Tuesday, May 5, 2015

Back in the saddle

Remember me?  I know, I've been a bad blogger.  I think about blogging often, but just never sit down to do it.  That changes today!  And I have Gail the Cozy Quilter to thank for that.  We've been blogging friends for years now, but since I live in Virginia and she lives in Canada, we'd never met.  Then, last week, she and her husband were staying in my town on vacation, and she wandered past my shop one night and put two and two together and realized she knew the shop owner.  She came in the next day to introduce herself, and I was just so tickled!  Her timing was perfect, as I was feeling a bit tired and overwhelmed, having recently returned from a trip to Spain with my mom and sisters and trying to prepare for back to back birthday parties at my shop last weekend.  Anyway, THANK YOU for visiting me, Gail, and for inspiring me to blog again!

I must say that, since opening the shop and learning to knit (I know, that sounds a bit backwards, doesn't it?  Opening a yarn shop and THEN learning to knit?  But I didn't know it would be a yarn shop when I opened, it just kinda evolved...) I've been knitting much more than I have been quilting.  That and making class samples for all my kids' sewing classes.  But last night, I was tidying my sewing room at home and realized that I couldn't properly close the drawer with the blue fabrics in it.  Honestly, I don't use blues very often.  So, what's a gal to do but make a blue quilt?  I had inspiration for a quick and easy quilt from the Emerald Waves quilt in the April/May 2014 McCall's Quick Quilts issue, and tweaked it to make it work for yardage of white that I had.  I targeted all the smaller pieces of blue in the drawer, cutting what I needed for the quilt and then cutting the rest into scrap squares for future scrap projects.  I'm happy to report that the blue drawer has now been tamed!  I got 14 of the 50 blocks I plan to make completed.  At this rate, I should be finished with the top by the end of the week!
The blue fabrics just won't fit in the drawer anymore.
See my inspiration photo?  And I cut my scraps to every size between 1.5" square and 5" square for future projects.
So far, so good.  Although I don't like it as much as the original green quilt - I LOVE GREEN!
So, that's it for now.  Gotta ease myself back into blogging, after all.  Let me close by saying that I am so amused that the quilt I featured in my last blog post LAST YEAR just sold today.  AND the dress I am wearing in the second picture of my last post is the same dress I am wearing today in honor of Cinco de Mayo.  Honestly, it is like no time has passed at all!

12 comments:

Julierose said...

Oh welcome, welcome back! I am also an avid knitter--am working on the Eco Vest right now from "Knitting Green" by Ann Budd with Eco+ yarn--luscious!! I am working across the back and have the right side to shoulder left to do and the front band. Great pattern; and of course I quilt too. Hugs, Julierose

Vroomans' Quilts said...

Welcome back sweetie! Glad the shop is working so well for you, but do make ME time. I have a huge pile of blues (my favorite color) and don't seem to use them - maybe I am hoarding them.

Shay said...

Welcome back Erin. Its so wonderful to see you blogging again, although I totally understood why you may not have had time.

LOving your blues quilt and cant wait to see it in all it's finished beauty!

Anne said...

Good to see you back! I've missed your posts.

Ellis2Roam said...

Have missed your blogging but figured out with your new store you are probably very busy. Nice to hear from you again and to know that you are doing well. Keep up having fun....

beth s said...

Welcome back to blogland. ;)

Barb H said...

So glad to hear from you again and to learn that all has been well with you and your fam. At least, I hope all has been well. Maybe you can up your blogging to 2 or 3 times a year? :)

Caz said...

I was only thinking about bloggers that didn't blog any more,,, but you are back,,, yeah!

Cheryl's Teapots2Quilting said...

You have been missed! I was thinking of you a few weeks ago. Glad you are back in the saddle again.

Michelle said...

Welcome back!! You've been missed. I rarely blog but I read....and dream of having time to work on my quilting. Maybe sometime soon!

The Cozy Quilter said...

It was so nice to meet you and I am glad that you are back to blogging again. I just blogged about my visit to your store and meeting you. I have the same picture of the two of us in my post! I am loving your blue and white quilt. My blue drawer is too full too. Maybe I need to make a blue quilt as well. The problem --not enough time to sew. At least when it comes time to retire, I will have lots of fabric to use!

Livin' Blue Quilter said...

Hey Erin, I am a little late with the welcome back...but I am happy that you are posting again and making beautiful quilts. Now to start catching up on blog posts.