Neutral Quilt Blocks

Tiny Caterpillar Craftsperson

Outside first thing this morning I discovered this bunch of fallen shingle oak leaves in the grass with a lovely little row of perfect circles. On the other side was a teeny tiny caterpillar - he's lying next to the leaf in the photo. Amazing little designer...

Sugar Maple Quilt Update

Not quite finished with this one yet, but it so matched up with our morning outdoors I decided to post an update on it. I hand quilted the center leaf area and white surrounding them, then machine quilted the brown border with my new walking foot. I started this quilt as the leaves were just popping out and now they are falling down. I think it is now destined to become a pillow cover. Actual size is about 26" square.

Current Projects

I have been busy getting my big boy off to a good start in kindergarten and getting used to a new routine with my little guy at home. I think we are finally settling into it all. I did have a chance yesterday to finally spend a bit of time in the sewing room on the little circles and shells piece above. I was liking it less and less and then I attached the sea blue surrounding it and I am liking it again - I think I can work from this - I think I have a plan now. I like the thread curls - want to somehow keep that. All the center stitches are a bit busy - so I may still try some painting on this one to pull some thing forward and push some things back.

I am also simmering an idea of neutral patchwork as a canvas for other things - and having fun piecing some neutrals from my stash...

Blue Feather

I have been wanting to try this for awhile - the idea has been in my head and I finally had the chance to create this one. I think there will be more of these feathers. A perfect use of the tiny striped bits of cloth Grandma gave me - and Grandma loved birds. It was windy outside when I took the photo and it wanted to blow away - just like the real thing...

Friday Morning Quote

My son and I walked down the front steps Friday morning to find patches of mushrooms in the mulch. As we looked at them together he said, "The tops look just like fabric - you could put them in a quilt and no one would ever know."

Hand Appliqué

I follow artist Jude Hill's blog and am in awe of her hand appliqué. So a little while back when she posted this - it not only appealed to the quilter in me, but the graphic designer as well - hand appliquéd typography! - and really wonderfully done. I have been wanting to try Jude's technique of drawing a line on both fabrics and stitching something down. This little block printed elephant was looking at me from the pile today - and so I drew a circle around him and then on a background fabric and went to work - hoping a simple shape would be a good place to start. I had to tear out part of it at the end and correct the circle shape, it was difficult to keep the curve smooth - but I like the technique. Now what to make with this little elephant...

Thread Sketch and New Old Blue Hutch

I took a break from tidying/trashing my sewing room to sew a bit on the machine and thread sketch this little piece. So relaxing. Added some little shell shapes in with the regular circle obsession. I think I may end up painting on it a bit...

Also - more on the tidying of the sewing room: Having all of my fabric remnants in the sewing room staring at me every day proved not to be all that inspirational - more just overwhelming. So I moved them to a closet - probably where I had moved them from - but put them in there in a more organized way. I also found an old blue hutch at a yard sale a few weeks ago and just got it completely moved into the sewing room. Moved my boys' art and craft table into my sewing room so we can all hang out together and my stuff AND their stuff fits into the hutch. It's almost done - I hope to post photos of the tidy new and improved sewing room/studio soon...