So Much to Share

It was another busy week, especially in the sewing room. Besides sewing, we’ve been preparing to go on vacation to Arizona for the first time since just before COVID. And I had a lot of “budget and bills” work to do before we left, both on our stuff and my late brother’s. It will be nice when the sale of his house closes at the beginning of May. Supporting two households is getting old. And expensive!

This week I worked on my two Gameboard blocks (I really love these!) for Pink April in the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. I’ll be linking up to Scrappy Saturday, hopefully sometime Saturday morning (if I can sneak a minute before we hit the road to Arizona). 

Here are all the blocks for this year so far:

I’m the monthly newsletter editor for our homeowners association, and I have started the practice of providing it in color (instead of just black and white) and adding a photo. So a couple times during the week, in between the much-needed and much-enjoyed spring rain showers, I walked around our 72-unit complex snapping pictures of anything in bloom. That was enjoyable! But for this blog post, I’m just showing three things I photographed in our little courtyard. 

Lamium groundcover 

Brunnera

Tulips

I can’t wait to get out in the garden and get things planted! But I will wait until at least the second week of May, which is what everyone recommends for our locale and planting zone. I just don’t trust Mother Nature not to surprise us with a spring freeze!

My friend Ruby, who owns a longarm quilting machine, was able to quilt two (of 5) of my little kid quilts this week. And I, in turn, was able to trim, bind and label them. These are the first two finishes for April. 

Purple Elephant Strippie (above and below). Finished size 37.5 x 44.5”. I used a smallish width-of-fabric piece for the front, and two small fabric chunks and a little strip set for the backing. I love using up these smaller pieces of yardage. 

The second finish was this cute fox and squirrel print (3 fat quarters) that I matched up with some solid chunks for this classic little Quilts for Kids pattern. 

Ruby quilted it with swirls, which is the same pattern we used on the wedding quilt for my grandson Easton. I have the binding made for the wedding quilt, but won’t finish that up until we get back from vacation. I’m hoping that Ruby, who is tall, can be my quilt holder for its final photos. But I digress. 

The backing for this little quilt is some aqua acanthus leaves, a patterned fabric I’ve owned and used in at least three color ways now. Foxes and Owls finished at 39x45”.

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I got my act together enough to finally share my progress on the Block of the Month (BOM) class I am taking (after much coercion from Ruby). There are several of our friends and family taking the class, so it’s rather fun. But don’t tell Ruby I said that!

I’m pretty happy with all my blocks, except for one. I hated the block and had no intention of buying the requisite ruler for it, knowing I would never again voluntarily make the block. But let’s start at the beginning.

The BOM started in September and will run through August. You pay $5.00 when you start the class and provide your own background fabric (fabric A). The store provides cuts of Fabric B and Fabric C. If you finish your block and bring it to the next month’s class, you don’t have to pay for the next month’s B and C fabrics. If you don’t finish the block or attend class, you pay another $5.00 for the next block. I’ve finished every one so far.

September block

October block

November block

This next one, the December Block, is absolutely hideous. I hate the pattern and the colors they gave us (after that block, I have been changing out some of the batiks to keep them brighter). But in the interest of transparency, I’m showing the block. I know I’m merely an average quilter, and I’m just fine with that. But this block is cringe-worthy even for a beginner. (SO why, I wonder, would the instructor put this as block #4 in a “beginner” class?)  I did not have the right ruler or the inclination to make a real effort on this block, and it shows. Please don’t judge! It will definitely be replaced with prettier colors and a pattern I like better. And can sew better, LOL!!

December block

January Block

 February Block

March Block

Here are all the blocks so far. 

First Seven Blocks

I will not be posting next week due to our trip, but will be back in 2 weeks with lots of pink blocks (Rolling Stone, strings) and more little quilt finishes. And hopefully lots of sunshiney pictures of fun times! While we’re gone, Ruby will be over daily to feed the cats and talk to them. Alfie loves it when “Aunt Ruby” feeds him his Greenies treats.

Have a wonderful Easter, friends. Life is good!

Sewing Again

My Bernina 570QE finally came back from the shop from her annual “spa” visit. It took exactly a month, but it really was good timing.  I was not sewing during my surgery (right total knee replacement) or the first couple weeks of recovery. Now I’m at three weeks past and can move around more. We will have our regular last meeting of the year for the Church of Bernina here at my house on Sunday. Woo-hoo.

Thank you to the dear hearts who reached out while I was on “sabbatical”. I owe you all letters, and I promise I am working on them. Please be patient with me. I get tired easily, but again, I see improvement week by week, so that pushes me forward. A note to those just tuning in today, I did write a lengthy post yesterday about the last three weeks - surgery, family passing, etc. It’s not quilt related and if you’re not interested, well that’s cool. If you are, you can scroll back to yesterday’s post. For today, all I have to add to the saga is that we received a phone call Friday morning that Bruce’s sister Annette was at the hospital with her husband Glenn who was passing from heart failure. We are on tenterhooks waiting for more information. He is in our prayers and hearts (and tears - they come so easily this month).  This has already become an infamous December in our family (and our country). 2026 cannot come soon enough. 

I do have one finish to share. My friend Ruby has a longarm, and she quilted two of my last Rainbow Scrap Challenge finishes for me this week. I’ve got them both trimmed, but only one is completely finished. I apologize for the picture. It was windy and ominous outside on Friday, and my DH Bruce, with only one arm, can’t hold up my quilts! So I spread it out on our bed and did what I could.

The quilting is random hearts - so cute! It will be a gift for my housekeeper Sandy.

The weathervane blocks were one of my 2025 RSC blocks. The quilt finished at 48.5 x 60”

I love the backing fabric I used, but had to supplement it with a green batik stripe. Do you see the sweet affirmations in the floral print?

I have been taking a monthly BOM (Block of the Month) class with Ruby and Cousin Kim and Niece Jenny, and Ruby’s half-sister Cathy and a lady from our Weight Watcher’s workshop. Even Jenny’s  daughter Lily (age 14) has joined us. It’s a jolly fun group, even if the class is a repeat for Kim and me. We began in September, and have done 4 blocks so far. I will try to show them two at a time for the next couple posts, but couldn’t get decent pictures yet, so that will have to wait.

Next week will begin 2026 and the start of a new year for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. I will be participating, as I’ve done for over 10 years. I have one carryover block to continue working on and another 2-3 I may add to the lineup. As well, I have a wedding quilt to begin soon if I ever want to get it done by April! And then there is my box of 36+ self-made quilt kits (kid-sized)  that I’ll be tackling this year, hopefully finishing 1-3 of those per month. I’ll probably start slower than usual, but I’m determined to make a major dent in the stash this year. 

I’ll leave you with a picture of our Christmas Brunch with my son Ryan, DIL Kim and family. 

L- R: Granddaughter Lauren and her fiancé Graham, DIL Kim, son Ryan, me, Bruce

Have a wonderful New Year celebration, and I wish you all good health and happiness in 2026.