The world doesn’t need one more Jane Stickle wanna be quilt from me.

I think I will call this, Sister Kate, She Hath Done What She Could…..

If you read this far, you may be wondering what actually happened to these blocks. You can read about my finished quilt, Calamity Jane here.

Remember that bin of 2 1/2” squares I showed you the other day? I actually have two of those bins. That one was all repro fabrics, this one is more bright/modern prints. Basically anything that isn’t Civil War, ends up here.

So I started messing around on the design wall.

I needed some low volume bits so I opened up this long hoarded charm pack.

And ta daaaa!

Nothing is sewn yet, but I’m hoping you can tell what it is. If you’ve been around a while, you might remember this map quilt that I made for Daugher #3 and SIL.

I got the idea for this from Pinterest. I spent a lot of time trying to rack down a pattern or designer to give credit. Most pins sent me to Craftsy, but once there, I couldn’t find anything about this. Mine isn’t exactly the same and I have no idea of the size of the original. ETA: I found a connection between this and a now defunct company called Rebel Craft Media, but that is all I know.

I’m not sure where I’m going with this. Sometimes I need to remind myself that not every quilt needs to be huge.

Have a great day!

My top is all in one piece.

Now I’m wondering if it needs borders. It’s too small for a bed quilt and too big for a throw quilt. Here are the two border option from my stash.

I’m not crazy about either one. I probably have something that would work back in Michigan. I know I have the perfect backing piece there.

Hmmmm….I’m going to have to think about this.

In the mean time, I was asked what size these rectangles were cut. They are 2 1/2 inch by 4 1/2 inches. The four patches finish at 4 inches, and the quarter square triangles finish at 6 inches on the long side. Hope this helps!

Have a great day!

Oh, I nearly forgot! AccuQuilt has some great specials this week.

Not only that, but you can get a free GO! Me did cutter!

Click here for details.

Also, Connecting Threads has a remnant sale going on. Remnants are only $3.50 a yard!

This post contains affiliate links.

My leader/ender quilt has taken center stage.

It’s turning out bigger than I originally planned, so I ran out of the QST pieces I cut. Of course, I don’t have any more of that fabric. I’m hoping these pieces will blend well enough.

There is plenty still to be done on this top, like resolving the bottom edge of these strips.

My goal is to have the top done this week.

Click here to register for the next AccuQuilt Live!

Have a great day!

This post contains affiliate links.

I finally started quilting this vintage top!

Of course, I’m using Baptist Fans.

And muslin on the back.

I have a bunch of this perle cotton, so I decided to use it for the quilting. After doing a couple fans, I’ve realized I’ll probably run out. That’s okay. It’s a make do kind of quilt.

Let’s see if I can finish this before heading back to Michigan for the summer.

Have a great day!

Last weekend, I flew to Missouri to celebrate the 90th birthday of my beautiful mother in love and friend, Mim.

She is the dearest person! It was a quick visit, but lovely that all her kids could be there for the day.

Mr. Wonderful found these adorable cactus tea lights for me!

I found this shirt for him. 😂

My sweet baby girl, Winslow.

And Willy Boy.

He quite likes his crate, especially with the new fluffy bed.

Have a great weekend!