This and That
I have a little of this and that to share with you today. While BigJ was busy digging us out of the 16 inches of snow the snowstorm left with us, I was busy getting caught up on some of my quilt projects.
A Finish
I got this quilt back from Connie a few weeks ago, and was a little worried I wouldn’t get the binding done before winter was over. Ha. I needn’t have worried, but it did spur me on to finish it.
I had planned to show a cropped photo of just the quilt, but my phone and computer weren’t cooperating, so you get to see how well the quilt goes with my living room. Please excuse the cat toys, the glaring light, and other distractions – at least it covers up the clutter on my countertop!
Anyway, this was a kit I picked up at a local quilt shop, which consisted of a layer cake of Robert Kaufman Mammoth Flannel along with a gray flannel for the binding. There was no cutting, I just played around with the squares until I had a layout I liked and sewed the rows together. I paired it with a gold minky backing, and sent it off to Connie for some fancy quilting.
After quilting, the quilt measured 58 inches by 68 inches. I attached the binding by machine. Here’s a close up of the quilting design that Connie used.
Wilbs and I now have a new quilt to snuggle under in the evenings. I’m just happy to have it done while it’s still cold and snowy outside!
Diatom QAL
I’m caught up with my Diatom blocks for the quilt along with Quilting JetGirl. The blocks go together so easily and I’m happy with the fabrics. Here are the first four blocks:
The Grunge fabrics I’m using are Smoke (gray), Yam (rust), Moutarde (gold) and tan. I also have Manilla on hand, which is just a bit lighter than the tan. I may switch those two out as I go along, just for fun.
Tuxedo’s Tales
Tuxedo’s Tales is a block of the month designed by Bonnie Sullivan. In each of my blocks, I’m using gold wool for Wilbs in place of Tuxedo. You can see my January block here. Wilbs looks a bit perplexed at that bird on his head. I’m not very good at the embroidery stitches, but maybe by the time I’m done with the 12th block, I’ll have improved a bit! I’m using a pack of black layer cakes for the background, and wool bits and pieces for the applique. Once finished, I trim the block to 9 inches.
Dreamlines 2023
The Dreamlines Project is a monthly art project offered by Brenda Gael Smith. If you sign up for her Serendipity Studio Newsletter, each month’s project will be sent to your email. It’s free, and very low key. Make as many or as few as you wish. Use that month’s units to make a small quilt, or wait until October to incorporate all units into a large quilt. It’s your choice.
My units for January and February are a rather motley crew of colors and lines. I’m not using any particular colors, but I do plan to use all solids.
The dashes are the January units, the squares, February. I may make a few more of the squares before February is over.
100 Days of Stitching
I’ve fallen a bit behind on this sew along, but I’m not overly concerned. I just keep working on my pages when I have a little time. Now that I’m finished with my SAHRR top, I should have a bit more free time to work on this. Here are my two latest pages.
There is really no rhyme or reason with these pages. I’m just playing around and using bits of fabric close by, or that are fun. The Dear Stella fabric with the faces cracks me up, so I decided to mess around with some little scraps of that fabric. These are still a work in progress. You can see my other pages here.
Quilt Room Renov Update
There has been quite a bit happening in my new quilt studio. The walls are painted, the lighting is in, and I have cabinets! I’ll share more photos and details soon, but I thought you might like a peek at my cabinet/shelf unit. This photo is taken in the late afternoon; it’s a bright, happy space!
This was designed and made by BigJ. He’s staining it as I type this post. That little shelf in the upper center will be a spot for my collection of toy sewing machines. The lower center will hold a large TV screen. The sides will be shelves for fabric. The lower area under the drawers will be storage cabinets.
And there you have it, a little of this and that at Pieceful Thoughts!
Happy weekend, all!
Wendy
Eva's SAHRR Progress
27 Comments
knitnkwilt
Love your Dreamline blocks! I signed up–don’t know how much I’ll follow through, but even one would be fun.
nanacathy2
Can’t get over that snow, so much. Love the finished quilt. Think you’ll appreciate it now.
Cindy Pieters
The faces in the 100 blocks look cool. BigJ did great with the cabinets.
Nancy @ Grace and Peace Quilting
Wooooow, that wall cabinet is going to be amazing!!! And your flannel layer cake quilt with minkee–perfect winter to make that!!! Love the Wilbs quilt–haha!!! That’s going to be sooo good! Interesting to see all your different QAL projects, Wendy!
texasquiltgal
Goodness on the snow! I LOVE that plaid quilt and immediately searching for RBK mammoth flannel bundles. It’s a wonderful quilt. It’s amazing how Wilbs’ eyes have a slightly different perspective in each block. The green buttons are perfect. I’m sure Wilbs can’t wait to jump up on those cabinets!
Karen
the sewing area will be so neat when it is done. Good idea to have a space for a tv also you can get youtube video’s to watch of tutorials or just plain watch/listen to shows while making quilts. You got so much snow – I thought of you all up north while looking at snow pictures in the news. Love your flannel quilt
Vicki in MN
You certainly have a nice variety of fun projects to work on throughout the storm/winter. Your new quilt-I thought perhaps it was for Big J to curl up in when he came in from blowing snow!! I love it as it looks so perfect to cuddle in. I am a little jellie of those beautiful cabinets!!
Helen
Wow! I forgot anything that I might have thought of commenting on when I scrolled down and saw the built in shelves. Wow! That’s going to be an exciting day when you get to move in.
Tracie
I love your flannel quilt and the wool Wilbs! And I was telling Brian how great your studio is looking. Thanks for sharing all your fun projects!
Mari
Your quilt has feet! 🙂 It looks great and I love the gold backing. I’ll bet it’s very cozy. Love your colors for Diatom, too. Glad to see the quilt room progressing, and I’ll bet you can’t wait to see it finished. Have a great Saturday!
TextileRanger
You have so many interesting projects going on, in so many different areas! Very inspiring!
Cocoa Quilts
Wendy you are working Big J. Your cabinets are beautiful. I can hardly wait to see how they look all full of fun things!
Barbara J Stanbro
Lots of eye candy there. Your Tuxedo project is looking good. Love your Wilbur fabric. I like the Dreamlines. Very interesting. And your finished quilt looks so homey. Nice job. You’ve been busy! Looking forward to seeing your finished quilt room.
The Joyful Quilter
What a cozy quilt finish, Wendy!! With all that snow, it sounds like you and Wilbs still have plenty of time to enjoy it before winter is over. SEW glad to see some additional progress on your new seeing space, too!
The Morning Latte
Well it’s great to get all caught up on all of this with pics! WOW on the snow and yes I have to say it again: I wish it was us! Your room is looking great (how have I missed all of these update pics! I have to do better on my blog reading!) and super-yay on finishing that flannel. Wonderfully plaid (love plaids!) and I bet it’s just so cozy! And so many others, you have been busier than I even thought! Way to go!
Kathleen McCormick
16″ of yuk! I hate that much snow, but we are getting closer and closer to March I keep saying. Love love love your new cozy flannel blanket and all the other great work you are doing. The Diatom blocks are beautiful and the 100 days of sewing are so much fun. Your improv is always just so gorgeous. It will be fun to see what you do with it. Your sewing cabinets are spectacular…what a fabulous space it will be.
Texas Quilter
Let’s see. 1. Like the flannel quilt, 2. Love the Diatom blocks and the grunge color way, 3. Your sewing room looks great – bet it won’t take long to fill the room with quilting need! Hugs
Jocelyn Thurston
I absolutely loved this post, Wendy. What a great catchup of your projects and also that quilt finish. All wonderful. You have a nice variety on the go at present. Love how you swapped to a gold colour for Wilbs…perfect.
Diann@ Little Penguin Quilts
Look at those gorgeous cabinets! You have a very talented hubby! So fun to see what you’ve been working on, too. Your flannel quilt is perfect for all the snow and cold that’s out there, and the Diatom blocks are beautiful! Of course, I was really interested in the Dreamlines pieces. I’m excited to go get started on some of those this afternoon!
Yvonne @Quilting Jetgirl
There are so many good things in this post. I’m going to start with your sewing space renovation: wow, that’s looking fantastic! And a flannel and minky quilt? Sounds like you have the perfect lap quilt to cuddle under with all that snow outside. Your Diatom blocks look great together. 🙂
Laura
Oh wow! With that much snow, a novel, a cuppa, and that cozy flannel quilt are just what is needed! I am so excited to see your new sewing space…thanks for the peek! 🙂
Eva
Big applaus to your hubby!!! He did a great job! Super work… fantastic space.
The flannel quilt is exactly in time.. colours look warm and will do a great job giving you warmth. Grunge meets diatom blocks… could be the headline. Your diatom blocks are super. Good that I not see that quiltalong earlier… it is to late now for me to jump in. The fotos on her site are outstanding. Yeah!! The dreamliners are here… wow!!! Wendy, I like that you have sich a big variety of sewing skills, this is so interesting. Like your sewing cabinet with a lot of drawers… you habe so many talents and not sewing only one „style“. Absolutely inspirational!
The only good thing of this too much snow, time for sewing, no garden work calling.
Katherine Duquette
You sure are busy even with all that snow. I like the colors you chose for the Diaton blocks. Your new sewing room will be a hard to leave space it’s so light and bright.
Send snow back to the southwest we are so dry.
aquilterstable
Love your flannel quilt! That looks SO cozy! And yay for your new studio! How fun is that?!
Cindy Berry
Great projects happening and wow, what a nice cabinet that will be – I am sure you will enjoy your new space. Hope you are thawing out – it has been in the mid 80s here in South Louisiana….
gayle m coots
Oh Wendy, you just got me with the Serendipty blocks – not the first time your suggestion has pulled me in a direction I didn’t know I needed to go… I have worked on 100 Day stitch projects with no prompting and you almost had me participating in the SAHRR this year as I watched your quilt grow last year – LOVE your project this year!
Kathy
Love your Diatom blocks and Wow…you’re going to love your new sewing room. BigJ is doing some wonderful work. You will love it! Can’t wait to see the finished project. Enjoy all of your posts. You are a busy girl.