Remember Craftsy 1.0? I loved it back then. When they changed to Bluprint, I bought some things on clearance. This FQ bundle of Tailor’s Tack was a favorite.
I finally decided to make a flying geese quilt from it. I used these AccuQuilt Studio dies. If you have an AccuQuilt GO!, these are equivalent to Shapes 4 and 5 from the 12” Qube.
I even went ahead and cut my scraps to squares.
I used these dies for that. These are equivalent to Shape 2 from the 4” Qube and Shape 2 from the 6” Qube.
I don’t know if I’ll start this right away or save it for sewing in the RV next summer.
It did feel good to use every single bit of that FQ bundle! I had nothing left, but slivers.
Can you believe I’m STILL sorting and finding homes for everything in the sewing room! Combining two large spaces is not for the faint of heart. There are many things I still cannot find. But I spent a whole day last week working on it, so I decided to share. This is the sitting area at the top of the stairs. Ignore the dog bones.
If you turn around, you see the main sewing area. The door on the far right leads to a bathroom.
The tall wooden cabinet with drawers holds most of my thread.
The layout is mostly the same.
I have sorted and combined my scraps that were cut to specific sizes. I had bins in both Michigan and Arizona for many common sizes.
And cleaned up under my ironing table.
This was the corner of shame, but it is now much improved! The laundry bin on wheels holds mostly scrap batting pieces, fiberfill, and a couple quilt tops that need to be moved elsewhere.
The scrapbooking bins on the shelf hold WIPs.
I do love my design wall.
I have felt a decided lack of creativity lately. Usually cleaning the sewing room helps.
After sewing in a basement for many years, I sure love having windows! And this is my view. There are mountains in the distance.
Now, I think I’ll go mess this place up! Have a great day!
When Oscar gets home looking like this, you know you had a good day!
BTW, I was asked if you can collect rocks in parks. That depends. We collect on BLM land and you can legally collect up to 25 pounds of rock per person per day. You should never collect rocks without being sure you have permission. You have to do your homework.
I finished a couple puzzles.
Mr. Wonderful found this Charley Harper puzzle for me. I love it!
We may not have snow in Arizona, but this could still apply.
During January, I am showing groups of quilts that I finished last year. This is mainly for my own benefit as it is a record of the quilts I have made without having to wade through a year’s worth of blog posts.
Here are the doll/wall sized quilts that I finished this past year. They are in no particular order.
I decided I definitely want to make these blocks bigger. So I spent a pleasant afternoon cutting four extra pieces for each block. They will finish at 10” square.
I also remembered that I was short some pieces in the RV last summer. So I’m now ready to make those last seven blocks.
I cut most of the pieces for these blocks from layer cakes. I cut all the leftovers into 1 1/2” strips. I have a plan for these, but I’m not ready to work on that project just yet.
I pieced them in Dora, the RV, last summer. I decided to put some up on the design wall.
They will finish at 8 inches. But I’m thinking about making them a bit bigger. That way I can use smaller borders and still get the size quilt that I want.
I’m not sure I’ll stick with this layout, but I do like it.
I know, it is well past Christmas. This photo was actually taken in 2020. It is the earliest photo I have of this cactus.
It was taken just after planting. The next photo shows its growth the first winter we were out here.
I was so excited to see this growth after a year!
When I came back for a later visit, it looked like this. New growth at the top, but look at those big, ugly cracks! We overwatered it. Cacti have pleats that will expand and contract to accommodate variations in water levels. But with too much water, they will crack open.
It was so ugly, I considered pulling it out and replacing it.
But I left it. After another absence and subsequent return, I found this!
Still had that ugly gash, but definitely displaying new growth!
And it was having babies too!
These last two photos were taken recently. The scars are there, but they are overshadowed by the beauty of the new growth.
I’m so thankful that I didn’t abandon this when things got ugly.
It occurs to me that this cactus is a picture of my life. God didn’t abandon me when things got ugly. He heals my wounds and allows new growth. Yep, the scars are still there, but they are no longer the first thing you notice. There is growth in unexpected places.
Interestingly, I’ve noticed with several other of our cacti, that damage of one sort or another is often followed by a growth spurt.
I know this beauty will likely sustain future damage, from drought or mishandling by its caretaker (that would be me). But I’ve learned that this is not the end, but rather a new beginning.
KatyQuilts 